Declaration of the Mamos of the Sierra to Hum
Mamos of the Sierra (Colombia) - 23.01.2004 13:21
Koguis, Kankuamos, Wiwas, Arhuacos of the Sierra Nevada of Santamarta make a declaration to humanity
January 2004
1. For us there is only one law -- sacred, immutable, preexistent, primitive, preceding everyone and everything. The world could exist or cease to exist, but this would not in the least alter the essence of this law, which constitutes the universal thought of what is not seen, the sole Origin of Life. This law of origin finds expression in the universe. There is, then, a beautiful association between law and thought, which in harmony with our surroundings becomes natural law. This natural law gives origin to the creation of matter and to its evolution, equilibrium, preservation and harmony. These are the fundamental purposes of the Mamo (shaman), his reason for being. The reality is, however, that the Little Brother violates the immutable order of this law and takes Mother Earth (Séineken) and all beings toward a dizzying precipice.
This is why we issue a firm call to humanity for a change in its general behavior, in its actions toward us, and in its treatment of Mother Earth, our true mother --mother of all the mothers, and daughter of the great Mother wisdom. We are all in her debt. Who pays our Mother for the air we breath, the water that flows, the sun's light? The universal Mother calls on the Little Brother to make these payments. Only through the Mamos, through the pagamentos (offerings), is the canceling of these debts possible.
2. These laws are expressed as sacred attributes in a circular order -- the Black Line-- and triangular form of the mountain masses, visible and invisible. They are known as places of offering, and they are located on 370,000 points of the life of the Sierra Nevada. These laws are based on respect, internal (Sierra Nevada and its four ethnic peoples) and external (nonindigenous peoples and the rest of the planet). When the offerings are made, they generate a series of positive factors, such as good rains, good dry seasons, good sunshine and air.
3. This harmony is manifested in the life of 370,000 species of biodiversity (fauna and flora). The survival of each of the species sustains and guarantees the life of humankind and its environment.
4. The law says we are to care for this life, from what we call the Black Line, which is written in the law of the universe and is at the same time a sacred element and a tool that we need to be returned to us so we can carry out our sacred mission.
5. We lay claim to our territory and our dividing line as expression and legitimate inheritance from our ancestors. Our physical health and our mental and spiritual well-being depend on it, along with the equilibrium of our whole planet and of all humankind.
6. The Sierra Nevada is the heart of the world, fountain of life, primary source of energy, origin of life and of the spiritual equilibrium of Séineken (Mother Earth). For us everything that exists has a spirit that is sacred and should be respected. That means everything is holy and is our brother or sister: the air, fire, the trees, the insects, the rocks, the hills . . . We live in continual dialogue with them through our powers, our understanding and our spiritual activity.
7. The Sierra Nevada is a holy house, sacred home, place of peace. Everything that goes against the established order of things profanes our existence, our customs, and our profound identification with the mandate of our original law. We are part of Mother Earth and she is part of us. Everything that happens to her happens to us, and what happens to us happens to her.
8. Every damage done to the Sierra Nevada, to its places, its points of offering, its traditions, its origins, its Mamos, its four ethnic peoples, inevitably will have negative repercussions in the planet and in the universe.
It is predicted that the years to come will be marked by harsh dry seasons, hail, acid rain, and all kinds of cataclysms and natural disasters.
9. We don't understand how the Little Brother is capable of trafficking with the elements and organs of his own Mother. As children of the water, of the earth, of the wind and of the fire, we know from time immemorial that the strength of our spirit comes from these elements.
The water is like our spirit, since its essence never changes though it takes on multiple forms: cloud, lakes, rivers, dew in the trees, humidity in the air. Across the scope of its multiple manifestations, the essence of our spirit remains unalterable.
Our law is the law of the water, the law of the sun, the law of the lightning. It cannot be reformed, it knows nothing of decrees, it does not accept constitutions or political acts, because our law, which governs life, remains across time. For harmony to return to our lives, it is necessary that law created by human beings respect and accord with the law of origin, the natural law, the law of life, the supreme law of the Mamos.
10. We invite all our Little Brothers to join us in the sacred mission of being guardians of life, in a spiritual network for the defense of our only inheritance: Mother Earth.
11. We affirm our commitment to Séineken, to the peace of our country and the world, and we make a call from the Sierra Nevada (in the north of Colombia) to solidarity, unity, peace and spirituality for all nations and peoples. Our firm purpose is that all of Colombia come together to lead a movement in defense of Mother Earth and of life in all its manifestations.
We affirm our desire to live, to continue struggling on life's behalf, and to keep defending the biodiversity of the planet. This is our ancestral duty; if we do not fulfill it, there will still be human beings, but not survivors in the full sense of the word.
12. Finally, we make a solemn promise that if the Little Brother heeds our call and our recommendations, we commit ourselves to activate all the energy fields so as to avoid great damage to the planet, the loss of many lives and the terrible economic disasters that loom on the horizon. Allowing ourselves to forget that such attention was not paid in the past, let us envision a hopeful future.
 E-Mail: colombia@indymedia.org
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