In 2020, 40 Kichwa women from the community of Serena in the Ecuadorian Amazon formed a collective, Yuturi Warmi (Warrior Ant Women), to protect their territory and resist the accelerating presence of mining in their community. Yuturi Warmi is the first indigenous guard led exclusively by women in the entire region.

The Yuturi Warmi collective organizes Serena and local communities to face the challenges posed by mining activities that threaten the rivers and forests that provide water, food and sustain the ancestral lifestyle in a rurality forgotten by local governments. The purpose of the indigenous guard is to defend and preserve the way of life, cultural heritage and ancestral wisdom of the communities native to the Amazon.

Amid the current challenges posed by a rapidly encroaching mining industry into Serena, Yuturi Warmi’s legacy continues to grow and pave the way for a more just and sustainable future. Their persistent struggle reminds us of the importance of protecting and defending natural and cultural treasures.

¡Fuerza, fuerza, guardia, guardia!