The Tairona Trust, the Kogi of the Andes, and the Destruction of the World

[Lance Michael Foster]

I would like to invite all to come and engage in this vital discussion. You may have seen the earlier film on the Kogi Indians of the Andes, "From the Heart of the World." This is a place to discuss the situation and help the Kogi make and distribute their new film on just how urgent things are-- the Earth is dying right now...

We have in this group Alan Ereira, who made the first film and is a friend of the Kogi. He is the leader of this effort. I am only a friend who is helping introduce him to "Architects" and make this forum.

[Arne Jin An Wong]

Hi Lance,
Would help to explain a bit more about the situation with the Koji, and where the film production is at in terms of needing assistance.
Just how urgent is it to get this message out? We all know the Earth is in jeopardy and we are on the edge of self-destruction, how will this film help make a difference?
Sounds like we need ideas that are out-of-the-box and unconventional approaches to help this film project get done.
Let's hear it from our highly creative and savy participants on this site.

[Lance Michael Foster]

Good questions, Arne. The place to start is by going to the Tairona Trust website at http://www.taironatrust.org. Once there, click "The Kogi Mamas' New Message READ IT HERE."

I became acquainted with the message by watching "From the Heart of the World" and reading the book "The Elder Brothers' Warning" by Alan Ereira. You can watch clips of the movie at the Tairona Trust website, and there are also clips on YouTube.

This is what Alan sent me by email yesterday: "I'm writing to update you on the new Kogi film, in the hope that you might be able to make a helpful suggestion. I'm sending this to everyone on the mailing list, and it's probably completely inappropriate to send it to you, but I don't think I should pre-judge that by leaving you out. So I apologise for annoying you with it if I am just wasting your time.

In April, the Kogi Mamas summoned me back to Colombia and, in a very remarkable meeting high on their mountain, said that the global situation has deteriorated massively and they are now really certain that the world will die unless we change our behaviour. In particular, they spoke about the role of sacred sites in managing the care of nature and the environment, something they say we cannot understand and which they must now demonstrate. They insist that their "spiritual" activities at these sites have visible material results at locations far from the sites themselves, and they want to demonstrate this.

Almost simultaneously I was told that the BBC want to commission Bruce Parry ("Tribe", "Amazon") to make a film with the Kogi, and the company they are commissioning, Indus Films, asked if I could help this happen. I took Bruce to the Kogi and they agreed. Filming has to start at the beginning of January and the programme transmitted before the next financial year.

The budget is £270k, and the BBC have offered £180k, which Indus hope to push up to £200k, for UK transmission rights. So we could possibly make it work if we can sell rest-of-the-world TV rights, and whole world DVD and theatric rights, for £70k. I am now thrashing around looking for a distributor whose heart is in the right place and pocket deep enough.

It's a 1-hr film, but we will shoot enough to make a longer version for cinema release if anyone wants that.
Any thoughts most gratefully received

Alan
_______________
Alan Ereira
Tairona Heritage Trust
90 Summerlee Avenue
London N2 9QH
UK
www.taironatrust.org"

I have heard of these people through the moccasin telegraph, and it's the real deal.

[Jeanne]

Add the Taironas to the indigenous voices sounding forth in recent times... the Australian Aboriginals, The Hopi, the Blackfeet and Nepalese, etc...
Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya is a Nepalese dancer who was instructed to break tradition and share previously secret, sacred ceremonies to the world.The purification ceremony is intended to heal and strengthen the human race... we must save ourselves is the rallying cry of the 11th hour.

I've many mixed feelings here... the loudest being, leave them alone... support their isolation. If we have learned anything from the Native American genocide experiment... it should be that all interactions support and protect the cultural diversity and local eco-knowledge that indigine have. The mission of the Tairona Foundation addresses that through projects for "buildings and land-purchase. Whatever is bought becomes the legal property of the indigenous community itself." The Tairona's belief is that a failure to respect "anything beyond our own immediate needs" is the issue. "So the Trust exists as part of the effort to change us, as well as to help them."

The lack of respect that the Tairona's speak of is a spiritual crisis resulting from a lack of connection with nature... both mother nature and inner nature. They don't speak of eco-consciousness as if its an issue unto itself, separate and distinct... no, the Tairona address the larger picture of the spirit that moves a people. The Tairona see us as panic-stricken, can't shake this survival mode awakeness, tugging at our boot-straps righteousness. Capitalism, baby... its a religion that eats its young for comfort and addiction.

The Kogis have shown great resilience in evading the cultural assimilation that most indigenous people have suffered. Their aversion to outside influences has been key to Tairona survival. So, it is to their credit that they are opening up to the outside world... partnering with a traditional enemy in order to survive... and becoming friends with that partner.


Thank-you Lance, for the introduction to Alan Ereira and the Tairona people. I'll get back after viewing the film.