Siekopai Products
We offer a variety of products to diversify our sources of sustainable income, providing us with an alternative to extractivism and enabling us to keep conserving our territory. We have been using some of these products traditionally for generations, others are more recent innovations. Most of our products are made by our community women’s association, Keñao. All are made with materials sustainably harvested in our territory deep in the Amazon rainforest.
We are working on our online shop, which will be coming soon! In the meantime, please contact us to purchase any of our products. We deliver nationally within Ecuador.
For centuries, the Siekopai have used oil from the morete and ungurahua palms to nourish and moisturise our hair and skin. Traditionally, we extracted the oils by cooking the fruit pulp over a fire, but we now use a cold press to increase the purity and yield. We also have our own distillation equipment to make essential oils and are pioneers in the distillation of ñata kërë leaves, which are used to cure “mal aire” or bad energy. We are working with expert herbalists to create a range of other products with 100% of the ingredients coming from our territory. These include clay face masks with powdered medicinal plants, and moisturising creams made with cacao butter and plant oils. Our other products include natural insect repellents and soaps. Full product list and prices.
We make necklaces, bracelets and earrings with seeds from native plants and trees, strung with fibre from the chambira palm. They form part of our traditional dress, along with crowns and arm bands made of leaves and flowers. We wear different styles of necklace for hunting, ceremonies and parties. We also make shigras (woven bags), hammocks and fruit/bread baskets from chambira fibre.
Necklaces cost $10-25, earrings $5, bracelets $3, shigras $20.
Ceramics is an ancestral Siekopai art. Since the beginning of our existence, the goddess of ceramics, Sotoyai, has taught us how to sculpt clay, an art which we pass from generation to generation. Our work with ceramics is led by our dedicated ceramicist Yadira Ocuguaje, who learned the technique from her grandmother, and the women of Keñao. They have built a workshop in our community to pass the knowledge on to our children. Our ceramics are made from clay gathered in our territory and fired in a bonfire. Costs range $5-$25.
Jams and Juices
Our signature jam is morete, made with the fruit pulp of the native mauritia flexuosa palm tree. Morete fruit contains more vitamin A than carrots, and more vitamin E than avocado! Our allies at Big Canopy Campout have trained us in tree climbing techniques so that we can harvest the fruit without felling the palms.
We make other jams with organic fruits from our territory, including pineapple, papaya, borojó and naranjilla. Jams are available in 200ml ml jars ($4). We also make morete and ungurahua juices. The fruit of the ungurahua palm resembles a black olive and has a delicious chocolatey flavour. Juices are available in 300 ml bottles ($2.50). Our jams and juices are sweetened with panela.