Argentine writer Héctor Tizón, described the feeling of being in the Andean Altiplano rather effectively: “Here the earth is hard and sterile; the sky is blue and empty, and it’s closer than anywhere else. In this land, where it is hard to breathe, people depend on many gods”.

Primarily, Andean communities rely on women. They venerate Pachamama, the supreme goddess and universal Earth Mother. As a female deity, Pachamama embodies the fundamental values that define the essence of the Andean worldview, known as Cosmovision — a convergence of religious and ancestral beliefs, serving as the philosophical foundation for the Rights of Nature.

By promoting the sacred connection between humans and the cosmos, the Andean worldview inherently advocates for gender equality and incorporates a robust set of woman-centered values that exalt femininity in everyday life. 

Over the past decade in Argentina, the core values of feminism have been increasingly appropriated for political gain, leading to a distorted understanding of gender equality and a divisive discourse on the topic. In contrast, the Andean societies of the Altiplano present a different narrative, shaped by a matriarchal system that has evolved since the pre-Columbian era.

AHICITO NOMAS explores the core values within Cosmovision, weaving together the inspiring stories of indigenous matriarchs, community leaders, educators, LGBT+ activists, mothers, and violence survivors — women who, through their personal stories, embody the true essence of feminism beyond any political rhetoric. 

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