‘On our own territory’: Colombia’s last nomadic tribe fights to return home

Fri Oct 03 13:18:13 UTC 2025: ## Colombia’s Last Nomadic Tribe Struggles to Reclaim Ancestral Lands

**San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia** – The Nukak, Colombia’s last nomadic tribe, are fighting to return to their ancestral lands in the Amazon rainforest after decades of displacement due to encroaching settlers, armed conflict, and devastating diseases. Jedeku Njibe, a Nukak leader, spearheads the effort to reclaim the Nukak Maku reservation, a protected area that has suffered extensive deforestation for cattle ranching and coca cultivation.

For centuries, the Nukak thrived as nomadic hunters and gatherers in the Amazon. However, contact with the outside world brought violence and diseases, decimating their population. In 1988, a disease suspected to be influenza wiped out nearly half of his clan. Today, only an estimated 1,000 Nukak remain, displaced from their land and struggling to maintain their traditional way of life.

Despite the dangers, Njibe and other Nukak have begun returning to the reservation, establishing small communities like WimPena Chaana. There, they are reviving traditional practices while adapting to modern life. With the support of NGOs like the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS), they are working to restore the deforested land and protect the remaining forest.

However, the Nukak’s efforts face significant challenges. Settlers continue to encroach on their land, and the lack of government presence leaves them vulnerable to violence and displacement. “We want to live peacefully,” says Njibe. “We want to live on our own territory.” The Nukak’s struggle is intertwined with the future of the Amazon rainforest, as their traditional way of life is essential for preserving the forest. Indigenous stewardship is considered crucial, experts say.

Despite the obstacles, Njibe remains determined to secure a better future for his children on their ancestral lands. He says, “I want my children to have their own territory so that they won’t have to run somewhere else like I did.”

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