April 23, 2001
Greetings Fellow Travellers!
Below is some interesting important information. I encourage all of you to plan on
being a part of it, as the Kogis have a timely, important message to share with the world!
Feel free to forward it on to others, but please take a minute to delete my name and
e-mail addy! (and it is cleaner (no >) to cut and paste the text into a new message)
In light, love and truth!
xxxxxxx :-)
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Hi Everyone
Here is some very interesting information !! Hope you can make it to see these fascinating
people
You can check out Drunvalo's Kogi information on his website http://www.drunvalo.net
Blessings, Brigitte
This spring is an interesting time for us here in Canada!! Something is up!
PS Thank you Luc & Asalla for all your work and effort in arranging this meeting
of 3 worlds!
Meeting of the 9 Worlds
April 27 to May 16, 2001
The Kogi Indians of Columbia, are one of the most advanced pre-Columbian civilizations.
Their three thousand year history is uninterrupted, and they have remained hidden in the
high mountains of Columbia for centuries. They have had no contact with the outside world?
until now. For only the second time ever, three Mamu Wisdom Keepers will travel outside of
their sacred mountain, to exchange with the world.
The Kogis come to Canada to exchange age-old wisdom with the people who make up our
«modern» society, on such up to date topics as networking, holistic medicine, durable
development, quantum physics, political, managerial and judicial systems, agriculture and
education. They are also desirous of establishing a deep connection with the indigenous
First Nations from across North and South America.
Eric Julien, a French geographer, came in contact with the Kogis in 1985. He produced a
documentary in 1998 entitled "Le chemin des 9 mondes" (The Way of the 9 Worlds)
showing his encounter with the Kogis and his work at helping the Kogis regain their
ancestral lands.
Tchendukua Canada will greet and host the Kogis throughout their stay, organizing, public
presentations, private encounters with Government and Industry and a three-day gathering
of Aboriginal Elders. From these encounters, Tchendukua will publish a document, A state
of the Earth message from the Kogis and other Aboriginal Elders.
The trip to Canada, from April 27 to May 16, has three objectives
1. Make public presentations in Montréal, Québec City, Ottawa and
Toronto and screening the film "Le chemin des 9 mondes" "The Way of the 9
Worlds"
2. Meet with Native American Elders for 3 days
3. Meetings with government and industry representatives in the above
mentioned cities.
Schedule of Public Events and Film Screenings
Monday April 30 Screening - Le chemin des 9 mondes
Montréal 19:30 En Français
Le Musée des beaux arts 1379 Sherbrooke Ouest
Tuesday May 1 Screening - Le chemin des 9 mondes
Québec City 19:30 En Français
Amphithéatre Hydro-Québec - Pavillon Alphonse Desjardins - Université Laval
Wednesday May 2 Screening - Le chemin des 9 mondes - The Way of the 9 Worlds
Ottawa 19:30 French with English subtitles
National Archives of Canada 395 Wellington Street
Sunday May 6 Public Day workshop - Penetrate the Kogi Universe
With ceremony by Elders of the Algonquin Nation
Hull 9A.M.-4P.M. In French and English
Museum of Civilization
Wednesday May 9 Screening - Le chemin des 9 mondes - The Way of the 9 Worlds
Toronto 19:30 French with English subtitles
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) 100 Queen's Park
The Need for Dialogue
Modern society, although priding itself on technological and economic advances is faced
with striking challenges. We have entered the third millennium in a world where rupture of
social fabric, loss of meaning and exclusion are the direct consequences of a system that
is based solely on the exclusive belief in the economy and technological advance. Cut off
from our origins, from a piece of our history, we have reduced nature to the level of
merchandise that can be bought and sold
and consumed as we please. A vision of nature that results in great imbalance; the
consequences of which we cannot fathom.
In this day and age of the information highway and virtual worlds, it could seem
anachronistic to consider the Amerindian universe. How and why should their future, their
teachings and their vision of the world interest us? Living in a developed society, we are
supposedly light years ahead of their thinking. What understanding, what sharings might
there be between descendants of civilizations living in a universe without rupture for
several centuries and us citizens of an earth embracing the 21st century. None,
perhaps. But it is not that certain. As our occidental model of the world is generalized,
the challenge is to
rise above the paradoxes we have created and find new solutions.
It is within this context, where the upsetting of the natural balance calls out to us to
rethink the relationship between economic activity and the environment, that it becomes
vital to invent new ways of development which would make it very interesting to listen to
other cultures which carry centuries old wisdom, profound intuition and an insightful look
at the atrophied lives we live.
The Kogi Indians are the last survivors of one of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of
South America, the Tayronas, whose lineage has remained unbroken for centuries without
contact with the outside world. They live in the heart of the Sierra Nevada de Santa
Martha (Columbia), the highest coastal mountain in the world, Numbering 500,000 in the
15th century, there are now only 25,000 Wisdom Keepers, comparable to the ancient Incas,
Mayas or Aztecs. The Kogis live in the high ranges of the
Sierra, where survival has become very difficult. They consider themselves guardians of
the Earth, maintaining balance between opposing forces. Faced with the guerrillas, drug
traffickers, grave pillagers and peasants who have no land and regularly invade their
territory, their desperate struggle to maintain earth's equilibrium has become almost
impossible.
Despite the pressures, they continue to practice their ancient rituals and to contribute
to the balance of the delicate heartbeat of Mother Earth. The Kogi culture is based on the
concept that Mother Earth herself transmitted to them the moral and spiritual codes, which
guide them. It is the same for the rest of humanity, however we are not listening. They
seek to enhance our listening capacity, and are keen to share their way of life with us to
enhance our own journey in this modern World. They wish to establish meaningful working
relationships with government, industry and the people who make up our «modern» society,
exchanging with us on such diverse topics as networking, holistic medicine, durable
development, quantum physics, political, managerial and judicial systems, agriculture and
education. They are also desirous of establishing a deep connection with the indigenous
First Nations.
Since the late 1980's, the Kogis have deemed it necessary to make contact with the outside
world, to deliver messages demonstrating that they have valuable information for modern
society and wish to hear our ideas. In 1993, Allan Eirera of the BBC distributed a
documentary film on this fascinating tribe entitled «From the Heart of the World»,
showing their dedication to keep balance on Mother Earth and monitor her heartbeat.
A Meeting
In 1985, lost in the heart of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Martha, Eric Julien a French
geographer developed pulmonary edema. The Kogis nursed him back to life. Eric was touched
by their wisdom and knowledge, and vowed to assist them by seeking funding to acquire the
lands needed for them to continue their work.
It took Eric Julien 10 years to fulfill his promise. In 1997, he created a charitable
organization «Tchendukua - Ici et Ailleurs» (Tchendukua - Here and Elsewhere) and begins
operation «1,000 People for a Land», whose objective is to collect funds needed to help
the Kogis buy back their land. He was able to gather donations in France and Europe, and
to this day, four
territories totaling 230 hectares have been purchased and returned to the Kogis. Using the
land on three distinct climatic zones, the Kogis can reactivate all of their sacred
rituals and traditional medical, agricultural, educational, and judicial systems.
In 1998, Éric Julien was inspired to produce a documentary film «Le Chemin des 9
Mondes» (The Way of the 9 worlds) chronicling the fascinating story of his encounter with
the Kogis ant the blending of divergent cultures, with the potential to advance the human
condition.
«Helping the Kogis preserve their territory is an opportunity to be enriched by their
differences. We have chosen to invest in the
transformation of matter; they have favored close contacts with the worlds and mankind.
Precious wisdom at the hour of the bursting of natural balance, forces us to rethink the
relationship between economic development and preservation of Nature.» Éric Julien
Geographer
In November 1998, for the first time ever, two Kogi representatives, Miguel and Ignacio,
left the Sierra to travel to Europe to work with Éric. During this visit they met with
Asalla and Luc Saint-Laurent. They expressed their desire to travel to Canada and left
this opportunity open. The Kogis are clear about their wish to meet with representatives
from Government and Industry as well as connecting with the Indigenous Wisdom Keepers of
North America.
The fulfillment of this wish began when Luc and Asalla met with Grandfather William
Commanda, traditional Algonquin elder, at his annual spiritual gathering in August 2000.
Grandfather was pleased to meet with the Kogi whenever they could come to Canada. Another
couple, Michael Swinwood and Susan Hagar, who work with Grandfather, became involved, as
they had been traveling and interviewing native elders throughout North America since
1997. The two couples set out to manifest
this opportunity.
Eric Julien incorporated Association Tchendukua France, a non-profit corporation designed
to assist in exchanges with the Kogis and fundraising, Tchendukua and its activities are
under the high patronage of UNESCO. Tchendukua Canada was incorporated, its goals involve
the immediate short-term project of the Kogi visit in May 2001 and long-term objectives,
which would assist the Kogis in their endeavours.
From April 27th to May 16th 2001, three Kogi representatives and their interpreter
will travel to Canada for a series of public and private meetings,. A trip they deem
necessary to help preserve their culture, preserve the Sierra and through the Sierra,
preserve the world.
"The work accomplished by Tchendukua has helped the Kogis recover a w hectares of
their ancestral land, but more importantly, it has given them hope. They can see that
there still exists conscious people, capable of understanding, and understanding the Kogis
is a little like understanding the world itself..." Gentil Cruz-Patiño
Veterenarian and Tchendukua Correspondant in Columbia
Tchendukua Canada's project has three components for the Kogis' April 27th to May 16th
trip.
1- Public presentations on the way of the Kogi through screenings of the
film «Le Chemin des 9 Mondes» at venues in Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa;
2- Presentations to government and industry representatives;
3- A private gathering of Spiritual Indigenous Wisdom Keepers from across
the Americas, here in Canada.
The film tour and public meetings will be the opportunity to meet and share with a
civilization that has survived for centuries outside of our Western, modern society. These
presentations will allow the public to penetrate deeper into the Kogi thought and obtain
valuable insight into life principles, which guide this spiritually awake tribe. It will
be a unique opportunity to discover the Kogi culture and to open an important dialogue
between our vision of the world which favours material transformation and their vision of
the world which values relationships between all people and all sentient life.
Opportunities will be arranged with industry and government representatives and the public
where the Kogis can share their ancestral knowledge on such up to date issues as
networking, holistic medicine, durable development, quantum physics, political, managerial
and judicial systems, agriculture and education. Given that within Kogi thought, one
system cannot exist separately from another, a true holistic vision can emerge.
As examples: in agriculture, the Kogis have managed to quickly grow crops where the land
was thought sterile, maintaining fragile ecosystems; in medicine, we can help build a data
bank of medicinal plants and they can share with us their holistic vision of health; in
environment, the Kogis consider themselves guardians of the planet's equilibrium and ask
us to participate in their vision of a balanced world.
The last component involves gathering wisdom keepers from across the Americas to meet in
private to develop protocols to be subsequently shared with the public on healing, and
environmental issues. It is intended that the conclusions of this gathering be shared with
the public.
The Goals of this trip are:
1- Continue developing Operation «1,000 people for a Land» until
complete recovery of a 500 hectare valley.
2- Solicit help to create an information bank of medicinal plants and
practices of the Kogi Indians and to create a School of Knowledge (Convergence of
Knowledge) forum for exchange between the Kogi culture and occidental cultures.
3- Launch project «TAÏKU»: an endeavor to recover and awaken an
ancient Kogi city, by the Kogis themselves.
4- Create interest and seek support for project «TAÏKU» to accompany
and put into light and value the Kogi traditions.
5- Open dialog between the Kogis and the Wisdom Keepers of other
aboriginal cultures.
The last territory recovered in May 2000 held a great secret. Covered by vegetation and
tropical cultures, hidden underneath the mounds of earth were terraces, canals, stairways,
the ruins of a long forgotten pre-Columbian city. Strange coincidence, but is it really
coincidence that many centuries after the Spanish conquest, the Kogis regain possession of
a small parcel of their ancestral territories. And what a parcel: a stone city, one of the
109 cities of the Tayronas, their direct descendants. Seemingly improbable, the heirs of a
civilization will restore and awaken the ruins of a city built centuries ago by their own
ancestors.
This event is on par with the original Incas returning to «awaken» Machu Picchu or the
Mayans rehabilitating Palenque... an exceptional story.
In this age of new technologies and globalization, we can question the validity of this
undertaking, this dialog. What understandings, what sharings might there be between
descendants of civilizations living in a universe without rupture for several centuries,
and us, you citizens of an earth embracing the 21st century. None perhaps? But it is not
that certain. As our occidental model of development and comprehension of the world is
generalized, the challenge is to see that this model contains several paradoxes that
cannot find solutions within the model that created them.
Rupture of social fabric, loss of meaning and exclusion are the direct consequences of a
system that is based solely on the logic of the exclusive belief in the economy. Cut off
from our origins, from a piece of our history, the «homo-economicus» that we have become
has reduced nature to the level of merchandise which can be bought, sold and consumed as
we please. A vision of nature that results in a great imbalance; the consequences of which
we cannot fathom.
It is within this context, where the upsetting of the natural balance calls out to us to
rethink the relationship between economic activity and the environment, that it has become
increasingly important to invent new ways of development, which should make it very
interesting to listen to other cultures that carry centuries old wisdom, profound
intuitions and an insightful look at the atrophied lives that we live.
The time has come for all to loosen the mental chains of repetitive behavior. Today, more
than ever, humanity is challenged by its mistakes, missteps, and miseries. We must develop
deeper insight into our relationship with nature and science and the unbalanced condition
existing between theses two forces. Do we have the capacity to elevate our thinking, which
will lead to balance and a more secure future for the faces yet to come? Are we capable of
being open to instructions from our elder brothers and develop a more holistic and
balanced approach to the co-existence of man in a natural world?
STATEMENTS
"You, younger brothers, see only the material things. You have been transforming
matter for too long and you have devoted too much energy to it? and you have gone to far.
For us, the earth is life. If we continue to build an artificial world, the earth will
die. Perhaps we are not rich from an economic standpoint, however we have a strong
spirituality, respectful of the world and sentient beings. If we wish to reclaim and
preserve our territory, it is not to gain an advantage or profit but to protect it, and
through the Sierra, to protect the whole world and life itself."
Mamu Cuncha - Nabusimake
July 1996
"I pray: We are one people, regardless of what colour, it makes no difference to me.
It is all the same to me. We settle our differences, and respect Mother Earth, only then
will we respect each other. She takes care of us. We belong to her."
Traditional Elder of the Algonquin Nation
William Commanda, - Maniwaki
January 2001
CONTACTS
Asalla Razanamalala
Association Tchendukua Canada
80 Le Grand Royal
Waterloo, Quebec
J0E 2N0
Tel. (450) 777-8631 fax: 1(450) 776-6124
e-mail: akashik@citenet.net
"I've continued to recognize the power individuals have to change virtually anything
and everything in their lives in an instant. I've learned that the resources we need
to turn our dreams into reality are within us, merely waiting for the day when we
decide to wake up and claim our birthright." Anthony Robbins