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The Cosmological, Ontological, Epistemological, and Ecological Framework of Kogi Environmental Politics

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The Cosmological, Ontological, Epistemological, and Ecological Framework of Kogi Environmental Politics Living the Law of Origin: The Cosmological, Ontological, Epistemological, and Ecological Framework of Kogi Environmental Politics Falk Xué Parra Witte Downing College University of Cambridge August 2017 This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology Copyright © Falk Xué Parra Witte 2018 Abstract Living the Law of Origin: The Cosmological, Ontological, Epistemological, and Ecological Framework of Kogi Environmental Politics This project engages with the Kogi, an Amerindian indigenous people from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range in northern Colombia. Kogi leaders have been engaging in a consistent ecological-political activism to protect the Sierra Nevada from environmentally harmful developments. More specifically, they have attempted to raise awareness and understanding among the wider public about why and how these activities are destructive according to their knowledge and relation to the world. The foreign nature of these underlying ontological understandings, statements, and practices, has created difficulties in conveying them to mainstream, scientific society. Furthermore, the pre-determined cosmological foundations of Kogi society, continuously asserted by them, present a problem to anthropology in terms of suitable analytical categories. My work aims to clarify and understand Kogi environmental activism in their own terms, aided by anthropological concepts and “Western” forms of expression. I elucidate and explain how Kogi ecology and public politics are embedded in an old, integrated, and complex way of being, knowing, and perceiving on the Sierra Nevada. I argue that theoretically this task involves taking a realist approach that recognises the Kogi’s cause as intended truth claims of practical environmental relevance. By avoiding constructivist and interpretivist approaches, as well as the recent “ontological pluralism” in anthropology, I seek to do justice to the Kogi’s own essentialist and universalist ontological principles, which also implies following their epistemological rationale. For this purpose, I immersed myself for two years in Kogi life on the Sierra, and focused on structured learning sessions with three Mamas, Kogi spiritual leaders and knowledge specialists. I reflect on how this interaction was possible because my project was compatible with the Mamas’ own desire to clarify and contextualise the Kogi ecological cause. After presenting this experience, I analyse the material as a multifaceted, interrelated, and elaborate system to reflect the organic, structured composition of Kogi and Sierra, also consciously conveyed as such by the Mamas. I hereby intend to show how the Kogi reproduce, live, and sustain this system through daily practices and institutions, and according to cosmological principles that guide a knowledgeable, ecological relationality with things, called ‘the Law of Origin’. To describe this system, I develop a correspondingly holistic and necessary integration of the anthropological concepts of cosmology, ontology, epistemology, and ecology. Based on this, I argue that Kogi eco- politics are equally embedded in this system, and constitute a contemporary attempt to maintain their regulatory relations with the Sierra Nevada and complement their everyday care-taking practices and rituals. In Kogi terms, this continuity and coherence is a moral imperative and environmental necessity. Thus framing and clarifying Kogi eco-politics may enrich insights into the nature of indigenous ecological knowledge, and may help address environmental problems. III IV This dissertation is dedicated to the great Mama Pedro Juan Noevita. To the immense regret of everyone in the Sierra Nevada and beyond, he left us unexpectedly, taking his kindness, wisdom, and great knowledge with him. Hate, I will never forget what you and the Haba did for me, and although our work could not be finished, you shall be there in Aluna. Image: Aluna the Movie. I also wish to dedicate my work to my dear grandfather, Karl-Otto Witte. Granting me much contentment, he waited to hear that I had successfully passed my oral examination for the PhD before passing away shortly after and finding peace. His enthusiastic words of encouragement before the Viva gave me strength for this. Ich bin sehr glücklich und dankbar dass Du das noch mitbekommen hast mein lieber Opa. Prost! V VI Acknowledgements In Kogi terms, this piece of work was formed through a union and intertwining of many purposeful threads or paths of ‘thought’ and knowledge that shape an overall, balanced organisation of being. The origin of these threads, they would say, go back far beyond my fieldwork, and they also continue into the future. This dissertation then, is a temporary crystallisation of this weave. To start, I would like to thank the Kogi and the Sierra Nevada as a whole for having accepted, trusted, befriended, and taught me. This includes the Kogi Organisation, which allowed me to freely carry out my research, and become a known outsider, with the blessing of Santos, the Kogi Council Governor. Despite all the multifaceted, rich, and life-changing experiences and insights that I had on the Sierra Nevada and within Kogi society, my work would not have been the same without the guiding and structuring input of the Mamas. I therefore thank especially Mamas Shibulata, Manuel, and Luntana for their incredibly rewarding lessons and conversations, and for showing me how the Kogi learn. Mama Shibulata told me the stories as to any other Kogi, complete from start to finish. Mama Manuel’s analogies, examples, and explanations were tremendously helpful for my understanding, delivered with wit and creativity. Mama Luntana provided an illuminating combination of story and explanation, and was serious and consistent in focusing our discussion on the ecological aspect. The shibʉldama of each permeates this dissertation. I also extend my sincerest appreciation to the other Mamas involved in my research. I am extremely grateful to have met Mama Bernardo, one of the great ‘Mamas of old’, who combines his notable responsibility with cheerfulness and kindness. His son, the ex-Governor Juan Moscote, his family, and Arregocés were very welcoming. Mama Julian vividly conveyed the living consciousness of the Sierra, and assumed our sessions with admirable seriousness. Mama Francisco provided illuminating and concise explanations about specific Kogi principles and concepts, assisted my his son, my friend Alberto, who helped me with the language. Mama Salé was happy to contribute a lesson despite being busy with a meeting of Kogi authorities, providing insights from another valley. Finally, I give my warmest thanks to Mama Pedro Juan who towards the end of my fieldwork organised and integrated my whole work together with his wife, and took me under his wing in an unforgettable experience at his home in the mountains. Thank you also to all the other Mamas that crossed my path and contributed to this. My deep appreciation goes to my translators, especially to Alejo, who became my best Kogi friend and companion of many adventures. Through him and his family I feel at home in the Sierra. Silvestre is a great translator, who led my way into the complex Kogi system and explained many things to me. Thank you also to my friend Mariano, always joyful and ready to receive me in his house. To all the VII other translators, including Juan de Jesús, Alberto, José Manuel and Juan Manuel, many thanks for allowing me to access the Mamas’ knowledge. I very much appreciate the hospitality of Mateo, who enabled this research my giving me the school as a base, and of his family, including Simigui and his insightful chats. Thanks you also to the wider community of Dumingeka and its authorities, who treated me as a local. In fact, Kogi everywhere were accepting of me, whether at the Organisation or high in the mountains, so thank you all. At the same time, I wish to thank Mauricio, Peter, Lucas for all their help and advice, as the teachers and staff at the school for their humour, kindness, and friendship. My thanks to everyone else I met at the OGT, including the ex-Governor Arregocés Conchacala. Thank you to Alan Ereira for his extremely useful role in establishing contact with the Kogi through my participation in the film Aluna, and for our enriching conversations. Here in Cambridge, I of course wish to thank my supervisor, Dr. Barbira-Freedman, for her sustained input throughout all these years. I appreciate her patience with the slow and sometimes problematic development of this PhD, her willingness towards and support for this project, as well as the numerous drafts she read. I also gratefully acknowledge the support and understanding of the Division of Social Anthropology, who made me reflect on my work while granting me time. Professor Bayly was very kind in this respect. Dr. Sneath and Dr. Englund gave me valuable feedback on my work. I am equally grateful to my examiners, Professor Ingold and Dr. Vitebsky, for their stimulating, perceptive and very important comments during the viva. Thank you Farhan for all your helpful tips, advice, and support in the finishing stages of my PhD, and also everyone else at “the basement” for their kind words, especially the encouragement of Corinna. My gratitude also goes to Karen, for her life-saving assistance in the last few critical days. Stephen, your last minute help is also appreciated. I thank Downing College for being a friendly and supportive home in Cambridge, a space away from the hustle and bustle. Last but not least, the biggest and most crucial support and source of strength during this work was my father, Diego Parra, who is truly a pillar of stability, unwavering in his love, as in all other aspects of my life. I cannot thank him enough, he carried me through this long period, as father, mentor, and friend. Mama Pedro Juan was right, you are like another arm. Besides the Great Mother of the Kogi, I wish to express my warmest appreciation for my own mother, Bärbel Witte, who is my source in this world.
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