Dwanimako Arroyo Izquierdo
Dwanimako Arroyo Izquierdo (2000) lives in Donachui in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia as a member of the Iku people. When he was young his family moved to the central zone in the Kwarte Umuke community, where he began his studies at the ethno-educative institution Imanuel Lyceum of the North. After finishing his studies in 2019, he began the process of remembering his ancestral culture. He is determined to strengthen the care for Mother Earth by protecting the territory: āDonachui is the heart of a living world where the thought is protected as the Law of Originā.
Dwanimako is on the pursuit for the autonomy of his community, taking care of their native seeds and their ancestral agriculture practices. He works with women (Atis) and authorities of various communities on protecting Mother Earth, the thought that cares for life and gives us all food and protection. He learns by listening to the elders and follows the guidance of the Mamos (spiritual guides), who listen to Mother Earth and deliver offerings on the diverse territories. His dream is to share their story so that we all defend Mother Earth, together with the environmental defense, a healthy life and the care of love.