Going back to MOA was a very rewarding experience for me, especially now focusing my visit on the Amazonia Exhibit, which I had only brushed by before. Coming from Colombia, one of the nine countries that share a fraction of the Amazon rainforest, I could reflect deeply about the content found around the room that contributed to the greater collage of what could be called the “Amazonian Narrative”.

One of the objects I enjoyed the most was (of course) being able to lie in one of the traditional hamacas. It reminded me of the time I was lucky enough to actually go to the Amazon jungle during a school trip. On the first night we slept in the wild, somewhere within the green intricacies of the Peruvian side of the jungle. We all hung our own hammocks, installed mosquito nets over them, and slept to the sound of the Amazonian fauna. (One has to lie in a diagonal shape so the tension stabilizes the hammock; otherwise your body hurts the next day).

However, another object that I did not expect to find were the posters that exhibited the constitutional agreements of each nation-state regarding ecological and cultural conservation. These are fundamental objects in the exhibit. I was very happy to read the articles on the different countries’ constitution that show political efforts towards protecting culture and biodiversity. These are legal documents not even native citizens are used to reading on their own, but are important to highlight in such an exhibit, as they intend to guard such rich environments like the Amazon rainforest. In my home country, these range from the natives, flora, and fauna found in the Amazon, to those found in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta or the Tapon del Darien.

Nevertheless, I am very aware of the many factors that endanger zones like the Amazon. As statistics showed, 65-70% of the causes of deforestation in the Amazon are due to Cattle ranching, followed by small-scale (20-25%) and large-scale (5-10%) agriculture. These numbers prove that actions and paper are not always hand-in-hand. One of the factors that contributes to biodiversity loss in the Colombian side of the Amazon is the current armed conflict, which not only depletes soil in war-related activities, but also after the enhanced illegal plantation of coca leaves for narcotic purposes. The coca plant, as I learned in my visit to the rainforest, is actually native to the Amazon, and is used by many Indigenous groups as chewing pasta or to make energy tea (I tried it there), and these uses date way before the drug wars began. It is sad to realize how a native plant with native users could become destructive for its own soil when utilized by the wrong people, with unsustainable rates, and for wrongful purposes.

Moreover, many of the activities that harm to the Amazon are caused due to further socioeconomic and geopolitical phenomena. My CAP classes have each introduced me to a framework through which we can understand such events of great impact, through theories, case studies, and literature. My visit to this exhibit has put my learned skills into action, as I exercise my knowledge into trying to understand so many controversies and global-scale issues that should not remain hidden in the jungle mist.

Every story about Indigenous resistance, about cultural activities and rituals (like the Carnaval de Reconsiliacion), on our participation and inclusion in the greater natural system, constructs an alternative ‘jungle of narratives’. Beyond branches and lianas, stories and actions interconnect us humans within different society groups. However, we must remember that everything must be rooted firmly in the richness of the earth’s crust. Constructing an Amazonian narrative is a very important task. Further than a green cluster of trees and exotic fauna, it is important to remember that it is a home to members of our own species, and potentially thousands more; and these have always managed to coexist as one in nature. By accepting nature as a vital agent, structure, and institution, perhaps some of the problems that jeopardize these groups and this environment can be further prevented.

This exhibition, recovering Indigenous objects, knowledge, and practices, historical and legal documents, current day media articles, statistic facts, and even children’s projects reflecting on nature, show the pluralism that better describes the Amazonian narrative. Furthermore, the Amazon is so much more than big biome shared among nine nations, because its existence is not dependent on borders. The Amazon is a space of global-scale importance: its benefits affect the whole world and its damage will have global consequences as well. The protection of such a diverse area is as important as taking care of our own lungs. The Amazonia exhibit reminds us that the rainforest is alive through a variety of texts displayed, and that it welcomes those who are willing to explore respectfully and responsibly. I was happy to reflect on how the Amazonian Narrative, now visiting Canada, enhances global culture; and how nation-state borders are no meaningful barriers that prevent me from feeling close to home.