This bolsa was weaved by the Arhuacos women who carry this ancient practical art. Throughout the country of Colombia you will find a majority of people wearing these bolsas to support and celebrate the indigenous heritage. This bolsa shown above comes from a pyramidal region of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta where the Arhuacos, Wiwas, Koguis, and Wayuu tribes are located.

I had the chance to speak to artist Rick Harlow who help found the Elders projects that continues with Earth Action.

Harlow also referred his friend Wayne Davis who wrote an ode to the tribes by recording their history of the rivers in his “Magdelena: River of Dreams – A Story of Colombia“. In 2013 when graduating from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise LA and dealing with a break-up I stumbled on my first Gabo book, “100 years of Solitude” and Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart.” Both books recorded ethereal tales that Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Chinua Achebe rebirthed for me the sacred life experience while they both passed that year.

Fast forward to now where continued vileness and destruction steam on that anything YOU can do to help the green temples that hold the heart of the world survive would be appreciated. Amazon Frontlines is one of the accessible forms to start. If you are in Los Angeles you can view my ancestors gold wax work at LACMA’s portable universe or ask the MET to return the many stolen artifacts.

After my recent visit to Bogota seeing the encampments of the Embera tribes protesting in the capital demanding the end to the violence of colonialism in the duero Choco regions makes it clear that pushing families out their homelands that they have spent eras nurturing should not be allowed in this time.

I understand what it means to pushed out of a homeland, to lose your language but not the roots, to constantly fight for respect to have a chance to live. Starting wherever you are located you can help your community region environmentally and unite to connect it back to all.

Carry the bolsa –