The Kogi Have Something to Say, and We Need to Hear It

A member of the Kogi tribe.

By: Sammy Herdman

When explorers from the Old World flocked to the Americas over five centuries ago, the formerly flourishing indigenous cultures began to deteriorate due to disease, war and forceful assimilation into European societal standards.  The Kogi tribe, descendants of the Tairona civilization, dating back to 1000 AD, is the only tribe with intact traditions.  They escaped Spanish conquistadores by fleeing into the Andes mountains and found refuge on the mountain Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia.

Today, the Kogi people believe that the entire Earth is a “mother nature” figure complete with organs and limbs, and Sierra Nevada is the heart of the world.  Historical experts say that this idea may be due to the varied climates of the Sierra Nevada that come close to representing the diverse habitats of Earth. Its peaks are capped with snow while further down the mountain there’s a large tropical region. There’s a sandy coastline and regions of rocks and sparse forests. In addition, the mountain is so near the equator that the day and night are the same length all year. Sierra Nevada has isolated and protected the Kogi civilization for centuries, and in return, their culture has adapted to respect and rely on the mountain.

Hidden from the modern world’s technology and inventions, there is almost nothing that the Kogi use that they haven’t made themselves or that hasn’t been passed down from earlier generations. They depend on the land for their food, shelter and traditions.  It’s critical that they work with the land, and because of this, they notice every variation in its climate patterns. The Kogi practice the most original and basic form of science: observation.  Despite all of our advantages, such as new tools and generations of scientific knowledge, the Kogi have come to the same conclusion as us: the world is in danger, and it’s our fault.

Just decades ago, the Kogi made their first appearance in the modern world when they invited a videographer to document their culture and carry their message.  “They can’t live in isolation. So whatever is happening beyond their borders is definitely going to impact them,” said Liliana Madrifgal, who is working with an organization to conserve the Kogi’s ancestral lands.  The Kogi have observed that the climate is growing warmer, the water is becoming polluted, and the diverse range of species on Sierra Nevada is having to adapt quickly. The Kogi have started appealing to the “younger brothers” (all people not belonging to the tribe) to be kinder to our planet.  They believe that once the Heart of the World dies, so will all of Earth.

“They tell you: we’re not living in isolation, that’s why we came out.  Because we can’t just continue to go up. There is nowhere else to go; we’ve gone high enough in the mountains.  Now we’ve got to come down and be a part of the solution,” said Madrifgal. The Kogi’s sacrifice of their isolation indicates the gravity of their warning.  Maybe we should listen.