Chakra System in the Ecuadorian Amazon: A Space of Global Transformations

Abstract

The chakra production system (Chacra or Chagra) is an agroforestry system that combines various crops, including a diversity of tree, shrub, and herbaceous species. This system has been traditionally used by the Kichwa people of Ecuador for the production of food, medicinal plants, timber, and other products. The study aims to describe the chakra system in the Kichwa communities of Napo and its main transformations within the global context. The analysis allows us to: a) identify the cultural values and transformations associated with the chakra system, and b) identify new research topics to deepen our understanding of this farming system. The analysis shows that the chakra system in Kichwa families of Napo has undergone several transformations that reflect both sociocultural changes and the economic and environmental pressures of the globalized world, such as the impacts of climate change and deforestation, rural-urban migration, global market pressures, and the implementation of monocultures for export, among others. This has led to a breakdown in the generational transmission of knowledge and practices for chakra management, a reduction in the size of the chakra, and integration into the global market through fair trade certifications and technological advancements, resulting in a process of reinterpretation of the chakra system as identity and business strategy.