• 2726m a.sl.
  • 958 mm/year
  • av. 11°C
  • 1°16'09.0"N 77°00'41.2"W

    • Tambu Turu is a refugue along the ruku ñambi Colón-Aponte. This site is situated in the middle of the walk, where both group from Cólon and Aponte can meet. We also chose it because it used to be a cattle farming area and is already cleared. Cattle farming is the main driver of deforestation of the region.

    View from the site looking toward Colón and looking at the path trajectory between the mountains.

    The deforested site is now covered with bushed and reeds.

    In this humid and high plateau, the soil is very muddy and difficult to walk.

    View looking toward Aponte, with the characte

    Planting steps

    The process of construction is made step by step, for a growing tampu. Some materials are planted at the begining, like the Pajonales used for the traditional leave roofs. This reeds takes only a few years to grow and is unique to the páramo climate.

  • 1. First preparing the ground. This means clearing the plot from bushed and reed and burn them to enrich the soil.
  • 2. Planting and taking care of the chagra.
  • 3. Reforest the rest of the site.

    • Step 1 - Build the tulpa space

  • 1.1 The camp starts with the 3 stones of the tulpa, where people from both site can regroup and exchange stories and knowledge while being protected from the cold.The size of each group can vary, but the camp is planned to host between 15 and 20 people, as it's the number of which can share a same fire.
  • 1.2. A wooden structure is built with wood from the site around the tulpa.
  • 1.3. A platform for the ground is also built, as it's very muddy.
  • 1.4. The structure is temporarly covered with industrial plastic sheets.
  • 1.5. Pajonales (reeds) for the roofs are planted in the site.

    • Transversal section

    Detail of a Chontaduro column

    Detail of the roof structure at the Cuaspa family house

    Step 2 - First Pajonales roof

    In the second step, the rudimental camp developp itself into a proper tampu around the tulpa.

  • 2.1. The plastic roof is replaced with a leave roof, using pajonales growns on the site and bamboo sticks to hold it.
  • 2.2. In parallel, a secondary similar wooden structure is built next to it.
  • 2.3.The industrial plastic covering the first roof is now used for the second one.
  • 2.4.With this new construction, the chagra can be planted and taken care of collectively. The chagra is there to provide food, and also to plant building material for further development of the tampu.

    • Transversal section

    A pajonales roof in Valle Sibundoy - image from Mapeo de Saberes

    Roof detail of a pajonales roof in Valle Sibundoy - image from Mapeo de Saberes

    Step 3 - Two Pajonales roofs

  • 3.1. After a few years of growth, the Pajonales leaves are ready to be harvested and use to replace the roof of the second roof.
  • 3.2.In parallel, a process of re-forestation take place on the rest of the site.

    • Plan and section of the third step, 1-200

    Longitudinal section

    An earth wall photographed in the Mapeo de Saberes

    Historic roof form in Valle Sibundoy - Library of Kamëntsá

    Detail and material specifications, 1:50.

    Pajonales (Eragrostis pastoensis)

    Eragrostis pastoensis is a plants of the family Poaceae (grasses), native from South America.It's herbaceous plants, rarely woody and annual. It grows in clumps (clusters). This specific species is unique to páramo (moors) ecosystema and thus grows at high altitude. This grass is used traditional by the inga to do roof cover, even though there's very little example left.

    - talked about during the walk Colón-Aponte.

    Guadua (Guadua angustifolia)

    Guadua is a tropical species of bamboo endemic to South and Central America. Its rapid rate of growth, renewability, high level of CO2 fixation and storage, wide diameter, long-length, and durability are distinctive and highly desirable features which can benefit the new built environment.Currently, Guadua construction is characterized by a degree of uncertainty and depends on the quality of handicraft.

    - talked about with the Cuaspa family, at el Tambor, in Yurayako and the Lacaton Book

    Arrayan (Minquartia guianensis)

    Also called barbasco ahumau is a tree that reach a size of up to 20 m tall with a trunk of 40-120cm. Specie found in the forests of the Atlantic zone from Nicaragua to tropical South America. The Timber is valuable because of its durability. It is on the Red List of threatened Species because it has been harvested intensivly for trade.

    - talked about during the walk Colòn-Aponte and with the Cuaspa family in Guayuyaco.

    Helecho de tronco (Cyathea frigida)

    This fern tree is native to South America and grows in the Andes mountains. It's empty trunk is very resistant and used as columns in traditional Inga construction in the higher and colder territories.

    - talked about during the mapping in Sibundoy valley.

    View of two roofs from the bottom of the former pasture