Reconstructing Collective Identity for Peacebuilding: The Indigenous Guard in Northern Cauca – Colombia

The indigenous Nasa are recognised in Colombia for using innovative strategies to deal with violent conflicts and to claim political rights. One of the most visible and permanent strategies is the Guardia Indigena – GI (Indigenous Guard), a community watch to patrol and protect indigenous people. This study investigates how the Nasa frame the history of the GI, with what purposes and consequences. A language-based perspective was used to analyse how the Nasa frame the GI history and how this framing process affects their actions and practices. Our analysis shows that the Nasa refer mainly to four historical events when talking of GI history. These events function as identification points that contribute particular elements to the guards’ collective identity in specific situations. This framing process has become an important power resource for constructing a non-violent collective identity and reconstructing their historical memory for peacebuilding.