Thread by @R_CamaraLeret

Honoured to share that @IngridOlivaresa and I have started a beautiful project with the @TaironaTrust and the #Kogi Indigenous People of #Colombia to #restore degraded lands and revive #water in the #SierraNevadadeSantaMarta Thread 👇 (1/11)

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a @UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1979. It has the world’s highest coastal peak (5730m) and all the climatic zones of tropical America: from mangroves to glaciers.

Biologically, the Sierra has > 3,000 species of vascular #plants, 120 #mammals (including jaguars, pumas, and tapirs), and 628 #bird species. Many species are only found there, such as the Santa Marta Parakeet.

Archaeologically, it is famous for its 'Lost City' or #CiudadPerdida — a complex with over 100 terraces and vast networks of tiled roads. In 1972 local treasure looters “discovered it” but it was, and still is, regularly visited by the Sierra's Indigenous people.

Indeed, the Lost City and much of the Sierra is the ancestral territory of the Indigenous Kogi, which they divide by an imaginary black line, called the ‘‘Line of Origin’’ which borders the Sierra and connects through radial lines 54 sacred sites with Gonawindúa, or Pico Bolivar

But invasion of indigenous territories in the lowlands has left the indigenous population with the least productive zones of the Sierra. Only 18% of the forest remains in the lowlands, and two of the Sierra's 35 rivers have dried up.

In 1990 the Kogi emerged to make with @AlanEreira ‘Heart of the World’ a 90-minute film for @BBC in which they dramatically warned of our need to stop deteriorating the land. You can watch it here:

In 2014, the Kogi summoned Alan again to make a film with them which took the audience on a journey into the mysteries of their sacred places to change our understanding of reality. The film 'Aluna' can be watched here: alunathemovie.com

Today, BRIDGES Sustainability Science Coalition @bridges_science supports @TaironaTrust & Organizacion Gonawindua Tayrona (official representative body of the Kogi ) to develop this project so the Kogi can show the "Younger Brothers" how they conduct #ecological #restoration

As the scientists in the project, @IngridOlivaresa and I aim to understand and disseminate how the Kogi conceptualise and do ecological #restoration based on their #traditionalecologicalknowledge. This ground-breaking project is a joint venture with the #Kogi Mamas.

Mamas are the #Kogi spiritual leaders who undergo training from birth. Full education takes place over 18 years. This austere education prepares them for the delicate task of preserving the universe and ensuring that dangerous and destructive forces are held in check.

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