Ekobius International by Ecology Crossroads

Barranco Colorado, Huottuja (Piaroa) Legal Jurisdiction, Venezuela

  • Updated on: Apr 12, 2024 (about 1 year ago)
  • Created on: Mar 8, 2011 (about 14 years ago)
Ekobius International by Ecology Crossroads

Mission Statement

Through cooperation, peace and the natural world we can realize our genuine purpose as the caretakers of the planet. Our community is dedicated to the using appropriate ecological technology, natural materials, harnessing the energy of nature, and benefiting from its gifts. Our focus as a group is on ecosystem services, their protection, development and sharing for ourselves and future generations to come.

Community Description

Come live in the Northern Amazon in the Orinoco Mountains, on the Guiana Shield where the world began!

It took us several years to find the right property and have overcome the invisible socio political factions that mysteriously exist trying to prevent our Indie-pendent Ideals. "Now our property is finally paid off and we can begin moving in" -David Wright, Project Coordinator.

I said that in 2016, when I returned to Venezuela after being deported in 2014 in a violation of my civil rights and a xenophobic radicalization of the Venezuelan government. Fortunately we had residents at that time until diplomatic relations worsened internationally.

In May 2013 we entered into a contract to purchase property at the frontier edge where the Amazon Rainforest meets the Guiana Highlands, locally they call it Guayana, we call it the Amazon Highlands. We started using Ekobius (Ecology-By-Us) to describe the special niche ecosystem and area where we live and are building a prototype model ecological village based on open-source ideals. This is deep ecology and nature at its best!

Located in Venezuela's Northern Amazon; literally, at the 'End of the Road.' our property is the absolute last property that can be inhabited permanently by other than traditional indigenous peoples before entering a protected land area of 650,000 square kilometers full of indigenous reservations, natural monuments, national parks and biosphere reserves. Cross the river behind our property and the next contact with civilization you will find is a 100 day hike due south to the Amazon River or due east to Mt. Roraima and the Guyana, Venezuela, Brazil border.

We are 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the capital of the state of Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, which is in the Atures municipal district. Our ecovillage is located on an asphalt connector road with the capital, we are located between the local community of La Culebra and the indigenous community called Gavilan at Kilometer 24 on Via Gavilan. Public bus transit is available within 10 kilometers of our property. The front of our property has 200 m of road frontage and nearly 2 km of the Catañiapo River in the rear.

Our project is owned and operated by the Ekobius International (an International Cooperative) who are the member residents of our eco-village (ecovillage) development. The property, its infrastructure, and its buildings are wholly owned and controlled by the cooperative under express indefinite permission with the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands for "Agro-Tourism".

Anyone can become a member of Ekobius by investing in the socio-productive cooperative initiative, anyone can further become a resident of our intentional community (ecovillage) and work in the cooperative by joining the cooperative and visiting us with a backpack or a suitcase.

We are seeking open minded people that consider themselves free and liberated of capitalism and the mainstream society. We are unifying ourselves differently than most communities because our common bond is not religious or political, spiritualist or governmental; our ideals are based on indigenous knowledge, enhancing nature and fostering the earth's ecology, instead of exploiting it. We are developing as a small ecological community dedicated to sustainable development and the enhancement of our natural environments. Taking care of the planet that takes care of us.

Resident members can work in agroforestry, permaculture, teaching ecology, growing medicinal plants, making artisan products, developing handicrafts and through the social production of ecosystem services and non-wood forest resources through specialized educational development projects sponsored by international patrons in the Guiana Highlands and Northern Amazon regions.

Our project is beginning with a property that has a common kitchen building, a four room lodge, a 5 stall bath house, several concrete foundations and 2 chicken coups. The reformation calls for the development of a crowdfunding project, the sale of memberships, and the organization.

  • Status: Re-Forming
  • Started Planning: 2011
  • Started Living Together: 2013
  • Visitors Accepted: Yes, rarely
  • Open to New Members: Yes
  • Please read the details in Membership below before contacting this community.Send Message
  • Website: https://www.ekobius.org/
  • Business, Project, or Organization: https://www.ecooperator.org/ekobius-international
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ekobius
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/ekobius
  • Other Social: https://blog.ekobius.org/
  • Contact Name: Col. David Wright
  • Phone: +57 (322) 436-2741
  • Community Address:
    Encrucijadas Ecológicos
    Vía Gavilán, Kilómetro 24
    Barranco Colorado, Huottuja (Piaroa) Legal Jurisdiction 7101
    Venezuela
  • This Community Is Re-Forming

  • Year Re-Formed: 2021
  • Due to the adversity caused by politics, poverty in the region, the hot climate, lack of modern conveniences, transportation, an operational budget, the COVID Pandemic, the passing of one of the founders, and international sanctions against Venezuela - The community (Ekobius) was abandoned in November of 2020. In March of 2021 we began an initiative to recover the property and in September 2021 employed a mayordomo to serve as the new caretaker; the project is now under reformation. All of the original members retain their 'ecooperator rights' and can exercise ownership rights by repatriating their dues of $33 per month since they joined us between 2013 to 2020. We have also taken steps to create a more integral decentralized reformation with the indigenous Huottuja (Piaroa) and are expanding the possibilities under our new ownership by Ecology Crossroads Cooperative Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization located in Kentucky.

  • Location

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  • About

    • Type(s):
      • Ecovillage (organized around ecology and sustainability)
      • Cohousing (individual homes within group property)
      • Transition Town or Eco-Neighborhood (focused on energy/resource resiliency)
      • Traditional or Indigenous
    • Programs & Activities:
      • Transition Town (post-petroleum and off-grid communities.)
      • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
      • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association
      • Ethical Business, Investment Group, or Alternative Currency
      • Organization, Resource, or Network
    • Location: Rural

    Housing

    • Status: We have land we have developed on
    • Area: 27 acres
    • Current Residence Types:
      • Room(s) in a house or building
      • Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent
      • Lots to build on
    • Current Number of Residences: 2
    • Planned Number of Residences: 27
    • Planned Residence Types:
      • Single-family homes
      • Multi-family homes
      • Room(s) in a house or building
      • Tiny house
      • Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent
      • Natural built structues
      • Lots to build on
      • Natural Structures
    • Housing Provided:
      • Purchase
      • Included in Membership
    • Land Owned By: Multiple stakeholders
    • Additional Comments: See our links to find the plat plan. The property is owned by the members of the cooperative, any invited guest may become a cooperative member. There is a community kitchen, bath and a four room cabin. An additional 12 room building is planned for construction in 2022/2023 plus 27 individual camp sites.

    Membership

    • Adult Members: 13
    • Child Members: 4
    • Non-Member Residents: 2
    • Percent Women: 31-40%
    • Percent Men: 51-60%
    • Percent Transgender: 0%
    • Percent Non-Binary: 0%
    • Visitors Accepted: Yes, rarely
    • Visitor Process: Visitors must have their own camping equipment, usually a tent or a hammock will do for sleeping, visitors and volunteers are responsible to cover expenses for food and transportation from Puerto Ayacucho 33 kilometers to our ecovillage. Contact us first by email to confirm your arrival 3 days in advance with confirmed details like flight number, etc and help by bringing essentials. We will make every effort to meet you at the international airport and help you with accommodations as necessary at your expense of course..
    • Open to New Members: Yes
    • Membership Process: Please see our notices, research us and decide if this is right for you. We are accepting new members that become stakeholders in the cooperative and the coop-owned real estate (ecovillage).
    • Additional Comments: We have no religious beliefs. We believe in living in oneness with each other and with mother earth. We have and will routinely invite shamans to visit and host healing and educational ceremonies. We frequently invite local shaman to visit from Piaroa and Putamayo tribes to share plant spirit medicines like ayahuasca and yopo. Public school is 2.5 kilometers away in the center of the community of La Culebra, international residents maintaining their residence in their country currently using home-schooling is recommended.

    Government

    • Decision Making: Consensus + (everyone agrees, except for up to 3 people.)
    • Identified Leader: Yes, multiple identified leaders
    • Leadership Core Group: Yes
    • Additional Comments: David Wright is the cooperative coordinator and maintains a perspective horizon and direction for the ideal he founded focused on specific concepts and projects already under development. Aside from that Wright is responsible to the board of the cooperative and active members, as the executive director responsible for management and business of the cooperative.

    Economics

    • Join Fee($): 3750
    • Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
    • Monthly Fees($): 33
    • Shared Income: All or Close to All
    • Suggested Weekly Labor Contribution: 20
    • Open to Members with Existing Debt: Yes
    • Additional Comments: All money earned from cooperative work efforts is paid to active cooperators. All members must be available to perform functions for the betterment and daily routines of the community. The cooperative membership fee is now only $3,750.00, a deposit of 50% is required to affiliate in the cooperative.

    Sustainability Practices

    • Energy Infrastructure: We use both systems.
    • Current Renewable Energy Generation: 100%
    • Energy Sources:
      • Solar
      • Hydro-Electric
      • Biogas
      • Clean Energy from the Grid
    • Planned Renewable Energy Generation: 100%
    • Current Food Produced: Up to 25%
    • Planned Food Produced: Almost All, around 90%
    • Food Produced Locally: 100%

    Lifestyle

    • Common Facilities:
      • Common House
      • Garden(s)
      • Greenhouse(s)
      • Library
      • Workshop
      • Outbuilding(s)
      • Swimming pond or pool
      • Outdoor Kitchen
      • Large Scale Kitchen
      • Tractor & Farm Equipment
      • Fire pit
      • Swingsets & play areas
      • Recreational vehicles
      • Waterfront access
      • Gym or sports area
    • Internet Available: No
    • Internet Fast?: There is no internet access at our community.
    • Cellphone Service: Good for some people.
    • Shared Meals: 2-5 times per week
    • Dietary Practices:
      • Omnivorous (plants and animals)
      • Paleo (no grains, dairy, processed foods, or legumes)
      • Local
      • Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers)
      • GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms)
      • Opportunivore (dumpster diving, nature harvesting, etc.)
    • Dietary Choice or Restrictions: No - people may eat however they wish.
    • Special Diets OK: Sometimes
    • Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
    • Tobacco Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
    • Additional Diet Comments: A central kitchen area. Many new trees were planted in 2017-2019 to establish permaculture. We eat mainly what we can grow ourselves as well as what we can find in nature, ants and termites too. Omnivorous but primarily vegetarian, fish, small farm animals, insects, and other wild game is common among neighbors. We make wine and other herbal spirits. We grow natural tobacco species.
    • Common Spiritual Practice(s):
      • Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices)
      • Eclectic (integrates multiple religious or spiritual beliefs)
      • Not a particularly spiritual or religious community
      • Native American
      • Paganism or Earth Religions
      • Atheist
      • Agnostic
      • Humanist
    • Spiritual Practice Expected?: No
    • Education Style(s):
      • Home Schooling
      • Private Schooling at the Community
      • Public Schooling
      • Up to each family or individual
    • Healthcare Options: Up to each family, household, or individual
    • Additional Comments: We are within the environment and nearby indigenous native communities. Those coming to our community will be expected to adopt and adapt to certain community lifestyle changes and learn cultural anomalies as required to maintain understanding. No one should come to the community with the intentions or ideals of converting indigenous people to become removed from their traditions or

    Cohousing

    • Building Site Status: Own Site
    • Has a Shared Common Building: Yes
    • Developer: Globcal International

    Additional Comments

    Our property is very rural, more like wilderness area, it's Amazon Rainforest. We first formed as an initiative with 3 members. Legal formation of the coop was begun on December 18, 2012, we purchased the property in May of 2013, paid it off in December of 2016, we are reopening officially as of October 2021.

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    Community Network or Organization Affiliations

    Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), Ecovillage Network of the Americas, WWOOF, Idealist, Ecobasa.org, Taking IT Global, Ecology Crossroads

    Community Affiliations

    1st Indigenous Ecovillage

    Fair Housing Laws

    This community acknowledges that their listing does not include any potential violations of the Fair Housing Law, or that they do not provide housing. For any questions about this topic please see our Content Policies and contact FIC with any questions or concerns: directory@ic.org.

    Keywords

    ecology, permaculture, jungle, nature, amazon, ecovillage, indigenous peoples,