Alejandra Ortiz, better known in the Indigenous community as "Warukuma," is a Borikua of Taîno descent and a traditional cultural practitioner, archaeologist, educator, promoter and defender of the Ancestral Indigenous Caribbean culture. She gives insight into how non-Indigenous people can uplift the native Latinx community. "One of the ways in which "amayauna" (non-Indigenous people) can support native peoples is by respecting and valuing the worldview, beliefs and rituals of Indigenous cultures, since many times our cultural practices are frowned upon or are looked without a mind of understanding cultural diversity," she says. "A very strong way to uplift Indigenous people is when you interact with Indigenous cultures, do not appropriate their traditional practices to mix them with practices or beliefs of other peoples, thus creating a whole 'new culture'. This "New Age Indigenous culture', in a certain way is another version of colonization towards Indigenous Ancestral cultures." Ortiz recommends that folks take the time to educate themselves and make an effort to understand Indigenous culture, instead of judging it from the Western perspective of seeing the world. "We must also respect the places where current Indigenous communities live and their natural resources, not violate our rights and support us in our struggles to protect our Mâmona (Mother Earth), who is our livelihood and we must always remain ingratiated with Her," she adds.
Where to find her:
@espiritu.ancestral
