The role/expectations What does the work schedule look like? Please give as much detail as possible

Whoever you are, whatever you can do with your hands, come and meet us !

As stated, the meaning of being a volunteer for the Arhuacos comes from a place of personal desire and openness. This is the reason why the Mamos from Mamorwa, who represent the guardians of the ancestral wisdom of the Arhuaco people, offer to immerse volunteers in a full experience that blends work on the body, on emotions, on the mind and spirit.

This personal work starts at a really particular time of the day, at dawn. Between 3 and 6 a.m. there is a special conjunction that helps to meditate, focus and untangle the sufferings and difficulties that block our way in life. This opens the door to slowly move towards a clearer mind.

This daily process teaches us to "look inside ourselves", so that our understanding of our history grows.

It is also at the same moment of the day, the Mamos teach us, that the Spirit of water is far more present, and that the river’s water acquires deeper cleansing characteristics, which complete the morning mind work through a purifying immersion in the river.

After this introspective moment comes breakfast with the arhuaca family.

The work started in the morning is internalized and continues to develop within the activities throughout the day. Indeed, the Mamos will offer many different physical tasks linked with the current necessities of the reserve, each carrying a precise meaning for the ones achieving them.

As an example, cutting wood and bringing it back to the village means, in the arhuaca tradition, that we are asking for a conversation around the fire and that we implicitly have the wish to listen and to learn.

The physical work of the day is fundamental to the concept of volunteering. This is why there is no precise time limit set by the Mamos (the minimum being 4 daily hours of work, 6 days a week). Rather, it is a question of being involved with the daily life of an indigenous community and of learning as much as possible about all the richness the people and community have to offer.

Here are some of the regular activities that the volunteers who visit us take part in:

● Traditional agriculture with the cultivation of maize, beans, squash, bananas, sugar cane, cassava, coffee, cocoa, malanga...
● Planting trees as part of a reforestation project (we have not started planting, it is planned !)
● Bringing in wood from the forest
● Collecting Coca leaves in the traditional arhuaca way
● Earthworks
● Construction of traditional arhuaca houses and sacred places "Kankurua" (traditional arhuaca construction dedicated to group reflection on community life and arhuaco spiritual work)
● Decoration of the places built, artistic work

And many other things depending on the needs of the moment!

If you have the ability to understand and translate Spanish into another language this is very useful to us. We are always looking for translators to facilitate the exchange with our visitors.

At sunset, comes the moment to gather around a fire for the fire circle. This is a powerful moment of communion and exchange with the spirit of fire, for which the Mamos are translators, connected to the knowledge of their ancestors, dating back millenia.

Each one of the volunteers will have the opportunity to talk about feelings that arose during the day and to go deeper and access the areas they wish to work on, while at the sacred Mamorwa site.

Free-time activities

What are the Benefits of Volunteering with you? What will you learn?

It offers an opportunity to learn how to look within, but also to study the causes of our difficulties and sufferings without having to go through the pain they have caused us once again.

Volunteering teaches us to find and develop qualities such as inner receptivity, concentration, motivation and self-surpassing, as well as finding how to be strong-willed for our own lives. It is a transformative process that is physical, emotional, mental as well as spiritual.

The Mamos guide volunteers with advice based on their way of life and with words of wisdom. Volunteering offers, step by step, a better  and more profound understanding of the functioning of the universe and of our inner-self. A change of perspective on ourselves and on life occurs by being in contact with the daily life of the Mamos and their families whose customs are vibrant with life and knowledge for those who are ready to listen.

If you Charge Volunteers, please give us the complete break down of any cost involved

We charge 50,000 Colombian pesos to stay per night. This covers all the food and accommodations at the project.

Below we include a description of the accommodations:

Rooms with hammocks (we have blankets on site but it is advisable to bring your own for comfort).

A kitchen available for volunteers for convenience (under construction yet, come and help us to improve the reception of volunteers).