The community, settled close to the border with Panama, is alarmed about the intention of the Fondo Forestal de Fomento Forestal to measure nearly a thousand hectares of forest of indigenous territory, which surrounds two sites considered sacred by the Bribri culture.

Namaso hill and Surayo valley are two important places in the indigenous cosmovision, therefore they should not be commodified. This is why the members of the Alto Duriga community met on February 4 to analyze these plans of going in the forest.

It is estimated that there are nearly 10,000 bri bri indigenous living in Costa Rica, especially settled in the Talamanca Cordillera.

Real World Radio’s correspondent in Costa Rica, Henry Picado, interviewed Filidencio Cubillo, of the organization Talamanca for Life and Land, who explained the outcomes of this important meeting.

Cubillo mentioned that Namaso hill is a sacred site and that entering is banned. While the second site, Surayo represents the sacred land where Sibu, one of their gods, planted its seed and created the bribri indigenous and their culture.

Filidencio warned about a serious threat to the indigenous cosmovision. So the community stands strong against the commodification of forests and sacred sites. Cubillo also urged people to think about the possibility that the western world commodifies and puts a price on churches and temples, that is how the first inhabitants of this continent feel about this.