Colombia
Totoro
Tierradentro region
1550-2000 masl
Caturra, Typica & Castillo
Washed
Black tea, sweet caramel, and chocolate
In the cup: This washed Colombian is full-bodied and deliciously rich and creamy. An overture of blackcurrant and fragrant bergamot transitions to sweet caramel with a decadent chocolate brownie finish. Awesome black or white!
The region: This crowd-pleasing coffee comes to us from the western side of Cauca very close to Huila—long hailed as the mecca for specialty coffee from Colombia.
Supporting the Paeces people: The Tierradentro region is home to the indigenous Paeces people. The Paeces make up around 80% of the population in this region with a further 20% being made up of seasonal workers supporting agriculture and coffee harvesting as required.
Paeces and their land: The indigenous people have experienced many challenges in the relationship with their land. A source of great and ongoing struggle for many native peoples, the Paeces are no different. Land ownership and its complexities are represented in an incredibly unique and intrinsic way. In 1708, Paez chief Don Juan Tama Calambas from the Colombian highlands obtained for his people an official title from the King of Spain. Juan Tamas’ people wielded this document many times to cease encroachment from outside forces acting as a defense of their boundaries. These powers transcended the physical and entered into lore as Juan Tama became in many minds a saviour born in a mountain stream of water and star. The original manuscript too was said to be supernatural in origin. In the early 19th century, Colombia won its independence from Spain and everything changed for the indigenous people and their rights to their community lands. Fortunately, continued efforts have reclaimed large regions of native peoples’ lands with an additional 15 mIllion hectares recognised by the government in the 80s-90s. Legally recognised rights to their territories have made profound and radical change.