who are we?
support us!delasierra supports the recovery of the (im)material cultural heritage of the Tayrona’s descendants – Kággaba/Kogi, Arsario/Wiwa, Ika/Arhuaco and Antaque/Kankuamo – of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia.
Tayrona goldwork, depicting a symbol of the sun deity „Haté Sé,“ circa 800 A.D., source
Our mission is to nourish the reconnection between the Tayrona’s descendants and their (im)material cultural heritage, this includes: creating an inventory of the heritage in museums and private collections worldwide, researching on the provenance and significance as well as the consequences and forms of translocation of this cultural heritage, supporting discussions on the future of the collections and of restitution processes, as well as coordinating collaborative projects with museums.
In this way, delasierra aims to promote intercultural dialog and connect different systems of knowledge as well as practices related to the (im)material cultural heritage. delasierra is therefore committed to international, intercultural and transdisciplinary collaboration, hopefully establishing new ethical relationships. By recognizing and valuing indigenous knowledge and ways of life, delasierra intends to contribute to the recovery of ecological, cultural and social equilibrium.
delasierra's commitment to the recovery of the (im)material cultural heritage is based on a collaboration with the Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (OGT) in Colombia.
past events
Tayrona goldwork (VMZ Inv-No. 17892-17928) in the collection of the Ethnographic Museum of UZH, photo: Ethnographic Museum of UZH, archive signature VMZ-S-F-02-003, Malkin file 1980
collaborative research
25th of january to 14th of february 2025
reconnecting with the (im)material cultural heritage in museums
Based on our research in museums worldwide, a delegation of the Kággaba people, representing the Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (OGT), visited museums in Switzerland and Germany to (re)connect with their (im)material cultural heritage and exchange about its meaning, significance and future. It has been a great honor to accompany Mama José Shibulata Zarabata Sauna, one of the most important spiritual authorities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta’s indigenous societies and a highly valued expert in the handling of sacred Tayrona objects, who carries deep knowledge of the Law of Origin sé and the code of sé shisha, together with José Manuel Sauna Mamatacan, communications coordinator of the Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (OGT), and an expert in translating and transmitting the ancestral knowledge, on this journey. We are grateful for the trust, the journey we shared, the valuable teachings, and this meaningful collaboration.
We visited the Ethnological Museum of the University of Zurich, the Museum der Kulturen Basel, the Museum Natur und Mensch in Freiburg, the Abteilung Weltkulturen of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen in Mannheim, the MARKK Museum am Rothenbaum Kulturen und Künste der Welt in Hamburg and the Ethnological Museum in Berlin and we want to thank them for the valuable exchange and their great support!
The project was made possible by the generous support of the DFG-Research Training Group “Cultures of Critique” at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, the museums in Switzerland and Germany, the LIAS Leuphana Institutite of Advanced Studies in Culture and Society at the Leuphana University Lüneburg and last but not least all the private donors – to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks! A thousand thanks also to Nina Willimann for accompanying us and documenting all museum visits, as well as to Agnes Sabel, Diana Bärmann, Angela Lugo und Laura von Niederhäusern for catering and transportation, our families, friends, and colleagues for their incredible support!
On the occasion of our visit, the Museum der Kulturen Basel published a blog post (written by Andrea Mašek, Public Relations), and the Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich shared a post on Instagram. Based on Laura Felicitas Sabel’s research in the collection of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, and a meeting with the Mamos in Tungueka in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in early 2024, we were able to contribute to the identification and return of three additional culturally significant objects — a ceremonial staff, a headpiece, and a small basket. These were transferred to Colombia as a long-term loan during COP16 and later to the Kággaba community, represented by the Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (OGT). The official handover took place during our visit to the Ethnological Museum in Berlin and was announced in a press release.
Drawing by Arregocés Coronado Zarabata at an event at the Ethnographic Museum of UZH, 2022
workshop
7th of february 2025
beyond restitution: indigenous practices, museums, and heritage
Mama José Shibulata Zarabata Sauna and José Manuel Sauna Mamatacan, along with representatives of other indigenous communities from Latin America, such as Glicéria Tupinambá (Serra do Padeiro, Bahia, Brazil), Francy Baniwa (Içana River, Amazonas, Brazil) and Francisco Huichaqueo accompanied by members of the Mapuche community of Bollilco (Wallmapu, Chile) and museum professionals from European collections, participated in a workshop to discuss the violent separation between the so-called objects and the indigenous peoples with their practices.
In this context, Mama José Shibulata Zarabata Sauna and José Manuel Sauna Mamatacan, in representation of the Organización Gonawindúa Tayrona (OGT), shared their perspective on the meaning and relevance of the Tayrona (im)material cultural heritage and reflected on the consequences of its translocation and absence from the ancestral territory – the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta – as it is now held in museum collections worldwide. The delegation emphasized the central role of cultural heritage in past and present practices and its importance for the ecological, cultural, and social equilibrium within the four indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and at the global level, which is why they also mentioned the urgent need for the restitution of their cultural heritage. The presentation was illustrated with images of sacred sites in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, as well as of our visits to the Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich, the Museum der Kulturen Basel, the Abteilung Weltkulturen at the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, and the MARKK Museum am Rothenbaum.
The participation of the Kággaba delegation was made possible through the generous support of the DFG-Research Training Group “Cultures of Critique” and the LIAS Leuphana Institute of Advanced Studies in Culture and Society at Leuphana University Lüneburg. Their contribution (in English) can be found on the LIAS YouTube channel. We are pleased to point out the FAZ article Das Museum als Seelenkerker by Wolfgang Krischke, which discusses our workshop.
The workshop was organized in collaboration by Dr. Fernanda Pitta and Dr. Bruno Moreschi (Principle Investigator and Researcher respectively in the research project “Decay Without Mourning: Future Thinking Heritage Practices”), Dr. Lynn Rother (Professor for Provenance Studies, Leuphana University Lüneburg), Sebastián Eduardo Dávila (Research Associate, Professorship for Contemporary Art, Leuphana University Lüneburg), Laura Felicitas Sabel (Research Associate, DFG-Research Training Group “Cultures of Critique”, Leuphana University Lüneburg), and Susanne Leeb (Professor for Contemporary Art at Leuphana University Lüneburg and Co-director of LIAS).
donations
We need your support in the form of donations or sponsorships to ensure our long-term and continuous commitment.
We aim to continue current processes without interruption, further promote the exchange between museums and the Indigenous peoples from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in an intensive and, above all, sustainable way, realize new projects, process the documentation of the journey, and expand the website for you.
If you would like to become a sponsor or donor, we would be sincerely grateful and, if you wish, would be happy to acknowledge you as such on our website.
With your donation you support collaborative research on the provenance of the (im)material cultural heritage of the Tayrona’s descendants in museums, as well as exchange on the significance and future of this cultural heritage in the context of different knowledge systems.
Facing current climate-related and social challenges, an exchange with the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta — whose ancestral knowledge systems and practices are grounded in principles of equilibrium and well-being, both within the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and at a global scale — appears to be urgently needed. Their sacred cultural heritage plays a fundamental role in this context. The museums’ role towards society and collective future is of utmost importance, as they constitute places where collaborative practices and techniques can develop.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
We appreciate any form of support! However, if you would be interested in and capable of supporting us on the long-term, this is of great importance to us as a non-profit organization in the context of our long-term projects and collaborations.
delasierra is a registered non-profit organization based in Switzerland. You can donate via paypal or twint or you can make a donation by bank transfer. Please use the following account details:
Beneficiary: delasierra, Huttenstrasse 10, CH-8006 Zürich
Bank: Zürcher Kantonalbank
IBAN: CH29 0070 0114 9027 1396 3
BIC: ZKBKCHZZ80A