Last night in Bogota

I spent my last night in Bogota by a bonfire listening to Muisca (an Indigenous Colombian tribe) stories, sucking coca leaves and drinking chicha whilst watching a Muisca man dance ecstatically, full heartedly and passionately.

A graffiti of a Muisca girl in La Candeliar

You sometimes never know when the peace will find you. This time it found me in the chaotic city of Bogota. I loved all that buzz, vibrancy, colors and pretty little things when I was exploring the old city – La Candeliar, but what made this city more special to me was my indigenous friends who I met on my first day in Bogota.


Maku said “This is our television” pointing out the flaming fire in front of us. Earlier that day he invited me to join them by the fire which I happily accepted. As I arrived I was given all 3 essential offerings of the Muisca: coca, chica and tobacco. Cocaleaves stay in your mouth to surpass hunger, thirst, pain and fatigue; chicha, fermented alcoholic drink also known as corn beer, for celebration and tobacco is to be offered to the fire with an intention. According to the Muisca there are nine different types of fire and each has its own name. For instance pikiki is the word for the fire that keeps us warm. Pikikigata is the fire inside you – the fire of the heart.


Maku is the leader of the Muisca community in his region leading an exemplary life with his wife and kids on the sacred lands of Muisca which is a couple hours away from Bogota. He always shares stories from his people and culture, and makes me repeat the Muisca words. Once again I see the pride one takes in his own language and that language tells so much about the values of that culture.

Maku, his wife and daughter

There is also Camillo who I really like. He knows so much about flowers and plants as he spent many months with an elder making essential oils. His fascination with plants amazes me. He always carries his essential “essential oils” with him wherever he goes, ready to offer them whenever anyone needs.

Camillo

Camillo and Maku's kids collecting eucalyptus leaves.

Sitting with those people dressed in white cotton trousers and jumpers, wearing a traditional brimless hat and never ever taking of their handmade sack full of coca leaves felt like being in a different timeline which was neither past nor future. At some point we heard a humming and knocking at the door. When the door opened a man dived into the room singing and dancing at the same time. Maku’s face was lit up and he also joined the man in singing. The whole dancing and singing exhilarated as everyone else joined in. It was surreal and magical to witness such an unusual and intense salutation and feeling the vibrations all over my body. 

Throughout the night more people came and left, more Spanish was spoken, more Muisca songs were sung, more chicha was drunk while the fire kept going. The language was different but the heart was the same.

At some point Muka gave some Rapé (tobacco based snuff) to Camillo which could be a scene from a movie. It was both cinematographic and poetic. As the flames were getting high in front of me I could see them sitting opposite each other, eyes closed looking within. I then heard a hoop sound and the same moment I saw this young man jumping on his seat. That painful expression like sniffing blackpepper which I recognise from my own experience, his very defined Muiscan features, his long, thick, black hair... These all added so much to my movie that I recorded in my mind. 

I sat by the fire for hours listening to Maku. I actually don’t know which one taught me most that night; Maku or the fire as at the time I found both of them very inspiring. I felt like a little kid who was allowed to stay up with the adults until late but struggling to keep her eyes open.

The night went slow and steady with much delight. When it was finally time for me to leave, Maku asked me to swing by before I set off for my next adventure to say goodbye. And I agreed.

Ps: Sadly I dont have any photos from that night as it somehow didnt feel quite right to take my camera out. That's whyI used photos from my visit to Maku's family instead.