CWW PROYECT POLITICS
Jordan Palmer
Gabriela Arroyo
POLITICS
A route to a new way of peace
Imagine a new place, full of a totally different culture than yours. That is easy to imagine, you just need to go to India to see it, you can go to anywhere in the world to see it. Now it is only a matter of imagining a new culture with a whole different political system. You may say, that is easy I go to Britain and I see a monarchy or to Cuba and I see a dictatorship, but those are types of government you already know, what about a new one? What about a government that may look very different from a monarchy or a Republic? In Colombia, in its most northern point we can see the Culture of the Wayuu, a culture very different from what you have seen. This is an Indigenous culture, but it not likes the ones you see in TV. This one is full of colors, traditions, teachings and new experiences, the only ting you need is comfortable clothes and a wide open mind to learn what they can teach us about they’re all new version of Politics.
The Wayuu as many know, are a culture at the department of La Guajira. This place is full of beautiful landscapes, resources like energy, salt and coal, and it is almost like a city-state in the north of Colombia. It is divided in three regions, low Guajira, which is not part of the Wayuu, the Middle and high Guajira, which are all part of Guajira. Want to know something really great? The Wayuu, have territories, in Venezuela our neighbor to the east. Since the discovery of America, the Wayuu where ignored. The Spaniards gave them guns in exchange of pearls, and they quickly learned how to use them, making them an innocent culture that learned how to use firearms, but where not very dangerous to the colonizers. The thing is that they where in the territory, that afterwards was divided between Venezuela and Colombia. The governments decided that they where part of both countries and now, the Wayuu have the right to enter any of the two countries and receive they’re rights as citizens. When you go to Guajira check the following, Wayuu cars have a placard with two colors meaning they an enter Venezuela whenever they want.
What is the problem, with Wayuu choosing to live in Venezuela? Lets talk about the well-known President Hugo Chavez Frías. He has a very bad image within the International community, but why does he always win the presidency in Venezuela? It is really simple, He gives, education, health and housing for FREE. The same for the Wayuu, but as soon as they receive this, many say, that they prefer to live the life of an Arijuna (People who is not Wayuu), than to live on A rancheria on a hammock, meaning they are loosing they’re culture because Chavez is giving them everything they want. Sad story for the now small group of Wayuu that still maintain to what they believe. We have talked about they’re different nationalities, but how can you really be called a Wayuu. It is not like in many countries, in which you only need to be born there, or in some case where you have two nationalities because one of you’re parents is from there, but you where borne somewhere else. This Culture is a Matriarchal community, which means, that they respect the women sometimes more than a man. To be a Wayuu, you’re mother has to be Wayuu, doesn’t matter if you’re dad is or not a Wayuu but you mother has to be it.
How does Justice work in you’re community? When you kill a man? When you steal something? In the USA you go to court, in other countries they may take you’re hands off. Well the Wayuu have a different perspective of justice. In every community of Wayuu, there is what they call a palabrero, which is elected by the people, and each time one dies another one is chosen, usually is the oldest, and wisest one. Lets give a very common example, A Man came and killed a Wayuu, the family captures you, and then takes you to the Palabrero. You may think this is court, but there is no jury or lawyers just a judge. The family talks, then the accused one does, at the end the family asks for something, This is interesting they’re monetary system is not coins or bills, it is animals and plant specially goats, which costs 50 dollars each. The family may say, I want for the dead of my relative, 200 goats, three golden necklaces and 5 cows (which are the same as 100 goats). The option is to pay or get killed for revenge. Some people don’t have this amount of money, so they finally decide that they will pay back by little parts, and if they die, they’re children will have to continue until the debt is paid.
This is the Justice system in The Wayuu, but who rules? Each small community has a leader; women own the rancherias where visitors stay, and during the road you see little towns that are usually lead by the oldest and wisest man. They have they’re own economic system, they each rule over they’re piece of land, and if they have problems they talk to the palabrero. As they are almost as a city-state, who communicates with the governments of Venezuela and Colombia? It is really easy; they chose a representative for the whole Wayuu community. This one is chosen every four years depending in his performance. He can be kicked out of power by the end of this period if he was bad or he may continue if he was good. He is in charge of communicating complains, suggestions, and other things From the Wayuu people.
This Community is very simple and follows the simple rules they have to live happy, maybe our governments should learn how to live based on the Wayuu teaching, We are not saying we agree with every single one of their techniques but at least we should try to combine both governments and create a system of peace and understanding for both cultures. So when you go to Guajira, respect women, goats, people and you will not get in trouble.
Jordan Palmer
CWW PROYECT POLITICS
Jordan Palmer
Gabriela Arroyo
POLITICS
A route to a new way of peace
Imagine a new place, full of a totally different culture than yours. That is easy to imagine, you just need to go to India to see it, you can go to anywhere in the world to see it. Now it is only a matter of imagining a new culture with a whole different political system. You may say, that is easy I go to Britain and I see a monarchy or to Cuba and I see a dictatorship, but those are types of government you already know, what about a new one? What about a government that may look very different from a monarchy or a Republic? In Colombia, in its most northern point we can see the Culture of the Wayuu, a culture very different from what you have seen. This is an Indigenous culture, but it not likes the ones you see in TV. This one is full of colors, traditions, teachings and new experiences, the only ting you need is comfortable clothes and a wide open mind to learn what they can teach us about they’re all new version of Politics.
What is the problem, with Wayuu choosing to live in Venezuela? Lets talk about the well-known President Hugo Chavez Frías. He has a very bad image within the International community, but why does he always win the presidency in Venezuela? It is really simple, He gives, education, health and housing for FREE. The same for the Wayuu, but as soon as they receive this, many say, that they prefer to live the life of an Arijuna (People who is not Wayuu), than to live on A rancheria on a hammock, meaning they are loosing they’re culture because Chavez is giving them everything they want. Sad story for the now small group of Wayuu that still maintain to what they believe. We have talked about they’re different nationalities, but how can you really be called a Wayuu. It is not like in many countries, in which you only need to be born there, or in some case where you have two nationalities because one of you’re parents is from there, but you where borne somewhere else. This Culture is a Matriarchal community, which means, that they respect the women sometimes more than a man. To be a Wayuu, you’re mother has to be Wayuu, doesn’t matter if you’re dad is or not a Wayuu but you mother has to be it.
This is the Justice system in The Wayuu, but who rules? Each small community has a leader; women own the rancherias where visitors stay, and during the road you see little towns that are usually lead by the oldest and wisest man. They have they’re own economic system, they each rule over they’re piece of land, and if they have problems they talk to the palabrero. As they are almost as a city-state, who communicates with the governments of Venezuela and Colombia? It is really easy; they chose a representative for the whole Wayuu community. This one is chosen every four years depending in his performance. He can be kicked out of power by the end of this period if he was bad or he may continue if he was good. He is in charge of communicating complains, suggestions, and other things From the Wayuu people.
This Community is very simple and follows the simple rules they have to live happy, maybe our governments should learn how to live based on the Wayuu teaching, We are not saying we agree with every single one of their techniques but at least we should try to combine both governments and create a system of peace and understanding for both cultures. So when you go to Guajira, respect women, goats, people and you will not get in trouble.