Instituto Zag

Instituto Zág is an Indigenous youth-led organization whose key activity is the reforestation and preservation of traditional knowledge around the Araucaria tree, known as Zág. The Zág tree holds sacred and symbolic value to the Xokleng Peoples but is currently on the verge of extinction due to centuries of uncontrolled exploitation, with only 2% of the Zág tree's original habitat remaining. Their efforts include removing invasive trees, valuing ancestral traditions, and conducting educational activities with diverse audiences to safeguard the Araucaria tree as a source of nutrition, medicine, and cultural identity. The organization works in reclaiming the traditional territory of the Xokleng Peoples in the State of Santa Catarina.