It's been two weeks since we reached
the Ciudad Perdida, and we are back in Cartagena where our Colombia adventure started. Here, in these urban surroundings, the jungle feels far away, but it only takes a short while of looking at the pictures to bring it back.
Besides the visits to Palomino and Minca we also spent a couple of days in Santa Marta. There, we visited the Tayrona museum, also called 'Museo d'Oro' – gold museum – where we found a lot of information about the indigenous people of this area. I will try to relate some of it later. For now, it is time to leave the Ciudad Perdida and start the way back to El Mamey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As predicted, the way back down the stairs required careful attention because of the small size and unevenness of the steps, but it didn't take very long at all, and, of course, was less strenuous than the way up.
We arrived at Camp Paraíso in time for an early lunch, gathered the packs we had left behind for the visit of the Lost City and were on our way back to the camp where we had had dinner the day before.
Daniel took over
from Jorge now to walk with us, which meant we were able to ask
questions in English instead of Spanish, though Daniel didn't have as
much information ready as Jorge, of course.
It was easier walking than on the way up the day before, and we especially marvelled how long the climb had been that we did in the afternoon. So soon things are forgotten ... Of course, it always looks different coming down, too, and on the way up there was no time or energy left to concentrate on anything beyond taking the next step.
Now, we could admire the magnificent views, and I even had time to take a few photos of the plants along the way.
Like the previous night we played cards for a while, but after supper Jorge called us all together: we had a visitor from a Kogui village close by, Firmin, who was going to tell us a bit about the Poporro, the item that all Kogui men (maybe the men of other indigenous tribes of the area as well?) are carrying with them wherever they go. Firmin spoke Spanish, and I understood more than I usually do because of his deliberate way of speaking, the way he obviously had given thought to everything he said. Daniel translated, of course, so we could be sure to understand.
To the eye of the
outsider, the poporo simply
looks like a small gourd with a light coloured substance wrapped like
a ring around its neck and a stick inserted. This gourd, however, is
of the highest importance in a man's life. It is given to a young man
by the mamo of the tribe when he deems him to be ready to enter the
adult word and will, from then on, accompany him constantly. The
gourd contains lime that is derived from small shells that are placed
between reed mats and burned until they turn to dust. Roasted coca
leaves are the other item the Kogui men carry with them at all times
in a small pouch carried over the shoulder; these are chewed to give
strength, endurance and for meditative purposes. While they chew the
coca leaves they also suck on the stick – which has been dipped in
the powder in the gourd – from time to time. From this, a substance
forms on the stick that is then transferred to the neck of the gourd
where it slowly builds up and is shaped to form a thickening ring.
Firmin explained that this ring contains all the thoughts and dreams
of the man to whom the poporo belongs; he entrusts these to no-one
else. After an amount of time has passed that he determines to be
right he gives the poporo back to the mamo who now is the only one to
decipher all of the 'substance' of the man contained in it. The same
poporo isn't used again; the mamo will hand out a new one when the
old one is finished.
Asked what his people think of the outsiders walking through their land to the Ciudad Perdida, Firmin told us that the indigenous people consider themselves to be the 'Elder Brother' (and all the other inhabitants of the earth the 'younger brother'), and that through this contact they can share their beliefs about the earth and its importance for everyone and teach the younger brother.
(I found that two documentaries have been made regarding about this, but haven't watched them yet. I found that they are available on Youtube. Here are the links:
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+heart+of+the+world+elder+brother%27s+warning&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=8gSxWurSJKuB8QfdjLko
\The second one is actually a movie called 'Aluna' made by the Kogi themselves about ten years after the first documentary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluna).
So far it seems that the Kogui and other tribes are still mostly keeping to themselves and don't as a rule seek much contact on their own. How long will this last? In at least one of the camps – the one where we slept the night after the return from Ciudad Perdida – we saw not only men who were working with the mules, as guides, or in other functions in the camp, but also a woman with her children who definitely knew that visitors meant gifts. 'Dulce, dulce (candy)', the kids kept repeating, but also eyeing necklaces and other things, their mother hanging back just a little but watching closely. It is difficult to keep the two worlds apart, probably impossible in the long run. So far the mamos have immense influence still, but that is bound to crumble eventually. Yet, for us to get even a glimpse of the life of a civilization so different from our own was fascinating, and I am thankful for the opportunity presented through both 'Mamo Romaldo' and Firmin.
Saying goodnight that evening was a little strange: the next morning seven of us would get up at five and leave by six, as usual, to finish the hike by the afternoon, while only Lucy, Cierán and I would stay back to spread it out over two days. Part of me wished we could finish with the rest: we had become a small family, and it was good to share this experience. On the other hand it would be nice to be able to take a little more time, look at plants and birds and the landscape more at leisure.
Besides the visits to Palomino and Minca we also spent a couple of days in Santa Marta. There, we visited the Tayrona museum, also called 'Museo d'Oro' – gold museum – where we found a lot of information about the indigenous people of this area. I will try to relate some of it later. For now, it is time to leave the Ciudad Perdida and start the way back to El Mamey.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As predicted, the way back down the stairs required careful attention because of the small size and unevenness of the steps, but it didn't take very long at all, and, of course, was less strenuous than the way up.
We arrived at Camp Paraíso in time for an early lunch, gathered the packs we had left behind for the visit of the Lost City and were on our way back to the camp where we had had dinner the day before.
 |
| Kogui man unloading mules |
This
is where we'd spend the third night, and also where our group would
split: it was the last night for the people doing the hike in four
days – the majority of the group – while Lucy, Ciarán,
Johann and I would slow things down and spend another night in the
first camp.
It was easier walking than on the way up the day before, and we especially marvelled how long the climb had been that we did in the afternoon. So soon things are forgotten ... Of course, it always looks different coming down, too, and on the way up there was no time or energy left to concentrate on anything beyond taking the next step.
Now, we could admire the magnificent views, and I even had time to take a few photos of the plants along the way.
Like the previous night we played cards for a while, but after supper Jorge called us all together: we had a visitor from a Kogui village close by, Firmin, who was going to tell us a bit about the Poporro, the item that all Kogui men (maybe the men of other indigenous tribes of the area as well?) are carrying with them wherever they go. Firmin spoke Spanish, and I understood more than I usually do because of his deliberate way of speaking, the way he obviously had given thought to everything he said. Daniel translated, of course, so we could be sure to understand.
 |
| Poporo, as seen in the Tayrona museum. |
 |
| Shells used for making the 'lima' |
Asked what his people think of the outsiders walking through their land to the Ciudad Perdida, Firmin told us that the indigenous people consider themselves to be the 'Elder Brother' (and all the other inhabitants of the earth the 'younger brother'), and that through this contact they can share their beliefs about the earth and its importance for everyone and teach the younger brother.
(I found that two documentaries have been made regarding about this, but haven't watched them yet. I found that they are available on Youtube. Here are the links:
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+heart+of+the+world+elder+brother%27s+warning&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=8gSxWurSJKuB8QfdjLko
\The second one is actually a movie called 'Aluna' made by the Kogi themselves about ten years after the first documentary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluna).
So far it seems that the Kogui and other tribes are still mostly keeping to themselves and don't as a rule seek much contact on their own. How long will this last? In at least one of the camps – the one where we slept the night after the return from Ciudad Perdida – we saw not only men who were working with the mules, as guides, or in other functions in the camp, but also a woman with her children who definitely knew that visitors meant gifts. 'Dulce, dulce (candy)', the kids kept repeating, but also eyeing necklaces and other things, their mother hanging back just a little but watching closely. It is difficult to keep the two worlds apart, probably impossible in the long run. So far the mamos have immense influence still, but that is bound to crumble eventually. Yet, for us to get even a glimpse of the life of a civilization so different from our own was fascinating, and I am thankful for the opportunity presented through both 'Mamo Romaldo' and Firmin.
Saying goodnight that evening was a little strange: the next morning seven of us would get up at five and leave by six, as usual, to finish the hike by the afternoon, while only Lucy, Cierán and I would stay back to spread it out over two days. Part of me wished we could finish with the rest: we had become a small family, and it was good to share this experience. On the other hand it would be nice to be able to take a little more time, look at plants and birds and the landscape more at leisure.
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