Preserving the Amazon Rainforest: Why use modern materials for the Kupixawa

For thousands of years, the Noke Koi people (Katukina) have built their MAÍ SHOVO—sacred spaces and traditional schools—using raw wood and palm leaves such as jací, arícurí, and coção. Construction was a collective act involving all community members, from children to elders.

But now, for the first time in their millennial history, the Noke Koi have made a difficult decision: to build the new Kupixawa for the village of Varí Vino using non-indigenous materials—pipes, concrete, square timber, and a zinc roof.

Why this change? The answer is not simple, but necessary.

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A Decision Born from Respect

To understand this choice, we must first understand the Noke Koi people’s relationship with the forest.

For the Noke Koi people, the Amazon rainforest is not just a place—it is home, sustenance, pharmacy, school, and temple. Every tree, every plant has spiritual meaning. The palms traditionally used to build MAÍ SHOVO are not simple construction materials: they represent great spirituality and are also edible.

Taking these palms from the forest had never been a problem, because the Noke Koi people have always lived in balance with nature, without unnecessary deforestation. For thousands of years, they have preserved the forest while building their homes, practicing their ceremonies, and keeping their culture alive.

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Climate Change Changes Everything

But today the world is different.

Global warming and climate change—caused by excessive deforestation and fires caused by humans around the world—have created a new reality. The Amazon, the lungs of the planet, is under siege.

The Noke Koi protect 80% of the Amazon rainforest in their territory. Every tree counts. Every palm has value beyond building construction.

And so, with pain but with wisdom, they chose to change.

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A Choice of Protection

Using modern materials—metal pipes, concrete, processed wood from external sustainable sources, and a zinc roof—does not mean abandoning traditions. It means protecting what traditions have always honored: the forest itself.

As the community explains:

“In view of global warming and climate change caused by excessive deforestation and fires, we, the Noke Koi people—who have been respecting and preserving nature since its origin through our spirituality—now depend on non-indigenous materials to build our sacred space, so precious to our families.”

This is not a renunciation. It is an act of love.

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Guardians of the Amazon

The Noke Koi people are not just building a building. They are demonstrating to the world what it means to be true guardians of nature.

While the rest of the world consumes without limits, the Noke Koi make sacrifices to protect the forest that we all breathe. 80% of the Amazon biodiversity in their territory still exists because they protect it.

As the Noke Koi say:

“We ask all people who are interested in helping us preserve the Amazon rainforest to value the true guardians of the Amazon: the indigenous peoples. We are the first inhabitants of this Brazilian territory, and we contribute our knowledge and preservation of the forest to the rest of the planet.”

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The Kupixawa Will Still Be Sacred

Even though built with modern materials, the MAÍ SHOVO Kupixawa will remain what it has always been: a sacred space.

• Elders will transmit ancestral knowledge to new generations
• Sacred rituals will be practiced
• Stories, music, dances, arts, and body painting will be taught
• Traditional medicines and health knowledge will be shared
• The VETE and MARÍRÍ festivals will be celebrated
• The community will gather to make collective decisions

The form will be the traditional ancestral form of the Noke Koi people. The function will be the same as always. The spirit will remain intact.

What changes are only the materials—and that change is a gift to the forest that has always given them everything.

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What We Can Learn

The decision of the Noke Koi people teaches us something profound:

True tradition is not rigidity—it is wisdom.

Tradition means honoring what is essential, protecting what is sacred, and adapting when necessary to preserve what truly matters.

The Noke Koi are not betraying their roots by using concrete instead of palm leaves. They are protecting the roots themselves—literally, the roots of the trees that give life to the forest.

In a world where deforestation threatens the entire planet, this act of personal sacrifice for the collective good is an example for all of us.

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How You Can Help

The total cost to build the Kupixawa is 80,000 Brazilian reais (€12,700).

Aliento del Viento is raising funds for this project, paying invoices directly to the companies that supply materials, manage transportation, and assist with construction.

The goal is to complete the Kupixawa by September 2026.

Every contribution helps to:

• Build a sacred space that will serve the community for generations
• Protect the Amazon rainforest by reducing local deforestation
• Support the indigenous guardians of the Amazon

Together, we can build this sacred space and protect the Amazon for future generations.