Construyendo Nuestra Interculturalidad. Nº5. Año 5. Vol. 4: 1-14, 2009 www.interculturalidad.org Revista cultural electrónica Año5. Nº5. Setiembre 2009. Lima-Perú. www.interculturalidad.org _________________________________________________ Globalization, local identity and Peruvian Amazonia: An architect’s reflections on the Machiguenga community and the Camisea gas project Angélica Maeireizo Tokeshi 1. Introduction How to start a dissertation about globalization and local identity as a main theme? As they are mostly opposites, probably it’s their concepts tension that makes us be aware and realize the differences on which we are moving through; although this tension should not necessarily means conflict. I will try to approach to Globalization (the “concept”) walking on the same street Constructivist (1) theorists do. You may call me idealistic, but I do believe in finding the cause rather than accepting/analyzing the effects, in a way that we can get clear on our values and develop our resources, in other words, noticing that our reality is form from our consciousness (perception) of it; which somehow involves our own-selves (our identity as individuals) definitions. As I was diving myself down into these concepts, it occurs to me that Globalization could be a positive transformational phenomenon if we look at it as an harmonious unity (standardization/homogenization of various aspects of economy, culture and communications) continuously enriched within multiplicity of the parts or our Local Identity, based in “human values on a human scale” (freely quoting Doxiadis); defined generally by culture (men’s meaningful activities) as a manifestation of ourselves (could that be our society?). I will try to explain my point of view sharing with you an anecdote of my own. Yesterday, a very good friend of mine invited me to attend Win Wenders’ (himself in person!) conference at night in Tokyo. It was totally unexpected, as it always seems to happen; a very surreal “coincidence”. The theme was “Sense of place” (hence the synchronicity of the event),
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Globalization, local identity and Peruvian Amazonia:An architect’s reflections on the Machiguenga
As they are mostly opposites, probably it’s their concepts tension that makes us be aware and realize the differences on which we are moving through; although this tension should not necessarily means conflict. I will try to approach to Globalization (the “concept”) walking on the same street Constructivist (1) theorists do. You may call me idealistic, but I do believe in finding the cause rather than accepting/analyzing the effects, in a way that we can get clear on our values and develop our resources, in other words, noticing that our reality is form from our consciousness (perception) of it; which somehow involves our own-selves (our identity as individuals) definitions.
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which led me to my country rainforest, to meet an incredible group of indigenous
communities and to encounter a complete different world, a virgin-natural one. This project
was on designing 04 Sustainable Control and Lookout Post for The Natural Reserve Areas of
the Camisea Gas Project in Cusco, for the Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Inter
American Development Bank Program.1I think it would be interesting if I try to apply his
Local Community Genes Theory (5) backward in my recount, and work within a hypothesis
for that communal reserve sustainable development. Seeing that I just started my research on
July (this presentation was held by the end of September), surely it would be a very
superficial one; anyways, I will ask for your kindness and Professor Goto’s forgiveness for my
daring.
2. Preliminaries images
The fact that Camisea was designed with a specific focus on protecting the area’s unique
biodiversity and ensuring respect for the indigenous communities living in the Camisea
surrounding areas 2 is not precisely accurate. Reading Patricia B. Caffrey’s 2002 independent
report: “AN INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE CAMISEA
GAS PROJECT”, one will notice that the Camisea Project “(…) will have negative irreversible
impacts on the biodiversity of this area and on indigenous groups living in isolation, regardless
of the implementation of the strictest mitigation measures”(6). In the midst of these views, there
was this opportunity for doing something to diminish the program execution’s failures. I firmly
believe that even the tiniest thing could make a difference, at least which was my intention.
Ever since I was assigned chief consulting to the rangers facilities project, back to August of
2004, just a year ago, I was wondering how much sense of local identity each of one of the
communities might hold, as they were already exposed to the western civilization (though they
1 The Camisea natural gas project is one of the key energy infrastructure projects in Latin America. Camisea is
expected to greatly contribute to the economic development of Peru. The project will also help Peru meets its
energy needs and export natural gas. The program has been instrumental in establishing new protected
areas: Otishi National Park, the Ashaninka and Machiguenga Communal Reserves, and the Megantoni
Sanctuary. Final determination of the Megantoni Sanctuary’s protected status is expected in June. The master
plan for Otishi National Park was approved in February of 2005. The park director and two professional staff
have been hired. The process of hiring four rangers is nearly complete, and the process for construction of
ranger stations has begun in Otishi National Park and the Lower Urubamba. http://www.iadb.org/ 2 Even in the seemingly remote region around Otishi, the threats to biodiversity and sustainable
development are real. Chief among these are the logging and petroleum industries -- and the settlers that
their roads can bring. Of particular concern is the pipeline for the Camisea natural gas project. The Camisea
natural gas fields contain by far the largest hydrocarbon reserves in Peru, more than enough to meet
Peru's demands for 25 years. The pipeline, leading to other parts of the country and beyond, is slated to
pass through the southeast part of the Machiguenga Community Reserve. Without careful planning, new
access routes along the pipeline could encourage a wave of migration, causing environmental destruction
and disruption of indigenous communities in this previously intact area.
The Tropical Andes hotspot harbors more species -- and more endemic species -- than anywhere else on
Earth. It is home to a staggering 45,000 recorded plant species, 20,000 of which live here alone. Of 1,666
bird species, 677 are endemic, more than in any other region. A remarkable 604 of 830 amphibians live
only in the Andes as well, along with such mammals as the spectacled bear, the yellow-tailed woolly
monkey and the Andean tapir. http://www.conservation.org/xp/frontlines/people/impact24.xml