“Ohäpehen honhat lhawo. We are the flower of the earth”.
The Wichi not only feel that they belong to the land, but also is the great provider, giving in abundance.
Hunting and gathering people, they live in the Gran Chaco, an extensive region in northern Argentina crossed by the Pilcomayo and Bermejo Rivers. Its waters nourish the forests and mountains that make up the “Impenetrable”, with an adverse climate but with diverse fauna and abundant nature.
Ignoring the law, in recent years, Salta Government has allowed the indiscriminate clearing of thousands of hectares of forest, something that continues to this day. The advancement of agribusiness affects the ancestral way of life of the Wichi. The loss of the forest creates difficulties in accessing the resources that have always nourished a hunting and gathering people.
If they take away the bush, they take away their lives. The life of the Wichi is the bush, their territory is from their ancestors. They take advantage of the bush and river to hunt and fish, preserving the culture and traditions.
