Yulisa Tiwihuahay

For me, it's funny because we've been taught the fish that they discovered, well, we've always eaten it, right? It's in the river. We eat it frequently in traditional dishes. So for them to say that it's something new, well, this is something that we've eaten since childhood.

So when a scientist comes and tells us that this is something new, for the scientific community, we just say, wow, like, that's new, that's different. Let's take a look at all the other species we have.

Because our people, without our forest, we are not Awahun. Like, our customs are in the forest. Our traditions are in the forest. Our worldview is in the forest.

Centuries ago, times ago, we lived in war, so it was something very much needed and sought.

Everything that I had been told by my grandparents, so being able to see it, to see that species, was a bit thrilling. Being able to say, wow, this species still exists. We can extract its venom to kill whoever we want.

Because women are the ones who possess more traditional knowledge. They have a deep knowledge of the territory, of their forests. They know about the food, about medicinal and edible plants, how to move around during the night and guide you on a hike. So all that deep knowledge is owned by women. I mean, men too, of course, but it's the women who know more.

So for this kind of research, it becomes crucial to allow women's participation. and to always involve the O'ahu people.