A'I (Cofan)

Son Hay aproximadamente 1000 Cofanes, que viven en las comunidades de Dureno, Duvonu, Sinangoe, Zabalo (en la Reserva Cuyabeno), y Bermejo, Soquie, Tayo'su Canqque y Chandia Na'e en la Reserva Ecologica Cofan Bermejo. Parte de su territorio coincide con la Reserva Cayambe-Coca. Su idioma es el A'lngae.

The Cofan number 1000 and are assembled in the communities of Dureno, Duvonu, Sinangoe, Zabalo (Reserva Cuyabeno), Bermejo, Soquie, Tayo'su Canqque, and Chandia Na'e. Part of their territory is included in the Cayambe-Coca Reservation. Their language is A'lngae.

Sono 600 riuniti nelle comunità di Dureno, Duvonu, Sinangoe, Zabalo (Reserva Cuyabeno), Bermejo, Soquie, Tayo'su Canqque, e Chandia Na'e. Parte del loro territorio coincide con la Riserva Cayambe-Coca. Il loro idioma è il A'lngae.

The traditional dress of the Cofan (sometimes referred to as A'I, from the name of their language A'Ingae) is an important part of their identity, and includes the characteristic perforations in their noses and ears for the wearing of feathers, flowers, and other materials. Until the 1950s when the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) missionaries began efforts to evangelize them, the Cofan had remained relatively isolated from Western society. Since that time, outside forces have devastated their culture along with the Sionas and Secoyas. The region which they occupy has been an area of intensive petroleum exploitation, especially in the 1970s with the Texaco-Gulf consortium. Roads, pipelines, and penetrating colonists all have had a ravaging effect on their territory. Colonization of Cofan territory led to an increasing disruption of their traditional society which led to a further breakdown of their worldview.

Fundación para la Sobrevivencia del Pueblo Cofan (The Cofan web page)

Federación Indígena de la Nacionalidad Cofán del Ecuador "FEINCE" (octubre 2007)

Mensaje de los pueblos indígenas del valle del Guamuez y San Miguel Putumayo a la humanidad (agosto 19 de 2002)

Problema Plan Colombia, propuesta de la Organización Indígena Nacionalidad Cofán del Ecuador, OINCE (2 marzo 2001)

Denunciation of the Assassination of Indigenous Cofan Leader of Putumayo and of the Fumigation of Traditional Crops in Indigenous Territories and of the Acts of Violence that Worsen the Grave Situation of Human Rights in el Putumayo, Colombia (Sat, 20 Jan 2001)

Comentarios y Sugerencias / Comments and Suggestions: Marc Becker (marc@yachana.org)