In recent years, Daniel Matapí became from a learner, a facilitator and a field guide to a teacher, a leader and a loyal friend. Thanks to his research and his delicate weaving of relationships among indigenous and “white people”, and among different ethnic groups, he will be remembered as an important person in the dialogue of knowledge, necessary for the indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon.
The Colombian Amazon is the home of an extended family as it has been demonstrated with the passing of Daniel Matapí and our dear colleague Roberto Franco in a plane crash in Araracuara on September 6, 2014. The demonstrations of solidarity towards relatives and colleagues have been numerous and sincere, which we consider as an indicator that people working for the sustainable management of forests and the strengthening of communities are walking a common path. In recognition to this network of solidarity and friendship, we want to dedicate some words to the memory of our local researcher Daniel Matapí.
Born in the Mirití River and resident of the Resguardo Villa Azul Middle in River Caquetá region, Daniel participated in multiple projects from the local perspective with the support of TBI Colombia. He compiled the oral tradition of the Matapí ethnic group with his father Tiberio and his grandparents, and also worked in the monitoring of natural resources with indigenous communities. He studied and documented his everyday knowledge about the forest and the plants and animals like the macaws, parrots, tapirs, Agouti pacas, otters and beavers that inhabit them, a process that received plenty of feedback from natural science researchers with whom he developed a relationship of guide, learner and teacher. He compiled several texts about the biology of bush meat species from the ethnic perspective. His most extensive research was on ornamental birds, which was published in the book Feathered Beings: The Feather Art in the Colombian Amazon edited by TBI Colombia and the Alexander von Humboldt Institute in 2010.
Daniel was an active leader specialized in the generation and implementation of monitoring methodologies regarding the use of fauna and commercial and consumption fishing by local communities. He shared his experience and knowledge with many indigenous communities in the Amazon and in other areas of the country such as Tumaradó, in the influence area of the National Natural Park Katíos, Selva Matavén and Putumayo. In the last years, he worked actively in the food security projects: Natural Resource Management in Amazonian Indigenous Territories and Food security in the Colombian Amazon rainforest: The forest as a food provider in TBI Colombia, where he managed to organize more than 20 families in the daily registration of household consumption. Additionally he developed reports on the growing deforestation and degradation related to mining industry in Araracuara and documented traditional rituals such as one in commemoration to his passed grandfather and researcher Ramiro Matapí.
In addition to his ecological view and his commitment to the strengthening of indigenous traditions, Daniel and his wife Adelaida Rodríguez stood out for their remarkable performance during fieldwork. Together they visited several communities to establish dialogues about the complementary character of male practices, like fishing and hunting, and the female management of the world of agriculture. He also excelled in the registration of knowledge through drawings and pictures, and thus became one of the most prolific contributors to our archive.
His research and capacity to disseminate traditional knowledge contributed to the strengthening of local authorities such as the CRIMA (Traditional Authorities of the Middle Rive Caquetá) and the OPIAC (Organization of the Amazon Indigenous People). At an international level he participated as a guest in many events and seminars, i.e. in Lima (2010), Iquitos (2010) and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (2011) in Washington.
We will remember Daniel as a cheerful partner with fluent relationships and always with the best disposition, engaged with his work, his family and community, and with an outstanding role in the agency of the dialogue of knowledge and in transmitting the importance of documenting traditional wisdom.
