WHO ARE THE HUNI KUIN?
The Huni Kui are an indigenous ethnicity present in the state of Acre, Brazil, and Peru, who fight to preserve their own culture, customs, values and language. With a population of more than 12,000 people, its political organization in Brazil, in 2017, when the Constitution was created, consists of 94 Villages, 12 Indigenous Lands, of which 11 are demarcated, homologated and registered, and one in the process of identification; these territories are located in the municipalities of Marechal Thaumaturgo, Jordão, Tarauacá, Feijó and Santa Rosa.
WHO IS FEPHAC?
For fourteen years, The Huni Kui People’s Federation of the State of Acre – FEPHAC-Nukun Huni Kuinen Beya Xarabu Tsumashun Ewawa, has been a civil non-profit organization that brings together the various Huni kui associations, organizations and communities in Brazil. In summary, Fephac is constituted and recognized as a representative institution of the Huni kui people in any matter of collective interest, and since it’s founding, it has been acting to ensure and promote autonomy, with a strong role in the advocacy of cultural heritage and the search for cultural empowerment, and autonomy. Every year FEPHAC hosts the annual gathering for the Huni Kuin people, where political, cultural, and spiritual leaders, including women and youth leaders, come together to engage in discourse and exchange for the benefit of the people. (FEPHAC Website)
Many Huni Kuin today live in between their villages and cities. Indigenous people are especially vulnerable to disease and illnesses that are brought by non-indigenous and traditional medicines are not effective treatments.
The Huni Kuin way of life is by nature very communal and therefore would very easily facilitate the spreading of COVID-19 if/when it reaches the villages, where a high percentage of the population are elders and young children.
With no government support and no way of generating income we are asking for the global community to come together and help them during this challenging time.
Funds will be initially withdrawn by BOA Foundation (Boa Foundation Website ), a nonprofit that is dedicated to forming alliances with indigenous communities to support in a diverse range of indigenous-led projects, and then sent to and be managed by FEPHAC (Huni Kuin Federation of the state Acre) where it will be distributed throughout the villages and communities.
Funds will be used as follows:
– Assisting residents in the cities and villages with compromised income due to COVID-19 quarantine to buy food, water, and supplies.
– To assist in relocating people, helping to transfer patients (plane tickets and gasoline for boats), soap, masks, and gloves, for if/when the virus reaches the villages.
– Strengthening the organization of FEPHAC as a centralized and representative entity for the Huni Kuin people in response to crises and social project initiatives throughout territories.
– Purchasing materials and tools to increase capacity of self-sustainability and food sovereignty.
DONATE TO THE HUNI KUIN RELIEF FUND HERE
Photo by George Txai Wukong Cheng
