She prefers to be referred to as a magüta rather than a tikuna. This is because the translation of tikuna means “men painted black,” and she wonders where that leaves the women in her community, of which there are many. In that small but significant gesture, we see the character of this artisan, who knows herself to be a leader of her community. In fact, she learned Spanish to gain the powerful tool of language, enabling her to defend her people.

This strong character has its clear origins in her mother, María Nilza Parente Fernández, who was the curaca governor, or the highest authority, of her community. This was something unusual in the indigenous communities of the Amazon, but her mother broke with tradition, insisting that she had the same right as the men in the reserve to lead her people. Through debates and arguments, she earned her position of authority, and everyone supported and respected her. It was in this context that, at the age of 11, Deisy was told she would be the next leader. Though she initially doubted her ability to take on the role, she quickly realized that she had been prepared for it all along. On the artisan side of her life, her destiny was clear: she would become a weaver, just like her grandmother Matilde.

A descendant of the founders of the San Pedro de Los Lagos reserve, Deisy belongs to the Boatana clan, which translates to “the round spots of the cow,” a symbol given to children at birth that guides their path in life. In her case, this took place when her grandmother Matilde made a mark on her belly button. Being defined in this way has meant that Deisy carries the responsibility of passing on the knowledge she received from her maternal lineage. What her grandmother taught her was that weaving is about letting go of sadness to create, and that every stitch is an opportunity to imagine. For Deisy, weaving is, above all, the chance to continue telling her story—and the story of her people—since they are inseparable.

Through this journey, she has taught generations of children in her village how to weave. She leads a group of eight other women who, like a flourishing tree, are committed to planting knowledge through the art of weaving with natural fibers. Their journey begins with the round backpack, as it is through this item that their foundational story is told. Weaving these backpacks not only brings them together, supporting each other in solidarity, but it also serves as a space for storytelling. As they weave, they revisit the past through the threads: the seeds sown by the creators Mowacha, Yoxy, and Ipi, which gave birth to the earth they honor in the chagra. They reflect on the first baskets, sifters, and backpacks, which were used to harvest food and prepare fariña. And they also remember the bloody history of rubber slavery, the arrival of Marculino Parente in Leticia in 1963, the first in his family to step foot on this land. As a former soldier, Marculino inherited the land where all the magüta—”people of the water”—now live.

Deisy feels fortunate to be the one to continue this long history. She is proud to have given birth to Charol Crisula, known as kaku* in magüta language, meaning “lying tiger.” This is how they saw her when she received the traditional belly button mark… and if Deisy is as determined as she is, just imagine her daughter… Charol is now 15 and already has her own business. A true heir to her indigenous blood.