Amazon Tribe to Open a School in the Rainforest

September 12, 2007

The Amazon Ashaninka tribe will be opening a school to preserve their culture. The school was designed by the indigenous people and its goal is to provide environmental awareness in addition to preserving their traditions.

Benki Pianko, who is the tribe leader is credited with coming up with the idea. For years the tribe had violent conflicts with miners and loggers. Recently more dialog and less violence has been the norm. Benki uses the internet to spread the word for the Ashaninka people.

Francisco Pianko who will work on the project said "We're bringing an opportunity to this region, for people to reflect, and we're pointing out the real investments that should be made in a region like this. We must look at the human being first, the man who lives inside the forest."

The Ashaninkas are distinguished for their use of beautiful cotton robes, that are called cushmas. The cushmas are woven for the men of the tribe by the Ashaninka women. Historically Cushmas were frequently traded with distant villages to share the resources.