Pacho and the Misak People, an Ancient People of the Mountains.
I had the privilege of meeting wonderful people during my Veterinary Medicine studies at the University of Antioquia. Among mestizos, whites, Afro-Colombians and Indigenous peoples, this public university, Alma Mater of Medellín, allowed many of us to experience the real Colombia, the Colombia of diversity.
To pay tribute to the Colombian mountains, I decided to interview my friend and colleague Francisco Yalanda, whom I met at university and whom we used to call «Pacho».
Pacho is the son of a mamma (a wise woman and high-ranking figure in the Misak Indigenous community), nephew of a writer and former Colombian senator during the 1991 Constituent Assembly, brother of a musician, and also, among many other family categories, a wise farmer, a calm, peaceful, academic man, and above all, a good Colombian who very well represents the Misak Indigenous community.
I share with you our conversation about the mountains, his political vision, and the history of his people. A true conversation between friends!
1. Pacho, who are the Misak people?
The Misak are an Indigenous community of Colombia. We call ourselves “Children of Water” or PIUREK in the Namtrik language. We are native to the Americas and currently live in southwestern Colombia, specifically in the municipality of Silvia, department of Cauca.
2. What is the symbolism of the mountain for the Misak people?
For us, the Piurek, the mountain has great importance. We consider ourselves part of nature, which is why we have great respect for it. Mountains are valuable because they are the birthplace of the lagoons, our origin. They also represent the place where we live, our territory, the most important thing for an Indigenous people like ours. In our view, a Misak without territory is nothing, because mountains and their nature are vital for living and farming.
3. What is the name of the hill behind your house and what is its importance?
This hill is called by the Misaks «MATSØREKTUN», “Rooster’s Crest” in English. The Matsørektun is very important because this is where we carry out an initiation ritual when young people pass into adulthood. At that moment, they acquire responsibility for work and love for nature. In addition, there is a lagoon on this hill called «MAWEIMPISU», very special because, according to our grandparents, they created it themselves during a great drought to provide water for the community.
The Matsørektun is the highest part of GUAMBIA (the Misak town) and from there you can have a spectacular view. It is an inactive volcano whose remains can still be found. People know this, which is why they hold it in great respect.
4. Where does the word Guambía come from?
Guambía is our cultural and administrative center. The word Guambiano has no translation in our language, but we believe it comes from wam, which means “the tongue, the voice.” It can be interpreted as “the man who speaks.” However, this word became hispanicized and is used by other Colombian populations to designate us. But we call ourselves Misaks, just as the Nasas are called Paeces in Spanish.
5. What is the relationship of the Misak people with other communities?
Historically, all the Indigenous peoples of this area have had good relations, here with the Nasas and to the south with the Pastos. Currently, if difficulties are mentioned, it is due to political issues. In general, the relationship has always been based on collaboration, barter, and work. For example, the Misaks used to go to Tierra Adentro, where the Nasas lived, to exchange food such as corn or potatoes. That is why today we have intercultural marriages, adjoining territories with cultural mixing, and children who speak both languages.
6. What about the union we currently see with other Indigenous communities in the country?
This union arose from the need to defend rights, such as access to land. From this was born the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), created by the Misaks to solve the problem of many peasants subjected to terraje (a form of land slavery). People rose up to reclaim their grandparents’ lands.
We formed the CRIC with the Paeces and today it is a strong political movement joined by other communities, including mestizos, Kamsá, Arhuacos, U’wa, etc. Thanks to this union, we achieved the inclusion of our rights in the 1991 Constitution.
This is an extremely important fact for the Misak people and for all peoples: To win all these rights politically.
7. What has been your path?
From the beginning I worked the land with my family. I saw the need to study Veterinary Medicine. As a Misak, I understood the importance of nature and living beings. The spectacled bear, according to the elders, is “The Mother of Water” or PIPERØPIK in Namtrik. It represents a lot, because water is vital for human beings and for all living beings.
8. Is that why your current project is linked to the protection of the bear?
Yes. This animal was on the verge of disappearing due to hunting and poor human practices. Although it has recovered, today there is a territorial conflict with the Misaks. Before, we lived in lowlands, but due to the displacement caused by colonists, many Misaks had to move up to the páramos, transforming the bear’s habitat into farmland and pastures. I see the need to raise awareness and work with the community to protect and take care of the bear.
It is well known that the Misak will no longer be able to access the lowlands or plains where they once lived. I therefore propose to modernize and improve the productive systems of these people. With my knowledge, I can do it and also help them become aware that we do not need a lot of space or to damage the Páramo in order to produce and have good livestock or a good harvest. In this way, we will be able to coexist with the spectacled bear.
This is a viable proposal, but much work is needed because there are people who are not aware and who consider the bear an intruder, an exotic animal. These people do not even know that it is the Mother of Water, probably because it harms their crops and their animals. We must work, raise awareness, and build consciousness.
9. Tell us a little about your family and its contribution to the Misak people
My family is also originally from the Americas. They were raised in the Chimán region, in an area called Yapale, which always belonged to my grandparents.
The history of my family begins with the dispossession of this territory by mestizo settlers known as “Terrasgueros” (an old term used to describe this form of servitude), which led them to live in great poverty and suffer a devastating famine. My family saw the need to fight for the land and, in the midst of that struggle, my mother, Bárbara Muelas Hurtado, had the opportunity to attend high school, becoming the first Misak woman to achieve this academic success, even though, due to racism and her Indigenous status, she was forbidden from going to school. She had to change her last name to be accepted.
From then on, graduating from high school was a great achievement and gave her the opportunity to become a teacher for Misak children, to be part of the faculty, and to retire after years of teaching. She also supported the struggle of the Misaks and the Cabildo in historic processes, in teaching the language, the culture, etc. Thanks to her knowledge and her way of applying it, teaching, and speaking to people, my mother was highly respected and managed to become the first female Misak governor, a role that had always been held by men. This represented a defense of women, since despite everything, we have had a patriarchal culture in our community, where men have always been the bearers of ideas, orders, actions, etc.
10. For the first time, Silvia elected a Misak woman as mayor. What do you think?
Today we have mamma Mercedes, the first Misak woman to be mayor of Silvia. She is an educated woman, with professional studies, capable of managing the municipality and strengthening the women’s liberation movement.
I am confident about the future, since we have political experience from the 1991 Constitution and know that it is not only about the rights of the Misaks, but also of other Indigenous peoples and mestizos.
11. And your uncle?
My uncle is also a figure of great importance and respect, as he was a “Comunero.” He always told me that he never needed formal studies; he studied up to the CEA, learned how to sign his name, but was a great self-taught man. He knows many things and learned, together with the community and its leaders, how to build and lead the Indigenous movement.
He was the leader of the people during the formation of this movement and the struggle against landowners to reclaim the territories where the Misak live today—lands won precisely thanks to him and my aunt Jacinta. During that struggle, my aunt Jacinta even went to prison, as a landowner accused her of false testimony, and that is why she became an icon by declaring: “Kill us, for we were born to die,” since it was her land. My aunt Jacinta was, therefore, a fundamental pillar for the emergence of both my uncle and my mother.
Then my uncle spoke with other communities to participate politically and change the constitution. He was the candidate of the communities and won together with another candidate from the Emberá people, Francisco Rojas Birry; both became constituents and achieved a very positive change for the Indigenous communities. After that, he was a senator of the Republic to define the laws of the Misak people, and he served three times as governor of the Misak. Today he is dedicated to writing and is about to publish his second book. He has therefore been a highly respected figure within the community and even at the national level.
12. One last question, what is the importance of your house?
This little house is special because it is the place where my parents and uncles were born. It was my grandparents’ house when it was still free land, before becoming a colonists’ farm. This house has a great history, as it was recovered once again.
Of all the families who lived in this region, we are one of the few who returned to live where our grandparents once lived, in the place of origin, and therefore historically it is a site of great respect.
Later it was necessary to rebuild a house, but not a square one, not a colonial one. We had the opportunity to consult a Misak friend, an architect who had researched Misak houses in the city of Pubenza, today Popayán. He designed it for us, and that is why today it exists like this: round, traditional, and made of rammed earth (pisé).
Thank you Pacho for this valuable testimony. You inspire us to get to know the Misak community and its fascinating history better.
For readers-travelers who would like to discover Silvia in an authentic way, do not hesitate contact us!
Excelente artículo, gracias por escribirlo. Me encantó saber un poco mas de la historia de los Misak. Mi Nombre es Isabel, mi familia es de Popayán pero yo me crie en la ciudad de Nueva York. Siempre me encantó ver a los Misak o “Guambianos” como mas se les decía cuando yo era pequeña. Tuve la oportunidad de visitar a Silvia y me encantó, gracias por la información, el conocimiento es poder..
Hola Isabel! Gracias a ti por pasar a visitar nuestro sitio y leer nuestro artículo. Sí, es una comunidad increíble y coincido contigo en lo encantador de silvia y su gente. Aquí siempre será tu casa! Juan