During my visit to the Ecuadorian rainforest community of Sarayaku, I met a young filmmaker named Heriberto Gualinga. He was the brother of our two local guides, Ingaro and Gerado, who joined us on a week-long river journey from Puyo to Kapawi near the Peruvian border.

In Heriberto’s traditionally built family home, made of wood and palm thatch and powered by solar panels, he set up his laptop and gave us an impromptu screening of his film, “Soy Defensor de la Selva” (I am the defender of the rainforest). He was sponsored by Accion Creativa, an organization that supports social change through film and other creative media.

The film documents the struggle in Sarayaku against the oil companies that had been granted exploration rights by the Ecuadorian government. The community strongly opposes this exploration, which would destroy the rainforest. When oil workers moved into their territory, Heriberto was there to film their resistance.

Heriberto gave us a copy of the film, which I shared with friends. Now, it’s available on YouTube, and I encourage you to watch it. The version above is 3 minutes long, but you can find links to the full 15-minute film below.

Soy Defensor de la Selva (I am the defender of the rainforest) – Part 1
Soy Defensor de la Selva (I am the defender of the rainforest) – Part 2
Soy Defensor de la Selva (I am the defender of the rainforest) – Part 3

This experience taught me how crucial media is in giving a voice to remote communities and spreading their message to the wider world. I hope we bloggers can also use our platforms positively to address important issues affecting our world, so let’s spread the word!