The story, related this past Sunday night within a barge along a Paris canal, was a reflection on an Amazonian canoe that was running late. The vessel, built by hand by members of Franco's indigenous community of Sarayaku, had inspired a brilliant action for which it ultimately didn't need to be present for it to all come together.

Rewind a year earlier. Amazon Watch was given marching orders by Paty Gualinga of Sarayaku: Accompany a delegation of community members as they would bring their Canoe of Life from their rainforest territory to the climate summit in Paris. The craft, carved from a single pinchi tree, would imitate the form of the pez colibri. This "hummingbird fish" lives in the depths of Sarayaku's black lagoons along with large anacondas and the supreme spirits of the forest that protect the Living Jungle.

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