In the context of International Women’s Day, the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA) shares the testimony of Narcisa Pereira, a member of the Women’s Council of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Ayacucho (Venezuela), who raises her voice as an Amazonian woman, an indigenous woman, and a servant of her community.
Being a woman in the Amazon: resistance and care
For Narcisa, being a woman in the Amazon today involves a multifaceted role: resistance, protection, and leadership. “Our identity is deeply linked to the preservation of the ecosystem, biodiversity, care for our Common Home, and ancestral culture,” she says.
She describes the strength of Amazonian women as an amalgam of ancestral resistance, community leadership, and a deep connection with nature. They are guardians of the territory, defenders against extractivism and mining exploitation, sowers of food, and transmitters of knowledge that guarantee the life of future generations.
Threats and challenges
Women face multiple threats: the expansion of extractivism, the presence of armed actors in their territories, and various forms of violence and invisibility. However, they continue to walk in synodality, accompanying communities, training catechists, readers, and animators, and sustaining faith in the midst of adversity.
“We follow the path that God has set for us, moving forward against all odds,” she says.
Spirituality with an Amazonian face
The spirituality of Amazonian women is lived in deep connection with Mother Earth. They recognize themselves as guardians of biodiversity, of the memory of peoples, and of ancestral knowledge. In rural and indigenous communities, women are managers of natural resources and protectors of life.
A message to the world and to the Church
On this March 8, Narcisa sends a clear message: celebrate the resilience and infinite potential of women, demanding real equality, justice, and spaces free of violence. “Investing in women is investing in a more just, sustainable, and prosperous future for all humanity.”
She calls on the universal Church for greater recognition and effective participation: “We women are catechists, readers, animators, and companions. We can also play an active role in decision-making. We need equity.”
She dreams of a welcoming, synodal Amazonian Church, inspired by Mary, where women are not invisible but protagonists, valued for their listening, empathy, and service.
Participate and persist
As an indigenous woman, she recognizes that participating in ecclesial spaces such as CEAMA has not been easy. Tensions and invisibility persist. However, she reaffirms her commitment to continue advancing to strengthen the mission of indigenous women and promote equity: “Where there is a male catechist, let there also be a female catechist; where there is a male reader, let there also be a female reader.”
On this International Women’s Day, CEAMA is grateful for the courage of women like Narcisa Pereira, whose life and testimony embody a Church with an Amazonian and feminine face, committed to justice, equity, and the defense of our Common Home.