|
CONIC
The Confederation
of the Boa
The Boa is a serpent, native to the Amazon basin river
systems, a creature of nature that according to the traditional
legends of the Shuar People of Amazanga, at one time was
a human being. In fact the Boa still is a human being in
the science of the indigenous nations, a concept of personality
that can be understood from our perspective of society,
geography and geometry -- (heart of the earth, heart of
the sky) wherein the human realm is not positioned arrogantly,
artificially and separately above and in dominion over the
other nations of conscious creatures which inhabit and protect
the earth.
We arrived at Amazanga, within the Pastaza province of
the Amazon Basin, upon concluding three days of strategic
planning in Puyo with other indigenous nations of the region
regarding alternative economic models of development. TONATIERRA
was part of delegation of indigenous representatives from
other projects from the North that participated with our
relatives of the South, including representatives of the
Indigenous Autonomous Regions of Chiapas, Mexico. Over the
past five years TONATIERRA has implemented through the CHANTLACA
the Cafe Maya Ik' Coffee Project, being a completely indigenous
economic initiative and alliance between the Indigenous
Autonomous Regions of Chiapas and the Pueblos Autonomas
de Aztlan. CHANTLACA is the name of our International Indigenous
Trade Center, an initiative that works in complement to
the NAUACALLI Embassy of Indigenous Nations located in Izkalotlan,
Aztlan. The experiences of the Cafe Maya Ik' project were
shared and discussed as options that promote both tradition
and liberation were compared and analyzed from our indigenous
perspectives of community and economic development.
The delegations arrived from across vast and diverse regions
of the Southern Continent, including major representation
from the CONAIE - Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities
of Ecuador. It was the CONAIE who first received us when
we arrive here in Quito Ecuador in 1990 to attend the First
Continental Encounter of Indigenous Nations, Pueblos and
Organizations. It was truly heartwarming to meet again and
be recognized by relatives who we first encountered by the
Sacred Fire that illuminated that historic conference in
1990. We return twelve years later, after having successfully
built an international organizational structure of communication
and coordination that is indigenous in design, ideology,
and participation -- the CONIC (Council of Indigenous Organizations
and Nations of the Continent). The last event organized
at the continental level by CONIC was the First International
Indigenous Summit of Teotihuacan, Mexico in October of 2000.
From this summit emerged the TREATY OF TEOTIHUACAN, a traditional
indigenous compact sealed in ceremony before the temples
of stone at Teotihuacan, and defined in four aspects:
1) Spiritual Alliance
2) Political Solidarity
3) Cultural Understanding, and
4) Agreements of Economic Exchange and Commerce, (POCHTECAYOTL)
- across the continent.
At Teotihuacan, The CONAIE accepted the responsibility
to host the next Continental Indigenous Summit, an event
and process which TONATIERRA, as part of the organizing
commission, is now working to complement with the CONAIE
and the CONIC membership for the return to Quito. In our
discussions with the CONAIE leadership here in Quito, we
have emphasized the elements of the Sacred Fire which was
first lit here twelve years ago, and the Pochtecayotl as
priorities in the planning process for the coming summit.
The war being waged here is by the petroleum companies
against the native nations and territories is the priority
focus by the indigenous nations and their respective organizations.
We have offered to assist in the campaigns through the NAUACALLI,
and will be updating all interested networks soon upon return
to Aztlan.
The families of the AMAZANGA, which means the Guardian
of the Selva, call themselves the Cloud People. We were
received in ceremony, fed fresh deer meat, armadillo stew
and yucca. We made gifts in turn of Cafe Maya Ik', and the
best we had to offer: songs, danza, and a pair of used chachayotes
from the altar of Izkalotlan, Aztlan.
In tlalyolotl, In Ilhuicayolotl.
Tupac Enrique Acosta
TONATIERRA
tonal@tonatierra.org
|
