Kyle M. Hall

Prospectus

I first heard about the situation of the U'wa people when I received information about them from the Rainforest Action Network two years ago. I became very angry about the possibility of an oil company-and an American company at that!-having the legal rights to desecrate the traditional lands of the U'wa. I was also both intrigued and disturbed by the fact that the situation was (and is still) so tense that the U'wa made a vow to commit collective suicide if their lands are drilled on by Occidental Petroleum. I have written a few letters to various people concerning the issue, but now it is time to do something more.
I believe I can play a significant role in helping the U'wa. If I do nothing else, I can at least thrust the U'wa vs. Occidental issue further into the sphere of American popular culture. I will be able to accomplish this by providing a holistic perspective of the endangered U'wa community of Colombia. I have found numerous sources thus far in my search, but many are simplistic and only give information on the present day situation. I wish to explore issues further, looking at such varied details of U'wa life as local geography, history, mythology, religion, and culture.
In order to fully understand the present tension between Occidental and the U'wa, I feel it is necessary to discover as much as I can about the U'wa culture. I hope to answer questions such as: What factors would cause the people to even consider committing collective suicide? What type of relationship do the U'wa have with the natural world?
What is the world like in the cloud forest of Colombia? What are some traditions and religious practices of the U'wa?
I will begin my exploration by researching the aforementioned elements of U'wa life. Next, I will attempt to understand the relationship between the social and cultural life of the U'wa and their contemporary situation. I will shift from historical texts to using everything from New York Times articles and Rainforest Action Network action alerts, to learn of the battle with Occidental. Additionally, I will use primary sources from Occidental, I already have one source (a letter they wrote me), and will attempt to use primary sources from the U'wa.
I will use both objective and subjective perspectives within my research. I will objectively study historical documents, but will not fear showing support and emotions for the U'wa in this battle. My primary objective is to both learn more about the U'wa for my own knowledge, as well as educate others about the people and the contemporary situation in Colombia.