Revista de Estudios Sociales

rev. estud. soc. | eISSN 1900-5180 | ISSN 0123-885X

Homo-Biosphere in the Afro-Pacific Region

No. 32 (2009-04-01)
  • Arocha Rodríguez Jaime
https://doi.org/10.7440/res32.2009.06

Abstract

This article discusses the symbolic system developed by African captives and which still partially persists in Colombia´s Pacific Coast region. It introduces the concept of the homo-biosphere because its polymorphic production models, which integrate people with nature, promote environmental sustainability. The information on which the article is based comes from three bodies of knowledge: first, information collected over 15 years by the research project, “People of the Baudó, Co-existence and Ecological Polyphony”; second, data compiled for a temporary exposition in Colombia´s National Museum entitled “Wakes and Living Saints among Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal and Palenquero Communities” (which ran from August 21 to November 2, 2008); and third, information gathered by a group of Community Councils from the Baudó River Valley (the Colectivo Territorial Afrochocó) as part of a special report to Colombia´s Ministry of the Environment that sought to mitigate the negative cultural and environmental effects of building a new highway between the coffeegrowing regions of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío and a new port on the Pacific coast to be developed on the Gulf of Tribugá.

Keywords: Cultural Ecology, Holism, Muntu Philosophy, Afro-Colombians of the Pacific Coast Region

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