EDGE Tour - Costa Rica
Lessons from the Bribri community
During our visit to Amubri, we met a lot of unique people. Fortunately, I was able to talk to a member of the Bribri community, and the interview that we had not only struck me as being unique, but also eye-opening. Haidar is 29 years old and plans to finish high school by the end of this academic year. He has been in Koswak for 5 years, but a member of the Bribri for a very long time. Haidar belongs to Diuyak clan, one of many other clans in Amuri. His clan believe that they are the roots of Talamanka province as well as the roots of Costa Rica. The reason behind this is because they have been living in this land for a very long time. Moreover, since they have been living on these territories longer than anyone, it is important for them to conserve this land and protect its cultural identity and way of living.
At this point, I would like to add my personal opinion on their way of living. It is so special that it is worth conserving and protecting. Not having internet made us feel unplugged from the rest of the world, but it forced us to connect with each other and form friendship bonds that would have never been possible if it weren’t for the Bribri way of living. You’re forced to engage in a conversation in order for the time to pass by, and at the same time you’re learning many new things about other people. Anyways, shifting back to Haidar, he moves on to talk about how important knowledge is for the Bribri. They don’t just scratch the surfaces of things, but opt to dig deeper to learn more about it. An example Haidar gave me was the Bribri’s understanding about cocoa plant compared to other people’s understanding of it. In school, you’re taught what it is, where it grows and how it tastes. However, the Bribri go further and explain the history of this plant, where it came from, the health benefits and the spirituality of this plant. Haidar is passionate about demonstrating the importance of knowledge in Bribri by attending school with desire, and plans to even go further and study university, despite being 29 years old. I have learned a lot from this 15 minute talk, and I am very sure that all of us have something to learn from this amazing Bribri community. This talk completely changed the way that I used to look at indigenous communities. - Tarek
Back
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
