PROTECTING THE AMAZON BY STRENGTHENING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS PROTECTED IT.
Instituto Nixiwaka is an Indigenous-led non-profit dedicated to strengthening the autonomy of the Yawanawa people and protecting the Amazon rainforest under our ancestral stewardship.
Led by Chiefs and spiritual leaders Biraci Brasil Nixiwaka and Putanny Yawanawa, the Institute unites ancestral wisdom with the resources, partnerships, and institutional strength needed to protect culture, spirituality, and forest for generations to come.
More than 187,000 hectares (462,000 acres) of Amazon rainforest under Yawanawa stewardship — nearly 95% intact.
Photo: Leonardo Finotti
INSTITUTO NIXIWAKA
Instituto Nixiwaka is an Indigenous organization bridging ancestral wisdom and cultural to national and international efforts in environmental conservation, Indigenous rights, and sustainable development.
Under Chiefs Nixiwaka and Putanny’s leadership, Instituto Nixiwaka fosters dialogue among Indigenous peoples, governments, universities, international organizations, and civil society, always honoring the autonomy, traditions, and long-term vision of the Yawanawa Nation.
Photos: Camilla Coutinho
Traditionally, Yawanawa chiefs are both political and spiritual leaders.
Nixiwaka and Putanny embody this tradition, having led the cultural and spiritual renaissance of the Yawanawa people following decades of oppression — leadership now recognized internationally as a model for the revitalization of Indigenous culture and the protection of the Amazon.
Photo: Camilla Coutinho
Photo: Camilla Coutinho
As one of the Yawanawa organizations safeguarding more than 187,000 hectares (462,000 acres) of pristine rainforest, Instituto Nixiwaka is positioned to contribute meaningfully to how Indigenous leadership shapes conservation and cultural preservation worldwide.
Instituto Nixiwaka draws inspiration from the Yawanawa prophet Mukaveine, who, before first contact with Western society, instructed his people not to wage war against the newcomers, but to seek peaceful coexistence. In that spirit, we build partnerships that seek to protect and share the spiritual and cultural treasures of the Yawanawa people while preserving the forest under our care.
Through collaborations with internationally recognized cultural figures, entrepreneurs, and strategic partners across many fields, Instituto Nixiwaka has built the organizational capacity to become a global reference among Indigenous-led institutions.
Photo: Camilla Coutinho
OUR VISION, MISSION AND VALUES
VISION
We nurture and expand the living energy of the forest and the light of ancestral wisdom, contributing to humanity through love, life, and a profound connection with the sacred.
MISSION
To work to strengthen the ways of life and ancestral knowledge of Indigenous peoples through spiritual, cultural, educational, and economic initiatives that protect the forest and inspire humanity to live in harmony with the sacred.
CORE VALUES
LOVE
We place love at the heart of all our actions, activities, and relationships—with the Earth, with our ancestors, among our communities, and with the world
SPIRITUALITY
A living system of ancestral wisdom passed down through generations, guiding the way Indigenous Peoples live, make decisions, and sustain balance with the forest, the community, and the world. It enables a profound connection with life, nature, and the divine.
AUTONOMY
The ability to make decisions and act freely, rooted in the identity and culture of Indigenous Peoples. We strengthen Indigenous leadership and self-determination within and beyond our territories, partnerships, and initiatives, guided by our own worldview.
INTEGRITY
We act with transparency, consistency, and accountability, honoring our word and the commitments we make. We cultivate relationships grounded in love, compassion, truth, respect, and deep listening, strengthening trust through mutual responsibility and care.
SHARING KNOWLEDGE
We exchange knowledge, stories, medicines, and traditional practices through reciprocity, ensuring that ancestral wisdom continues to flourish. We build and strengthen networks of wisdom that connect the forest with the world through an ongoing exchange of living knowledge.
CULTURE & WORLDVIEW
We honor and preserve the cultures and worldviews of Indigenous Peoples by safeguarding their arts, ceremonies, languages, and traditional knowledge, recognizing them as a sacred example and an invaluable contribution to humanity.
CONTINUITY
We carry forward and strengthen the ancestral path of caring for and regenerating the Earth, joining a journey that began long before us and will continue for generations to come. We know this living force has always existed, exists today, and will continue to exist.
OUR PRIORITIES
Photo: Marcos Lopes
STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE
We're building governance that reflects our own values: clear roles, real accountability, and shared leadership.
Good governance is itself a form of autonomy, and we carry what we learn into the partnerships and territories we work alongside.
ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
We share our knowledge, medicines, and traditions with the responsibility and reciprocity they deserve, and we build alliances, in Brazil and abroad, that carry Indigenous leadership into the rooms where decisions get made.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
We're building income of our own, through cultural, educational, and productive initiatives, so our independence doesn't depend on anyone else's.
PROTECTING THE FOREST AND THE SACRED
Protecting the forest and protecting what is sacred are the same commitment. We work to safeguard what's under our stewardship and to deepen the world's understanding of why an intact forest and a living culture depend on each other.
YOUTH, INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE
We invest in our youth: in their leadership, and in their fluency in technology, communications and digital media.
The new generation of Indigenous leaders will be both the keepers of our memory and the ones shaping what comes next.
GOVERNANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors is the Institute's highest strategic body. Meeting every two months, it sets strategic direction, safeguards institutional integrity, and ensures that all activities remain faithful to the cultural, spiritual, and territorial values of the Yawanawa Nation. The Board also works to protect the heritage of the Yawanawa people, mitigate external risks, and provide the leadership needed to sustain the Institute's mission over time.
BOARD MEMBERS
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BIRACI BRASIL NIXIWAKA
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PUTANNY YAWANAWA
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ISKU KUA YAWANAWA
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MATSINI YAWANAWA
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ISÃNAWA
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RODRIGO BAGGIO
ADVISORY BOARD
To strengthen governance and expand reach, Instituto Nixiwaka has established a strategic partnership with members of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a global network of chief executives across more than 130 countries.
The Advisory Board is composed primarily of current and former CEOs from diverse industries and countries, all YPO members, who volunteer their expertise and global networks in support of Instituto Nixiwaka.
They advise on governance, organizational development, financial sustainability, fundraising, international partnerships, and long-term planning. By joining Yawanawa ancestral wisdom with world-class management experience, this collaboration creates a governance structure designed to sustain the Institute's impact over time.
