Taking Care of Their Roots: Youth Leadership in the Church and Society from the Indigenous Ngäbe Perspective

Abstract

This reflection explores the particular vision Catholic Indigenous Ngäbe youth of Panama maintain regarding leadership, the Ngäbe leaders they believe have embodied that ideal, the obstacles they currently encounter in exercising leadership at various levels, and the hope they have found through rediscovering and deepening their faith and ancestral roots. Due to the historical and current oppression and discrimination, Indigenous youth face particular challenges in encountering opportunities to serve in ecclesial and communal leadership. They struggle to maintain ancestral values, practices, and communal identity while also experiencing the pressure to assimilate into an individualistic, consumption-driven, broader society. This reflection also draws inspiration from the World Indigenous Youth Gathering or Encuentro Mundial de la Juventud Indígena (EMJI) that was held at the Vincentian mission in Soloy, Panamá, in 2019 on the days before World Youth Day (WYD). The research process incorporates semi-structured interviews, focus groups of Ngäbe youth, literature review, and relevant declarations of Pope Francis. The vision presented through the reflection and experience of the Ngäbe youth confirms their commitment to being the main actors and protagonists in promoting a more just and inclusive society and Church.