from 449€

Excellent 4.8rating (18)

Arhuaco Experience

location
4 - 50 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Moderate response rate

Highlights

  • Come and develop qualities of personal will, passion, patience, calm and inner peace, centredness and clarity of mind.
  • Enlight your path in the midst of a complete and preserved nature, in the company of one of the rare root peoples who have kept their way of life and ancestral wisdom intact.
  • Converse and exchange with the Mamos, wise men, on their culture and vision of the universe, from their joy of living and their natural humour.
  • Walk in the mountains to welcome and bring forth the wisdom that the mountains represent according to arhuaco knowledge.
  • Discover the whole process of coffee and chocolate making.

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Learn how to volunteer for your lives again, this is the definition of a "volunteering project" for the Arhuaco people.

This volunteering is an educational project with an introspective focus, initiated by Mamos (elders) of the Arhuaco people. This is not an ecological farm project.

Volunteers are taught the arhuaco way of life to find balance, strength and tranquillity in their personal lives, as well as regular ...

About the program

This volunteering is an educational project with an introspective focus, initiated by Mamos (elders) of the Arhuaco people. This is not an ecological farm project.

Volunteers are taught the arhuaco way of life to find balance, strength and tranquillity in their personal lives, as well as regular spiritual work to learn to "look within oneself".
The Mamos, who represent the guardians of the ancestral wisdom of the Arhuaco people, offer a complete process that combines work on the body, emotions, mind and spirit.

The site is located 10 km from the village of El Molino in the mountains of the Guajira facing the majestic Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, at an altitude of 700 m. You will be immersed in the heart of a lush nature, bathed in the tranquility and peace that emanates from the place.

Welcome to you :)



Typical day

Whoever you are, whatever you can do with your hands, come and meet us !

As stated, the meaning of being a volunteer for the Arhuacos comes from a place of personal desire and openness. This is the reason why the Mamos from Mamorwa, who represent the guardians of the ancestral wisdom of the Arhuaco ...

Typical day

Whoever you are, whatever you can do with your hands, come and meet us !

As stated, the meaning of being a volunteer for the Arhuacos comes from a place of personal desire and openness. This is the reason why the Mamos from Mamorwa, who represent the guardians of the ancestral wisdom of the Arhuaco people, offer to immerse volunteers in a full experience that blends work on the body, on emotions, on the mind and spirit.

This personal work starts at a really particular time of the day, at dawn. Between 3 and 6 a.m. there is a special conjunction that helps to meditate, focus and untangle the sufferings and difficulties that block our way in life. This opens the door to slowly move towards a clearer mind.

This daily process teaches us to "look inside ourselves", so that our understanding of our history grows.

It is also at the same moment of the day, the Mamos teach us, that the Spirit of water is far more present, and that the river’s water acquires deeper cleansing characteristics, which complete the morning mind work through a purifying immersion in the river.


After this introspective moment comes breakfast with the arhuaca family.

The work started in the morning is internalized and continues to develop within the activities throughout the day. Indeed, the Mamos will offer many different physical tasks linked with the current necessities of the reserve, each carrying a precise meaning for the ones achieving them.

As an example, cutting wood and bringing it back to the village means, in the arhuaca tradition, that we are asking for a conversation around the fire and that we implicitly have the wish to listen and to learn.

The physical work of the day is fundamental to the concept of volunteering. This is why there is no precise time limit set by the Mamos (the minimum being 4 daily hours of work, 6 days a week). Rather, it is a question of being involved with the daily life of an indigenous community and of learning as much as possible about all the richness the people and community have to offer.


Here are some of the regular activities that the volunteers who visit us take part in:

● Traditional agriculture with the cultivation of maize, beans, squash, bananas, sugar cane, cassava, coffee, cocoa, malanga...
● Planting trees as part of a reforestation project (we have not started planting, it is planned !)
● Bringing in wood from the forest
● Collecting Coca leaves in the traditional arhuaca way
● Earthworks
● Construction of traditional arhuaca houses and sacred places "Kankurua" (traditional arhuaca construction dedicated to group reflection on community life and arhuaco spiritual work)
● Decoration of the places built, artistic work

And many other things depending on the needs of the moment!

If you have the ability to understand and translate Spanish into another language this is very useful to us. We are always looking for translators to facilitate the exchange with our visitors.

At sunset, comes the moment to gather around a fire for the fire circle. This is a powerful moment of communion and exchange with the spirit of fire, for which the Mamos are translators, connected to the knowledge of their ancestors, dating back millenia.

Each one of the volunteers will have the opportunity to talk about feelings that arose during the day and to go deeper and access the areas they wish to work on, while at the sacred Mamorwa site.


Free-time activities

Conviviality with the Arhuacos is an amazing life experience in itself because of the natural joy and happiness that radiate from these wonderful beings.

Immersing yourself in the heart of the Arhuaca culture, you will have the opportunity to observe the process of designing the "mochila Tutu", the ...

Free-time activities

Conviviality with the Arhuacos is an amazing life experience in itself because of the natural joy and happiness that radiate from these wonderful beings.

Immersing yourself in the heart of the Arhuaca culture, you will have the opportunity to observe the process of designing the "mochila Tutu", the traditional arhuaco bag, or the clothing worn and woven by the men of the tribe.

The children and other members of the family also enjoy teaching visitors the basics of the “Iku”, their mother tongue.

Typically, Sundays are kept for contemplative mountain walks intended to welcome and nurture within ourselves the wisdom that the mountains embody, according to the arhuaco knowledge.

Baths are taken directly in the river, a place full of magic with an incredibly intense wild flora and fauna.

Finally, the entire elaboration process of coffee and chocolate will also be part of the discoveries that you will make at Mamorwa.

The Arhuacos are waiting for you with the desire to talk and exchange about their culture and their views of the universe… and they do this naturally and spontaneously, emanating from their love of life and natural sense of humor that, no doubt, will charm you.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak Spanish (basic level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 08:00 - 12:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Mamorwa

It offers an opportunity to learn how to look within, but also to study the causes of our difficulties and sufferings without having to go through the pain they have caused us once again.

Volunteering teaches us to find and develop qualities such as inner receptivity, concentration, motivation and self-surpassing, as well as finding how to be strong-willed for our own lives. It is a transformative process that is physical, emotional, mental as well as spiritual.

The Mamos guide volunteers with advice based on their way of life and with words of wisdom. Volunteering offers, step by step, a better  and more profound understanding of the functioning of the universe and of our inner-self. A change of perspective on ourselves and on life occurs by being in contact with the daily life of the Mamos and their families whose customs are vibrant with life and knowledge for those who are ready to listen.

Accommodation

We welcome the volunteers in an environment close to nature and far from the usual comforts encountered in modern society. Let's see the facilities available on the site:

Rooms with hammocks (we have blankets on site but it is advisable to bring your own for comfort).

A kitchen available for volunteers for convenience (under construction yet, come and help us to improve the reception of volunteers).


Dry toilets as well as conventional toilets under shelter.

The site has no electricity or telephone coverage, offering complete tranquillity (if absolutely needed there is, however, the possibility of connecting to the 3g network within a 30-minute walk in the mountains).
There is no way to charge any battery system on site, If necessary, you can bring your own solar battery or an external battery.
!!! Please remember to bring a headlamp with enough battery power to light your way at night !!!

No alcohol or drugs are allowed on the premises.

Please bring something to leave with your waste.

Food & Beverages

Daily meals are organised and prepared by the arhuaca family on site. The meals are rich in roots and tubers as well as cereals and pulses.
We adapted our way of preparing meals as much as possible to the usual diet of a westerner by buying vegetables and other products that are not part of the traditional arhuaca diet, however the meals may require some time to be assimilated by the fragile intestines or those not used to this type of food.

The provision of water extracted directly from the surrounding springs.
!!! Please note that for people who are not used to drinking unfiltered water, we provide a tank of water boiled with plants, ready for consumption. If you wish, you can bring a purification or filtration system for drinking water. !!!

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Valledupar Airport

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Internet Access

Sorry, no access at the project site

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Valledupar Airport (VUP) in Valledupar. We assist you to find cheap flights to Colombia. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Colombia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Colombia you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Colombia. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

You can arrive all year long. Please contact us to know the avaibility we have for now.

Keep in mind that we have to cross rivers to reach our site. During the rain season you may have to wait several days in the city of Valledupar waiting for us to organize your way up when all the conditions are good.
Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 449€
8 weeks 584€
16 weeks 1,167€
50 weeks (max. stay) 3,648€
Average fees 92€/week

Program fees

92€ per week 4 - 50 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 50 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Mamorwa during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Mamorwa

Excellent 4.8 rating (18 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2012

Verified by Volunteer World

  Moderate response rate

Coordinated by

Alex

Spoken languages: Spanish, English

About the project

Mamorwa is an educational project to learn to live in harmony with the laws of life, initiated by elders of the Arhuaco people.

Meet your organization

“Mamorwa” in ikʉ can be translated as "the thoughts of Mother" or "the Mother of all thoughts".

For the Mamos of Mamorwa, humans and Mother Earth heal when they reunite. Mamorwa is an invitation to encounter Mother Earth, and align to her thoughts.

Mamorwa represents the balance and respect of Nature’s laws, of Kunsamʉ. Mamorwa is the choice to follow a gentle mountain path, to be at one with its pure rivers, with the thousand year old trees which have chosen to call it home and the great monkeys who roam in their midst, and offer their song to the piercing echo of dawn. It is an opportunity to find our true Humanity once again, by renewing a deep and living bond with Mother Earth.

This calls us to follow once again the flow of our life like one of a river with its fluctuations,  to let go of what was previously imprisoning us and leading us to go against the natural current of life, moved again by our profound aspirations.

Juan and Duavico, two Mamo brothers, looked for a sacred place where to plant this seed, a land wide open to the world, their intention being to deliver this message to humanity.

In 2012, from this powerful starting place, the Ecological Reserve of Mamorwa was born, a sacred sanctuary on the Arhuaco territory.

Duavico and Juan are Mamos of the Arhuaco people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia.
To be a Mamo is to be the guarantor of the ancestral wisdom of their people. It is to be the guardian of the knowledge that a life in adequacy with the laws of the nature, allows the human being and the earth to heal each other, to finally communicate.

The two brothers describe Mamorwa as a sacred site where we receive the words, where we meet our solution. The words are those of Mother Earth for which the Mamos become translators.


Today Mamorwa is a land of encounter, of discovery and exchange, both an ecological reserve and a site dedicated to self-awareness and healing.

Mamorwa welcomes anyone who feels a deep call to approach the knowledge, ancestral wisdom and medicine of the Mamos.


The first way in which we opened up to the world in 2015 was through the volunteer project. It allows all types of people to take part in the work carried out on the site (practising traditional agriculture, building living spaces and interaction between the Arhuacos and visitors, participating in the daily life of an indigenous family...). In return, these volunteers are taught the resources of Arhuacan life in order to find balance, strength and tranquillity in their personal lives, as well as regular spiritual work to learn to "look within oneself".

Welcome to you who wish to discover our site, bearer of a profound message for the heart of human and Mother Earth.

18 reviews · rating4.8

Ronen Arnoni rating4.4

2023 at Arhuaco Experience

Mamorwa is a place of truth and wisdom. The volunteering work is a spiritual personal work. The place is in the mountains of la guajira and it is an opportunity to reconnect to nature and oneself. The Mamos and the family who lives in the centre are warm hearted Aruhacos people and the meeting ...
Elia Folch rating5

2022 at Arhuaco Experience

It was a amazing month inside the nature, internal work and living in a community. Love, respect, conscience, silence, sharing circles around the fire, honest discussions, ancient Arhuacos wisdom and ...
Dylan Treilhou rating5

2022 at Arhuaco Experience

I spent 10 days volunteering in Mamorwa during December 2022. It was a fantastic experience, very resourceful, very unique! Everything was well-arranged, from the beginning to the end of the volunteering. I will always keep awesome memories of this place and I encourage everybody who seeks a ...
Adriana Toro rating4.8

2022 at Arhuaco Experience

I feel very blessed to have found Maworwa . I spent two weeks in the sierra amongst nature and wildnerness and learning about the medicine of the mamos. The medicine they offer has no comparison ,is truly magical and has had a huge impact on my life. The work the mamos do not only helps those lucky ...
Sandra Gillet rating5

2022 at Arhuaco Experience

Mamorwa is an excellent place to learn more about yourself in nature with simplicity and other people in volunteering or retreat. I have learnt more and more with mamos at each travel. It always different and make you growing to reach your way and to get a better life. ..
Corentin rating5

2022 at Arhuaco Experience

Thank you very much to Mamorwa for this great experience. A few months after my time in Mamorwa, i can still feel the impact on my life. I've got this feeling to lived in another time and in another world. The Arhuacos has so much to share with us, and in the same time they need our support. Mamorwa ...

Location

Americas > South America > Colombia > El Molino

You might also be interested in

Contact Alex
  Moderate response rate
Spanish, English

Most volunteers ask about


Do you have any more questions? Send a message to Alex
Please do not share personal contact details for your privacy