Etnoclimatologia: Percepção da estiagem na etnia tikuna da comunidade bom caminho em Benjamin Constant - AM

Abstract

Ethnoclimatology analyzes the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples about the climate and its transformations. Based on this approach, the present study investigated the perception of the 2024 drought by the Tikuna people of the Bom Caminho community, located in Benjamin Constant – AM. The objective was to understand how the Tikuna perceive drought and how their traditional knowledge guides adaptive practices in the face of climate change. A qualitative and ethnographic approach was used, including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and the collection of self-narratives, involving twelve residents, among fishermen and farmers, respecting ethical protocols and the Free and Informed Consent Form (FICF). The results show that the drought severely affected fishing, agriculture, health, and access to drinking water. Natural signs—such as the behavior of winds, birds, and lunar cycles—have become less reliable. As adaptive strategies, residents adopted the use of cisterns, well digging, cultivation of resistant species, water rationing, and collective efforts to clean streams. Traditional knowledge proved essential for community resilience, reaffirming identity and territorial bonds. The need to value this knowledge and integrate it into public policies to address climate change in the Amazon is highlighted.