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Cascadia Adventure Education School and its partners aim to facilitate a youth oriented cultural exchange between the Arhuaco community of Colombia and the Cabacer indigenous people of Costa Rica. The exchange seeks to strengthen cultural identity through intergenerational learning and direct exposure to native languages and ancestral knowledge systems.
A crowd-funding campaign will occur from February 29 to April 25, 2023.
Four Arhuaco young adults, ages 18 to 23, have been selected for the trip to Costa Rica along with their chaperone/mentor. Indigenous culture cannot be shared more powerfully than through personal contact.
Personal Note... In February three of the chosen participants walked miles through the Sierra to connect in Gumako, an Arhuaco settlement. Here is a short 3-minute video where they share their story.
Both ethnic groups, the Arhuaco and Cabacer, are indigenous peoples of Latin America. The Arhuacos of Colombia are known for their spiritual connection to the natural world and traditional hand-woven articles. They live isolated in Colombia's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where they practice agriculture. In Central America reside the Cabacers, who live in the Talamanca
Mountains, a vast, roadless, forested region blanketing southern Costa Rica. The Cabacer farm as well. Both ethnic groups are dedicated to preserving and protecting their native territory, language, values, and traditions.
Who will benefit?
The Two Cultures Trip aims to plant seeds and inspire the next generation of indigenous youth leaders. We are hopeful the young participants will gain a more profound sense of purpose, which will extend beyond individual growth, as they discover that they have the power to be a voice for their communities and culture. They may find newfound abilities for intercultural communication and collaboration with their international, indigenous peers.
The Intercultural Exchange will take place in Costa Rica from April 23, 2023, to May 2, 2023.
Donations will help fund the cultural exchange between Arhuacos and Cabacers.
The TWO CULTURES TRIP is a project coordinated and produced by:
• Jim Wells of Cascadia School
• Gunza Villafana Torres of Santa Marta, Colombia, representing Yosokwi
• Jeisen Fernandez of the Mulawak Cultural Center, Gavilan, Costa Rica
• Our expert storyteller and video editor, Mountain Mind Media
We need your support. Please consider supporting the Two Cultures Trip with your contribution.
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The pilot project aims to connect indigenous young adults keen on preserving their culture while exploring strategies to navigate growing up in a rapidly changing world.
• A crowd-funding campaign will take place from February 29 to March 23, 2023.
• Anyone can donate to this cause and enjoy good intentions while doing so.
• Additionally, the sponsors ask you to spread awareness by sharing links to our GoFundMe.com site with your social media followers.
Cultural exchanges help promote peace and understanding throughout the world.
The spirit of community comes together in sharing dance, traditions, and cultural knowledge through storytelling. As a result, new perspectives will be realized in terms of cultural revitalization and strengthening cultural identity.
Donations will help fund the cultural exchange between Arhuacos and Cabacers.
We need your support and want you to be part of the "Two Cultures Trip". Taking action, and making a contribution today will have the most impact on determining the success of the project.
Gifting our Supporters!
For this initiative to be realized, we have accumulated a treasure trove of gifts to share with our beloved donors. Full appreciation goes to the Arhuaco community for supplying the special gifts.
Friends contributing $500 will receive a handstitched Arhuaco Mochila Bag
(12 Available)
Each design identifies the families; some of the most important are the gamako (the frog ), a symbol of fertility for the indigenous ethnic groups of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the aku (the rattlesnake), which symbolizes time and space, the kaku serankua (the creator father of the Sierra), makuru (the vulture), gwirkunu (the hills and lagoons), urumu (the snail), sariwuwu (the months of pregnancy), kunsamunu a'mia (the thought of the woman), kunsamunu cheyrua (the thought of the man), kanzachu (the tree leaf), chinuzatu (the four corners of the world ), and phundwas (the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra). The men use three "mochilas": one called chige kwanu to store personal belongings, another called zizhu to carry coca leaves, and the third to store food or travel items. A fourth, called the buro masi, is also used to keep the poporo.
Friends contributing $250 will receive a specially published coffee table book produced by Amado Villafana Chaparro and his media company, Yosokwi.
6 Available
(Amado is pictured here with Jim Wells)
Friends contributing $100 will receive a fully-illustrated booklet (translated into English or Spanish). The publication, authored by Jeison Fernandez, provides insights into the cultural expressions of the Cabacer people.
Friends contributing $50 will receive a woven Arhuaco wristband.
12 Available
That said, a $1 donation or more, sends a message of support. You will be honored and remembered as a contributor.
Note: All funds collected will provide direct support to the young adults. All services, administration, overhead, vehicles, and promotional fees are gratified or will become an "in-kind" contribution.
Our funding target is a total of $6,981.00.
Visa and Passport Proc...................................... $750
Air Fare.................................................................. $2,140
Lodging................................................................. $826
Meals..................................................................... $1,372
Transfers............................................................... $73
Fuel........................................................................ $155
Programs.............................................................. $325
Honorariums.........................................................$640
Video Production................................................ $450
Contingency......................................................... $250
Itinerary
Day One -- Fly from Santa Marta, Colombia to San Jose, Costa Rica, Transfer to Turrialba. Orientation and welcome dinner with Cabacer youth and chaperones.
Day Two – Sunrise, then take a tropical trail hike to the Aquiarres waterfall for swimming and river rock running; Afternoon visit to Turrialba town; Youth participants will join a live radio interview with local radio hosts (Radio Cultural Turrialba 88.3 FM). This evening, with invited guests, dinner will be served at Angostura Mirador, a traditional country restaurant overlooking Turrialba.
Day Three – Early morning 4x4 drive to Alto Pacuare, a remote location along the river banks of the Pacuare River located deep in the Talamanca Mountains. Morning interchange with students from both the Cabacer elementary and high schools. Cultural traditions, values, and language will be illuminated, and peer encounters will occur. Cabacer youth will be at the forefront of helping organize this special day. Afternoon 4x4 return trip to the Vereh settlement; Homestay and overnight in hammocks with a Cabacer family; Cultural house ceremony with Raul, a Cabacer elder and "Cacique."
Day Four – Morning exploration of local sites in the Vereh area with Cabacer peers; Gather up local fruits growing nearby and enjoy a riverside lunch. Afternoon 4x4 drive to the pristine Pejibaye River; Enjoy some fun with a tree swing rope over the river, then learn to paddle in inflatable kayaks. Overnight at Rancho Cascadia.
Day Five – Embark on a long drive to the Jabuy community in the Talamanca mountains' Southern section. First, a stop along the Caribe coast will allow a visit to a natural seaside pool and a refreshing swim. Then, arrive at Mulawak Cultural Center; An afternoon workshop will feature traditional Cabacer crafts and interactions with Cabacer and Arhuaco participants. Overnight at Muluwak.
Day Six – Participate in daily workshops sharing knowledge, stories, traditions, and customs. Engage in discussions about cultivating and preserving indigenous culture while growing up in a fast-changing world. Fernandez Morales, an educator, professor, and researcher of Cabacer culture, will host the workshops, including crafts, and geographical/cultural aspects of each other's homelands, sharing similarities and differences about ancestral stories, traditions, and wisdom. Overnight Muluwak Cultural Center.
Day Seven – Built into cultural identities are ecological knowledge systems that require a relationship with rivers and waterways – without them, life goes away. Today we depart to one of the richest waterways in Costa Rica – Bajo Pacuare. Following a morning drive, embark on a motor launch to Lago Maria, which is only accessible by water. Discover rich flora and fauna and hear the stories behind the sights. After our evening meal, we will meet with local residents and learn about the region's ecological challenges. Overnight at Julio and Mary's cabins alongside the lake.
Day Eight - A full day of explorations will take us on a wildlife trip by boat through the jungle canals. We will search for birds, monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas, reptiles, frogs, and turtles. Afterward, we will take a late afternoon boat trip to fish for Guapotes. In the evening, we will participate in a nighttime beach walk under the supervision of a research assistant in search of nesting sea turtles. Once a turtle is found, we will protect it from intrusions while the mother turtle lays its eggs into the sand beach.
Day Nine – Our final exploration includes kayaking alongside the jungle rainforest, celebrating the rich habitat for more than 32 mammals, including jaguar, ocelot, and three species of monkeys. Mid-day, we depart by boat to our launch site, then transfer to our overnight guest house in San Jose. We conclude our trip reflecting on how two cultures can continue to appreciate the natural world in which they live while preserving and protecting their cultural traditions and beliefs.
Day Ten – A morning flight will return everyone to Colombia.
Post Trip - A video story will be produced documenting the highlights and celebrating the story of the Two Cultures Trip.
Partners
The "Two Cultures Trip" is a project coordinated and produced by:
• Jim Wells of Cascadia Adventure Education School
• Gunza Villafana Torres of Santa Marta, Colombia, representing Yosokwi
• Jeison Fernandez of the Muluwak Cultural Center, Gavilan, Costa Rica
• Brendan Wells, Mountain Mind Media will edit and produce a documentary
The project is supported by:
Cabildo Arhuaco Magdelena y Guajira
de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta