Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín

Universo Arhuaco

Magic and traditional medicine

An insight of La Sierra Nevada's communities Arwa-Viku (Mamo Crispín Izquierdo Torres)

Our millenary thought is nothing else than a logical reasoning about life implying the inner respect and reverence towards Mother Earth Seynekan.

We have kept this tradition in oral and practical ways for about 3.600 years. Ever since we settled in this sacred Sierra, considered as the heart of the world, the continent's antenna, the land of the people of Guirkune, Chumdwa Ziku, the wise logic.

The Sierra Nevada is our sacred abode. Her geographical shape, with her water sources, mountain ranges, minerals, and botanical and zoological species, conforms a living body that is the relationship of our logical reasoning with Nature herself.

In a deeper and more sacred concept: the human family originated here. La Sierra is thus humanity's father and mother.

We define the first father as the power or energy of the terrestrial: Ñiankwa and Serankwa. These forces, as high Mamos before thought, alloted as a heritage the virgin lands of the world, or Kagumwa; the sacred seeds for our survival, or Zamukia; the mines, or Änwa-Guiachene; the plants, or Ken Morundwa.

Our sages tell us daily that every assignment was done in accordance with the earth, for everyone of Mother Earth's colors is a manifestation of a human, animal or botanical race, according to their wish to multiply. And here originated the laws, called younger brothers' laws and elder brothers' laws.

Yuga Yina-Zentalu are the minor laws for the younger brothers' self government; namely the laws that presently rule over the dominant or "civilized" society of the planet.

Elder brothers' laws are kept by the Mamos of the Sierra Nevada's four tribes: Wintukwas, Kogis, Wiwas, and Kankuamos.

To us, the Mamos were appointed guardians of the world and humankind.

The solar laws are father laws, day forces, health and life forces: Kaku-Arwa-Viku. The lunar laws are mother laws: vegetational laws, crop laws; of the night, of darkness, of silence; forces of illness and of living death; and they are ruled by father Seykukuy's laws.

The sun is the world's eye. We Mamos follow its laws. We talk to it by means of its reflection: Ywikunuma-Yeykounuma-Mankounuma.

The existence of human beings originates in Cherua and Surivaka. Being present the resemblance and energy of humankind, our father Serankwa dispensed the laws that came to be known as religious laws, to be obeyed and spread by all. And after thousands of millions of years the laws of this planet shall come back to the sacred places called Kakarayibuna (Bakata), and Sramatuna (Santa Marta).

There was something like a coupling of forces between the infinite and the terrestrial. After an explotion in the sky those forces settled here in the Sierra Nevada as Elúmake-Gunlunmake, Gunneka-Mannekan, and Seimekana.

With Gunlunmake's mother force, the sign of all creation was manifested; and its tokens were the colors red, white, and yellow.

The sacred mothers are called:

a. Gunnaley Juban Gunnabyaka b. Alunncy Juban Mannekan c. Gonaley Juban Bunnekan d. Zaraley Juban Seynekan The fathers, or sacred forces, are called: a. Alunncitana Kaku Arwa Viku
b. Mamulunneytana Kaku Seykukuy
c. Gunnalunneitana Kaku Karyukukuy
d. Zasaleyntana Kaku Serankua
These deities exist in "spirit" before the formation of the planet, and every name is the sign of a positive and a negative energy. They circle in the atmosphere of the infinite, as they do in the world from left to right: Durigunu-Ganzinu. They circle in every body, be it animal, vegetal, or mineral; in the air, the wind, the tempest; in earthquakes, etc. These fathers are the gauge of the balance of all that exists.

The force of Serankwa rules over the planet earth. The force of Seykukuy rules over darkness and shadows. The force of Arwaviku rules over life and light. The force of Kaku Kariukukuy represents infinity and the spirit of the cosmos.

Younger brothers' laws are meant to back up elder brothers' laws, which are the laws of Nature herself. The Sierra Nevada is the highest coastal peak in the world. Covering a radius of 63 kms. around the snowy peaks, the sacred spectrum demarcates the Line of Life or Black Line, whence springs the safekeeping of the planet and its riches.

To be vigilant of all the events taking place upon the earth was the task assigned to the four tribes. Therefore, our reflections are addressed to keeping the balance of all that exists.

No natural element is evil to us; all is good. What caused everything to become evil were the younger brothers' laws, which strayed from their path and are accelerating their self destruction.

Natural law is a simple law of humbleness, of messages to take after the natural. It is to keep a richness of balance, spiritual as well as physical.

The draft of this book's message was imparted to us from childhood by the venerable reborn Mamos: Juancho Izquierdo, Mingo Niño, Carlos Torres, Mamo Zäray, Goyo Torres, Pastor Torres, Vicencio Torres, Adalberto Villafaña, Pastor Niño, Sebastián Zalabata, Luis Napoleón Torres, Angel María Torres, Hugues Chaparro, Miguel Suárez, Dionisia Alfaro, María Eufemia Solís, Apolinar Izquierdo (Gun Maku Maney Maku), Liberato Crespo, Florytana, Busintana, Rufinotana, Celestino Chaparro, Bernardino Alfaro, Adalberto Villafaña, Leonardo Andrés Gil, Cabildo Gobernador Kogi.

This message-thought has been practiced and noursihed for the sake of our generations here in this sacred abode of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and to keep the balance of the planet, by the notable Mamos and leaders: Juan Marcos Pérez -Zareymakú-, Otoniel Mejía Izquierdo Aruvan -Seinenkwa-, Jesús Izquierdo -Bunchanawin-, Juan Bautista Villafaña Avinteiru, Zairo Moscote -Mamo Munebar-, Mamo Don-Kimg, Mamo Chundy, Gregorio Pérez, Modesto Izquierdo, Francisco Zalabata, Julio Torres, Mamo Kuncha, Mamo Carlos Manuel, Mamo Antonio Vicente, Manuel Arroyo, Julio Izquierdo, Apolinar Torres, José Emilio Torres, Sebastián Torres, Luis Hipólito Zalabata, Joaquín Antonio Malo, Antonio Vente Arroyo, Apolinar Alvarez, Laureano Izquierdo, Federico Izquierdo, Mamo Abel Alvarado -Abelancho-, Manuel Chaparro, Salvador Torres, Benerexa Márquez, Leonor Zalabata, Luz Elena Izquierdo, Gregorio Pérez, Mamo Isael, Mamo Norey Maku, Mamo Leonardo, Mamo Sixto Bolívar, Rafael Pacheco, Mamo Zisnkey, Mamo Zankaza, Mamo Takan, Mamo Zariu, Mamo Arumaku, and others.

Tigrichama Sanctuary Marcelo Chama Younger Brothers' Gate

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