Raices Vivas is a foundation based out of Bogotá and works in the area of the Amazonian Trapezoid of Colombia.  This is the area where Colombia, Peru and Brazil share a border on the Amazon river.  They mostly work in the area around Puerto Nariño and with the Ticuna, Yagua and Cocama indigenous communities.

Raices Vivas was an idea born from the elders of the area to try to stop the cultural and ecological devastation going on there.  The idea was to bring artists from around the world to the jungle to share with the local artists and children.   In hopes that through the process of sharing we can all learn to respect what each culture has to share.  Remembering through art, that we are all children of the earth.  And that we need to care for her and learn from the cultures that have been living in contact with her for as long as anyone can remember.

Since the year 2000 they have been organizing the annual Encuentro Intercultural de la Amazonia (the Intercultural Meeting of the Amazon).  Every year they invite a new group of internationl artists that offer workshops and events in dance, theater, music and the plastic arts along with the local indigenous artists.  Through these events they have helped recreate a respect in the area of the ancestral traditions that were soon to be lost.  Most importantly, these events have brought a wave of interest from local youth towards their own artistic traditions.  Inspiring some that have gone on to get scholarships to study dance and theater in Bogotá.  Bringing with them their cultural traditions, they are extending the message of the struggle of their people through music and dance far beyond the forest.