Kogi warn the West.

[JihadJane]

"Originally, the great mama brought us into being so we would be guardians of nature. You, the little brother, was given this knowledge of how to treat the earth and the water and the air. At some point there was divergence and you, the little brother, went on a different path."

- Jacinto, spokesperson for the Mamos, the Kogi spiritual leaders.

"Jacinto has made the journey to Britain because the Kogi have embarked on an unusual and ambitious mission. They are making a movie about their way of life – but not for themselves, as part of some kind of do-gooding community workshop; it is for us, and it carries an uncompromising message.

One of very few indigenous American people to resist the ravages of Spanish conquistadors, Christian missionaries and, now, eco-tourists, militias, drug lords and heavy industry, the Kogi have observed frightening changes to their homeland in recent decades. The glaciers are melting, storms have increased in ferocity, there are landslides and floods, followed by droughts and deforestation."



http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/27/kogi-warn-the-west

 

[Nova Land]

I hadn't heard of the Kogi before this thread, but they sound interesting.

Here's a link to another website talking about the Kogi Mamos and their dire environmental prophecies:

The Kogi are the last surviving civilization from the world of the Inca and Aztec, and their cities are untouched by our world. Their spiritual leaders, called Mamos, are raised in complete darkness for their first 18 years, where they are trained to communicate with ‘"ALUNA’, what they understand to be the governing forces of the world. They then become Mamos (Enlightened Ones). Some work at remote places which they call “hot spots”, where they believe living energy pours into the world. They guard their isolation and secrecy so that they can continue this work. But now they believe their work has become impossible in the face of our destructive greed, and that the earth itself is on the edge of apocalyptic collapse.

The Kogi keep apart because they truly believe that they are responsible for maintaining the balance of life between the material world and the transcendental space they call ‘’ALUNA’’, the source of life and intelligence. The Kogi will reveal their life and their latest message. This is a landmark step for the Kogi, of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia who believe that they are the Elder Brothers of humanity and that they must speak now to avoid international environmental and climatic catastrophe.

If I am reading the page correctly (and if the page correctly summarizes the Kogi beliefs) then the Kogi believe that our thoughts shape our reality, and that the trend of modern thinking -- toward greedy thoughts, selfish thoughs -- is destroying the environment. (But they also seem to be aware that the physical manifestations of those thoughts -- various destructive mining practices, the clearing of large portions of the rain forest, etc. -- may be part of the problem too. Indeed, it sounds as if their inability to have any significant effect on the world through privately thinking good thoughts is what is now leading them to become more publicly engaged with the world.)

 

[Beerina]

I hadn't heard of the Kogi before this thread, but they sound interesting.

Here's a link to another website talking about the Kogi Mamos and their dire environmental prophecies:




If I am reading the page correctly (and if the page correctly summarizes the Kogi beliefs) then the Kogi believe that our thoughts shape our reality, and that the trend of modern thinking -- toward greedy thoughts, selfish thoughs -- is destroying the environment. (But they also seem to be aware that the physical manifestations of those thoughts -- various destructive mining practices, the clearing of large portions of the rain forest, etc. -- may be part of the problem too. Indeed, it sounds as if their inability to have any significant effect on the world through privately thinking good thoughts is what is now leading them to become more publicly engaged with the world.)

Wikipedia reports they use slash-and-burn farming, FWIW. Also it's spelled Koguis -- Kogi is evidently a state in Nigeria

Anyway, I'm gonna go out on a limb and just heave out my normal comment: do actual measures of the length and quality of life support that their way is "better"?

 

[TragicMonkey]

I for one will listen intently to their message after they use their magic powers to solve the problems of the world.

In the meantime, I think this will make a great reality show! What kind of celebrities do they have?

 

[dudalb]

Yeah, going back to subsistence level agriculture is going to lead to a wonderful future.