Today, the hope of these communities lies in the fact that this beautiful, shiny yellow powder called “Curcuma” reaches European markets where they will be represented by the Rural Development Agency at the fair called MACFRUT, one of the most important fruit and vegetable gatherings in the world and which will be held in Rimini, Italy, between May 2 and 5, coincidentally the same days where several families from Bojayá lost everything 21 years ago.
The route to find this treasure with multiple healing properties begins by taking a plane from Bogotá to Quibdó and then a boat in the port of this same city to sail for more than three hours on the impetuous Atrato River. Upon reaching the point, the Rural Development Agency, an entity allied with the producers of the field, is directed to the exploration of a pure species, with great gastronomic versatility and with great medicinal properties; this stem that is produced, cared for and cultivated by 250 Afro and indigenous families that were once victims of the Bojayá massacre and that, like the phoenix, rose from the ashes to rise majestically and become an example of courage and resilience.
Going upstream and in the middle of the tropical jungle, you can see indigenous Embera dóbida communities and black communities, who more than 20 years ago resisted a senseless attack, where they had to fight to survive among the crossfire of armed groups.
Following the course of the river, on the banks you can see the ruins of Bojayá and about 15 minutes later, you will finally find Bellavista, the refuge town for all those families who lived through the atrocity of the war. When you get off the boat, you can see naked children cooling off in the water at the foot of the stream, Afro-descendants removing the entrails of the captured fish and indigenous people washing their clothes.
500 meters away, Edwin, a 39-year-old Afro-descendant man, awaits us at his workplace, who in his arms holds the greatest love of his life, his little 10-month-old baby who motivates him to fight every day. At this moment, and in the midst of his resplendent smile, the story of him begins and the story that between his fingers yellowed by the color of turmeric motivated him one day to think about moving his community forward.
“At first, turmeric was used by the indigenous people as a tincture for their handicrafts, then over time they discovered all the good things it brought, it fights hepatitis B, cancer, and it is also used so that insects do not hurt our skin. in this tropical area, not to mention that it is used to season and flavor food”, says Edwin during his speech.
Although it is true that their business was going from strength to strength and they managed to sell more than five tons of turmeric, in the interior of the country, with the arrival of the pandemic, their production decreased significantly, achieving only a commercial agreement with Crepes & Waffles to whom they sell 50 biweekly kilos
“We don’t need anyone’s pity, we have the will, the hands and the land to work the fields, we just want a push so that our business can reach international markets,” says Edwin, laughing.
Today, the land and river paths of the Bojayá River smell of illusion, they have a warm flavor with a bitter touch and an aroma of earth and wood, which stand out from the cultivation of turmeric. There is no doubt that its inhabitants once experienced the pain and discouragement of a war without censorship and today they are an example of restoration, life and hope.
Finally, Edwin emphasizes: “Turmeric integrates families and this project is not for me, my dream is that one day people can see this as a legacy of improvement.”
This productive initiative dreams of eradicating poverty and longs to be a contribution to preserve peace, ensure balance and outline a fruitful path. This product, together with mango from the Sierra Nevada, papaya from Bolívar, cape gooseberry, gulupa and blueberries from Boyacá; the aromatics from Antioquia and the ahuyama from San Juan del Cesar will be present at MACFRUT 2023, a space that aims to open new opportunities for small producers in the country, bringing the best of Colombia to the world.