Table Ronde, Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with the territory. Hosted by the Chilean delegation to UNESCO. Organized by: Gamba-Trimino, C., Flórez-Salgado, D. and Ocampo, J.

1. Each forest has a name:
Traditional ecological
knowledge in the
Amazonian Region
Catherine Gamba-Trimiño, Ecologist (MSc, M2)
catherinetrimino.pro@gmail.com
Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris

2. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
1. The context: Co-ocurrence of biolinguistic diversity in Latin America
2. Zoom in the Amazonian Region: biodiversity and languages in numbers
3. Case study in the Amazonia: Traditional ecological knowledge of Baniwa
people
4. Implications for biolinguistic conservation
5. Implications for socioecological management and adaptation in a changing
environment
Outline
Catherine Gamba-Trimiño, Ecologist (MSc, M2)
catherinetrimino.pro@gmail.com

3. Co-ocurrence of biolinguistic diversity in Latin America
(Gorenflo et al. 2012. PNAS : 109)
Biodiversity hotspots and high
biodiversity wilderness areas:
1.Atlantic forest. 4.Caribbean Islands.
6.Cerrado. 7.Chilean winter rainfall-
Valdivian forests. 19.Madrean Pine-Oak
Woodlands. 22.Mesoamerica. 32.Tropical
Andes. 33.Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena.
36.Amazonia
Geographic distribution of indigenous
and non-migrant languages in 2009 :
In dark red, areas with the highest number
of languages. Mesoamerica and the
nortwest Amazonia exhibit a co-ocurrence
of biological and linguistic diversity.

4. The Amazonian Region
Basin of about 7.5 million km2
World’s largest tropical forest with 6 million km2
Habitat to 1/3 of earth’s species
Home to about 40 million people
385 indigenous and tribal peoples
86 languages and 65 local dialects

5. Case study in the Amazonia:
Traditional ecological knowledge of Baniwa people
Since colonial times, the name Baniwa has been used to
refer to all peoples who speak Arawakan languages
who live along the Içana River, a tributary of the Rio
Negro, on the borders of Brazil with Colombia and
Venezuela. However, the name they have chosen as a
collective self-designation is the “Walimanai”.
With a combined current population of nearly 35,000,
some 22 indigenous ethnic groups speaking languages
belonging to five distinct linguistic families (Arawakan,
Tukanoan, Maku, Yanomami plus the introduced lingua
geral trade language of Tupi-Guarani origin) inhabit this
region.
https://walimanai.wordpress.com
Instituto socio-ambiental, Brazil

6. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
Baniwa forest classification in the Northwest Amazonia
(Abraao et al, 2010)*
*Published as chapter 5 in:
Landscape Ethnoecology: Concepts of Physical and Biotic Space.L. M. Johnson and E. Hunn (Eds.). New York: Berghahn Books (2010).
Traditional ecological knowledge identifies different vegetation types with a
high degree of refinement. These classification systems often match with
results found with western-science methodologies.
Settlement in White-sand habitat (Photo : Beto
Ricardo, 2000)
Flooded habitat (Photo : Beto Ricardo, 2000)

7. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
Baniwa forest classification in the Northwest Amazonia
(Abraao et al, 2010)*
The Baniwa have a detailed system of
habitat classification that recognizes
multiple vegetation types subsumed
within four broad habitat categories:
éedzawa, upland terra firme forest;
alápe, flooded igapó forest;
hamáliani, white-sand campinarana
vegetation; and heñame, secondary
forest in various stages of
regeneration following human
agricultural activities.
Each forest type has a name in Baniwa language

8. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
Matching Baniwa ecological knowledge and western-
science methodologies in the Northwest Amazonia
(Abraao et al, 2008. J Biogeogr.: 35).
Different forest types in Baniwa knowledge
showed to be also significantly different
(statistically significant) with regards to floristic
composition, forest structure and satellite
reflectance (western-science methodologies).
Different knowledge types and methodologies can converge on the same
conclusions

9. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
Implications for biolinguistic conservation:
tropical forests are our biocultural heritage
The loss of our natural world
affects us all. "It's a little piece of
our soul we risk losing." IPBES7,
UNESCO General Director Audrey
Azoulay.
By losing indigenous languages we
are losing the means to evoke this
soul... If these languages
disappear, these forests might
disappear more quickly, and
viceversa...

10. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
Implications for conservation and adaptive management
in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss
Balancing power...
By encouraging people to use their
language and knowledge, we
establish more horizontal
relationships, creating partnerships
for conservation and allowing room
for adaptation and innovation.
Adopting a shared framework for integrating biological and linguistic conservation
goals would facilitate monitoring the status of species and languages at the same
time, as it may lead to better understanding of how humans interact with
ecosystems (Gorenflo et al., 2012).

11. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
Final remark
Biodiversity is equal to, if not
higher, in areas with more
indigenous presence than areas
with less.
Analysis of satellite data in 2006
showed that indigenous lands
occupying one-fifth of the Brazilian
Amazon (five times the area under
protection in parks) were the most
important barrier to Amazon
deforestation (Nepstad et al.
2006).

12. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
To know more...
Berkes, F., Colding, J. and Folke, C. (2000). Rediscovery of traditional
ecological knowldege as adaptive management. Ecological Applications 10
(5): 1251-1262.
Shepard Jr., G, Yu, D. and Nelson, B. (2004). Ethnobotanical ground-
truthing and forest diversity in the Western Amazon. Advances in Economic
Botany 15: 133-171. (Case study with the Matgisenka people in the peruvian
Amazon)
Gamba-Trimiño, C. (2015). Uno de estos bosques no es como los otros :
etnocecología de los bosques de Soatá. En : Gamba-Trimiño (Ed), 2015 :
¡Este es mi paisaje! La biodiversidad de Soatá, Boyacá, Colombia. Libro
compilatorio. OCOTEA ONG, Bogota.

13. Indigenous languages and biodiversity in Latin America: the language as a link with
the territory. June 7th, 2019. UNESCO-Paris
¡Gracias!
Photos: Otávio Marangoni,
Eurídice Honorio
https://lenguasybiodiversidad.wordpress.com/