Connected Colombia Ceremonial Cacao

The Arhuaco tribe of the Tairona people (also including the Kogi, Wiwa, and Kankuamo tribes) grows this cacao as sacred medicine in the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains of Colombia, which rise from sea level to 18,700 feet in a mere 26 miles.

Their non-dual spiritual beliefs guide them to see themselves as an integral part of Earth, rather than as separate: so caring for Earth is caring for all of existence. Living at what they believe to be the heart of the Earth, they maintain planetary balance and harmony by making ritual payments during intricate meditation exercises, to the Earth in gratitude for her services. Like silk wrapped around your heart, drink this cacao to strengthen your inner sense of connection.

The Arhuacos people grew cacao over six hundred years ago, prior to colonization of the Americas. When they lost their ancestral lands, over time their cacao traditions faded. With their territory recently recognized as a "living being" and receiving federal protection, they have regained access to their ancestral cacao growing territory, and their knowledge of cacao is coming back strong to be shared with us. This is some of the very first cacao they’ve grown.

The Arhuaco tribe’s work with cacao was re-ignited when a Colombian coffee trader working in Japan returned to his homeland to see if he could export cacao. Together with his help, the tribe received a USAID grant to build a fermentation facility and to plant cacao trees from seeds harvested from old trees in their ancestral territory. Firefly supported the project beginning in 2019 as a cacao purchaser, and assisted the cacao farmers in getting organic certification which became official in 2021. In January 2022 we’ll be traveling to visit the region and participate in a genetic analysis of the cacao trees here.

Today, the Arhuacos farmers make 58% more income by processing their own cacao rather than selling to other buyers. For a community in which cacao is the main source of income for 9 out of 10 farmers, and where 73% of the people live below the Colombian poverty line, this increase in income makes a big difference in the quality of life for families and furthers the sustainability of this incredible culture.

Each community no matter the size of the Arhuaco tribe has a mamo, or spiritual leader. All told there are probably 400 mamos. They laugh at the notion of a biography of any single one of them, because the mamos work as a group collective consciousness, all together. They gather together at important locations to meet in council, and the nine mamos who lead each council are dynamically divined at each gathering. Many mamos will never leave the Sierra Nevada, while others will go out into the world. The spiritual leaders are easily recognized by their unique hats. The Arhuaco live near flatter mountain peaks, so their hats reflect this, in comparison to the Kogis who live near sharper mountain peaks. The Wiwa live closer to the sea and use straw for their hats.

When I asked one of their mamos about what I should share with my community about working with cacao, he shared with me this advice: “To learn about a plant medicine, start with honoring and appreciating her, and feel that in her heart. Ask her to tell you about her, what her messages are, if you sit and listen, she’ll tell you her story.” The description we have here just scratches the surface of the unique world view of the Arhuacos people. Watch the video below to learn more about the world view of the Arhuacos in their own words.