Brainstorm Week 8 - Paul Druta

The idea of la pachamama is very significant as a source of cultural knowledge outside of the restrictive confines of neo-liberalism, which has marginalized Indigenous populations while also damaging nature ecosystems. Modern Indigenous struggles for emancipation and rights in Latin America are greatly influenced by knowledge systems centered around connecting with and preserving la pachamama since nature is at the heart of their historical traditions and customs. However, beyond just serving as a reference to pre-colonial time, the preservation of la pachamama is significant as a way of reshaping the future and the way we think about it. Catherine Walsh writes about the importance of new emerging cosmo-knowledges, rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems, stating: "...I believe instead that they are demonstrative of the shift that we are experiencing in the region, a shift where the principles and base of struggle and transformation are no longer simply about identity, access, recognition, or rights, but about perspectives of knowledge that have to
do with the model and logic of LIFE itself." (Walsh 51). Considering that humans still rely on natural resources for survival, the future of the human race is still intertwined with that of Mother Earth. Some governments have begun to recognize this importance within their constitutions, such as in Ecuador's: "One passage says nature 'has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution'" (Revkin). Just as Chicanxfuturism is centered around creating positive futures for marginalized populations, grassroots feminista movements strive to create a future where la pachamama and the gifts she has given us can continue to be celebrated.