Fourteen ethnic groups of the Orinoquía and Colombian Amazon region presented their environmental proposals at the 4th Regional Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth.

Around 200 brothers from fourteen ethnic groups of the Orinoquía and the Amazon region of Colombia shared their ancestral knowledge about caring for the Earth and presented their environmental proposals in the 4^th Regional Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth, organized by the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP).                                                   

The Las Malocas theme park in the city of Villavicencio was the place where the encounter was held on June 5, 2016. These events aim to create spaces for dialogue and reflection, in order to promote the ancestral knowledge of indigenous peoples, for the protection, care, and restoration of Mother Earth.

The Government of Meta, through the Secretariat of Education, participated in the event that gathered around 250 GEAP volunteers and 200 representatives of indigenous peoples: Sirianos, Sikuanis, Wananos, Emberá-Chamí, Cubeo, Piapoco, Sáliba, Pijao, Nasa, Piratapuyo, Desano, Puainave, Inga y Humapo; settled in the departments of Arauca, Casanare, Meta, Vaupés, and Putumayo.

The issues were discussed through seven work tables, with issues regarding the Rights of Mother Earth, environmental restoration, and sustainable use of freshwater, preservation of natural resources, among others. The proposals were presented in a plenary and the representative of each table delivered it in writing to the coordinators of the GEAP.

Governance and environmental justice were defined; education, communication and environmental culture for the peace of Mother Earth and Sustainable Development; promotion of the ancient culture of the Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth for a Sustainable Development; and restoration and protection of Mother Earth.

These lines of action make up the areas of work of the International Program “Children of Mother Earth,” developed by the GEAP in more than 20 countries in Latin America, United States and Spain. (See program)

 The Secretariat of Education of the Government of Meta expressed the interest of becoming a multiplier of the proposals presented at the encounter, through educational institutions, to directly contribute to the promotion of a culture of respect and restoration of Mother Earth.

 This 4th Regional Encounter is the preamble to the Second International Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth to be held during the month of August this year, at the Plaza Colombia in the municipality of Uribia, known as the “Indian Capital of Colombia,” located in the department of La Guajira.

 Cultural fellowship in honor of Mother Earth

 During the encounter, the indigenous brothers carried out cultural presentations to pay tribute to Mother Earth through music, dances and traditional songs of the ethnic groups. At the opening of the event, Taita Domingo Cuatindioy, along with members of the Inga of Villavicencio council, performed a ritual of harmonization.

Representatives of indigenous communities spoke about the importance of the restoration and recovery of ancestral culture. Juan Cuatindioy Tisoy of the Inga council said:

“We are children but we must always carry that law, that ancestral part, to be able to rescue everything we have done and everything we have not done yet as well; the important thing is that it will be rescued. We are speaking in short, medium and long term but we have the certainty that everything that was lost in the cultural part, will be rescued.”

The Las Malocas park, location of the encounter, is a space where cultural traditions of the region are preserved, by exposing different typical scenarios that show their myths, legends, wildlife, folklore and ancestral cultures. Also, structures created out of Moriche (representative palm of the region) are found there and ancestral communal houses known as Malocas are recreated.

To close the event, the Inga community carried out a ritual of gratitude, mental and spiritual cleansing, in which the indigenous brothers along with the Activists for Peace participated.

The GEAP is committed to defending the rights of indigenous communities and the recognition of their ancestral culture, considering that indigenous peoples have coexisted in harmony with Mother Earth. Therefore, the Organization receives environmental proposals in order to promote them at an international level.

See previous encounters:

Colombia held the first Regional Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth

Caribbean ethnic diversity was the main subject of the Second Regional Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth in Colombia

The 3rd Regional Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth in Columbia was held