The concept of minga is the community institution symbolizing work, unity and solidarity. It is a festive event that is carried out with great enthusiasm and joy. Its scope and dimension are conceived by understanding the collective feeling that characterizes the Kichwa runes, in the joint construction of the road on which the locals travel and live.
From this point of view, mingas are one of the supporters of the construction of the Sumak Kawsay (good living). The minga concept is alive in the Kichwa communities of the Amazon. It manifests in the bosom of the kawsak sacha (living forest), healthy and harmonious activity, to the extent that its territory offers the necessary conditions to support life, to build good social relations and to do good hunting and fishing, but also to build orchards and harvest good fruits.
In this context, the organization PAKKIRU (Pastaza Kikin Kichwa Runakuna), and its inhabitants are determined to keep our cultural traditions alive. We want to shout to the world that we still exist and that we are stewards of our territories, of our history, and, in a cosmic way, of our coexistence with the pachamama. For this reason, we have undertaken the responsibility of the great minga of allpamanta, kawsaytamta hatarishun (for the earth and for life, let’s get up), to self-regulate, care for, protect and save our territory from the forms of natural resources extraction that overwhelm the harmonious life of the runes of the Antisuyu.
On October 12, 2020, to the rhythm of drums, wayusa and chicha, with the strength of community leaders, young people, children and from the ancestral community of Shiwakucha (subsidiary of ACIA-PAKKIRU), we have returned to give meaning to our history. We have declared this date the day of the resistance of the Abya Yala people. On this day, we start the great minga, as a symbol of our resistance to the processes of colonialism and to the failed plans and programs of the governments that distort the vision of sumak kawsay, whose consequence is the death of our allpamama. This hurts, sickens and violates the human rights of its people.
For this reason, the great minga of PAKKIRU is the continuation of the great historical march of the Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza OPIP (current PAKKIRU) of 1992. This march mobilized people from the depths of the Amazon to the city of Quito, where one million one hundred twenty-five thousand hectares of the ancestral territories of Pastaza successfully achieved title.
In this bustle, many leaders, Kichwa men and women of Pastaza, have ceased to exist, but live in the memory of their children and still encourage the social struggle. Today it is up to young people to demarcate their territory. They are the future pillars of the indigenous struggle who, following the example of their parents and grandparents, have decided to define their territory with ax and machete. 28 years have passed since the march of ‘92, and the new youth, loaded with answers and demands for the current authorities, decided to protect their allpa mama.
The march of the OPIP / 1992 and the great minga of PAKKIRU / 2020, are actions of self-determination of the Kichwa peoples of Pastaza in their process of community self governance. More than twenty thousand inhabitants coexist freely in this territory, organized into 13 towns, 3 communes and 161 communities. Today, the task remains to incorporate Bilingual Education into the learning processes of children and young people, so that they feel, care for and protect their territory and freely develop the language and culture of our People.
Community self-governance will save the kawsak sacha and will build the road to the sumak kawsay of the communities.
Written by: Claudio Calapucha Andy