October 12 is not a day of celebration for us, the indigenous people of Abya Ayala. This day, which many people still call “America’s Discovery Day,” marks the beginning of a violent invasion that not only took land from us, but also sought to destroy our culture, our worldviews, and our ways of life. What was presented on October 12, 1492 as an “encounter” for colonial stories, was only the beginning of genocide, with terrible consequences for the indigenous peoples who lived on this continent. In the words of NASA leader Manuel Quintín Lame, “We were not discovered, we were invaded. Our blood was shed, but our roots are deeper than the sword that came to destroy us” (Sánchez, 2018).
Before the invasion, our Abya Yala lands were home to an estimated indigenous population of between 50 and 100 million people, a figure that was greatly reduced in less than two centuries to less than 5 million by wars, massacres, slavery and disease that happened. the colonists (Cook, 1998). Currently, although we have resisted and rebuilt, our population is still a minority in many territories, with around 45 million indigenous people across the continent, which reflects the devastating impact of the invasion (ECLAC, 2020).
We, the indigenous communities in Cauca, have resisted since the invaders came. The Indigenous Regional Council of Cauca, created in 1971, is the result of centuries of struggle. It was not a starting point, but a consolidation of the process of unity that had been created long before. Since its inception, the CRIC has led the defense of land, culture and independence, confronting both colonial violence and contemporary attacks. Today, more than 53 years after its creation, we continue to resist, as the leader of Totoroez, José Gonzalo Sánchez, expressed, “Our fight has not ended, because our land is still our mother, and it is our duty to protect it” (Sánchez , 2019).
We have a history of resistance as a pillar of how we transformed the fight for survival into a process of building a life with dignity. In 1971, we started to reclaim lands, but today we are in charge of our own education and health systems, such as the Own Indigenous Education System (SEIP) and the Own Intercultural Health System (SISPI), which are essential tools to guarantee survival . our culture and independence.
On October 12 we do not commemorate the “discovery” or the imposition of a new world, but our face and the strength we have shown throughout the centuries. We remember the millions of brothers and sisters who were murdered, stripped of their territories and cultures, but we also celebrate our capacity for resistance and resurrection.
Over the centuries, we have faced not only invasion, but also genocidal policies, forced displacement, and the denial of our rights. However, every October 12, we reaffirm that we continue to stand, since we were created, it has been a foundation in this fight, defending our territorial, cultural and political independence. The signing of decrees with the government, such as those related to territorial independence and our own education and health systems, are part of the achievements achieved, but we remain vigilant so that these agreements are fulfilled.
Today more than ever, all the indigenous communities of Cauca and Abya Yala must be united, because the threats continue. The fight against the right wing and other sectors that seek to delegate our rights and the popular mandate is still on. We must strengthen our unity, to protect our territories, our culture and our independence. As Manuel Quintín Lame says, «Freedom is not given, it is fought and won. And we, the indigenous peoples, will continue to fight until our land is free” (Lame, 1939).
October 12th is Indigenous Resistance Day. We don’t celebrate the invasion, but we celebrate our ability to resist, stand firm in the face of adversity, and continue to build a future rooted in our traditions and independence. We will continue to fight for unity, land, culture and freedom.
With the CRIC Communications Program.
sources:
Cook, David Noble. Born to Die: Disease and the Conquest of the New World, 1492-1650. Cambridge University Press, 1998.
ECLAC. Indigenous peoples in Latin America: progress in the last decade and pending challenges to guarantee their rights. Santiago, 2020.
Sanchez, José Gonzalo. Totoroez resistance in time of invasion. Editorial Universidad del Cauca, 2018.
Lame, Manuel Quintin. In defense of my race. Editorial Suramericana, 1939.
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