For most of us, the close roar of a black panther would provoke instant fear. For the Siona Indigenous people of the Buenavista reserve, the proximity of big cats is exciting. It means the calls from the communities’ Taitas, or spiritual leaders, are being answered: The panthers have arrived to defend their ancestral Amazonian territory.

The Siona of Buenavista are a beacon of resistance against land invasions by oil companies like GeoPark and narcotraffickers. This is dangerous work for their leaders, who have operated under intimidation and threats. Solidarity from Colombian and international allies can be crucial to their success.

Amazon Watch has been supporting the Siona through international advocacy campaigns and media exposure, but there is no substitute for a visit to their communities to strengthen the person-to-person relationships upon which all the work is built. Being in territory over the course of several days, we now better understand their vision to protect their ancestral territories – including through intense spiritual practices – and their specific needs in the near term.