We are here, we are for you and we are all one!
Dear Pacha Mama, generous Mother Earth,
We are gathered here in this act to once again reaffirm our commitment and willingness to defend you until the last of our sighs.
On this Earth Day, celebrated every April 22, we remember how generous you are, how much abundance you provide and how many gifts you offer to your sons and daughters.
We speak on behalf of those who understand you as an integrated ecosystem, in which the physical, biological, spiritual and energetic dimensions of our lives dance in a harmonious way, allowing an infinite number of beings to enjoy your work.
We speak on behalf of those who have a more intimate connection with you – the indigenous, the riverside communities, the quilombolas, the settlers, those born and raised in traditional populations – and who are used to the cycles of sowing and harvesting, which requires commitment from us, hard work, respect for nature and its wisdom.
We are currently under a great challenge – a pandemic of global proportions, caused by the careless and pretentious way in which we deal with your majestic creation.
This pandemic is taking our loved ones, but not only: it is changing our economy, our politics and the functioning of the society that we chose to be a few centuries ago.
We already understand that capitalism does not bring the answers that we want, and solutions that we need – and that is why it needs to be replaced by another way of looking at existence.
We dig for gold and ores, destroying everything around as if there were no tomorrow – and there always is;
We burn roots, branches and trunks, leaving ashes and charred remains where color and life used to be;
We allow our natural sanctuaries to be invaded and vandalized, causing deep wounds on your skin;
We pollute the waters, disrespecting rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, as well as all beings that depend on them;
We exterminate pollinators and launch gases that condemn all life.
The signs of our bad attitude are evident: the climate has changed; water is lacking for many; breathing is difficult in several places; fruits are scarce; and many of our people are forced to move in search of provisions and better living conditions;
But we ask you, Generous Mother who heals – do not give up on us.
Forgive those who have not yet understood the strength of the sacred feminine, the energy of women and the contributions they bring to our struggles and lives;
Forgive those who still advocate the supremacy of man over all other forms of life, without understanding that each animal, each plant, each river or waterfall, each valley or mountain, each forest or each savanna, has its raison d’être;
Forgive your children who have not yet understood that we are all one and that everything is connected;
Forgive your children who have not yet understood that life goes in cycles – there is no good fortune that does not cover its price, and there is no time of abundance without a period of scarcity. Therefore, balance is essential.
At this moment, with this letter:
We promise you with the strength of our maraca, genipap and annatto, to fight fully for life; making our bodies trees of our floors, the last frontiers in the struggle for life.
Beloved Mother,
Accept the requests of your children who know that without you nothing springs and nothing grows.
Help us to conceive a collective decolonial thought, closer to your demands, more horizontal in its visions, that properly values all your manifestations.
Only you know the future that we deserve.
But we trust in your love and your generosity to guide us towards a restorative transformation that will alleviate suffering and heal wounds.
We ask for your compassion and a little more patience.
We are here, we are for you and we are all one!