A future for the Mbyá, the Jaguar and all of us!
Current newspaper report (german)
The following projects have already been realized:
Community Takuapí:
6 hectares – Fr. 7,000 – contract signed 2009
The community lives on a partially forested plot of land that was bought by church circles in Switzerland and given to the Mbyá. After their huts, places of worship and the cemetery had been taken away and destroyed, they found a new living space here.
6 hectares adjacent to this new property were settled by the growing community. The landowner resisted and wanted to tear down the huts. Fortunately, this did not happen. Sagittaria was able to acquire this land for the Mbyá in a settlement.
Community of Guaviramí:
121 hectares – Fr. 179,400 – contract signed 2010
This community was formed by a group of Mbyá who had no fixed living space. The legal entity was only formed after they had established themselves in their forest. It consists of 100 hectares of little-changed virgin forest and 21 hectares of land that was once cleared and planted with fast-growing pine trees. This has developed into a dense forest again over the last 20 years.
Tupamba’é:
56 hectares – Fr. 104,000 – contract signed 2012
This community also formed only after it had installed itself on the property. These 56 hectares border two rivers where the forest is little affected. Further away from these, there are several sources. In Tupamba’é there were previously tea and maté fields, tung forests and later pastures. Here the forest is regenerating bit by bit. Seeds of medicinal trees are scattered among the fast-growing light tree species and fruit trees are planted.
Amba’y Poty:
20 hectares – Fr. 27,834 – contract signed 2020
This community had settled in a private forest. The owner wanted to evict them, but could be persuaded to cede the forest on favourable terms. Today, the community owns their 20 hectares of forest.
Santo Pipó:
50 hectares – Fr. 66’082 – contract signed 2020
This community has reformed and is building its first huts. It has found a source and is immensely happy about the 56 hectares of beautiful old forest that Sagittaria and AIS were able to acquire together for the community. The legal entity has yet to be formed. Until this is done, Tiny, the head of the community, holds the forest in commission for the community.
Till this day 253 hectares have been acquired for Fr. 384’316.
The following project is in progress:
Tekoa Guapo’y Poty:
24 hectares – US $ 36,000 – contract signed 2021
This community lives directly on the Paraná River. It has grown rapidly in recent years. The land belongs to the Ministry of Education and has not yet been transferred to the community because of bureaucratic obstacles. Many Mbyá have fled across the Paraná to escape soya cultivation. The land is becoming cramped: today 35 families live on 18 hectares. A total of about 24 hectares of land is now to be acquired for them.
The following projects can be envisaged if funding can be secured:
Forest on the Chafaríz, near Soberbio:
450 hectares – Offer US $ 600,000 – 01/2022
The Chafaríz is a small river near Soberbio that flows into the Rio Uruguay (Uruguay River). There is a large community living there within the forest and at the forest edge. It belongs to a 78-year old man. He lets the Mbyá make use of the land, but now he can no longer afford to keep the forest untouched. The shaman asked the god Ñanderú to find a solution. The expectations are correspondingly high!
Forest prices have fallen in Misiones due to the economic situation. The board had therefore decided to start price negotiations again. Unfortunately, these negotiations have failed for the time being. This forest acquisition is therefore currently on hold. In its place, three smaller adjoining pieces of forest could be acquired. The first of these covers 19.5 hectares. Negotiations are already at an advanced stage. Two hectares are covered with a pine forest. The Mbyá will use this for construction and firewood and later plant cassava, maize, beans and pumpkins on this area. A good 17 hectares are forest and will be preserved. This piece of forest costs 5 million pesos. This is currently around € 20,000.00.
West of Takuapí:
20 hectares – current offer US $ 40’000 – 01/2022
To the south, adjacent to the land of Takuapí, a plot of land of 20 hectares can be acquired. Most of it is forest. One area could be used for huts and plantations. On 4 hectares there is a yerba mate field. Verá Mirí (Hilario Agosta) wants to secure this land for 7 families who currently have to live right next to a road, and on which a member of their community, a 12-year-old boy, was lost in an accident. They desperately want to leave the place of mourning and provide a safer environment for their children. The seller’s offer is very high because he does not have to sell. However, the 20 hectares connect two meanders of the Cuña Pirú. The 35 hectares in the loop of the river are a captive parcel with no right of way. The 20 hectares in the hands of the Mbyá would therefore secure the whole loop. The Mbyá would also have the right to claim the 35 hectares as part of their habitat according to Article 75 of the Argentinean Constitution, which means that interventions would only be possible in consultation with them. This would make the parcel practically worthless for the non-indigenous owners. While admittedly land prices are higher in this area than in Chafaríz, the price is, nevertheless, still too high for us.
On the edge of the provincial park «Valle del Cuña Pirú»:
300 hectares – US $ 375’000 – 03/2022
300 hectares could be acquired adjacent to the provincial park «Valle del Cuña Pirú». This untouched forest would be of great importance from an ecological point of view and for the Mbyá. Jaguars live in this area. Mario Borjas of the Kaa’á Kupé would like to found a new community and live with them in this forest. Mbyá from several communities also want to create a new community and inhabit this forest together.