Presentation short abstract

Working with the Siekopai, we document game masters and the reciprocal relations that shape territorial care, offering a pathway for Indigenous-led conservation in the Amazon.

Presentation long abstract

Indigenous-led conservation in the Amazon requires attending to the reciprocal relations that sustain life across human and non-human worlds. For the Siekopai Nation in the Ecuadorian Amazon, wildlife presence is intertwined with ma'ka taañë: the owners or masters of animals whose histories and expectations guide relations with the forest. To understand how these relations are being reshaped by diverse social–ecological dynamics, we bridge ethnobiology with political ecology by combining ecological assessments with collaborative interpretation across knowledge systems among the authors. We deployed 37 camera traps for 90 days and conducted twice-monthly transect surveys over 12 months, documenting species presence, abundance, and spatial distribution. In parallel, repeated discussions, narrative sessions, and painting work with Siekopai elder, artist, and co-author César Payaguaje generated accounts of the masters, their origin narratives, and the relational obligations that govern engagement with the forest. Results demonstrate that proximity to extractive infrastructures/ activities (e.g., palm plantations, roads) correlates with both declining biodiversity and the withdrawal of masters from degraded landscapes. Siekopai interpretations frame these shifts not only as ecological change but as disruptions in the reciprocal relations that sustain animals and their masters. These findings now guide Siekopai leadership in establishing conservation zones that align with their cultural norms and strengthen territorial care. This paper demonstrates how Siekopai ethnobiological knowledge of ma'ka taañë informs contemporary political ecology praxis. Ultimately, Siekopai stewardship shows that reciprocity can support future abundance and autonomy that drives more just and plural conservation practice.