"The Saamaka people in Suriname are using modern technology to map their ancestral lands. They hope to get government recognition and protection against illegal logging and mining."
"TUTUBUKA, Suriname — Deep in Suriname’s Amazon rainforest, Navaldo Vola hacked through thick vegetation with a machete, leading a group of Saamaka men up a forested mountain in sweltering heat and swarms of horseflies.
Halfway up, they found a massive abandoned excavator fitted with an attachment designed to tear down trees.
The discovery came a day after the men had found a makeshift camp at the foot of the mountain that they believed had been used by Chinese loggers. Packets of masala powder and bottles of soy sauce remained in the cooking area. They spent the night there, stringing their hammocks from the camp’s makeshift wooden structures before setting off up the mountain the following morning."
Steven Grattan reports for the Associated Press October 26, 2026.
SEE ALSO:
"In Suriname’s Rainforest, Saamaka Woodcarvers Face The Pull Of Gold Mining And Logging" (AP)
"Takeaways From AP’s Report On How Suriname’S Saamaka Are Fighting To Protect Their Rainforest" (AP)
