Desde que llegamos al Cauca, nosotras, las Abejas, teníamos mucho interés y curiosidad por conocer Guambía, el territorio del pueblo Misak (Guambiano). De Caldono salimos con unos compañeros Misak que nos invitaron a conocer su territorio y a participar en un taller sobre globalización en la casa del Tampolkuari ya, llamada así por el sombrero tradicional del pueblo Misak. Todos los pueblos y espacios a los que amablemente nos invitaron a ir, conocer, y compartir fueron supremamente valorados y nos sentimos horrados como humildes abejas al poder estar en estos lugares. El tiempo, los tejidos y el mambeo que comenzamos esta vez en Guambia fue una energía particularmente especial y bonita que esperamos que sea un comienzo de cosas más grandes por venir.
Llegamos al pueblo de Silvia, que nos pareció muy bonito, pero seguimos en vuelo al resguardo queriendo conocer su territorio y huyendo de los turistas de la Semana Santa de los Cristianos. Inicialmente nosotros íbamos a realizar el cuenta-cuentos como una segunda parte de un taller más largo de globalización hasta que llegó la noticia de que un derrumbe estaba deteniendo un compañero profesor que iba a realizar la primera parte. Las abejas, especializadas en charlas espontáneas de último momento, aterrizamos en la cancha de fútbol al lado del Tampolkuari ya. Esta casa para reuniones, eventos, charlas y discusión entre la comunidad está diseñada arquitectónicamente como el sombrero del que toma el nombre y tiene una estructura igual de bonita, sofisticada e intrincada. Con permiso nos subimos a las columnas adentro la casa para colgar la obra de Plan Colombia.
Lo que comenzó como una pequeña charla con unos jóvenes del grupo de comunicación y unas autoridades indígenas, llegó a ser un grupo de más de 100 personas. Dentro de los participante estuvo el Vicegobernador del Resguardo que, aunque le tocó irse temprano, tomó la palabra, primero en lengua propia y después en español, valorando la propuesta y pidiendo a cada uno de los y las jóvenes que estaban presentes que se quedaran a toda la presentación y no salieran antes de que se terminara. 
Durante el cuenta-cuentos, se habló de la fumigaciones aéreas con glifosato sobre los cultivos de amapola en Guambia que tuvieron lugar entre los años 2000 y 2002. Después de las fumigaciones, que destruyeron más a los cultivos alimentarios que a la amapola y dejaron al río Piendamó contaminado durante largo tiempo, las únicas plantas que lograban crecer en el suelo fueron la amapola y los cultivos modificados para resistir al herbicida. Fue un momento crítico para la comunidad pero se superó; los cultivos de amapola se han reducido y las fumigaciones no han sucedido por varios años.
Varios Misak hablaron sobre la nueva Ley de Aguas que está proponiendo la Presidencia. Una compañera nos la explicó de la siguiente forma: "El Plan Departamental de Aguas prioriza a Municipios y Departamentos en riqueza hídrica...y Cauca se incluyó. Este es un programa del Gobierno Nacional y busca apropiarse de las aguas con sus problemas pretendiendo, a largo plazo, plantear mecanismos de negocios, según ellos viables para la sostenibilidad, a empresas nacionales y extranjeras como Agua Brisa, Coca Cola, Microsoft, etc. ...Como pensaras los territorios indígenas son vistos como principal potencia... pero en lo que respecta a Guambía, no se permitirá... esto lleva a que el gobierno disminuya un porcentaje de los recursos del Sistema General de Participaciones... y aunque ello ocurriera no se venden los ríos, ojos de agua, lagunas, colchones, etc."
Durante el cuenta-cuentos, en la espiral, la escena del fogón impulsó la toma de la palabra por varios de los presentes. Se habló de que tradicionalmente en las casas de los Misak, el fogón toma un espacio grande y se ubica en el centro de la cocina o casa. El fogón no es simplemente el centro de todas las actividades culinarias sino que es el medio por el que toda la familia se reúne, comparte, aprende, enseña y sigue en su proceso. "Central para la continuación de la cultura y conocido como la primera escuela" dijo uno. ¿Qué significa para la familia cuando el fogón se arrincona a un lado del centro o cuando se pone un televisor en la cocina?
Aunque sólo realizamos un cuenta-cuentos, pasamos varios días de polinización cruzada con los hermanos y hermanas de Guambia. Conocimos a muchas personas del resguardo y pudimos compartir en varios de sus espacios. Un día ayudamos a picar tierra para la siembra de papa y a cosechar papa, uyuco y cebolla para el trueque organizado por el Cabildo para el día siguiente. Tuvimos el privilegio de conocer y hablar con mayores que nos contaban historias de conocimientos tradicionales. También compartimos momentos especiales como un arco iris lunar y un alik. Aprendimos que uno no señala al mexicano (una calabaza) con el dedo por que causa que el fruto se pudra prematuramente.
Una mayor en particular compartió historias de su vida, entre las que nos contó sobre las personas que participaron activamente en las retomas de tierra que ocurrieron en las décadas de los 70’s y 80’s. De cómo tierras que siempre fueron del resguardo, fueron tomadas ilegalmente por las haciendas de las familias ricas de Popayán y Cali; cómo, cuando los Misak empezaban a reclamar lo que era de ellos, los ricos, con ayuda de la policía y la iglesia, reprimían a las personas con castigos humillantes y violencia, encarcelándolos y en otros casos asesinándolos. Una etapa importante, triste pero asombrosa de la historia de los Misak, es como el pueblo se pudo unificar bajo esas circunstancias para defender su territorio. Ahora los jóvenes están buscando continuar con estos logros por medio de una variedad procesos tradicionales y nuevas capacitaciones.
El último día que estuvimos ocurrió el truque. Fue de las cosas más bellas, especiales, y fuertes que hemos visto. Personas en las ciudades o en los países del norte, a veces hablan o tratan de practicar el truque en un esfuerzo por recuperar una práctica pedida, pero acá vimos que el trueque todavía es el método de intercambio más legitimo, equitativo, sincero y, antes que todo, vivo. Fue increíble ver a más de mil personas llegando en chivas unas tras otras, llenas de todas sus cosechas, crías y pescas de todas las regiones y climas para intercambiar su riqueza alimentaría. El evento fue organizado por el Cabildo, hubo partidos de fútbol, música tradicional y fue transmitido por Guambía Stereo. También hubo unas hormigas del Colectivo La Chiva, un grupo de jóvenes canadienses que mantiene relaciones de solidaridad con movimientos sociales en Colombia. 
A todos los que estuvimos conociendo y que veníamos de afuera nos pidieron hablar por la emisora y compartir con todos los que estaban allá escuchando el evento por "medio Cauca". Todo el día pudimos compartir con varios adultos, mayores, jóvenes, niños y niñas, comida, vino de cedro, en fin, ver, escuchar, conocer. Al final del evento, pudimos compartir con unos Taitas de la comunidad sobre los encuentros y el trabajo que las abejas y hormigas han tenido en el resguardo. Aunque apenas fue un comienzo, nuestra presencia parece que gustó. Al igual que nos preguntaron cuándo íbamos a volver a Guambía cuando estábamos allá, nosotros nos preguntamos ahora cuándo es que vamos a volver. Esperamos que pronto para poder seguir tejiendo, sembrando, compartiendo y conociendo con el pueblo Misak. Pipi.
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Since we bees arrived in Cauca, we have had a lot of interest and curiosity in visiting Guambía, the territory of the Misak (Guambiano) people. From Caldono we left with some Misak friends that invited us to visit and participate in a workshop on globalization at the house of the Tampolkuari ya, named after the traditional hat of the Misak. All the peoples and spaces that we have been so pleasantly invited to visit, get to know and share have been of great value and we feel honored as humble (not bumble) bees to be able to be able to be in these spaces. The time, weaving and mambeo that started this time in Guambia was of a particular special and beautiful energy and we hope it is just a beginning of more yet to come.
We arrived in the town of Silvia, which even though very quaint and picturesque we kept on flying until we arrived at the resguardo to be able to get to know the territory as well as escape from the tourists that were in town for the Christian Holy Week. Originally we were going to do the story telling as the second piece of a longer workshop on globalization until we received the notice that a professor that was going to come to give the first part was stuck behind a land slide. The bees specialized in last minute and spontaneous story telling landed at the soccer field next to the Tampolkuari ya. This structure that is for meetings, events, talks and discussions amongst the community is architecturally designed like the hat of the same name and has a structure equally beautiful, sophisticated and intricate. With permission, we flew up the columns inside the house to hang the Plan Colombia banner.
What started as a small talk with some of the youth from the communications group and Indigenous Authorities turned into a group of more then one hundred participants. Among the participants was the resguardo’s Vice Governor that even though he had to leave early, took the word for a moment in their own language and then in Spanish, valuing the work and asking each youth to please stay for the entirety of the presentation and not to leave early. During the story telling, the glyphosphate fumigations of poppy crops that occurred in 2000 and 2002 were mentioned. After the fumigations that destroyed more of the foods then the poppy crops and left the Piendamó river contaminated for quite some time, the only plants that could grow back in that soil were the poppies as well as food crop strains that had been genetically modified to resist the poison. It was a critical moment for the community that they have since been able to overcome as the poppy crops continue to drop and the fumigations have not occurred for some years now.
Various Misak spoke about the new Law of Water that the Presidency is proposing. A compañera explained the following: "The Departmental Plan for Waters prioritizes Municipalities and Departments that are hydraulically rich...and Cauca is included. This is a program of the federal Government that is looking to appropriate sources of water and proposing that over time, create reforms around the management of the water to allow national and international companies to take over in what they propose is sustainable. Companies like Agua Brisa, Coca Cola, Microsoft, etc. ...As you could imagine indigenous territories are seen as a principal powerful source... in reference to Guambía, it will not be permitted... this will cause the government to diminish a percentage of the resources of the General System of Participants... and even if this happens the rivers, springs, lagoons and wetlands will not be sold."
During the story telling, in the spiral, the scene of the fireplace fueled those present to take the word. Folks spoke about how in traditional Misak homes the cooking fire was in the middle of the kitchen or house and occupied a large space. The cooking fire was not simply the center of all culinary activities though was the medium in which families come together, share, learn, teach and continue each in their own process. One person said it is "central to the continuation of the culture and recognized as the ¨first school¨". What does it mean for a family when the cooking fore is moved from the center into a corner or when a television is placed in the kitchen?
While we only did one story telling, we spent various days cross pollinating with our brothers and sisters in Guambia. We met many folks from the resguardo and were able to share with them in many spaces. One day we hoed soil to plant potato and also harvested some potato, uyuco and onions for the trueque (trade) organized by the Cabildo for the following day. We had the privilege of meeting and speaking with elders that would tell us all sorts of stories of traditional knowledge. We were also able to share in such special moments such as a lunar rainbow and an alik. We also learned that you are not suppose to point at the mexicano (a type of pumpkin) with your finger cause it will cause premature rot.
One elder in particular shared stories of her life with us, including about those folks who were present and active in the land reclamations that occurred here in the 1970s and 80s. We heard about how the land of the resguardo was illegally taken by the haciendas of the rich families from Popayán and Cali, and how when the Misak started reclaiming the land that is theirs, the rich with help from the police and the Catholic Church repressed the Misak with humiliating punishments, violence, imprisonments and in some cases assassinations. An important, difficult yet incredible stage of Misak history. How they were able to unite under such circumstances to defend their territory. Now the youth are looking to continue these achievements through a variety of traditional processes though with new skills sets.
The last day we were in Guambia was the trueque. It was one of the most beautiful, special and solid things we have ever seen. Folks in the cities and countries in the north sometimes speak of or try to host trades in effort to recuperate a lost practice, though here we saw that the trueque is still a method of interchange that is legitimate, equal, sincere and before all, alive. It was incredible to see more than a thousand people arriving in chiva after chiva (country buses), bringing their crops, livestock and catches from all sort of regional and climatic zones creating a rich nutritional diversity. The event was organized by the Cabildo, there were soccer matches, traditional music and the whole event was broadcasted on Guambía Stereo. There were also some ants from the Collective La Chiva, a group of youth in Canada that maintains relations of solidarity with different social movements in Colombia. All of us who came from afar were asked to speak on the air and share with those who were at the event and the ‘half of Cauca” that was listening. All day we were able to share food, experiences and cedar wine with adults, elders, youth and children and generally, look, listen and experience. At the end of the event we were able to share with some Taitas (male elders) of the community about the encuentros and the work that the ants and bees have been doing in the resguardo. Even though it was just a start, it appears that our presence was well liked. The most frequent question we were asked when there was when we would return to Guambía and now we ask ourselves, when will it is that we can go back? We hope soon to continue weaving, planting, sharing and experience with the Misak nation. Pipi.
It has been
over ten years since the Beehive Design Collective first went to Putumayo during
its research trip to create the graphic about Plan Colombia. Not much has changed
since then, and unfortunately the presence of aerial fumigations over
indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon as well as oil extraction within
their territories has only increased since the making of this graphic. 
Polinizaciones
accompanied the Escuela of Comunicación Propia del Putumayo in the Lower Bota
Caucana to document different issues in the region. First were the activities
of Canadian oil companies like Gran Tierra´s operation of different wells in
the Costayaco, Guayuyaco and Moqueta petroleum blocs and Pacific Rubiales in
the Teracay and Tacacho blocs. All of these installations are connected to pollution
and have a negative impact on the forests and rivers of Caqueta, the Bota
Caucana and Putumayo. In addition to
the problems caused by oil companies, Polinizaciones documented aerial
fumigations, part of Plan Colombia, which only result in displacement and
making people sick. Construction of the marginal forest highway (part of the South
America Regional Infrastructure Integration (IIRSA) project) and its role in facilitating
the extraction of oil, gold, and other resources, was also documented.
The
territory within the limits of the Churumbelos Mountains holds the headwaters
of numerous Amazonian rivers such as el Congor, el Tambor, El Fragua, El
fraguita, and many others that will all be privatized by the creation of the
Auca Wasi National Park. This is done under the pretense of “sustainable
development” as part of the selling of “environmental services” (oxygen and
biopiracy) in alignment with pro-business politics and the unworthy track
record of major multinational organizations such as the WWF, USAID, and the
World Bank. Meanwhile, the territory will continue to be destroyed through oil
and mineral extraction as part of the geopolitics of the privatization of the
Amazon that the State puts into effect by militarizing the territory with the
army, resulting in violence and displacement. 
This
territory is inhabited by the Inga people and more recently the Nasa and Awá
peoples, as well a growing colono
population that is the major culprit in deforestation for mining and cultivation
of mono-crops such as rice and coca, as well as cattle ranching. As expressed
by local inhabitants, these communities are threatened by displacement and
their future depends on future generation´s ability to maintain their
communities organized and able to stand against mega-development projects and
national parks. 
Ancestrally
this is the territory of the so called Andakí Peoples of which some people in
the region have grandparents and relatives that were kidnapped from these
communities. For the most part, the kidnapped have not been seen in over 80 years.
Being in the region, we had the privilege of seeing petroglyphs in the upper
part of the Congor River that were very similar to those in La Jagua, Huila. We
made the connection that it is quite possible that the headwaters of the Fragua
River are the same headwaters of the Suaza River that joins the Magdalena River
in the area of La Jagua. 
On this
tour we were able to witness how State policies of militarization and
extraction go hand and hand with the destruction of the environment due to the
contamination caused by extractive industries and the breaking of the social fabric
of the communities that live on contaminated lands and are no longer able to
live as they have before. All of the extraction projects use the Colombian
military as part of their security and any opposition from local communities is
done under the constant threat of violence. The result is that these
communities are forced to be impoverished and polluted, and any misstep can
result in displacement from the territory or death. 
This is
just the territory that is in need of being able to share and appropriate
graphics such as the Plan Colombia and True Cost of Coal banners into the local
communities. We were able to take the story of Plan Colombia and extractivism
to the communities and territories that helped forge and weave the Plan
Colombia graphic over ten years ago, and that today continue to value and need
it as an important tool for raising consciousness. It’s worth mentioning the
surreal nature of presenting the Plan Colombia graphic to a large group of
people while various Blackhawk helicopters flew overhead at the exact moment
that we talked about militarization as a way of reinforcing the everyday
reality that is the Colombian Amazon. 
