Arhuaco, Colombia 🇨🇴

„The Sierra Nevada feeds the entire surrounding area with water in all four directions, which is why we call this area the heart of the world. It is a source of fresh water and fresh air for the whole world and it is our responsibility to protect and keep the landscape alive..“ 

Earlier settlers mistakenly thought that the cacao varietyBunsi with their unusual, white beans and the very unusual-looking cocoa pods was attacked by a disease and therefore felled the old cocoa trees. Luckily some haveBunsis survived in the shadow of the wild and the Arhuacos have recently been able to start harvesting this precious cacao again. you name him„Businchari“, which means something like sunrise or new beginning.

Nowadays they areBunsi and the other localsBunshari-Cocoa threatened by the modern hybrid cocoa boom in South America, where a homogeneous selection of non-native, robust cocoa hybrids are predominantly used to achieve high yields.

State-of-the-art fermentation and drying systems from the experts atCocoa de Colombiaon the cocoa beans that are still wet (wet means the beans are still encased in the pulp of the cocoa fruit in which they are fermented). The dealers ofn Cocoa de ColombiaBuy the cocoa beans from the Arhuaca and ferment them gently by closely monitoring the pH, Brix and temperature of the fermenting beans.

„It is important to us to respect our cocoa growing traditions. We're not interested in modern cocoa hybrids, it just doesn't fit with our vision of sustainable agriculture. We're interested in quality, not necessarily quantity, so we're looking for partners who support that. Our agricultural practices must be subject to the spiritual guidance of the Mom, our spiritual guides. Everything we grow is organic and we don't force nature to produce more than it would produce on its own.“ 

On the same land where coca and marijuana not long ago fueled and funded the violence of Colombia's drug war, cocoa is now the symbol of peace for the Arhuaco people and their neighbors. In 2007, the Arhuaco build their first village on the coast,Katansama.

📍 Google Maps:https://goo.gl/maps/ypUi8TLMZtA8L1A57

„Our forests help us protect the heart of the world and keep the earth in balance..“ Hernan Villafaña, Arhuaco Cocoa Guide  

• Research and mapping of flavor cocoas in the Arhuaco area
• Set up nurseries for these cocoas and for native wood species
• “Establish cocoa libraries that act as a genetic databasen
• Build a rainforest-friendly land use model and make it available to the public
• Educate locals on cocoa bean fermentation and drying, organic farming and pest control
• Support the preservation of pristine rainforest areas through nature conservation agreements
• Start a high school demonstration farm in Bunkwimake attended by 150 children 

 

Purchase of cocoa in	5 villages
Improved standard of living for	154 cocoa farmers
Organic management of	254 acres of land
Afforestation & active protection of	7,700 trees
sequestration of	503 tons of Co2

All photos as well as the basic data and direct interview quotes with the Arhuaco were kindly provided to us by Jan Schubert fromoriginal beans made available.original beans is both a chocolate brand and a now significant cocoa bean importer and Jan travels around South America on their behalf, to set up projects with small farmers and local partners on site and to develop long-term partnerships. We buy our cocoa beans directly from Original Beans, who set the highest sustainability standards for their cocoas, which go far beyond organic certification.