We head towards self-destruction

Mamo Seinenkwa (Otoniel Mejía Izquierdo)
Kankurwa Kurina

I ask myself, are really these traditional authorities and the so-called traditional teachers prepared to instruct, to transmit our bilingual, bicultural teachings? Do they know in depth the Mamos' thought? Do they have a real awareness of what loss of identity means? As a Mamo, I consider they do not. These persons are not prepared for that task. So, I think a horrible harm is being done to our community. And therefore, in my opinion, I do not agree with the rules being issued by the cabildos, by the deputies, and by the so-called Mamos who serve as advisors to the schools. For they do not have the deep knowledge needed to rule. Had they it, then our trees should be more, our rivers should be plenty, there should be more snow in our Chunduas and a wider variety of plants, and there should be a greater projection of balance. But what I see is the opposite: they are running schools for our destruction. I see they are opening lands for more and more haciendas, and they are using agricultural methods that are harmful to our traditional crops, introducing educational procedures, like the famous family orchards they are now promoting among us, that suit the Bunachu, the civilized. They are also introducing medical practices like injections, which are right for the Bunachu but not for us.

I think they are attempting against tradition, and though they may think I am narrowminded and alienated from the other Mamos, what I see is that what is being promoted is the destruction of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

I can not, then, agree with that sort of methods, nor would I be ready to back any type of program leading to the destruction of the Sierra Nevada. I shall be a parenthesis, I shall be here, wrapped in my conviction of what I think I can do for the Sierra. But I shall not agree with such ways, which I consider noxious.

The same applies to those religious sects, such as the Evanglicals, who also practice these noxious teaching methods. For this education is another injurious element, since we are not using a methodology dependant on the deep wisdom of the Mamos.

They say they summon us for every decision. They say they need the Mamos' opinion to take decisions on education as well as on any other matter, but that is only a saying, because they treat us like clowns. They call upon us just to approve their plans, but in fact that does not have anything to do with our spiritual practices, the spiritual reflections we are constanly engaged into.

Where are, then, those original forces, those traditional forces which have been giving us our methods? Where are our ancestors, our great-great-grandfathers, our great-grandfathers?

A Sierra for the whites is being prepared. They are now promoting commercial systems good only for the Bunachu. And now, even among women, they are promoting the opening of shops. Our bag knitting, which in olden days was a traditional system to enrich a woman's husband, is now being exploited as a handcrafts business.

Therefore, we must take all these matters in a realistic way: is it truly injurious, self-destructive, or just the opposite? I do not agree with all that, and I want to be heard, because if we go on with these systems and methodologies, I think we head towards self-destruction, and to the total disregard of our Mamos.

However, I would be ready to truly collaborate with you, for I think you are an important commission, interested in gathering some part of the Mamos' experiences. But you have to face it yourselves —that reality we are living in the Sierra Nevada—, because I do not believe in the cabildos and the deputies, nor in any kind of authority under which we are now living in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

We have been appointed to different commissions. We take part in all sorts of commissions for everything. I hear about governmental land-reform and aboriginal affairs comissions. And what is the use of all these commissions, when our livelihood is getting worse instead of better? To us, those commissions are not needed. What we need is for us Mamos to unite all in our strength, in our works and our Gunamu. That our Mamos be the true authorities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, for that is how it has been for thousands of years.

The day I see, as an actual reality, the practice by the Mamos —through their Gunamus— of authority, healing and education that will give our children what they really need, then shall I begin to believe that something is being made in favor of the Sierra Nevada. Otherwise, I shall go on thinking that what is being done is self-destructive.

Therefore I will be on my guard as to this situation.