The MULOKOT Foundation
Ipomadi Pelenapin
Paramount Chief of the Wayana Indigenous and Founder of the Mulokot Foundation.
Feeling the necessity to take the future of our community in our own hands, The Mulokot Foundation was founded in April 2018 by the Paramount Chief of the Wayana community, Ipomadi Pelenapin. The goals of the foundation are to bring sustainable development to the Wayana community by capacity building, developing management skills, managing projects in the community, and provide training.
The foundation is the legal and the executive branch of the village leaders. They advise and coordinate projects and plans for the development of the Wayana community. The foundation coordinates the collaboration with the government and with NGOs, and also has a voluntary network of specialists in and outside Suriname.
The foundation and its board consist solely of members of the Wayana community, and the Chief, together with other village leaders, decides who will be part of the board.
We have our by-laws and are registered by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Suriname; KKF number 36436. Since 2019, The Mulokot Foundation is officially acknowledged by the United Nations as an Indigenous Community Based Organization.
Respect
FPIC and Engagement Protocol; how to work with the Wayana Indigenous
The Wayana Indigenous were never colonized. Due to the fact that their communities are in the remote and dense areas of the Northern Amazon region of South America. The Wayana are proud indigenous, who fought many wars with other Indigenous tribes, not even so long ago, to defend and conquer the territory they still live in today.
Wayana Indigenous are curious and always want to get acquainted with other people/communities. But they want respect; nobody has to tell us what we must do, or how to live our lives. We make our own decisions on our own terms.
Many, especially Conservation organizations, have tried, in recent years, to convince us to live our lives differently. But we always asked them why? We have lived here for many centuries. We have all the traditional knowledge about our forest, animals, water systems ,etc. who are you to tell us what we should do? Due to us, the forest still exists today. WE are the forest!
Yes, we want development, but NOTHING ABOUT US, WITHOUT US! We want partnerships, no colonizers. We have developed our Engagement Protocol, based on the UN Indigenous right and FPIC guidelines. If organizations want to work with us, respect our rights, and we can become friends for many years to come.
