Kogi, Wiwa, Arhuaco - First Phase of the Sacred Journey

The Elders Project wishes to thank everyone who offered donations, good wishes and prayers in order that this past January 2010 The Grand Mamo Sewkukuy (Norberto Torres, 94 year-old Arhuaco) and the other traditional Mamo of the Kogi and Wiwa indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Colombia could successfully fulfill the first phase of the sacred journey along the Black Line; an energetic boundary surrounding the Heart of the World. Upon which obligatory spiritual offerings were placed in order to guarantee the flow of spiritual forces for the purpose of harmonizing each of the sacred sites, Gonawindua (Mt. Bolivar) and outward to the world.

As the guardians of the "Heart of the World" the journey along the Black Line is significant to the four ethnic indigenous tribes of the Sierra the Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamo to recuperate the Traditional Social Organization and co-expression of the autonomy necessary to achieve and sustain the law of origin and permanence of their thousands of year old culture.

In August 2010 while in Pasto Colombia, Rick Harlow and I had met Mamo Norberto and other traditional Mamo of the Kogi and Wiwa. At that time we signed an agreement with them to help raise funds, and created "The Elders Project" to receive donations to support the historic journey along the Black Line.

Rick arrived in Colombia January 13th 2010 and in time to begin the journey with the Mamo as an organizer of the logistics necessary such as food and transportation as well as assistant to the videographer, who documented the journey for the archives, to be used for future generations of the indigenous people of the Sierra.

I arrived January 28th during a wind storm which made it impossible to land in the air port of Valledupar where Rick was waiting. After flying into another airport in Barranquilla,the following day I proceeded upon a five hour taxi ride to Valledupar. The sacred journey along the Black Line had ended a few days prior to my arrival and I had wondered while bouncing around in the plane and several attempts at landing due to the severe cross winds, that perhaps this was a result of the spiritual offerings the Mamo had placed for the purpose of harmonizing and balancing all of life and that a purification and dispersal of things out of balance was at work.

After my long taxi ride to Valledupar, we prepared to travel into the Heart of the World and the pueblo of Mamo Norberto to continue documenting.

The first phase of the sacred journey was complete. Now the Mamo were already preparing for the next phase of which traditionally, and according to their law of origin, and also for the purpose of sustaining the harmony and balance of all of life and the Mother Earth herself, it is crucial that the Mamo of the four traditional tribes make the sacred journey around the Black Line four times each year.

BACK IN TIME: Entering into the Heart of the World and the pueblo of the Arhuaco in the Sierra was a journey back in time. The land rover that carried us for several hours into the mountains, had met and conquered what some might see as a daunting even impossible passage. Yet we arrived safely and unloading our gear we set off upon a narrow winding path that led us high up into the mountains. At first, as we traversed along the path, a bright clear river coursed along beside us and soon as we began to climb further up we left the river to itself to continue through the valley below. We entered the silence of the mountains, to finally arrive at Mamo Norberto's pueblo.

To prepare ourselves to enter into the pueblo, most of the first day was spent in purification ceremony, of ourselves, our thoughts, what was in our hearts all that we had carried with us up to the pueblo and the final step, a journey back down a steep path which led to a sacred pool of the river, where we were asked to immerse ourselves in the cold waters to complete our purification.

The days spent with Mamo Norberto and his family unfolded, the nights were cold in the mountains, the silence complete and without any intrusion of electricity, yet bright with the full moon and star filled skies. The days, sunny and hot, the distant mountain ranges brilliant in the sun and deep gorges and sightings of other pueblos of Arhuaco visible across the valley, the pace and the days slowed. Each day was filled as Mamo Norberto other Mamo and the Arhauco women and children prepared pagamentos (spiritual offerings)for the next sacred journey.

We were in paradise, yet the words of the Mamo of their concern of seeing the waters drying up, of the suffering the Mother Earth is enduring and the appearance of several very tall and imposing cell towers placed upon one of the high points of the Sierra by the Colombian government, the government wanting to build dams and create tourism in the "Heart of the World" all of this that they spoke of filled me with sadness.

Finally the day came when I was to begin the long journey down the mountain,and to return home to the United States. Arriving home from the Heart of the World, was challenging. Big city noises, traffic, lights, pollution, people rushing - cell phones to their ears. It took me awhile to merge into this reality we live in.

I realized how the survival of their culture, their homeland their law of origin and regarding the healing of the water, the well being of the Mother Earth, the creatures and all of humanity, how the indigenous people of the Heart of the World "The Elder Brothers" are concerned with and praying about on a daily basis, how typically none of this is a daily concern of the majority of humanity.

The Kogi, Arhuaco, and the Wiwa and Kankuamo, the traditional indigenous people of the Heart of the World, daily continue to pray for us the Younger Brothers to awaken and take responsibility for our own original instructions, as care takers of the Mother Earth. They will continue the sacred journey along the Black Line to place the sacred offerings to harmonize all of life.

Rick and I have agreed to continue to help the Mamo fulfill the four sacred journies beginning in April of 2010. With all of your prayers and donations to The Elders Project you can also help.

Please send your donations of any amount, made out to "The Elders Project"
to Earth Action (a non-for profit)
Att: the Elders Project
PO. BX 63 Amherst Ma. 01004