El cuidado de la vida a través del ritual del Pagamento con canto y danza de los indígenas Wiwa de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

Abstract

This work aims to describe the practice of pagamento (ritual offerings) through chanting and dance of the Wiwa indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta; supported by a personal experience of this practice in the company of the women who belong to this community. This study has an ethnographic focus and its principal source of information comes from the direct experience of fieldwork and study of music, rituals, and the spiritual worldviews of the peoples of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta and especially the Wiwa people; these experiences have taken place over the course of several years. An overview of the sociopolitical context of the Wiwa people is given, providing historical background that allows a greater understanding of this ethnic group. For this purpose it is necessary to delve not only into demographic aspects but also into the conceptions and thought patterns deeply imbedded in the Wiwa world; as we are talking about an indigenous community, a focus is given to the interpretations of a symbolic world and the practices that turn out to be essential for the development of life. In this way progress is made, going deeper into the meaning of the ritual practice of pagamento, its purpose within the tradition, and its relation with music and dance. Looking ahead, a description of the forms and intentions of the music and dance will be provided, to subsequently link these elements with the concept of pagamento. Within this substantial section the relation between pagamento, chanting and dance will be shown; their purpose and meaning framed in a ceremonial context. This is to demonstrate different wayThis work aims to describe the practice of pagamento (ritual offerings) through chanting and dance of the Wiwa indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta; supported by a personal experience of this practice in the company of the women who belong to this community. This study has an ethnographic focus and its principal source of information comes from the direct experience of fieldwork and study of music, rituals, and the spiritual worldviews of the peoples of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta and especially the Wiwa people; these experiences have taken place over the course of several years. An overview of the sociopolitical context of the Wiwa people is given, providing historical background that allows a greater understanding of this ethnic group. For this purpose it is necessary to delve not only into demographic aspects but also into the conceptions and thought patterns deeply imbedded in the Wiwa world; as we are talking about an indigenous community, a focus is given to the interpretations of a symbolic world and the practices that turn out to be essential for the development of life. In this way progress is made, going deeper into the meaning of the ritual practice of pagamento, its purpose within the tradition, and its relation with music and dance. Looking ahead, a description of the forms and intentions of the music and dance will be provided, to subsequently link these elements with the concept of pagamento. Within this substantial section the relation between pagamento, chanting and dance will be shown; their purpose and meaning framed in a ceremonial context. This is to demonstrate different ways of thinking about, using, and conceiving of music, which can provide a new perspective for and conception of it. of thinking about, using, and conceiving of music, which can provide a new perspective for and conception of it.