(Perspective from our Chief Impact Officer - Simon Winograd)
Colombia is often overshadowed by its Andean neighbors, and even the rest of the Americas, when it comes to its rich history of indigenous peoples. History textbooks abound with accounts of Francisco Pizarro's movements in Peru or Hernán Cortés's conquest of Mexico, but there is a notable absence, even for the novice historian, of Colombia's indigenous peoples.
In the north, within the territory's borders, there are four distinct indigenous peoples: the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa, and Wayuu. Further south and east, the plains serve as a corridor to the Amazon and, from the right perspective, can resemble the African savannah. We can find the Tucano peoples, among others.
From the Amazon border, we head east, crossing two of the enormous mountainous spines that run north to south, to find ourselves in the department of Cauca. This is where the Nasa villages and the Native Root farm are located. The topography and geography may seem similar from one mountainous region to another, but from the north of the country in the Sierra Nevada to the Coffee Region and the southwest of the country in Cauca, the landscapes are distinct; the shades of green that envelop the mountains are unique in each location. As you move from east to west, from the Coffee Region to Cauca, the sky becomes more saturated with thick cumulus clouds and the landscape becomes more filled with sugarcane.
With approximately 115 Indigenous groups in Colombia, each with their own way of seeing and interpreting the reality of their world, this is reflected in the crops they grow on their lands. The Nasa people are no exception. The Liz Andela family has been working in harmony with the natural landscape for three generations. Sisters Jackie and Juliet have also embraced the latest advances in agricultural science, merging them with ancestral farming practices, resulting in exquisite coffees and a deep and ongoing respect for their Indigenous heritage. We cordially invite you to join us, together, in connecting with our indigenous roots, as well as with your place and home, your Native roots.
