Redefining Narratives: Lessons from Young Ecuadorean Indigenous Women on Environmental Migration

Both the definition and understanding of migration have traditionally originated from the so-called ‘Global North’. Accounts on environmental migration too, mimic this limitation. One of the numerous problems this reality poses, is that it obscures the experiences and perceptions of environmental migrants themselves. In fact, their accounts and experiences are frequently questioned, disregarded, or outright not considered legitimate sources of knowledge. One group that has traditionally been silenced by this structure are indigenous communities despite these being at the forefront of environmental migration.

It has been well documented that indigenous communities are disproportionally affected by the ongoing climate crisis. The destruction of their ancestral lands and habitats are a direct consequence of extreme weather events, deforestation, and resource exploitation. While the exact number of climate-displaced indigenous communities is still unknown, its geographical scope is eye-opening. From the Inuit in Canada to the Tuareg in Niger, countless indigenous communities have all reported the impact the climate crisis has had on their livelihoods. This gives place to a truly paradoxical scenario where the experiences of those most affected by environmental migration are often the most silenced or ignored. 

Young indigenous women in the Ecuadorean Amazon, nonetheless, are increasingly challenging this status quo. Their accounts are unique lessons in understanding environmental migration in at least two regards. First, they shed light on the intersectionality of the phenomenon and the deeper implications it has on indigenous peoples. Second, they stress the importance of including indigenous knowledge into global discussions to solve the challenges it poses. While it is well beyond the scope of this blogpost to survey all these voices, some notable figures have made significant breakthroughs.

One key young indigenous figure is Nemonte Nenquimo, a Waorani leader who has advocated for the respect of indigenous and environmental rights. She was featured as one of the 100 most influential women and people in 2020 by the BBC and TIME Magazine respectively. Her community in the Yasuní Reserve in the Ecuadorean Amazon is one that has directly experienced environmental migration and displacement. Illegal mining and lodging are already forcibly removing the Waorani from their ancestral homelands as primary forest is cut and toxic by-pass from mining is deposed in rivers. Oil activities alike, are threatening the habitability of certain areas in Yasuní turning them into wastelands and polluting water deposits.

When talking about her people’s displacement, Nenquimo highlights the deep connection the Waorani, and other indigenous communities in the Amazon, have to the rainforest and their land. “The forest is my teacher” she adds, exemplifying how their habitat is a source of knowledge, culture, and spirituality. In fact, the Waorani base their entire social, economic, and cultural systems in accordance with Nature regarding it as a “source of abundance” and livelihood with deeper “untranslatable” meanings. Nenquimo often talks about the ‘right to Nature’ as being equivalent to any other fundamental human right.

With her lesson in mind, environmental migration has deeper meanings and implications. Departing from their land signifies a preclusion of integral human rights, a loss of knowledge and culture, and a deprivation of livelihoods. Yet, despite this reality, mainstream accounts on environmental migration often do not gauge this extent – a reality Nenquimo has frequently condemned.

Nenquimo sees extractivism (referring to the exploitation of natural resources as an economic model) in the Amazon as a product of ignorance. “The less you know about something, the less value it has to you, and the easier it is to destroy,” contending much of the destruction in the Amazon is product of the lack of knowledge and interest the world has in listening to indigenous voices. Excluding these is also embedded in the “western world […] civilisation” model which in turn, relies on extractivism and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and indigenous homelands. Nenquimo’s account defies traditional conceptions identifying the exclusion of indigenous accounts as a major driving force of environmental migration.

Nina and Helena Gualinga have also risen as prominent activists – resonating especially with younger audiences worldwide. As members of the Kichwa Sarayaku community, their work has documented and condemned the destruction of their land as a consequence of oil-extraction activity and the climate crisis. 

Nina Gualinga’s advocacy centers the environmental migration conversation on intersectionality with a specific focus on gender. She contends that the “wellbeing of women is deeply linked with the wellbeing of Earth” as indigenous women are increasingly becoming defenders of Nature in many communities across the Amazon. Nature, and its defense, are sources of power, and are central to the socio-political involvement of indigenous women. Environmental migration poses a serious threat to the public participation of these women and increases their exposure to gender-based violence. In fact, N. Gualinga highlights this as one of the “layers of violence that indigenous people are subjected to” and a direct aggression towards indigenous women.

Her message also gives insight into the way in which indigenous voices are excluded from global frameworks. After participating in the COP27 conference in Sharm el-Sheikh in late 2022, N. Gualinga still sustains indigenous voices are not heard as little participation room is offered. Echoing Nenquimo’s message, she contends that the unique connection indigenous peoples have to their ancestral land still does not permeate international fora, reinforcing the silencing bias. To overcome this, N. Gualinga remains a firm believer that building bridges across peoples and youth specifically, creates spaces where the solutions to root causes of environmental migration can be discussed.

Helena Gualinga, has also placed herself as a leading young indigenous voice. Her activism started with denouncing the effects the climate crisis has on the Sarayaku community. Here, “forest fires, desertification, destruction, and disease spread by floods” have displaced numerous people. Oil extraction activities, too, are pushing people out of their homes without consent or compensation. H. Gualinga, in fact, understands this displacement as a propagating cause of the climate crisis. As indigenous peoples are the ones who are “actually protecting the Amazon” their forced removal from their ancestral lands also removes any protection. As such, a vicious circle occurs where environmental migration removes the indigenous protection to the Amazon rainforest which in turns, leads to more displacement. 

It is precisely because of their unique role of protectors, that indigenous peoples’ ideas, contributions, and initiatives ought to be channeled into international platforms. “Indigenous ways of decision-making and governance need to be taken into account because we have a different worldview, and […] different experiences in our territories” she adds. Additionally, she believes that bridging conversations with the global youth, can mix indigenous accounts with the drive youth has for change maximizing its impact. In a nutshell, H. Gualinga signals the need to create an inclusive global conversation that harnesses the capabilities of numerous people to address environmental migration. International fora and frameworks remain “middle-aged, male-dominated spaces” according to her, urgently indicating the need to include diverse opinion precisely like those voiced by young indigenous women.

In the end, the activism of young indigenous women in Ecuador offers valuable insights into the understanding on environmental migration. Nemonte Nenquimo, Nina and Helena Gualinga all highlight the profounder meanings and experiences indigenous communities have with environmental migration. From gender to cultural traditions to ancestral knowledge, the connection indigenous communities have to their land is intersectional rooted in their livelihood and human rights. Taking this depth and actively taking it into consideration is key in informing decision-making, designing responses, and framing discussions. 

However, for this to take place, global mechanisms ought to recognise the still limited participation areas indigenous peoples have in fora discussing climate change, migration, and displacement. Indigenous communities, and especially their youth, have rich and unique relationship with the environment and as such, enriching the conversations around environmental migration. By recognizing and amplifying their contributions, global conversations on environmental migration can become more effective in tackling the complex issues laying ahead.

About the author:

Jan Minke Contreras is a Diplomatic Liaison at the IOM mission in The Hague, the Netherlands. He holds two masters from the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics in Latin American Studies and International Relations respectively. Both academically and in his current role, Jan is passionate about bridging understandings and approaches to migration across different governments, communities and institutions. 

This article is part of the IOM Blog Series: Youth Voices on Migration, Environment and Climate Change

Banner: © Jerónimo Zúñiga / Amazon Frontlines