Kolla
The Kolla (also Coya ) (pronunciation: koja or koscha ) are an indigenous people of South America . They live in northern Chile , northwestern Argentina, and southern Bolivia .
The Kolla came under the influence of the Incas in the 10th - 12th centuries and took over their culture, language ( Quechua , partly also Aymara ) and their advanced technology. In the 16th century they were colonized by the invading Spaniards and exploited as cheap miners. Even today many live according to their traditional culture.
Like many other indigenous peoples, the Kolla have no private property, but rather practice collective agriculture. Their very own rites have mixed with Christian elements over time. For many Kolla, worshiping the Pachamama is an essential and natural part of their lives.
In Argentina, apart from the whites, the Kolla sometimes mixed with the Guaraní and related peoples. During the Argentine economic crisis in 2001, the Comunidad Kolla Guaraní in Orán (in the Argentine province of Salta ) hit the headlines because its members acted as piqueteros , i. H. roadblocks erected in protest.
In 2013 the Kolla indigenous people Natalia Sarapura from Argentina received the Bremen Peace Prize for her commitment to the indigenous communities . Their concept for the promotion of indigenous peoples includes:
- promoting cultural identity
- School education for everyone, especially further education for the rural population
- Basic education for indigenous women (80% are illiterate) and protection against violence and discrimination
- Protection of nature and the environment, especially against devastation by international mining groups.
Web links
- Literature about the Kolla in the catalog of the Ibero-American Institute in Berlin