Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: An Indigenous leader in Colombia dies trying to save two women from drowning, a new program in Canada helps students pursue their musical passions, and a Noongar boxer in Australia wins a top honor
COLOMBIA: ‘He died as he lived’
A revered leader among the Arhuaco Indigenous community in Colombia died on Christmas Day while trying to save two young women from drowning in rough waters near the mouth of the Palomino River in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Mongabay reported on Dec. 30.
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The death of Danilo Villafañe, 49, triggered widespread mourning in the South American country, with the nation’s current president, Gustavo Petro, and former presidents Álvaro Uribe and Iván Duque joining others in expressing their condolences, Mongabay reported.
“Danilo had an almost unique ability to befriend people from all walks of life, and all parts of the economic and political spectrum,” said Mark Plotkin, an ethnobotanist who co-founded the Amazon Conservation Team and worked closely with Villafañe.
“He died as he lived: a fearless hero, trying to help others.”
One of the young women, 15-year-old Erika Izquierdo Chaparro, also died in the struggle.
Villafañe gained prominence with his work to protect from deforestation and colonization an area known as the “Heart of the World” in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. He was a staunch advocate for Indigenous rights and culture, and attended the United Nations climate summit in Dubai in December. Mongabay reported.
His activism put him at odds with paramilitaries, guerillas, drug traffickers and land speculators, according to Mongabay.
His father, Adalberto Villafañe, also an activist, died in 1996 while working to reclaim Indigenous territories from coca plantations.
Villafañe is survived by his wife and two daughters, ages four and five.
CANADA: Stirring musical passions
An innovative music program in Canada is providing Indigenous youths with a stress-free way to participate in music classes, CBC News reported on Dec. 24.
The New Music Education North initiative began in November and operates four evenings a week at the Yukon Transportation Museum in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory.
The classes are led by some of the most prominent musicians in the region.
“I noticed there was a real gap in terms of kids’ access to education, so I started the program,” said founder Andy Slade, a pianist, composer and music teacher. “It’s the most rewarding work I’ve ever done in my life. It’s astonishing.”
Erykah Cletheroe-Blackjack, 11, has been composing, recording and mixing her own songs with the guidance of her instructors in the after-school program.
“It’s really cool,” she told CBC News. “They helped make me feel really good. And it made me feel like it’s another way of sharing my feelings.”
This program receives funding through a grant from Jordan’s Principle, a federal program that supports various First Nations services in the Yukon, including health, culture, recreation, education, and social support.
The classes are offered at no cost, and both meals and transportation are included.
Sarah Hamilton, a folk musician and program instructor, said the classes encourage children to explore their passions, according to CBC News.
“There’s no pressure to learn a specific thing, and so they come with what it is that they’re actually passionate about,” she said, according to CBC News..
AUSTRALIA: ‘Breakout Fighter of the Year’
A Noongar boxer from Australia has been named the World Boxing Council’s Breakout Fighter of the Year after an undefeated record in 2023, National Indigenous Times reported on Dec. 27.
Alex Winwood, who is ranked second in the WBC’s standings, is now facing a possible run at the strawweight world title in 2024, National Indigenous Times reported.
Winwood, 26,from the coastal city of Mandurah in Western Australia, will face a possible elimination match against boxer Luis Castillo in 2024 to win a chance to fight the reigning champion, Yudei Shigeoka.
The award was announced by the WBC along with several other awards, including the men’s and women’s fighters of the year, Tim Tszyu and Skye Nicolson.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts and condolences go out to the people of Colombia, especially those in the Arhuaco Indigenous community, for the profound loss of their esteemed Indigenous leader, Danilo Villafañe.
His dedication to protecting the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and his passionate advocacy for Indigenous rights and culture left an indelible mark on the nation.
May his legacy continue to inspire positive change and unity in Colombia.
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