Las Emprendedoras de Stibrawpa: The Female Entrepreneurs of Stibrawpa
An Example of a Mother-Centered Economy
A couple weeks back, we introduced the concept of a Mother-Centered Economy, a system that inspires and guides our work. There are many examples we can look to from the past, and also today, for how this model works in action.
One example of a Mother-Centered Economy is Stibrawpa, the ‘people of craft’, an indigenous Bri Bri community in Yorkin, Talamanca, Costa Rica.
Remarkably, this community has reclaimed this form of economy and community-led by Mothers, while also centering Mother Earth.
We first journeyed up-river, by longboat, alongside the border of Panama, to meet with Stibrawpa in early 2021. We were immediately moved by their story, shared by Bernarda, one of the founders, as she spoke to us by candlelight the first evening.
She spoke about the slow deterioration of language and culture in their community when she was a child, as their native language Bri Bri was banned in schools, and the influence of the Hispanic culture took over, and with it male violence.
Historically the Bri Bri were matriarchal, and were always wealthy due to cacao which has been a precious resources for centuries. This became impacted in the late 70s when a fungal infection took hold, destroying 80% of the regions cacao. Some conspiracists believe the banana plantations purposely spread this infection. Either way, the banana conglomerates took advantage by buying up large amounts of cheap land. Many men in the Bri Bri communities then got jobs working for these plantations, earning very little, and experienced for the first time diseases, cancers, and skin infections they’d not had previously. This was likely due to the combination of heavy use of pesticides in large-scale banana cultivation, and the processed foods now available to them far from their own land. They also brought more violence to their communities, influenced by the machismo culture they were now interacting with daily.
Several of the women in Yorkin came together to brainstorm a solution to strengthen their community, and to grow their own organic food again. They met with ATEC, a local non-profit, and were offered a scholarship to study for a year in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica.
Bernarda was the only one who received the blessing to go from her husband Eliodoro who told us “the moment I first saw Bernarda across the river, I knew I’d go wherever she went.”
So while Eliodoro took care of their son for a year, Bernarda left her village for the first time to go study tourism, and learn how to build an organization, in the city. She describes her experience as isolating, as she experienced racism, and many challenges within an urban environment she didn’t understand. In her final weeks in San Jose, she made a visit to the National Museum, and in her own words, “I experienced an awakening seeing the archeological exhibition of the Bri Bri people. For the first time I realized we are important!”
She then rushed back to her community to tell everyone else and immediately began learning her own language, and building Stibrawpa. First as a crafts organization selling their own products, and then tourist operation.
By learning her native tongue, she was now for the first time able to speak with her grandmother who only spoke Bri Bri. Her grandmother instructed her with the 3 pillars that she needed to protect within this organization:
The Bri Bri indigenous identity as caretakers of the Earth
Their Culture, Language and Spirit
& a Good Economy
At first, there was a lot of resistance from the men in the community, who didn’t like seeing the women organizing something, and taking up leadership positions. Eliodoro was the only man in Stibrawpa for years, and speaks proudly of being a good example to the other men for how to respect women, and be in right relationship again.
Bernarda speaks wisely about how women are the doorways for the future generations, and while the women of Stibrawpa received pushback from the men in the community, they focused their attention to their children. Now, 30 years on, their children are adults and most of them take part in Stibrawpa, where 48 adults are supported. Stibrawpa has become a thriving tourist organization. Many of the men choose to drive the boats or, lead the tours, and are paid much more than what the banana plantations offer.
Each year a new leader is voted in to the organization and the women continue to be voted in, as they’re now trusted in their leadership. They are proud of their organic gardens, and 80% of the food served to tourists is from the land.
We’ve since journeyed to Stibrawpa many more times with different groups. In 2021, we visited with indigenous elders from the Shipibo, Haudenosaunee and Mi’kmaw tribes. These elders were so moved by their example of reclamation and community, as they have watched their own youth rejecting their traditions, and turning towards the ‘modern world’. They honored Bernarda with an eagle feather from their territory, as a sign of respect.
We journeyed with a small film team to record there story in late 2022, so they can represent it themselves, and we can also share it with the world - as a positive story of reclamation of female leadership, living in balance with the earth and community, and cultivating a good economy.
When we asked the women what they would like the film to be called they said “Las Emprendedoras”, the female entrepreneurs.
Looking ahead,
We’re calling in the remaining funding to finish the filming of this story, alongside editing and screenings. If called to support please reach out to soulseedgathering@gmail.com for more info.
We have some exciting partnerships forming to continue offering journeys to Stibrawpa, to share their incredible leadership model. Stay tuned.
We are also raising funds to support the building of an indigenous school in Yorkin, to continue the strengthening of reclamation of the language, culture and spirituality of the Bri Bri. Bernarda tells us that there are elders in the mountains who hold the deepest secrets and cultural knowledge in their tribe. They would like to invite these elders to come down and impart with the future generations in a dedicated school.
Again, if you’re able to support please get in touch: soulseedgathering@gmail.com
Watch our Chapter 3 Gathering trailer, as we visited Stibrawpa with Shipibo, Haudenosaunee and Mi’kmaw elders, and later held a gathering with also Hopi, Cabecar and more from the Bri Bri community:
Thank as always for being here with us.
🥹✊🏽❣️