Designing and conducting studies on Indigenous resistance within conflict contexts necessitates a comprehensive and participatory endeavor that incorporates diverse perspectives and viewpoints. This undertaking is intricate due to the multifaceted nature of the actors involved in power dynamics and control strategies, as well as the complex dynamics of Indigenous communities and the array of resistance tactics employed for their survival. Further, studying resistance entails overcoming the binary approach often found in academic literature, which typically dichotomizes resistance into violent and nonviolent categories.

This thesis research employed a qualitative and Indigenous research methodology to explore the mechanisms of resistance among the Emberá Chamí Indigenous community, their evolution over time, the contextual factors influencing the Indigenous group, and the power strategies they have encountered. Thus, the study comprised of semi-structured interviews as well as a documentary and participatory historical analysis of resistance tactics, focusing on the Tatamá region and the present day Unified Chamí Indigenous Reservation of the San Juan River in Colombia. Data generation was conducted in 2023.

The study organizes the data analysis into four historical periods: the conquest, the colonial era, the emergence of republicanism, and the Colombian armed conflict. The conquest period delves into the ideological underpinnings of imperial Spain that shaped its domination strategies and elicited resistance from the Emberá Chamí’s ancestors. The colonial era evidenced changes in power dynamics and the persistence of resistance tactics, along with the incorporation of the Emberá Chamí’s new survival elements. The republican period examines political and migratory phenomena as forms of internal colonization that spurred novel resistance processes. Finally, the thesis research explores the impact of the current Colombian armed conflict on the reservation and how the Emberá Chamí’s communities and leaders have confronted it using legal and philosophical frameworks rooted in Indigenous rights and sumac kawsay (good living). This study underscores the significance of analyzing Indigenous people’s resistance processes while embracing their diverse perspectives and navigating the complexities of social phenomena.