Wichí

How do they live? The Wichí
traditionally supported themselves by hunting, fishing, and growing food in
small gardens. Their land was once fertile grassland and forest which supported
them and provided them with all their needs. But the introduction of cattle onto
their land has turned it into a dry sandy desert, leaving them vulnerable to
periods of real hunger and starvation, and much more dependent on occasional
employment by outsiders for their survival.

What problems do they
face? The Wichí's land has steadily been invaded over the last 100
years. Since then, loggers have felled their forest, and settlers have
introduced cattle. These cattle not only turn the land already stolen from the
Wichí into desert, but also break into the tiny plots of land which the Wichí
have managed to hold on to, destroying their crops. The Wichí have been left
almost landless and without their livelihood. The local Salta authorities have,
since 1966, repeatedly promised to recognise Indian territory in their province – but have failed to fulfil one single promise. On the contrary, they have
worked with the landowners to continue to deny the Wichí their land, handing it
to settlers, and authorising its deforestation. The local government wants to
build a trunk road connecting the bridge into Paraguay to the state highway
system, opening up the area to further commercialisation.

How can I help?
Click here to donate to Survival.

Click here to write to your MP or MEP (UK).

Click here to write to the President, your senators, congressmen or other elected officials (US).

Write to your local Argentinian or Bolivian embassy, click here to find out the address.

How
does Survival help? Various different Wichí communities have formed
associations or joined together to try to win recognition of their land rights.
They have presented bills to Congress and petitioned the national government.
Survival is supporting them in their struggles. Survival is urging the national
government to pressure the Salta provincial authorities to fulfil their promises
to the Wichí, and to ensure that Wichí land rights are recognised, in accordance
with international law and both the national and provincial constitutions.