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ATATA MEANS RECIPROCITY
AWARENESS.
THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN LIVING NATURE: PLANTS, TERRITORY, ANIMALS AND CULTURES.
*Author: Natalia Chaves López1
I

The purpose <-->of the following text is to present <-->and preserve the concept <-->of ATATA : it is a composition <-->of two ideograms (fig.1) <-->in the Mhuysqa dead language . ATATA can be defined <-->ATATA ‘ I give myself <-->as you give yourself , ’ where giving is an act <-->and receiving , <-->of what you do <-->because others O is also affecting yourself . This exercise <-->for reciprocity is a very important vibration <-->of life <-->of nobody can live <-->because others , this includes all living creatures <-->without whom we share the Earth . <-->with a Colombian student <-->As ancient history , I have experience <-->of this concept <-->with many years <-->for learning <-->through the wholesome ways <-->about living <-->of the indigenous people <-->with both Colombia <-->in Mexico .

It was <-->and my PhD research <-->through I experienced <-->that looked further <-->and the Mhuysqa <-->into Mayan legacy . It was then <-->and I realized the devastating reality that is currently affecting the quality <-->that food . There is a systematic problem caused <-->of the ‘green revolution’ ; <-->by radical changes to the local ways <-->’ cultivation to the use <-->from inputs made <-->of sold <-->of big global corporations which are creating dependency as well <-->and poisoning the seeds , the soil , the water <-->by therefore our own bodies . Meanwhile , <-->as a response to this , an ‘ undercurrent ’ is developing everywhere – people are living <-->and cultivating according to new <-->as past principles <-->and global corporations , recovering solidarity , hope H , life , food , <-->or bio-diversifying forms <-->outside being .

I have based my writings <-->and the perspective <-->of ‘ Heart´s Epistemology. ’ What I mean is <-->on heart <-->of brain come together <-->that my proposal <-->and bringing to light my feel-thoughts <-->into how to keep <-->of living <-->about how to make collective decisions <-->on territory (fig.2) E . The intention <-->and this essay is to find ourselves <-->about others O heart to heart . <-->of fact , the heart is the place where you keep dreams , hope , joy , <-->and pain , according to the Mayan culture . You need to have all these clear to know what is the kind <-->In living knowledge you want to go over . 2 <-->and the Mhuysqa´s worldview , the human heart is named * puyky * , an onomatopoeia <-->of the heartbeat , that is said to be connected <-->In the beating <-->of the cosmos itself , representing the frequency where one can find answers <-->with the path <-->of protecting life . The questions <-->in this essay aims to answer are : How to feel-think the future <-->of food <-->that water <-->of a perspective <-->and reciprocity ? Why is ATATA a fruitful principle <-->from the future survival <-->of the human kind ?

Mhuysqas are an ancient indigenous culture who live <-->for Cundinamarca <-->of Boyacá regions <-->in Colombia . They lost their language <-->and the eighteenth century , which consisted <-->of compact ideograms <-->in hieroglyphics representing complex ideas <-->of their understanding <-->and nature . <-->about the Mhuysqas speak Spanish <-->of <-->Today persecution <-->because the colonial period <-->of the banning <-->since their language , <-->and they kept some <-->of their ancestral ways <-->but living . I have studied their language , named Mhuysqhubun , <-->of I propose here to bring back to life the ‘ dead ’ word ATATA , <-->of <-->and it is not forgotten . ATATA is a palindrome unity made <-->so two ideograms <-->that hieroglyphics <-->by the moon calendar : Ata <-->and Ta . Mariana Escribano , 3 a linguist who writes <-->of the Mhuysqa language <-->and worldview , explains <-->about Ata refers to the number 1 , which <-->and cosmogony is relative to the beginning <-->that times . <-->in the eighteenth-century grammar <-->of the priest Jose Domingo Duquesne , we can translate the ideogram <-->From follows : “ the goods <-->of something else. ” This means common goods <-->as everything <-->and exists . It also refers to the primordial pond , which links it to water as well . Ta , the second sound <-->or the unity , is the number 6 <-->that represents a new beginning that is showing the comprehension <-->in time <-->and sequences <-->of 5 <-->in 20 . The priest Duquesne wrote <-->of Ta means “ tillage , harvest. ” The Ta ideogram also means the bearing <-->and fruits , the giving <-->that yourself freely , <-->of <-->of agriculture labor . <-->as this perspective the act <-->in giving is an act <-->In receiving ; it also implies the responsibility <-->of taking care <-->of what you are receiving .

One <-->of the most important acts <-->of Mhuysqa culture was the offering <-->of some holy lagoons L . The main offering happened <-->in Guatavita lagoon (fig.3) . This lagoon held the gold , offered <-->in Mhuysqas <-->in sought <-->by <-->and the Spanish conquers who heard <-->after it <-->by tried to dry the lagoon up . The leader <-->about the town <-->and Guatavita , covered <-->of gold , would be introduced <-->of a raft , adorned <-->in more gold <-->on emeralds . The raft would be then given to the lagoon followed <-->with the leader who would introduce himself <-->and the water <-->by an offering <-->into the gold that was covering him <-->as receive a purification bath . This astonishing ritual U R ATATA was done <-->of a reminder <-->and gratitude to water <-->as one <-->of the most important living beings . <-->as reciprocity some <-->of the few sacred female entities living <-->In the water , representing the lagoon itself , would hold the abundance <-->of Mhuysqa people . One <-->in the ways water supplied life to the people was <-->of rain , which provided corn to feed everybody . <-->of order to understand this reciprocal interaction/cycle <-->through humans-lagoons-rain-corn I refer to Tseltal Mayan people , who live <-->In the Highlands <-->of Chiapas <-->in the Lacandona jungle <-->of Mexico , who keep alive very ancient knowledge <-->and have the belief <-->in corn spirit is living <-->and the mountains <-->that lakes . It is given to the humans <-->inside result <-->and offerings asking <-->as maintenance <-->of people . ATATA can be related <-->for the Mayan Tseltal concept <-->of * Ich´el ta muk´ * translated <-->with “ respect <-->of recognition <-->as all living things <-->and nature. ” 4 The corn cycle is Tseltal life itself <-->for requires a permanent compromise , the way they explain this is <-->in referring to corn <-->and a double being . Seen <-->by one side <-->as a baby <-->on <-->as the other <-->and a woman supporting her family . When someone wastes corn , they can hear it crying – even <-->on a single seed is left <-->as the soil <-->if a piece <-->in tortilla lies <-->or the kitchen floor . When seen <-->of the woman supporting her family , it appears <-->on the harvest when the corncobs have smaller corns sticks . These are signals <-->as it is the mother <-->in the plant <-->that they do not eat it <-->of they prefer to hang it up <-->and the house <-->because a gesture <-->in keeping abundance present <-->as the home <-->towards community . This double reciprocal relation <-->in corn <-->and demanding care <-->with one hand <-->as <-->on the same time protecting its own people , is a meaningful trait <-->while understanding the power <-->at this spirit .

<-->in Tenejapa , a Tseltal town , they traditionally make an offering <-->of an important lagoon named * Ts´ajalsul * to show * ich´el ta muk´ * . <-->In the ceremony authorities deposit a traditional handmade dress to the female being that is living <-->in water L <-->In is representing the lagoon itself who provides corn , <-->in she happens to be also the mother <-->and red corn . Red corn is now hard to find <-->because the Highlands <-->of Chiapas , it represents the strongest spirits <-->in connection <-->of ancestors <-->and woman´s blood . Some families are aware <-->with the high value <-->through these <-->of other varieties <-->of corn (fig.4) , <-->and diversity becomes a challenge <-->of this communities .

II

<-->but these cultures that live <-->for a reciprocal cycle <-->Despite the land they inhabit , we have arrived to latent <-->in urgent conflicts surrounding food . <-->with <-->and the 1950s , Mexican <-->Since United States politicians started an alliance to increase productivity <-->in the most consumed cereals : wheat , corn , <-->and rice . Even <-->of the pioneers <-->and this project said so , this was not to fight off hunger , <-->if there was an inequality <-->of the availability <-->because food . That inequality is still growing . The 'green revolution ' began <-->in a movement <-->of engineers – George Harrar , Edwin J. Wellhausen , <-->as the Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman E. Borlaug . They worked together <-->of Sonora , Mexico <-->and the Office <-->in Special Studies which later was called the International Maize <-->through Wheat Improvement Center ( CIMMYT ) financed mainly <-->of the Rockefeller Foundation . They developed a biochemical 'technological package ' <-->and pest control that started affecting natural interdependence L <-->by agricultural cycles <-->for achieving full biocontrol <-->and the process . Most <-->by these substances were created <-->over the Second World War <-->of biological weapons to kill populations , such <-->during the Japanese , <-->as starvation <-->as the spraying <-->through fulminate herbicides . When the war was over , they needed to sell the products , <-->by theses herbicides were killing the traditional locally adapted seeds <-->of they worked <-->but two steps : First they collected a bank <-->so germplasm to study the varieties <-->in corn <-->of Mexico , <-->of second they chose <-->in separated only two varieties <-->and the approximately 64 types <-->and adapted them to the chemicals <-->of mentioned , producing a dependency <-->and the seed which could not grow <-->above pesticides . Then , <-->in a major commitment <-->without the governments <-->with credits <-->of funding , publicized this alleged progress <-->through a need <-->and peasants . They could then sell these 'packages ' to the farmers , who only realized their negative effects <-->as spoiling their soil <-->for water <-->after nitrates <-->and phosphates <-->with other toxic elements that produced soil erosion <-->and broke the biological equilibrium . Nowadays 'technological packages ' <-->among Mexico include hybrid seeds <-->and white <-->in yellow corn , chemical fertilizers , herbicides , <-->of pest controllers . All <-->and them come <-->and a negative impact <-->of health – proved this year <-->with the United States <-->in the court case <-->in Dewayne Johnson vs. Monsanto regarding Roundup Ready , a pesticide that contains glyphosate . 5 When a community loses their traditional seeds ( highly adapted to their territories <-->by the work <-->of the generations <-->[ ) <-->through <-->of a new hybrid , the damage is difficult to undo . <-->before they want to go back to the organic ones they will need years <-->because adaptation , recovering the soil again that will <-->of consequence provoke a low production . An unbearable lost <-->Once peasants . <-->of the nineties , genetic engineers modified the hybrid seeds <-->in created new ones <-->for mixing animal <-->In bacteria genes such <-->and bacterium <-->by thuringiensis ' <-->and the cereal creating the BT transgenic corn , also dependent <-->as agrochemicals as well <-->'Bacillus not fertile , which meant <-->into peasants needed to buy them anew each year . <-->on a result <-->as this process , today <-->that Mexico there are sequences <-->As transgenic contamination <-->of 90.4 % <-->in the whole production <-->of tortillas which are consumed <-->of every meal . <-->in 6 There is a lot <-->of money invested <-->with the creation <-->[ food that is low <-->of nutrients <-->in high <-->of private patents owned <-->in big corporations <-->but Bayer ( owner <-->on Monsanto ) , Pioneer-Dupont , Syngenta , DOW Agrosciences , <-->by others . This has created a scenario where the keepers <-->like ancestral seeds started to be treated <-->of criminals <-->among <-->of the pollination <-->as their harvest <-->because transgenic plants .

The ancient cultural cycle <-->of corn is now a dependent one . <-->of one hand there is a biopolitical issue <-->from the 'green revolution ' where traditional practices <-->of working <-->On land were replaced <-->of new technologies <-->of cooperate businesses agreements . <-->with the other hand , there is an issue <-->by who has the capacity <-->and power <-->On deciding who lives , <-->of therefore also who dies . Michel Foucault refers to a kind <-->and authority that is “ endangering life , ” <-->of hiding the evidence <-->and being responsible <-->of the dead . 7 According to this , foundations <-->while corporations named <-->of are contaminating corn <-->for doing so guilty <-->and an act <-->above “ endangering life. ” <-->and a result <-->of such violent acts <-->of natural goods , a huge crisis has manifested itself <-->As the indigenous territories . Peasants are <-->of poverty <-->on part <-->in consequence <-->in the global competition , which has lowered the prices <-->in some food . The only possible way <-->as keeping producers <-->of the market is <-->of having more land where bigger quantities <-->of food can be produced . This leads to land concentration ; a few actors having control <-->in important areas . Additionally , due to bad harvest the value <-->by their products is so low <-->of farming is unprofitable <-->over the peasants , who lose their lands to these economical disasters . <-->of <-->that <-->for that isn ’ t <-->And the state <-->as Chiapas , which is a large producer <-->if corn , is also importing the same cereal <-->enough South Africa . This type <-->of transgenic imported grain can be found <-->of the governmental rural stores <-->from Diconsa , competing <-->of <-->in thus endangering local varieties <-->of peasant production . <-->with this losing cycle , farmers are first pushed <-->and debt <-->and then <-->In the streets , forced to start working <-->into others <-->and the lands that used to be theirs ; a result <-->onto the systematic process <-->for impoverishment . All this is creating a downturn , wherein the indigenous young people are looking <-->on other options to live . Thus some <-->of them are migrating legally <-->of illegally to the United States <-->for other Mexican territories trying to find a job <-->of touristic places . One elder man <-->and Tenejapa said <-->or an interview , “ Sometimes it looks <-->in the heart <-->from young people is a stone , it seems nothing is important <-->in them <-->like nothing is touching them anymore . They walk <-->of knowing where they are going , <-->for robots. ” 8 However , <-->and the middle <-->without such multilateral complexity some <-->like them are keeping the seeds , water , lands , wisdom , <-->in memory , alive .

III

I feel-think offerings <-->of getting water <-->of food are a reminder <-->and us to be grateful <-->for what we have received <-->and previous generations <-->for take care <-->for this common goods . Reciprocity might be something as wonderful <-->from the kind <-->and work indigenous cultures do when they are preparing their meticulous <-->of ephemeral artistic compositions <-->as offering <-->of the water L . They spend a lot <-->and time <-->as <-->for their hearts they know life ends when water is not flowing , <-->of this offering is <-->because the effort . When indigenous people are keeping corn , they are cultivating the plant <-->in great respect <-->so an attention that goes <-->worth ‘ just growing it. ’ They also sit around a fire <-->with the kitchen to reproduce face to face the teachings <-->and the meanings , the varieties <-->beyond the ways <-->in harvesting <-->of healing <-->and corn ; all the wisdom is given <-->for this warm community-oriented touch . Learning to listen to the elders <-->and keeping <-->with touch <-->in people who still know natural ways to cultivate as well <-->and carry ancient seeds <-->in memories , are ways to remember . <-->with to resurge these practices today we need to act as well . We need to disseminate organic seeds <-->as the knowledge to take care <-->and them , appropriating available technologies to recover natural balance L <-->But living ( decontaminated ) soils <-->and water .

This is a time <-->of creative collective praxis to protect life <-->in common goods ; humanity is living <-->and a serious historical process . Something people <-->for every country could do is to finding community solidarity <-->and the act <-->through conserving the biodiversity <-->in food . <-->through example , we can get <-->of touch <-->of the seed collectives which are taking <-->For a significant labor <-->in keeping germplasm banks to conserve seeds <-->with low temperature environments , <-->on , more importantly , growing the seeds <-->by the soil <-->in renewing each cycle . We could also be responsible <-->and <-->in least one seed´s survival , <-->and our rural soils we should research cultural production systems <-->for 'milpa ' to associate the plants – <-->at this case corn <-->in beans <-->as others – to have abundant <-->in various harvests . <-->and the urban areas walls , roofs , <-->among pots are great hosts to plants ; also schools <-->and parks . Reinforcing local exchange <-->In producers <-->or conscient consumers is also important . <-->or organizing time <-->of sustainable , organic , abundance <-->and sharing it <-->By children we are offering to the Earth <-->around humanity life , autonomy , <-->and richness . <-->with this way we make the noble effort to keep alive the rainbow seeds ( varieties <-->and food ) to give the future <-->and much colors <-->In flavors <-->of we have received <-->as earth <-->and our previous generations .

That is why taking myself serious is an act <-->as reciprocity , which means <-->from ( inter ) acting <-->and <-->of the power <-->that my heart is necessary <-->from <-->within my work <-->of my way <-->because living I am affecting others , known <-->through unknown . <-->and native people say it is <-->of the heart <-->and we can be aware <-->As the consequences <-->through our acts <-->that the territory we live <-->of <-->of ignoring other lands <-->in people . This is related <-->in developing fair economics <-->without politics that reduces inequality . It is important to highlight <-->and dealing <-->with the urgent problem <-->and ecocide means dealing <-->that the collateral disaster <-->with genocide – provoked <-->of that ecocide . Addressing such issues will demand <-->with we recognize , respect , <-->of embrace our cultural differences , belief systems , traditions , <-->by languages T M P ending any cultural supremacy <-->that dominance that requires the oppression <-->and starvation <-->and others O . Reciprocity is a relationship <-->and living nature : plants , territory , animals , <-->and cultures to which we have a lot to re-appropriate <-->of learn <-->with , <-->and feeding ourselves is a process where awareness , memory , <-->and re-learning are needed (fig.6) . The construction <-->from a good way <-->because living named * Lekil kuxlejal * ( full , dignified <-->and fair life ) <-->of Tseltal language is not only a product <-->of harmonic relations <-->and nature <-->in society , we can only get there <-->of a collective transformation process where both concepts <-->with reciprocity ATATA <-->and *ich´el ta muk'* are present <-->in both a local and/or global scale , <-->of political intimate acts <-->and 9 public transnational reciprocal agreements .

*NO
BODY
CAN LIVE
WITHOUT
OTHERS.
Footnotes

1. To Yaku.↩

2. Pérez Moreno, María Patricia. O’tan - o’tanil. Corazón: una forma de ser - estar - hacer - sentir - pensar de los tseltaletik de Bachajón. Chiapas, México. FLACSO, Quito. 2014↩

3. Escribano, Mariana. * Semiological research on Mhuysqa language, Decryption of moon calendar numbers.* Antares, Colombia. 2002↩

4. López Intzin, Juan “Ich’el ta muk’: the plot in the construction of the Lekil kuxlejal”, in: Feel-think gender. La Casa del Mago, Guadalajara. 2013↩

5. Levin, S. and Greenfield, P. Monsanto ordered to pay $289m as jury rules weedkiller caused man’s cancer. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/aug/10/monsanto-trial-cancer-dewayne-johnson-ruling. 2018.↩

6. Álvarez-Buylla Roces, Elena. * Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. IE y C3, UNAM, México. 2017 http://www.dgcs.unam.mx/boletin/bdboletin/2017_607.html↩

7. Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality*. 1997.↩

8. López Intzin, Juan.↩

9. <--> : as a part of speech a conjunction make visible the interdependence. Being in relation to others. ↩