Most of us are constrained in our perspective by the cultures and traditions we have been raised in; it’s difficult not to view the world free of the filters that cloud our vision. The journey to fully understanding and appreciating another culture is a rare opportunity and requires a special openness of mind and spirit, intellectual curiosity, and unique insight. These are the qualities Dr Natalia Buitron brings to her research and fieldwork. 

Here Natalia, the Jessica Sainsbury Lecturer in the Anthropology of Amazonia, tells us about new approaches and new stories around modernisation, adaptation and authenticity among Indigenous communities in Amazonia: 

"I spent some of my childhood in the Amazon region—my father was a forestry engineer and my mother was a legal expert in indigenous land rights. 

So, I have always had a deep connection to the region and, when I was young, I knew I wanted to continue to experience social life among diverse cultures. 

For my PhD, I wanted to research how people experience social change. I initially planned a project on gender fluidity and the legacy of colonialism in Southeast Asia, but then I came across some books about the Amazon and its indigenous people. Reading about the very people I knew personally made me want to return to study them more closely – to understand their struggles and challenges. I ended up doing fieldwork in the Amazon for nearly two years. 

I faced many challenges during my time with the Shuar people, including adapting to unfamiliar food, crossing rivers alone, and learning their language, which had only recently developed an alphabet. 

While teaching social sciences in a local high school, I learned the language by observing daily life. I also supported a local federation in protecting their land from industry encroachment, studying how the Shuar adapted to state presence while trying to maintain autonomy. Once self-sufficient, they were now navigating changes brought by missionaries and the state, balancing intercultural education and involvement in national politics. 

My research shows that Indigenous communities don’t just adopt external institutions; they creatively reinvent them. They develop new approaches, from democratic assemblies to organising school meals, and adapting systems to meet their needs—a concept I call ‘institutional plasticity’. For example, their assemblies are recent innovations designed to engage with local bureaucracies while maintaining autonomy. 

This adaptability is crucial as external forces often impose their ideas about modernisation. Indigenous groups, however, have their own models of development, offering lessons in sustainable governance, as seen in Ecuador’s and Bolivia’s recognition of multiple nations within one state. Their approaches to managing forests, biodiversity, land, welfare and justice offer innovative solutions for global crises like climate change and deforestation. I think it is important that Indigenous movements are pushing for participative governance that prioritises their wellbeing over economic gain. 

I followed my PhD with further teaching and research focused on the region, so it was amazing for me to see this Lectureship advertised, as Amazonia rarely attracts geopolitical interest in the UK. Securing the role was a dream come true. Cambridge offers a unique academic environment and the chance to drive local change. I’m fortunate to work with remarkable colleagues, and I love teaching."