Modern life is all about taking - but what if we started giving? Through a philosophy of reciprocity, this community lives in harmony with nature. 

When you pick up fruit and vegetables at the supermarket or bring home a new piece of furniture, do you pause to consider where these things came from? Do you take a moment of gratitude for the planet that provided them? For most of us, the answer is probably: no. 

But deep in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the tallest coastal mountain range on earth, the Arhuaco live by a philosophy that challenges this modern detachment - reciprocity. To them, nature isn’t a resource, it’s family. They don’t just take from the land, they ask for permission and give back. Their belief? If we care for nature, it will care for us. And maybe that’s something we could all learn from. 

What is reciprocity? 

When we think about paying in Western society, we usually assign a price to everything, whether that be money or favours. E.g. if you want to buy an apple, you exchange money for it, or if your friend invites you to dinner, you should ask them back in return. Whilst we may think reciprocity is like ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’, for the Arhauco People, the concept of reciprocity is not transactional. The way you pay back doesn’t need to be a direct exchange of favours or even an equal repayment. It’s about contributing to the larger cycle of giving and receiving that sustains life.  

Within their community, they don’t exchange money but rather trade and collective effort is prioritised. From planting to harvesting when a family needs help, the whole community comes together, knowing that at another time, the favour will be naturally returned, not necessarily by the same people, but through the larger cycle of mutual support 

If the elders, mamos, communicate that a sacred house needs to be built, because the place needs it, then any other previous priority would be pushed back. Everyone works together. What the Sierra is asking for and what the community itself needs is voiced by the Mamos and wise women, and everyone plays a relevant role in achieving the task. Celebration times come when the result of collective effort can be seen, touched, inhabited, and enjoyed.  

Give before you take 

In modern life, many of us have adopted a take-first, pay-later mindset. For the Arhuaco, every interaction with nature starts with an act of gratitude. Before they harvest, build, or use any resource, they offer something back - whether it’s a symbolic piece of cotton infused with their intentions or another gesture of respect. This practice ensures that nature isn’t just a resource but an entire living being with whom you build a relationship based on mutual care and respect. 

Flowing with nature, not against it 

To the Arhuaco, nature isn’t something outside of them, it’s an extension of who they are. They see the water that runs through rivers like the blood that runs through our veins, they see tree bark like skin and rocks like our bones. Harming nature means harming themselves, so they treat the environment with the same care and mindfulness they would their own body. If it rains, they don’t resist it or complain - they embrace it as part of life. This mindset teaches resilience, adaptability, and a deeper connection to the world around us. 

Rebuilding awareness 

The Arhuaco ways offer a powerful lesson for today’s world: be more aware of your actions and the world around you. It doesn’t necessarily have to mean making an offering to nature each time you eat food or buy something material (though that would also be nice). We can start small - acknowledging where our food comes from, practicing gratitude before consuming, and - more than anything - being mindful of our impact. Have a think about the chain of your actions (both positive and negative) and how it all reflects on nature. 

Pay it forward 

When you have that awareness, you can then think about how you can pay it forward. If you give a compliment to a stranger, think about the positive effect that might have on their day. If you plant a seed in the garden, think about how, in a few years, it could provide a source of nutrients. By shifting from a mindset of taking to one of giving, we can reconnect with the world we live in along with rocks, trees, plants, the fruits they bear, waters, animals and other human beings in a way that feels both grounding, deeply fulfilling and that acknowledges we are all here, in this world, we all eat, experience thirst, need the rain, the sun. We all need to be nourished and are always nourishing something, be it positive or negative… 

At its core, the Arhuaco ways of thinking and doing remind us that nature isn’t just our surroundings - it’s part of who we are. When we treat it with respect, we find resilience, and a more meaningful way of living.