Explore the Abiayala Bioregion at Bioregiones.org — discover the ancestral and ecological richness of the Americas, from the Andes to the Amazon, from Mesoamerica to the Southern Cone, centered on Indigenous knowledge, mega-biodiversity, and intercontinental conservation.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Bioregion Name | Abiayala (Abya Yala – “land in full maturity” in Guna) |
| Location | Entire American continent, with biocultural focus across Mesoamerica, Amazonia, Andes, Gran Chaco, Caribbean, and the Southern Cone |
| Approximate Extension | ~42,550,000 km² (entire Western Hemisphere) |
| Primary Indigenous Cultures | Maya, Quechua, Aymara, Mapuche, Guaraní, Nahua, Guna, Lenape, Tzotzil, Wixárika, Kichwa, and hundreds more |
| Dominant Ecosystems | Tropical rainforests, montane cloud forests, highland páramos, savannas, deserts, mangroves, coral reefs, temperate forests, freshwater systems |
| Endangered Species | Jaguar, Andean condor, Amazon river dolphin, harpy eagle, spectacled bear, axolotl, macaw species |
| Representative Fungi | Bioluminescent fungi, cordyceps, reishi (Ganoderma spp.), puffballs, turkey tail |
| Representative Mammals | Tapir, jaguar, llama, vicuña, ocelot, howler monkey, Amazonian manatee |
| Representative Birds | Harpy eagle, quetzal, Andean condor, scarlet macaw, toucan, hummingbirds |
| Representative Reptiles | Green iguana, caiman, boa constrictor, Galápagos tortoise, fer-de-lance snake |
| Representative Plants | Ceiba tree, coca leaf, cacao, maize, quinoa, cassava, amaranth, giant bromeliads |
| Traditional Foods & Medicinals | Maize, cacao, cassava, chili, quinoa, guayusa, ayahuasca, achiote, coca, sage, copal, yuca flowers |
The Abiayala Bioregion Library is a living archive that celebrates the biocultural wealth of Abya Yala—an Indigenous term widely used to refer to the American continents prior to European colonization. Spanning from the Arctic tundra to Tierra del Fuego, Abiayala encompasses thousands of Indigenous territories, sacred geographies, biodiversity hotspots, and intergenerational knowledge systems rooted in sustainability, reciprocity, and balance with nature.
The term “Abiayala” is used in solidarity with Indigenous movements and offers an alternative framework to “America” by restoring the original names and meanings of the land. In the Guna language of Panama and Colombia, Abya Yala means “land in full maturity,” reflecting an ancestral view of the continent as a place of abundance, autonomy, and sacred interconnectivity.
Ecologically, Abiayala is home to 8 of the 17 megadiverse countries on Earth and over 60% of global terrestrial biodiversity. Its ecosystems include the Amazon Rainforest, the Andes Mountains, Mesoamerican cloud forests, Patagonian steppes, and Caribbean coral reefs. These zones harbor countless endemic species and act as planetary regulators of carbon, water, and climate cycles.
Species of global significance include:
- Mammals: Jaguar, mountain tapir, capybara, armadillo, vicuña, Amazon river dolphin
- Birds: Quetzal, harpy eagle, Andean condor, toucans, macaws, hummingbirds
- Amphibians and Fish: Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), arapaima, electric eel, poison dart frogs
- Plants and Trees: Ceiba (sacred tree of life), ayahuasca vines, coca, cacao, maize, quinoa
- Fungi: Psilocybin species, turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), medicinal polypores, bioluminescent mushrooms
The cultural heritage of Abiayala is equally vast: Indigenous peoples across the territory maintain deep ecological literacy and cosmovisions that inform governance, agriculture, medicine, language, ritual, and interspecies relationships. Communities practice sophisticated agroforestry, companion planting (e.g., milpa systems), seasonal calendars, astronomical alignments, and sacred site stewardship.
The Abiayala Bioregion Library at Bioregiones.org provides open access to:
- Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal surveys
- Decolonial cartography and native place-names
- Oral histories and language archives
- Biodiversity and ecosystem data
- Indigenous governance models and declarations
- Multimedia collections including ceremonial recordings, animations, and Indigenous documentaries
Contemporary initiatives include Indigenous-led forest defense, language revitalization, land rematriation, biocultural corridor design, and pan-American solidarity networks. From the Amazon Guardians to the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests, Abiayala is a living example of collaborative resistance and restoration.
Abiayala is not a past — it is a living and breathing continent of memory, future, and active care. The Bioregion Library invites scientists, educators, Indigenous leaders, activists, and youth to weave this network of knowledge and practice into planetary regeneration.
Key Features
:
- Location: American continents – from Arctic North to Tierra del Fuego
- Ecosystems: Amazon rainforest, Andes, Mesoamerican forests, Caribbean coasts, Chaco, Pampa, deserts, savannahs
- Cultural Heritage: Maya, Andean nations, Amazonian tribes, Mapuche, Guaraní, Inuit, Nahua, Guna, and hundreds more
- Keystone Species: Jaguar, quetzal, llama, harpy eagle, tapir, cacao, maize
- Conservation Themes: Indigenous governance, food sovereignty, forest protection, linguistic survival, decolonial frameworks
Bibliography and References
:
- Global Alliance of Territorial Communities. (2022). Defending the Territories of Life. https://globalalliance.me
- Indigenous Peoples Major Group for Sustainable Development. (2023). Indigenous Knowledge for the SDGs. https://indigenouspeoples-sdg.org
- FAO. (2020). Forest Governance by Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. https://www.fao.org
- Terralingua. (2019). Biocultural Diversity Conservation. https://terralingua.org
- Amazon Watch. (2023). Protecting the Amazon and its Indigenous Peoples. https://amazonwatch.org
- Convention on Biological Diversity. (2022). Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity. https://www.cbd.int
- Latin American Network of Ethnobotany. (2021). Medicinal Plants of Abya Yala. https://redetnobotanica.org
- UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. (2023). Abya Yala Reports. https://social.desa.un.org
- Cultural Survival. (2020). Language Revitalization in the Americas. https://www.culturalsurvival.org
- Earth Guardians. (2022). Youth Movements in Abya Yala. https://www.earthguardians.org