Reconectando:

Our primary goal has been to support Colombia's Truth Commission and to raise awareness about how nature is also a victim of the war in Colombia. In pursuit of this objective, we have collaborated with a wide range of individuals and groups, including victims and ex-combatants associated with various armed factions such as the Colombian Army, different guerrilla groups like FARC and EPL, and paramilitary groups including AUC and others. Additionally, we have extended our outreach to include social and environmental leaders, academics, local political figures, and personnel from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Co-Creators & Facilitators

Helena ter Helen, Hector Aristizabal

Collaborators

Milena Zuluaga (Filmmaker and documentalist); Edwin Gomez (Theater Artist/ Facilitator ); Diana Restrepo (Sound Artists/ Facilitator); Liliana Moreno (Anthropologist, Writer/ Facilitator)

Expanded Summary:

Reconectando is an initiative that embraces an eco-psychosocial approach, offering multi-day laboratories designed as transformative experiences for those who have been deeply affected by the dehumanizing effects of the Colombian armed conflict. Since 2017, Reconectando has made significant contributions to shedding light on, explaining, and identifying many of the recurring patterns of the conflict as it played out in various regions of Colombia. Employing a combination of methodologies such as The Work That Reconnects, Social Theater, and Healing Rituals, Reconectando has successfully created safe spaces for truth-telling, providing an avenue for individuals to acknowledge and honor the profound pain inflicted by the war. Through these processes, improbable dialogues have been guided, facilitating interactions between ex-combatants from opposing sides and their victims. This initiative has also heightened awareness of the pivotal role that nature has assumed throughout the conflict reconnecting us to mother nature as our ancestral teacher and healer.

The Unexpected:

From the very beginning of our journey, we recognized that while art, particularly theater, played a crucial role, it alone was insufficient to address the profound wounds we encountered when working with ex-combatants and victims representing diverse groups involved in Colombia's conflict. Our commitment to moving beyond the prevailing anthropocentric paradigm that had characterized most Truth Commissions' work compelled us to blend our artistic endeavors with the methodologies of deep ecology, notably drawing inspiration from Joanna Macy's transformative approach: The Work That Reconnects (TWR). Moreover, as we delved deeper into our work, we recognized the necessity of collective healing mechanisms to respond to the collective trauma that emerged through the stories shared. Consequently, the development of healing rituals emerged as a vital component of our process.

Recently during a laboratory in the Putumayo region of Colombia located near the Amazon basin, we gathered as a group around an ancient tree, to start the day of honoring our pain for the world. As in past laboratories I intended to teach a song from Burkina Faso that I had learned from my mentor, Malidoma Some of the Dagara Tribe. This song was a call to the ancestors, asking for their presence as we honored our pain and the pain of the world. However, in that moment, Taita Ricardo and Mama Charito, both indigenous people from the Camsá community, approached me with gentle but firm determination.

They requested a moment to conduct their own ritual, one rooted in their ancestral traditions, invoking the spirits of the earth and seeking permission and support from mother nature. They connected us all to the mycelia of their territory, using the roots of the giant ancient higueron tree we have chosen. They purified and cleansed us with fragrances, both alcohol-based and traditional. After completing their ritual, they turned to me, apologized for the interruption, and said, "Now you can continue."

In that transformative 30 minutes, I keenly understood the significance of their actions. My ego had been filled with shame as I realized my mistake of not seeking their guidance to open the ritual before starting. Reconectando had always practiced this with the elders, especially when they represented indigenous or Afro-Colombian groups deeply connected to their ancient traditions.

Although I had contemplated asking them to conduct a ceremony after the African song, I had not communicated this intention to the indigenous elders. Taita Ricardo and Mama Charito's powerful ritual forced me to reckon with my oversight. I fell to my knees, thanked them for welcoming us to their territory, apologized for not respecting their customs, and sought forgiveness for unintentionally perpetuating a form of colonization by imposing other practices, despite my good intentions.

Later, I commended them for their courage in asserting their rightful place and order of things in their territory. While Reconectando had invited them to the process, it was they who received us on their land. This act of truth and reconciliation became a profound opening to trust and honesty that infused the rest of our encounter. It exemplified the principles of "trying to teach what we most need to learn" and "opening Reconectando to the power of local medicines," which I had expressed rhetorically in so many occasions.

OUTCOME:

The Truth Commission concluded its mandate and presented its report on June 28, 2023. In our role as Reconectando, we take immense pride in having worked in various regions of Colombia, where we cultivated a network of practitioners deeply committed to continuing this vital work. The outcomes have been exceedingly positive, motivating us to take the initiative to carry forward the process independently. We are grateful for the blessing and support of Padre Francisco De Roux, the former president of the Truth Commission, among others. Reconectando now continues its mission, which focuses on facilitating reconciliation between humans and nature, fostering improbable dialogues between victims and perpetrators of violence, and bridging the gap between ex-combatants and society at large. Additionally, through Reconectando, numerous artists have been recognized as "Seeds of Reconectando," individuals who are dedicated to furthering our process within their own territories and through their respective projects and organizations. In recent times, I have had the privilege of meeting with several of these artists to delve into the questions addressed in this research.

Ritual, above all else, is a profoundly creative act characterized by beauty, deep listening, and symbolic healing.

CONSIDERATIONS:

In Colombia, it's a harsh reality that very few artists are able to sustain themselves solely through their creative work. The absence of significant state funding for artistic projects forces many artists to engage in other activities to make ends meet while pursuing their artistic endeavors. The unique opportunity we had to connect artists with the pivotal historical event of the Truth Commission allowed Reconectando to invite artists who harnessed their creative disciplines in service of the peace process. We also provided training to several artists, enabling them to seamlessly integrate their art forms with the methodologies of The Work That Reconnects.

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Furthermore, the Reconectando process had a profound impact on us as artists, as it became evident that few artists have access to healing modalities themselves. We utilized art as a medium for expressing and exploring our own difficult stories related to Colombia's war, concurrently addressing our own emotional wounds as individuals dedicated to the arts. This process of communal healing was particularly meaningful, as it challenged the conventional victim/perpetrator/savior paradigm, acknowledging that each of us has occupied different positions within this triangle at various points in our lives and healing journeys.

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Through the creation of healing rituals, we integrated our artistic forms, including theater, music, song, visual art, storytelling, and more, into the rituals co-created with the groups and communities we collaborated with. We viewed our wounds as symbolic tombs for things that needed to be laid to rest, no longer serving us, and thus deserving of burial, cleansing with purifying waters, or consuming by the transformative fires. Yet, these wounds were also recognized as fertile wombs where we planted the seeds of our collective future, emphasizing the resilience and regenerative potential inherent in our shared experiences.

Affirmations & Learnings:

Working as artists alongside communities scarred by profound wounds and collective trauma demands that we embark on a journey of self-reflection and personal healing. This is not only essential for our own growth and evolution but also integral to our capacity to effectively engage with these communities. Our psyches are intricately woven into the fabric of the process, inseparable from the unfolding narrative.

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While many of us have been trained to produce tangible artistic creations, there are transformative processes, like the one I am describing here, where the primary and most meaningful product is the process itself. In these instances, artists harness their talents in service of what seeks to emerge from the act of listening to the future in the present moment. The essence of art transcends the confines of traditional artistic products; it resides in the profound communion between our humanity and our natural essence during ritual.

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Ritual, above all else, is a profoundly creative act characterized by beauty, deep listening, and symbolic healing. It offers a space where the wounds of individuals and communities can be acknowledged, transformed, and ultimately transcended. In this context, art serves as a conduit for the expression of shared experiences and the co-creation of a narrative that transcends the boundaries of time and trauma. The act of ritual becomes a vessel for the alchemical process of healing, bridging the gap between past wounds and the potential for a harmonious future.

RESOURCES

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