In October 2024, ancestral wisdom met contemporary literary discourse to envision possible futures at the FOLIO – Óbidos International Literary Festival in Portugal.

Azimuth World Foundation had the privilege of participating in the “Roda de Configurações de Mundos” (World Configurations Roundtable), which brought together voices that rarely take center stage at traditional literary spaces. As part of FOLIO’s Casa Floresta (Forest Home) module, this gathering embodied what the festival’s curators described as “literature with clear connection to the ancestral, to community and to nature, narrated on the axis of interdependence of all living forms, organic and inorganic.”

What an honor it was to share this space with such a remarkable group of leaders, writers, and thinkers: Verenilde Pereira, Kaká Werá, Cebaldo Inawinapi, Ellen Lima Wassu, Elvis Guerra, Carola Saavedra, Patricia Vieira, Juan Carlos Galeano, Marta Lança, and Candela Varas.

Reimagining Worlds Through Indigenous Cosmogonies

The World Configurations Roundtable represented more than a literary discussion—it was an exercise in collective reimagining of worlds. The gathering sought to question dominant worldviews and create new possibilities through listening to other cosmogonies and practices. An approach that aligns with Azimuth’s mission of amplifying Indigenous voices and supporting self-determined narratives.

The roundtable invited participants into collective reflection and creation, practices through which Indigenous communities have maintained their knowledge systems alive since time immemorial.

Connecting the Dots: Four Powerful Conversations

Our team used this opportunity to gather stories that illuminate the depth and diversity of perspectives present at the festival. We conducted four interviews that show how traditional knowledge and other ways of seeing and living in the world can be the key to tackling our contemporary crisis.

Click on the name of each guest to also access the podcast and written version of the interview.

Ellen Lima Wassu shared profound insights on decolonization, reparations, and finding joy in the struggle. As an artivist, author, and poet, Ellen’s conversation explored how Indigenous resistance takes many forms, including the radical act of joy itself.

Kaká Werá, pioneer of Indigenous literature in Brazil, brought three decades of experience preserving and sharing traditional knowledge. Through his 16 books, he demonstrates how ancestral wisdom provides guidance for contemporary challenges. His latest work, “Tekoá,” explores the Tupi Guarani philosophy of living well—a concept increasingly relevant as the world grapples with questions of sustainable living.

Verenilde Pereira, the pioneering Afro-Indigenous journalist, researcher, and novelist from the Brazilian Amazon, shared how her writing serves as a political act against domination systems. Her recently rediscovered and acclaimed novel “An Endless River” portrays the complex realities of Amazonian communities, challenging dominant narratives while amplifying traditional perspectives.

Juan Carlos Galeano, poet and scholar born in the Colombian Amazon, offered powerful insights on Indigenous cosmogonies and environmental wisdom. With his book “Amazonía” recently translated into Portuguese, Galeano revealed how Amazonian perspectives can transform our relationship with the natural world—knowledge increasingly vital during our ecological crisis.

Supporting Indigenous Storytelling

Azimuth World Foundation’s sponsorship of Casa Floresta represents our commitment to creating spaces where Indigenous voices can share their knowledge on their own terms. Indigenous communities don’t just have stories to tell—they have worldviews that offer essential guidance for humanity’s future. The FOLIO Festival provided a platform where these voices could reach new audiences while maintaining the integrity of their messages.

We are deeply grateful to the FOLIO Festival for this meaningful collaboration and for creating spaces where diverse perspectives can reshape how we understand literature, community, and our shared future.