Le Centre Panakuh des Savoirs de la Forêt

The project "Centre Panakuh des Savoirs de la Forêt" (CSFP) is related to the creation of a pilot eco-site located in the commune of Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock, in the east of French Guyana, on the border with Brazil. The project, co-sponsored by the associations Panakuh and NatureRights, and affiliated with the Réseau des Savoirs de la Forêt, has as its objective the construction and development of a Center dedicated to the valorization and transmission of the traditional knowledge and know-how of the indigenous populations of French Guiana, in particular the Palikur people (Pahikweneh). The site seeks to be an ecocenter to revitalize and enhance the community activity of the region, around the knowledge and ancestral practices related to crafts, agro-ecology and traditional pharmacopoeia. Context : the challenges of the Guianese ecosystem The lower Oyapock valley, like the rest of the Guyanese territory, is made up of a rich cultural and natural heritage. Its equatorial forest is dense and presents an exceptional and unique biodiversity. Several communities live there, including the Palikur or Paykweneh, one of the six indigenous nations of French Guiana who have been practicing traditional subsistence activities since the dawn of time. The way of life of the local populations is today in full transformation. Young people are going through an identity crisis, divided between tradition and modernity. Faced with the development of intensive exploitation of natural resources, these people see their way of life disrupted and their traditional activities threatened. The main activities of the Center : Animations and workshops that value the transmission of traditional practices and knowledge of indigenous communities, around the Amerindian art and craft (initiation to basketry, the making of eco-jewelry, engraving ..). Activities of handicraft production for sale Cosmetics,making jewelry from seeds, products derived from the traditional pharmacopoeia, non-wood forest products such as açai (Euterpe oleracea), vegetable oils (Carapa, Copahu), or a production of traditional chocolate (Theobroma cacao). Oriented towards local and sustainable development, these activities promote exchange around the cultural and natural heritage of Guyana. Agroforestry pilot site including the valorization of traditional agricultural practices, the establishment of pilot agroforestry plots and the management of a community nursery with local forest species. These activities are also based on the production of aromatic and medicinal plants and on the economic and eco-responsible valorisation of Guyanese-Amazonian forest species. Awareness activities through responsible tourism and committed to the preservation of the Amazonian forest. River-forest outings and immersion stays with educational purposes are initiated for the public : educational activities of discovery, learning and leisure, knowledge of fauna and flora, survival in the forest and valorization of Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP). The CPSF will also be open to intercultural exchanges between worlds, and to research on techniques, designs and artistic representations. An overview of the project's stakeholders The Center is a multi-partner project, carried by the associations Panakuh and NatureRights. It is part of the dynamic of the Réseau des Savoirs de la Forêt. Panakuh A field player, Panakuh is a Palikur association established at the local level since 2014. It relies on a network of about thirty artisans to carry out activities related to the transmission and valorization of traditional Amerindian knowledge throughout Guyana. The association organizes workshops on community heritage and accompanies craftsmen and family farmers. In addition, it promotes non-timber forest products and perpetuates the traditional pharmacopoeia while respecting the balance of ecosystems. Nature Rights Since 2009, Nature Rights has been working to identify, support and promote "Rights of Nature" initiatives. Established in French Guiana since 2017, the association provides technical support to local projects for the preservation of ancestral knowledge and sustainable development. The objective, through the RSF, is to accompany projects on the path to empowerment and support their means of production. Le Réseau des Savoirs de la Forêt Initiated in 2017 by NatureRights, Panakuh and other local project leaders, the RSF is a network of initiatives spread throughout the territory of Guyana, which aims to promote biodiversity and the transmission of traditional knowledge. The RSF has a collective dynamic that translates into workshops for the exchange of experiences and practices, intergenerational transmission activities, and multi-stakeholder and inter-community projects around agroforestry, handicrafts and eco-tourism.