Chapter II. When knowledge converges: reflections on the fabric of living memory and the natural order. Primordial Architecture

For the indigenous peoples of Colombia and Latin America, architecture is first and foremost an extension of the territory and the cosmic order. From an anthropological perspective, indigenous architecture has been described as the spatial expression of unique ways of living with nature (indigenous knowledge systems), a concept often mislabeled as a “cosmovision.” It is a material language that, far from being limited to functionality or aesthetics, translates the profound relationships between human beings, nature, and the spiritual world. In this sense, studying indigenous architecture from a theoretical framework requires going beyond Western disciplinary categories and delving into indigenous thought, which conceives of space as a living being and dwelling as a sacred act. For indigenous peoples, the territory is neither a resource nor a property: it is a being that feels, teaches, and communicates. This conception is reflected in the way spaces are inhabited and organized. Therefore, indigenous architecture is not a product isolated from cultural life nor a set of decontextualized construction techniques. It is a comprehensive system of knowledge, practices, and values that are intertwined with the social, political, and spiritual order of each people. For this reason, its study requires not only architectural categories but also a profound reflection drawing on anthropology, philosophy, and decolonial studies; yet the most important aspect of these studies must be: the words and knowledge that each people holds within their own ways of life. In other words, we must prioritize Indigenous knowledge as a fundamental contribution to the epistemological construction of (Western) science—not only in architecture, but across all fields in general.