Indigenous Colombians shun turtle meat to save dying species

[Judi Lynn]

Indigenous Colombians shun turtle meat to save dying species
by Staff Writers
Punta Agujas, Colombia (AFP) Nov 3, 2010

Indigenous Wayuu people living on South America's northernmost tip are dropping their age-old tradition of eating turtle meat as a main protein source because the reptile is dying out.
"This really is rejecting the culture of my ancestors," 72-year-old Olegario Choles told AFP. "I grew up eating turtle, and raised my kids on the money I make hunting them.

"But now the turtles are scarcer and scarcer. The nets come back empty," he said.

"The time has come to save them, in order to save ourselves," conceded Choles, the leader of the Wayuu on Colombia's impoverished La Guajira peninsula, one of the poorest regions in South America according to the website of The Wayuu Taya Foundation, an NGO helping the Amerindian group.

More:
http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Indigenous_Colombians_shun_turtle_meat_to_save_dying_species_999.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. SAND TEARS OF THE DESERT WAYUU

Apr 13
2009.

SAND TEARS OF THE DESERT WAYUU:
To commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the Bahia Portete massacre

Lágrimas de arena del desierto WAYUU

Between the 18th and 20th of April in the “Media Luna” sacred territory of the Wayuu people, located in La Guajira, we gathered for the second Yanama in memory of the massacre that occurred in Bahia Portete in April of 2004 at the hands of paramilitaries. To this event came the ONIC organization, other indigenous of Colombia, national and international NGOs, human rights organizations, environmentalists and unions, at which we shared meals, drinks, customs, hopes, the sea, the landscape, and the strength and magic of our territory. The objective of this encounter was to accompany the survivors of the massacre and share solidarity with all the Wayuu people in their struggle and determination that the victims of this massacre not be forgotten and that there not be impunity for the perpetrators.
This genocidal act was perpetrated by the paramilitary structure headed by Rodrigo Tovar “Pupo,” known as Jorge 40, assisted by Chemna Bala, Josemaria Ipuana, and his nephew Adrian Agustin Bernier.

This massacre killed women, children, young people, men, and elders, and the survivors have been forced to live outside their ancestral territory and outside the country to reside in Venezuela. But we are not renouncing our intent to return to our salty land. We thirst and hope to again feel the winds of the sea in our own desert land.

The barbarism against the Wayuu has not stopped, even though the zone has been militarized under the excuse of protecting this town and despite the promise of Colombian Vice-President Santos that he will not allow one single more death to the members of this community. Yet, the government continues to turn a blind eye to the murders that have occurred after the massacre. Such is the case of Edilia Epinayuu, one of the witnesses of the massacre and murdered by the paramilitaries on the 13th of July of the year 2005. The government refuses to acknowledge the complicity of the military and paramilitaries that we were able to observe and it does not have ears to listen to the threats that are raised constantly against the Wayuu people and its leaders. In the zone of this scene of torture, where the Colombian military is posted to “take care of” the houses, where torture rape and death occurred in the middle of the burning desert of salt and sand, appeared vulgar graffiti reminders of the acts of rape and other crimes that were committed against a dignified people. We also saw recently made threats written on the walls against their leader, Debora Barros Fince, who has fought to assure that the horrible acts committed against her people be not forgotten or fall in impunity.

Though the massacre occurred two years ago, there continues to be exerted physical, moral and psychological violence against this town, without intervention by the government forces purported to protect it. In this visit to Bahia Portete, the participants to the Yanama encounter were able to observe that, in the area controlled by the government, the indigenous houses are being destroyed and roofs, water tanks and doors are being dismantled. With this action the government attempts to erase the memory of the landscape and dwellings from the minds of the people.

More:
http://www.bridgesacrossborders.org/2009/04/sand-tears-of-the-desert-wayuu/

http://intercontinentalcry.org.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/alta-guajira.jpg

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http://www.elfoton.es.nyud.net:8090/gallery/d/142651-2/atardecer+wayuu.jpg http://www.radiofeminista.net.nyud.net:8090/junio04/notas/SMDrefugiadosindiomara10.jpg http://www.colombia.travel.nyud.net:8090/en/images/stories/turistainternacional/Quehacer/naturaleza/parquesnaturales/makuira2.jpg