Ecology as Continuous

Regeneration

For the forest. For the people. For the world.

The Forest

Why This Territory Matters—for the Amazon, and the World

Sapara territory encompasses 914,289 acres of pristine rainforest in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

This land is not only sacred—it is vital for the health of people and planet. It is one of the last intact stretches of

tropical rainforest on the planet, home to endangered species, ancient medicinal plants, and an entire worldview based on balance, reciprocity, and the care of life.

But this forest is under direct and imminent threat.

Oil companies, illegal mining operations, and logging companies are advancing on Indigenous territories using tactics of misinformation, false promises, and division. Without legal recognition, clear zoning, and strategic protection, this living territory risks being irreversibly lost.

If these trees fall, so too do ancestral languages, medicinal lineages, and the

delicate climatic systems that regulate rainfall, biodiversity, and the planet’s

respiration.

The Amazon is not just a carbon sink—it is the Earth’s memory

and planetary respiration.

Indigenous People of the Amazon Are the Forest’s Best Defense

Their forests are still standing—but only just.

Research has shown that the most intact rainforests in the Amazon are not protected by fences or policies—but by the ancestral guardians who call those areas home. Indigenous peoples, like the Sapara, are not just stewards of biodiversity. they are the forest’s memory, its protectors, and its future.

As the World Resources Institute stated in 2017:

“Where Indigenous peoples have secure land rights, forests are healthier, biodiversity is higher, and carbon storage is greater.”

And yet—recognition is not protection. Respect is not enforcement. The trees still fall.

If there is one story that captures the urgency of this moment, it is We Are Guardians, a documentary that follows Indigenous communities risking everything to defend their land, culture, and continued existence.

The Sapara Nation—whose territory spans more than 900,000 acres of pristine Amazon rainforest—is among the last lines of defense for climate regulation and humanity. In 2001, UNESCO recognized their language and oral traditions as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, underscoring the global significance of their wisdom and way of life.

But designation alone does not shield them from harm.

They face the same extractive pressures that haunt much of the Amazon:

– Oil exploration dressed as development

– Illegal logging cloaked in silence

– Internal divisions sown by external manipulation

Their forests are still standing—but only just. Without immediate action, the next generation may inherit memories instead of trees, stories instead of sovereignty.

How Naku Foundation is Different

At Naku, we walk slowly and intentionally—choosing to work deeply with one community at a time. This focus allows us to nurture strong roots before expanding outward, ensuring each community has the tools, knowledge, and resources to sustain itself for generations. Our approach is grounded in regenerative economy and reciprocity, guided by the belief that empowerment comes from learning, not dependency. By investing in depth over breadth, we help create models of resilience that can inspire and guide others.

The Solution is:

A Living System

The solution is found in the four pillars of the Sapara model. This model is not linear—each pillar nourishes and reinforces the others. Education prepares leaders who defend territory. Territorial defense preserves the conditions for cultural vitality. Cultural vitality sustains the wisdom that informs regenerative economies. And a thriving economy ensures that education and health are possible. This is not a program—it is a living system.

Territorial Management

Regenerative Economy

Education

Vitality

But We Need Your Help

To bring this vision to life, we need your partnership. Protecting 914,289 acres of sacred Amazon rainforest and ensuring the cultural survival of the Sapara Nation requires long-term commitment. Your support—whether through financial contributions, sharing our message, or offering your skills—directly strengthens the roots of this living system. Together, we can ensure the forest, the culture, and the wisdom endure for generations to come.

Sponsor a Pillar of Sapara Sovereignty

Here’s how you can Contribute + Make a difference

You are invited to sponsor one or more of the four living pillars sustaining this vision. Each sponsorship can be tailored to your level of engagement—whether you’re supporting a single initiative or stewarding an entire ecosystem of protection.

1.Sapara Regenerative Economy

Sponsorship Goal: $1,600,000 (32%)

2. Sapara Education

Sponsorship Goal: $1,500,000 (30%)

3. Sapara Territorial Management

Sponsorship Goal: $1,200,000 (24%)

4. Sapara Vitality

Sponsorship Goal: $700,000 (14%)

A regenerative future is not only possible—it’s already growing. Rooted in territory, culture, healing, and ancestral wisdom.

There Are So Many Ways to Contribute

And—if giving financially isn’t possible right now, your gifts still matter. Are you a musician with a song? A healer with wisdom? A storyteller with heart?

Ways to Support:

Share This Message

Spread the word through social media, newsletters, or conversations.

Offer Your Skills, Art, or Time

Designers, writers, educators, musicians, and researchers—your gifts matter.

Organize a Fundraiser or Event

Host a concert, circle, art show, or awareness gathering.

Join the Ecosystem of Support

Volunteer, help with grants, create educational materials, or support cultural preservation.

This is a living collaboration—rooted in respect, reciprocity, and shared care for the Earth.

Let’s Connect

FAQs

  • The Sapara are an Indigenous nation of the Ecuadorian Amazon, recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Once numbering over 20,000 people, fewer than 700 remain today, with only three fluent speakers of the Sapara language. Their 914,289 acres of rainforest are home to endangered species, ancient medicinal plants, and a worldview rooted in reciprocity, dreaming, and the living memory of the forest.

  • It is one of the last intact stretches of tropical rainforest in the Amazon—vital for biodiversity, climate regulation, and planetary health. It is also a living cultural archive, where language, ceremony, and ecological knowledge are interwoven with the survival of the forest itself.

  • What happens in the Amazon affects us all. This forest is part of the Earth’s respiratory system—it regulates global climate, sustains biodiversity, and holds ancestral wisdom that can guide planetary healing. Supporting this work is not charity—it’s reciprocity. It’s choosing to protect what protects us.

  • All Naku projects are led and implemented by the Sapara themselves. Every contribution—financial or otherwise—directly strengthens one of the four pillars, ensuring resources are used where they are most needed.

  • Within a single generation, the Sapara could lose their language, their territory, and their cultural continuity. The forest could be opened to oil drilling, illegal logging, and mining, releasing massive amounts of carbon and disrupting global climate systems. These losses would be irreversible.

  • We focus on depth over breadth—working with one community at a time to ensure it is strong, self‑sustaining, and resilient. Our model is based on four interconnected pillars that reinforce each other: Territorial Management, Regenerative Economy, Education, and Vitality. This is not a program—it is a living system.

  • Short‑term aid often creates dependency and leaves communities vulnerable once it ends. The Naku model invests in Indigenous‑led systems that enable each community to thrive independently, protecting their land and culture for generations to come.

  • Every decision is guided by Sapara elders, healers, and community leaders. The Naku Foundation exists to protect their territory and vision, with all work rooted in ceremony, consent, and respect for Indigenous sovereignty.

  • All Naku projects are led by Sapara elders, healers, and community members. Every contribution—financial or otherwise—directly strengthens one of the four pillars, ensuring resources go where they are needed most and are stewarded by the people who live in sacred relationship with the land.

  • While governments sign treaties and create environmental protections on paper, enforcement is often weak or compromised by political and economic pressures. True protection comes from the people who live in sacred relationship with the land—and from allies willing to help them hold the line.

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