The President of Tchendukua, on a visit to the Sierra
The communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: the Kogis, Arhuacos and Wiwas,
welcomed the chair of our association, Marie-Hélène Straus.
It was an opportunity to reflect on 25 years of work on their behalf. This work has been recognised and praised by everyone, for whom Tchendukua’s primary mission – the recovery of ancestral lands – remains the top priority.
It was an opportunity to reflect on 25 years of work on their behalf. This work has been recognised and praised by everyone, for whom Tchendukua’s primary mission – the recovery of ancestral lands – remains the top priority.
As the Kogi governor Arregoces Conchacala Zalabata sums it up:
“Without territory, nothing is possible, and there is no point in talking about anything else. Tchendukua must continue its excellent work because we have faith in you. Our only possession is our sacred territories. It is from them that our customs, our culture, our food, our education, our strength and our very lives come.”
Marie-Hélène focused primarily on special meetings with the women of each community. These are the voices of inner life and silence that work ceaselessly to ensure that men’s actions are just and fruitful. These women are known as ‘the light of men’.
As our president put it:
“Talking about these peoples serves little purpose; it’s just a bit of noise to boost one’s ego or ease one’s conscience. But helping to return their lands to them is like giving a magic wand back to creators who respect Life.”