nativien’s models draw on decades of research and experience developing intercultural and regenerative models around health and well-being from an Indigenous perspective in ways that recognize and support its biocultural, holistic and dynamic nature.
Our solutions has been designed from the bottom up, in close collaboration and consultation with community members and Indigenous institutions, through an iterative cycle that draws on participatory research, extensive discussions and peer-to-peer learning.
Assessing Indigenous knowledge and systems in a modern context is an intrinsic part of this process. Modern technology often enters uncharted territory and it is essential we identify and address social and environmental benefits and risks these technologies may pose on traditional communities highly reliant on their natural environment. This process facilitates the co-design and implementation of programs by and for the community therefor accelerating their adoption.
As result, our solution expresses Indigenous communities’ commitment to strengthen their ancestral medicinal plant knowledge and build on this knowledge to formulate and manufacture a range of remedies to serve their communities, a step deemed necessary towards the creation of a forest-based, biocultural economic system.
Furthermore, our approach identified an unfilled gap Indigenous youths and women aired: a lack of proper structures to support their own projects, chief among them capacity building to properly address issues related to health, food, clothing, mobility, transportation, housing, artifacts and ecotourism.
Our solutions has been designed from the bottom up, in close collaboration and consultation with community members and Indigenous institutions, through an iterative cycle that draws on participatory research, extensive discussions and peer-to-peer learning.
Assessing Indigenous knowledge and systems in a modern context is an intrinsic part of this process. Modern technology often enters uncharted territory and it is essential we identify and address social and environmental benefits and risks these technologies may pose on traditional communities highly reliant on their natural environment. This process facilitates the co-design and implementation of programs by and for the community therefor accelerating their adoption.
As result, our solution expresses Indigenous communities’ commitment to strengthen their ancestral medicinal plant knowledge and build on this knowledge to formulate and manufacture a range of remedies to serve their communities, a step deemed necessary towards the creation of a forest-based, biocultural economic system.
Furthermore, our approach identified an unfilled gap Indigenous youths and women aired: a lack of proper structures to support their own projects, chief among them capacity building to properly address issues related to health, food, clothing, mobility, transportation, housing, artifacts and ecotourism.
a quick (hi)story from our founder
In 2003, Marc Thibault and Larry Weiss, MD joined a family-owned Canadian company called Benefect that had created a formula capable of disinfecting any surfaces. Its feat? It was using only botanical ingredients. In 2007, the CleanWell brand launched the very first EPA and FDA approved product lines of hand-sanitizers, antimicrobial soap and cleaner disinfectants entirely made of botanical ingredients.
Fast forward to 2012 and Marc's first visit to the Amazon Rainforest and first interactions with isolated Indigenous communities, and also the first conundrum he faced when he heard them speak about their needs for allyship. A few months later he met a fellow Frenchman who had been living in the Amazon Rainforest for 30+ years dedicating his life to the preservation of medicinal plants knowledge and immediately entered in a collaborative relationship with him that lasted for 5 years. Sacha Warmi Foundation was mostly running workshops teaching Indigenous women how to make remedies and products using their own medicinal plants, a great initiative although with limited impact.
After visiting Indigenous communities and being invited to their general assemblies, Marc realized that if anything had a chance to have a long lasting impact it would need to be adapted to their traditions and systems while addressing needs that they had articulated. Most importantly it would have to be created from the ground up inside the communities.
And then two converging events occurred:
In 2018, the Original Kichwa People of Sarayaku issued the Kawsak Sacha Declaration, which recognizes nature as a living entity deserving of rights. The same year, the PAKKIRU organization representing some 200 Kichwa communities and over 20,000 people adopted the declaration and issued its living plan, which articulates the need to strengthen Kichwa People's healthcare system and create a biocultural economy. Soon enough, many other nationalities not only adopted the principles of a Living Forest but had or were in the process of articulating their own Living Plan.
Then COVID19 happened. Abandoned by the central and provincial governments, Indigenous Peoples relied on their ancestral medicinal plant knowledge to alleviate COVID symptoms. Soon enough family units were planting their own medicinal garden. But many plants and trees were over harvested. This led Indigenous governments to research and document all medicinal plants present on their territory. Today, nurseries are being built to repopulate important plants.
We resumed talks late in 2021 coming to a mutual understanding, and in 2022, thanks to a generous grant, Nativen was incorporated as a 501(c)3 with the mission to co-create a non-extractive, biocultural economy using medicinal plants.
The concept of creating a network of Living Pharmacies using the herbalist model was born and is currently implemented in two communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Fast forward to 2012 and Marc's first visit to the Amazon Rainforest and first interactions with isolated Indigenous communities, and also the first conundrum he faced when he heard them speak about their needs for allyship. A few months later he met a fellow Frenchman who had been living in the Amazon Rainforest for 30+ years dedicating his life to the preservation of medicinal plants knowledge and immediately entered in a collaborative relationship with him that lasted for 5 years. Sacha Warmi Foundation was mostly running workshops teaching Indigenous women how to make remedies and products using their own medicinal plants, a great initiative although with limited impact.
After visiting Indigenous communities and being invited to their general assemblies, Marc realized that if anything had a chance to have a long lasting impact it would need to be adapted to their traditions and systems while addressing needs that they had articulated. Most importantly it would have to be created from the ground up inside the communities.
And then two converging events occurred:
In 2018, the Original Kichwa People of Sarayaku issued the Kawsak Sacha Declaration, which recognizes nature as a living entity deserving of rights. The same year, the PAKKIRU organization representing some 200 Kichwa communities and over 20,000 people adopted the declaration and issued its living plan, which articulates the need to strengthen Kichwa People's healthcare system and create a biocultural economy. Soon enough, many other nationalities not only adopted the principles of a Living Forest but had or were in the process of articulating their own Living Plan.
Then COVID19 happened. Abandoned by the central and provincial governments, Indigenous Peoples relied on their ancestral medicinal plant knowledge to alleviate COVID symptoms. Soon enough family units were planting their own medicinal garden. But many plants and trees were over harvested. This led Indigenous governments to research and document all medicinal plants present on their territory. Today, nurseries are being built to repopulate important plants.
We resumed talks late in 2021 coming to a mutual understanding, and in 2022, thanks to a generous grant, Nativen was incorporated as a 501(c)3 with the mission to co-create a non-extractive, biocultural economy using medicinal plants.
The concept of creating a network of Living Pharmacies using the herbalist model was born and is currently implemented in two communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
nativien: a collaborative
nativien functions as a collaborative with at its core the principles of reciprocity and mutual aid. The knowledge herbalists and regenerative systems experts is transferred to Indigenous communities, who in exchange share some of their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and healing. Each group leaves with a deeper understanding of and respect for the healing power of plants.
- Forest Guardians & Knowledge Holders
- Kichwa, Achuar, Shiwiar: over 5 million acres of prime forest
- Indigenous Leaders committed to preserving their environment and uplifting their people
- Traditional doctors, women with entrepreneurial spirit, youths with university degree or a deep interest in medicinal plants.
- Trailblazers
- In Ecuador:
- Florasana: A 15-year-old Indigenous-owned maker of natural remedies using Amazonian medicinal herbs
- Ishpingo: A French non-profit focused on reforestation and agroforestry
- Sacha Warmi Fondacion: An Ecuadorian non-profit focused on intercultural health and the preservation of ancestral plant knowledge
- In the USA:
- Land of Verse: an herbalist school and formulator in San Francisco, CA
- Herbal Anthropology Project: a 501c3 WIPO accredited documenting and preserving ITEK
- Symbiome: a novel postbiomic skin care product line
- In Ecuador:
- Initiator, catalyzer and visionary: Marc Thibault
- 20+ years in environmental and social impact as an entrepreneur, policy influencer and consultant for non-profits and Fortune 1000 mostly in environmental health and personal care products (CleanWell)
- 10+ years working with Indigenous leaders and communities in Ecuador, Alaska and California.
- Contact: [email protected] +1 415 867 4430 / Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/4marcthibault/
Our Principles
- The Amazon & Its People Above Profits
- We hold Indigenous Rights as a fundamental principle
- We follow beyond and above the Free Prior & Informed Consent guideline
- Our model is Biocultural & Intercultural
- We integrate Forest Peoples’ worldview
- We adopt a bottom-up approach
- We adapt to their systems, not the other way around
- Our Partners Ought To Tell The Story
- We need to change the conversation about conservation & Indigenous Peoples
- They are more than guardians: they are creative, technology savvy, possess a wealth of knowledge and understanding that is unique