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The Tribes of Sierra Nevada

According to their beliefs, the tribes of the Sierra are the “big brothers” or guardians of Mother Earth to whom the universe has given the mission of teaching man the true harmony of things.

 

We are the “little brothers” that can learn from our big brothers of how to take care of nature and leave it better than it was before we were here and not worse.

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About
The Kogui People

The Koguis (Kagaba) are an indigenous group who lives in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta which they consider to be “the heart of the world”. This region has been their home for thousands of years and they live in connection with nature and keep it in balance.

They lead a simple and spiritual existence here, respecting the Earth that gave birth to them.

The work of the Earth is a daily occupation. Agriculture is not a job; it is a way of life that allows them to maintain their relationship with Mother Earth.

According to the Kogui, everything in life must respect a natural balance. In order to take something from nature, one must think carefully about why and organize a consultation with the community in order to decide on the procedure to be followed. Once they decide to do so and take something from the earth, they make a spiritual payment (pagamentos) in sacred places.

They take the responsibility of being the "big brothers" and maintaining the harmony of nature and the universe on behalf of all mankind.

The work is always collective. Men, women and children carry out daily tasks together. The rest of the time is devoted to village and family life.

The Mamo is the highly respected person among the Koguis. He is a spiritual guide, chosen at birth, responsible for maintaining the order of the world through singing, making offerings and taking care of the community.

Visit
the Kogui village

Patricio - our Kogui friend who lives with us on the land - invites you to the mountain to visit his village.

You can visit the village for one night or more which includes meals, staying in hammocks, visiting the village, hiking in the beautiful mountains and maybe seeing the snow peaks, meet the community's doctor and talk about their traditions at night around the fire. Patricio speaks Spanish. 

Want to book your tour with Patricio or to get more details?

About The 
Arhuaco People

The Arhuacos people (or ijka) are an indigenous group who live in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta. They are one of four indigenous groups that live on the mountain. They live life based on a worship and custodianship of Mother Nature.

The Arhuacos have an ancestral philosophy and way of living that governs human relationships to nature and the universe, the ancestral system of knowledge entails caring for sacred sites by doing "pagamentos"- spiritual payments, different ceremonies and rituals, traditional dances and songs.

 

They consider their ancestors and themselves as elder brothers, whereas everyone else is considered to be a younger brother. They are guided by the Mamos, who are the spiritual leader of the Arhuaco. They represent the connection between nature and humans. 

The Arhuaco people especially focus on keeping the world in balance, and they feel that this balance is endangered by the younger brothers.

Mother Earth – the space where people exist – must be respected and preserved. Arhuacos follow the Law of Origin as their guide to behavior and spiritual knowledge, in how they live with Mother Nature. Water must have its channel, stones must exist in their own space.

Visit the Arhuaco village

Do you want to learn more about the Arhuaco culture and cosmovision and visit the Arhuaco village- Gwimake in the Sierra Nevada?


You will stay in an indigenous village with an Arahuaco family that hosts you in their traditional house on the mountain. You will work with them on their land and learn about their culture and way of living. Hike in nature, bathe in the river and get to know the Gwimake village.

This is a unique opportunity to learn about ancestral knowledge, ask questions and also get to know the traditional Arhuaco music.


The invitation includes a visit for 2 nights, the price is 450k pesos per person but if you would like to stay for a different amount of days let us know. The family speaks Spanish and a bit of English.

How to get to the village: From the bus station in Santa Marta you can take a bus to Aracataca Tierra de Gabo. From there you will be picked up and brought to the village, which is approximately a 30 minutes drive. 

kogui
Arahuaco
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