ColombiaConexion - SF Bay

Why are the indigenous communities of Colombia among the most affected by the COVID19 outbreak? Despite living close to the land to be cultivated, they are going through a food security crisis. For the Kamëntsá indigenous people in Putumayo, Colombia, the economic system has led to the transformation of their agroecological traditions into an export-oriented monoculture. By producing cash crops, they became dependent on global markets and lost their autonomy. In this episode, Henry Mavisoy, from the Kamëntsá community, tells us how the historical conditions and the notion of modernity have resulted in the exacerbation of the fragility of his community to face the current pandemic. We also talk about the responses & proposals that the ancestral principles of indigenous communities bring to face this environmental, economic, health and social crisis. Finally, we share how we all can support alternative development focused on conservation, solidarity, and the green economy. Henry is an Agricultural and Forest Engineer with a Master in Agroecology and is currently the director of the Agricultural Engineering program in the University of Environmental and Applied Sciences (UDCA) in Colombia. For more information visit ColombiaConexion - SF Bay in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

In Colombia, since the signature of the peace agreement in 2016, 900 + social leaders, activists, and ex-combatants have been assassinated. During the first trimester of 2020, one leader has been killed every other day. Héctor Marino Carabalí is a social leader committed with his community in the Municipio of Buenos Aires, Cauca. He works defending Afro-descendants, indigenous people and farmers human rights. This community has 7,500 inhabitants, dedicated to agriculture (coffee, sugar cane, bananas, beans, cassava) and fishing. His community is also known for its delicious gastronomy such as Sambumbe, a sweet white delicacy, papaya candy, and Atollado, a stews dish. They are also known by their typical music, The Caucano Violins, a mix of Africa, Colombia and Europe. Buenos Aires, Cauca has historically been hit by Colombia’s armed conflict. Now due to COVID-19 and the government’s abandonment, the community is dealing a daily struggle that has deepened the social crisis! They have created their own guard to protect their community and are collecting food and medical supplies. We invite you to hear Héctor’s testimony and be part of our cause. For more information visit ColombiaConexion - SF Bay in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Resguardo Indígena Kamëntsá-Inga de San Francisco is an indigenous community of farmers, craftsmen, and healers located in Putumayo, Colombia. The Kamëntsá have a unique culture that has long resisted the forces of colonization. Camsá is one of about 100 language isolate in the world: it has no genealogical relationship to any other language. It is spoken by only about 2000 people and is in danger of extinction. Their identity, Camëntsá Biyá, means “from here, with our own thought and language”. Today, most people in the Resguardo live off of their daily work, so the lockdown has affected their livelihood dramatically. The Resguardo is organizing this Solidarity Campaign to help them provide food and medicine for the most vulnerable members of their community — especially the elders, who are the guardians of their traditional knowledge. We invite you to travel inside the community and vibrate with our guest Segundo Jaime, a community leader. For more information visit ColombiaConexion - SF Bay in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.