Kumiko Hayashi 

I am a humanitarian, environmental activist, indigenous rights advocate, and culture champion. This comes naturally to me as I am of proud Japanese American descent with Native North American roots; I was born in the Tesuque Indigenous territory in New Mexico. 

For the last few years, I left my beloved Sedona in Arizona to live with the Siekopai nation in Ecuador to transform the environmental crisis gradually but relentlessly through culture, ceremony, and community.

I am humbled by the Siekopai nation’s knowledge of the Amazon healing plants and ancestral culture daily. I fell in love with their way of life as I believe they’ll inspire humanity in many unique ways, so we can collectively protect the environment and live in harmony with nature. Yet, we have so much to learn. 

I am also a producer and filmmaker and was privileged to present my work at conferences and gatherings worldwide, including the ICEERS World Ayahuasca Conference in 2019. In addition, I produced “Women of the White Buffalo,” a documentary about Native American Lakota Women that was released in 2021. And I directed my first feature-length film, “The Roots Awaken,” about my journey from the Andes to the Amazon rainforest. 

Creating paths to wealth and protecting ancestral cultures and knowledge, way of life, and the integrity of the amazon forest is the center of everything I do. I will produce and direct more documentaries and short videos to support my humanitarian work.

The Siekopai Nation 

We are the Siekopai, a minority ancestral people in Ecuador; our culture and wisdom are rooted in the Amazon Rainforest, our ancestral land. If our territory disappears, we will disappear. So, yes, we face the risk of extinction.

Today, in our territories of Siekoya Remolino and Sewaya, forty-two thousand hectares remain free of any extractive activity. Help us keep it that way to preserve our culture, heritage, and future generations.

The threats to our small community of 700 people are significant since oil activity and the palm oil monoculture threatens our territory and survival. This has meant a shortage of animals and fish and contamination of our water sources.

The implications are beyond preserving our culture and territories as we, the Siekopai nation, are the guardians of ancestral knowledge of the healing plants of the amazon. 

This is why we founded Kako Earth to protect our nation, our way of life and our ancestral culture and ensure the transmission of our unique traditional knowledge from the elders to the younger generations.

What We Need 

The founders have supported and lived in the jungle with the Siekopai for the past decade to develop paths to wealth while preserving the culture, ensuring a sustainable local economy, and preventing extinction. 

Kako Earth supports three projects that are underway to create paths to wealth: 

1. The Te’to Aquaponics (Sustainable Fish Farming)

This project involves sustainable fish farming, “paiches,” a traditional fish in danger of extinction in the Amazon Rainforest, to ensure the Siekopai’s food sovereignty and a sustainable economy through sales in the international market survival.

Impact

This project will provide jobs and income for thirty-five groups of families with an average of ten to fifteen family members. The investment cost over two years and a half is 20% of the projected conservative revenue of $16.3M.  

2- The Healing and Education Center 

The construction of the healing center, along with six guest houses, has already started, with a Japanese Amazonian fusion architecture design by Jon Byrd. The healing center will be a sacred space for the elders to share their traditional knowledge of Amazonian healing plants with the younger generations, along with a structured collaboration with scientists. 

Impact

• Preserve the ancestral knowledge and culture of the Siekopai nation and ensure its transmission to the younger generations
• Enable education of the younger generations through customized programs. 
• Advance scientific research and access to cures through structured collaboration.
• Create a sustainable local economy 

3 -Ancestral Agroforestry

This project is underway to restore the Siekopai traditional healing plants and lost biodiversity. Also, essential to educate the younger generations about the various medicinal plants and support natural products for a sustainable local economy.  

Impact

Restore lost biodiversity  

Create a sustainable local economy  

Risks & Challenges

Logistics and transportation potential delays as they relate to construction. We’re qualified to overcome these hurdles as we have competent leaders on the ground through our not-for-profit sister company Sera in Ecuador. We have extensive experience working in 20 countries on five continents, dealing with different cultures, political environments, and procedures, including past experience dealing with barriers to entry in Africa. Our leadership team is comprised of two finance executives. Our COO is a Siekopai Native and the founder of Sera. 

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can’t contribute, you can still help – Ask folks to get the word out and make some noise about our campaign!

For more information: www.kakoearth.com