The Mamo’s work with a sacred instrument called the Popora, that they energetically record all their experiences and messages of all life around them. Their life’s work of service to the Mother Earth is contained in the Popora.
The Mamos
Meet Some of The Arhuaco Mamos
Caretakers of our World
Elder Mamo Kinnguma Nino(Elder Mamo of Seykwinkuta Community)
Mamo Miguel Nino(Elder Mamo of Seykwinkuta Community)
Mamo Zarikugwmw – Hipolito Zalabata(Elder Mamo of Simonorwa Community)
Mamo Nerungvmvn – Crispin Perez(Cabildo of Jimain Community)
Mamo Miguel Torrez(Mamo of Jimain Community)
Mamo Gregorio Izquierdo(Mamo of Simonorwa Community)
Mamo Luis Eduardo(Mamo of Kanoteti Community)
Mamo Dwawiku(Mamo of Kanoteti Community)
We honour and give thanks for the Arhuaco Mamos' sacred service to the Earth and all beings.
As Mamos and as Arhuaco people we proclaim the gratitude that is so strongly connected with that Law of Origin. Gratitude to animals, plants, water, mountain, breeze, people and life itself.
The Mamo is born predestined by the superior forces of the universe and as he grows, he learns the secrets of nature by living in close contact with Mother Earth. Elder Mamos guide him to relate all this natural and innate knowledge with the unique and profound knowledge of the Origin that was left to him by Kaku Serankwa (the Father God) and by Seynekun (Mother Earth).
The Mamo lives in the Sierra Nevada, in "The Big House" (the Sacred temple of the Heart of the World). He cares for the thought of the cosmos and of the earth and everything that creates life, in compliance with the Law of Origin. The essence and mission of the Mamo are reflected in the hills, ponds, stones, plants, and beings of this dimension and of all dimensions above and below.
The Mamo is a walker of the Black Line and of the sacred sites interconnected with that line. All sacred sites are points of relationship and pagamentos (offerings). The main task of the Mamo is to open, at his intention, the sacred portals that lead to the knowledge in the temple of life, and to be the guardian of the primitive, pure and intact ancient knowledge that was left to him by the father, Serankwa Tana.
In the physical plane, the Mamo is the person who has the power, from his knowledge and wisdom, his spirituality, to transmit and reinforce the Law of Origin from the Sierra Nevada, for the entire population of the world, for all mankind and all generations of the past, present, and future.
The true message from the Mamo is unconditional love and respect for all that exists. He is always in pursuit of identification with all the good that we receive from our Mother Earth, Seynekun. He is able to remain in a deep, constant and profound dialogue with beings from other dimensions, with day and night, with life and death, with health, with hot and cold. Through this constant dialogue, the Mamo becomes wiser and wiser and more and more knowledgeable about the world and the cosmos and at the same time becomes humbler and humbler.
The profound, spiritual knowledge allows him to interpret and manage many natural phenomena when they announce themselves as messengers of the Fathers of Creation. The Mamo, through this dialogue, has the ability to intercede through forgiveness, compassion towards men, and through pagamentos to all these elements is able to put divine justice into practice.
The Mamos create harmony because harmony creates balance, beauty, peace and respect for themselves, the Elder Brothers, and for the Younger Brothers, the rest of humanity. This dynamic helps in the repair of whatever damage or disharmony our actions have created either in the material or spiritual world. In this manner, the Mamos are the caregivers of the great existence, making it more enduring, more dignified and aligning it with the divine.
The poporo is a sacred instrument of the four Indigenous Communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is a symbol of the cultural continuity of these peoples. Young men receive the poporo when they reach puberty, which means they are ready to comply with the Law of Origin and responsible for caring for themselves and their families.
Mamo Nerungvmvn – Crispin Perez
Mamo Nerungvmvm is from the Jimain Community of the Arhuaco Lands. He was born in Jugaka.
He belongs to the lineage Serankwa Tana, whose function is to be the Mamo of the Traditional Territory for ensuring the good functioning of the territory.
He is the son of Mamo Nawingvmvm and Kwaney Saga. Mamo Nerungvmvm has been a great defender of the territory and works for the repossession of the land as a way to advance the consolidation and recovery of the sacred territory.
Thanks to his intervention and action, it was possible to establish the community of Jimain. Jimain is one of the centers of high cultural importance for the Arhuaco territory. It is also a center of congregation of the four ethnic Tairona groups (the Kogi, Arhuaco, Kunkwama and Wiwa peoples) to make pagamentos in several of their sacred sites for the conservation, protection and care of Mother Earth.
Mamo Zarikugwmw – Hipolito Zalabata
Mamo Zarikugwmw is an Elder Mamo of the Community of Simunurua. He was born in Simunurua. He belongs to the lineage of Seykinchwkwa Tana whose function is the feedback of knowledge.
He is the son of Julian Mamo Zalabata and Saga Valentina Luque. Mamo Zarikugwmw is one of the great Mamos who jointly with the Tayrona Indigenous Confederation (CIT) led processes for the defense and protection of the ancestral territory.
He coordinates the synchronicity and common purposes of all activities, rituals and actions of the pagamentos (spiritual payments) undertaken by the Mamos among all the older Kankurwas of the Arhuaco resguard. His community is Simunurua.
Mamo Luis Eduardo
Mamo Luis Eduardo was born in Simᵿnᵿrwa, belongs to the lineage Genᵿngeka which studies everything related to the function of the sacred sites. Mamo Luis Eduardo is the son of: Luis Eduardo Malo Izquierdo and Josefa Crespo Marquez. He is married to the Aty Delfia Arroyo Torres, with whom he has six children. Currently, he lives in Simᵿnᵿrwa. His function as mamᵿ is concentrated on the development of mortuary healings, the christening of children and entails harmonization with all beings of nature and the cosmos and also the exercise of compliance in maintaining the order of Mother Law. In this way, he is the direct manager of the spiritual process of balancing energies.