“Why do we want to continue separating the environment and the man, when that formula has already failed?” A question posed by Jachuka Rete, of the Guarani people, speaking at the Flourishing Diversity Summit in September 2019, as she addressed a global audience gathered to listen to indigenous representatives share their wisdom.
Jachuka speaks of destructive economies, fuelled by an ambition for acquiring more than we need, that destroy so much to so obtain little,
“We see richness from a different point of view. Nature gives you what you need as long as you look after it.”
The Guarani people have lived in harmony for centuries due to this understanding. They were taught as children not to destroy nature and developed an understanding of how to live as equals and not use power destructively.
In this talk we are invited to contemplate what true wealth is, and consider the diversity within our humanity, in order to communicate between cultures with fairness and equality, so that everyone’s voice may be heard.
Jachuka Rete is from Tekoa (community) Tamandua, located in Misiones, Argentina. She's worked internationally for many years as a teacher of Guarani Language and Culture and as territorial technician for the National Institute of Indigenous Affairs.
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