One Amazon, One Health: Understanding Asháninka People’s Perspectives to Health and Well-Being in Response to Epidemic Threats, Like COVID-19

Considering the vulnerability of Indigenous communities to increasing epidemic threats, like the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding how the Asháninka People of the Pichis Valley of Peru experience and understand health and well-being has become of paramount importance. This case study describes the process by which Indigenous health and well-being are being addressed as well as some of the preliminary findings and activities that were born out of this process, which include intercultural health dialogues and traditional seed exchange workshops. This project is being carried out by a local Peruvian NGO that has had a long-term presence in the region as well as the democratically elected Indigenous federation that is the recognized governing authority for the Asháninka People of the Pichis Valley. While this project is still ongoing, there have already been many lessons learned about the importance of using a multidisciplinary research team, that included Indigenous co-researchers, and taking on a holistic One Health approach.