As above, so below: The principle of the cosmos.
What happens in our bodies when a vein or artery becomes blocked? The same happens in cities when streams are covered and rivers polluted—they are the veins and lifeblood of the Earth.
The water that flows through rivers is the same that flows through our bodies. It is a non-renewable element. Flowing water balances ions in the electromagnetic field of matter when they are affected by stress and disease, and it sustains life on the planet.
This is the knowledge we humans hold in our unconscious, rarely brought to light. It is the foundation of our motivation and commitment to water and rivers.
In the ancestral Andean worldview, we are one with nature, and we see the mountains as our home and sustenance. The mountains are our “Mamas and Taitas” (mothers and fathers), offering protection and nourishment. We come from cosmic cultures, inhabiting the planet with love, respect, and harmony with nature.
Photo: “La Chorrera” Waterfall. From Samayuio, the Spirit of Quito’s River, 2019. Monica Aguilar V. / Saokma
The water that travels through rivers is, to us, a winged serpent deserving of respect. We know we must not interfere with it because it regulates itself. It gives us life, information, and purification—both visible and invisible—flowing through all temporal planes of existence. It allows nutrients from the earth to be assimilated by our bodies. We relate to it in many ways, primarily as a healing entity that teaches us about the cosmos and the cycles of life through respectful contact.
The construction of cities has caused the near-irreversible extinction of our rivers and lagoons, most of them covered by concrete and asphalt. Those that endure are invisible and polluted, leading to diseases, discomfort, and insecurity for citizens. While some collectives fight for the recovery of their waters, we know it is vital to connect with more people and institutions to weave a sensitive bridge of connection with the páramo, streams, and rivers in each locality.
This project seeks to raise awareness about the respect that rivers deserve in the short and long term through:
- Preserving ancestral memory.
- Restoring the relationship with rivers from deep within the self.
- Activating new works of art.
- Sensible education to renew the culture of water.
- Implementing practices, policies, and habits born from collective sensitivity to recover and value pure spring water in each community.
On an individual level, recovering the original geography in the social imagination through artistic practices has a positive impact on the physical, mental, and emotional fields of each participant. This strengthens collective identity, reestablishing an intrinsic and healthy bond with natural ecosystems.
Espíritu de Río
Vinculando Comunidades con sus Ríos