{"id":131385,"date":"2020-09-28T10:48:58","date_gmt":"2020-09-28T13:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missoeshumanitarias.org\/the-sacred-tree-of-the-indigenous-warao-people\/"},"modified":"2020-09-28T10:48:58","modified_gmt":"2020-09-28T13:48:58","slug":"the-sacred-tree-of-the-indigenous-warao-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missoeshumanitarias.org\/en\/the-sacred-tree-of-the-indigenous-warao-people\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sacred Tree of the Indigenous Warao People"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the Day of the Tree, September 21, we will tell the mystical story of the reverent relationship that the Venezuelan Warao indigenous \u00a0have with the\u00a0Buriti Palm, \u201cOjidu \u2013 Tree of Life.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Dia<\/a><\/h3>\n

Indispensable to human life and the equilibrium of the planet, trees are essential for the regulation of the temperature, the humidity of the air and rain; they maintain the quality of the water in the springs, they control erosion, they guarantee the maintenance of biodiversity, they produce fruit and seeds, besides providing wood, resins, and remedies, among other products.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, without becoming aware of their importance, human beings continue to log indiscriminately. To name just one Brazilian biome, from August 2017 to July of 2018, in the Amazon, almost 8 thousand square kilometers of vegetation were destroyed, which is to say, around 1.18 billion trees were cut down, according to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).<\/p>\n

Awareness and Reverence<\/b><\/h3>\n

In contrast to this utilitarian and disrespectful relationship with nature, the Venezuelan indigenous people of the Warao ethnic group who live in the Pintol\u00e2ndia and Janokoida Shelters in Roraima, under the management of the\u00a0Fraternity \u2013 International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF)<\/a>, provide the example of a respectful relationship and care for the trees and nature as a whole. Their whole life and livelihood is linked to the Buriti Palm, with which they produce food, handicrafts, clothing, and houses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe consider the Buriti Palm to be the forest of our land, a sacred tree, since the time of our ancestors; it is part of the life of the Warao Indians, because from it comes many foods and Buriti fiber, with which we make handicrafts,\u201d says Ensismar.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n