Decolonization in the Amazon: Letter from Sr. Joaninha, itinerant missionary in the Amazon

Iñapari avril  2022

Dear sisters and brothers on the way and in the crossings

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Once again, I am coming back to write you a few pages to try to tighten the bonds and empty the heart which continues to vibrate in these waters and these paths. Where the voice of the poor calls us, borders and moments of pause that life gives us.

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After the intense month of January already shared, I went to Rio Branco for the meeting of the missionary teams of CIMI AO. Welcoming three new missionaries who have arrived and who are already inserting themselves into the indigenous context here in the Region. The itinerants had not yet returned. Surprised by the third wave of covid 19, I had to stay a few days in Rio Branco. I took the opportunity to go to the orthopedist, for questions of bone structure and physiotherapy of the foot which had broken during the holidays. Probation time was the month spent there. Rest while taking care of your health; recover the energies to continue to iterate. Support Cimi's missionary house a little. During this period, I had contact with quantum physics and the power of attraction. He helps me a lot and I move on to another wave. I am grateful to the Universe for this gift and for God's affection for us.

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At the end of February, barely a month later, I returned to the border and Claudia (fma) was already there. However, the rest of the team were still absent. As I was enrolled in the Assembly of the Vicariate of Puerto Maldonado, I went to Cusco, to Quillabamba where the VIII Assembly was being held. The theme was: "INTERCULTURALITY, MISSIONARIES, DISCIPLES ON THE GO". A great experience. The mountain jungle and lots of green. An impressive altitude. You reach almost 5,000 meters in altitude. You see the most beautiful snow-capped mountains. Very cold. There was a week between arrival and departure. I stayed with the Franciscan catechists who live in Echarate, about 50 km from Quillabamba. 

They are far from the border. The vicariate of Puerto Maldonado covers the entire region from the border until after Cusco, that is more than 700 km. They are studying the possibility of a new diocese or something to help in this time of synodality. It's nice to see the natives being ordained as deacons and priests. The presence of Aboriginals at the Assembly makes all the difference. Although one can notice the coloniality of the evangelization that has been done. Lots of joint effort and great advisors in a virtual way which was a bit wasted. But, the result was that, from this assembly, each vicariate will act by “Decantura” (as if it is by region for us) where we live we belong to the Decantura of Tauhamanu; in the strength of synodality all are committed to participating.

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From March 17-28, we had our annual traveling team training meeting and welcomed the new traveling team members who arrived (Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina, Ecuador and Spain, who could only arrive after the meeting) . We spent these days in a beautiful country house about 8 km from the border, on the Peruvian side. We were assisted by two professors from UFAC - the Federal University of Acre. And another, from Bolivia, who was more of a holistic consultant, helping to integrate and decolonize historically rooted processes. It was a very good moment for the whole team to reflect, build and deconstruct complex themes such as COLONALITY and COLONIALISM, DISCOLONIALITY. It was a deep process that we have to keep working on. Here is a fragment of the report: "Discussion of colonialism, coloniality and decoloniality. We share what, for us, is colonialism and coloniality:

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“Colonialism has to do with the conquerors who arrived. And coloniality has to do with this subtle experience that we often end up assuming unconsciously. Coloniality is present in our bodies, in our feelings. As a people, we are part of this colonialism. Colonialism as a process of domination, and then we end up replicating that, even in religious congregations. Authoritarian power, I command, you obey, linked to the power relationship, and this is reproduced in the spaces where we are. One culture imposes itself on another, ignoring or canceling out the other. This is not just a historical moment, this imposition existed before the arrival of foreigners. And it's in our body. The colonizer arrives and takes what is important for the culture. Colonialism is the instrumentalization of the other, of the relationships that have existed throughout history. And coloniality is what remains of it in the collective imagination and we end up reproducing it. Coloniality is a consequence of colonialism".

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The families of Iñapari supported us by welcoming a small group to sleep, because the support house could not contain everyone. Once the consultation days were over, we visited the reality of Iñapari and Assis Brasil with the group from Manaus and the newcomers. Help the group to have a vision of the reality of the border that often defeats us. Intense days of movement and full halls. From the border they went to Xapuri to see where Chico Mendes, great leader and defender of the forest, lived and died. From there they traveled to Rio Branco to see the place where the great leader and defender of the forest lived and died. They continued to Rio Branco where they spent the night at CIMI AO and the next day they continued to Porto Velho by bus. It was only from there that they flew to Manaus. A very expensive flight within the region.

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Two of the newcomers, Walter and Erick, stayed at the border to get to know each other and travel here during this first period of experience in the team. The others are in the Nucleus in Manaus with the possibility of spending some time here and defining where they want to live as itinerant. The rainy weather is over and we are already in the process of articulating the first itineraries in more remote indigenous and riverside communities in the coming months now that we are all here.

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We are expecting two illustrious visitors who will arrive in the next few days: Adelson sj who is at Gregoriana, and Maria Helena, Sacred Heart of Mary. CLAR advisors for the itinerant network. They will be with us during Holy Week. They are going to visit traveling groups throughout the Amazon and have decided to start with our group. With them, we are going to celebrate the Easter Triduum in the communities both on the Peruvian side and on the Brazilian side. To get an idea of our reality. This time invites us to be open and “to welcome the novelties of God, in the words of Elder Camara, which surprise us, change our plans, our day and even the direction of our life”.

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I wish you a blessed Holy Week and an Easter full of joys, vibrations of new times and great prosperity.

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Happy Easter and gratitude for being able to be in this reality and experience such diverse realities and opportunities that help to grow and be reborn. We will see each other again soon with the joy of being able to meet and renew our commitment as blue missionaries.

Your traveling sister who loves you very much.

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Joaninha (and her companions/companions of this border. Claudia, Ivanir, Walter, Oscar, Eugenia Izaías, Erick and Fernando) also greet you.

Iñapari, April 2022