Ekawa | Bamboo Village | Bamboo Lab | Rainforest Living

a sanctuary for humans & nature

San Blas Valley, Antioquia, Colombia

INTRO

bamboo VILLAGE

-- home in the rainforest --

A bamboo village of sculptural homes is emerging, among sacred practice spaces and social initiatives, as part of an emerging neighbourhood.

bamboo LAB

-- learn and create --

Our wild bamboo architecture lab combines local wisdom and innovative design in a continually evolving expression of sculptural creations.

bamboo SANCTUARY

-- lifestyle experiences --

Nestled in the rainforest, hand-crafted sculptures for inhabitation offer short stays in a wild space of purpose, to reimagine life beyond ‘normal’.

a haven for creativity & healing

which holds space for

inspired living

immersed in rainforest life

Ekawa is

ESSENCE

STORIES

bamboo architecture: @ekawa_bamboolab

rainforest lifestyle: @ekawa_bamboovillage

Coming to live in the rainforest has been and continues to be a huge adventure. Leaving the UK we came directly to this land as it has been in Sergio's family for generations.
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Living in a tree tent with a camp kitchen for the first couple of years brought us into deep connection with the land and with nature. It influenced the kind of life we wanted to create - to live in a house without walls, to feel a strong connection with 'outdoors' everyday and to enjoy the adventure for what it is.
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This is about finding ways to live in symbiosis with nature and to find nature within ourselves... to rewild. Now we are a family and the adventure is evolving towards the creation of a Bamboo Village with like-minded families, questions around 'schooling' in nature and learning to grow food. Follow along to see where the journey goes...
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#rainforest #adventure #lifestyle #family #architects #bambooarchitecture #nature #journey #lifejourneys #createyourdreamlife #createhome #homeinnature

Growing up in nature... Eating directly from the garden... Recognising so many different kinds of plants... Know on which trees which fruits grow... Enjoying all of this at home as a family.
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This is our dream as a family. A simple life, which can be so full of richness by having those moments together to enjoy special little things. Like the taste of the dragon fruit which comes to harvest after having planted the seed five years ago.
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#garden #harvest #familylife #intentionalparenting #kidsinnature #liveinnature #nature #lifestyle #adventure #dragonfruit

Living in nature, there are a lot of things to be doing... For us, tending to the garden is not just about growing food and getting things done, it's a way of rebalancing ourselves and feeling centred and alive.
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Regenerative agriculture not only means that you don't need to buy so much food that travels across the world to get to your plate, it also means that you fall in love with the life-giving systems of this earth, of our home.
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The garden becomes a member of the family. As we nourish ourselves through the act of gardening, the soils and the plants and the whole ecosystem is nourished too. This then becomes normal for our children and gives us hope for the way the next generation will relate to the world.
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#gardening #agriculture #regenerativeagriculture #fallinginlove #garden #family #intentionalparenting #lifestyle #kidsinnature #regenerativeneighborhood

Today we planted bamboo with family and friends, with a purpose that goes beyond reforesting and creating a bamboo jungle: to plant the ashes of a loved one with bamboo plants, as a ceremony of their passing...
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You plant one bamboo plant here and another one there, and at the beginning you assume they perform as separate plants. But bamboo grows with a mesmerising rhizome structure. Over time the rhizomes start communicating via fungi and microorganisms, and a cluster of individual plants begin to behave as one organism.
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The one becomes the many, and the many become the one. And so is the process of planting the ashes of a loved one, continuing the journey to connect again completely with the all.
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#bambooplant #planting #family #regenerativeneighborhood #ceremony #togetherwecan #reforestation #intentionalparenting #community #kidsinnature

🌻🌿🥳 How much fun those everyday moments can be when co-creation becomes a collective experience!
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Many of the words in this video are inspired by the writings of Charles Eisenstein. They convey a message which we have been living more and more at Ekawa. This continues to evolve as the Bamboo Village and the surrounding neighbourhood grows.
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We'd love to hear your favourite ways of cocreating in the comments 👇
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#community #cocreation #lifestyle #family #regenerativeneighborhood #adventure #intentionalparenting #everyday #moment

Six years ago we left everything we knew as normal, our jobs, hobbies, ways of being in the UK and started to explore what it could be to live deeply immersed in wild nature 🌿.
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We came directly to Colombia 🇨🇴 following Sergio's family line, and fell in love with the abundance of life in the San Blas Valley. It feels so filled with possibilities to create a new normal 🍃 and for us that has been the adventure of building with bamboo as well as exploring different ways of living, in connection with nature and in connection with our inner selves.
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The adventure continues and is becoming a Bamboo Village of like-minded families 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 who search for a space of aliveness to create their dream home and nurture their kids. If this resonates with you, send us a message and come and visit!
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#ecovillage #community #lifestyle #nature #kidsinnature #adventure #family #regenerativeneighborhood #intentionalparenting #createyourdreamlife

Celebrating these festive times, getting outside and connecting with the full process of something we all love... Chocolate!!
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Did you know that the fruit of chocolate is almost as delicious, or maybe even more delicious, than what we commonly know as chocolate? And better still, after eating the fruit, the seeds can be made into chocolate... Double deliciousness!
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How do you like to celebrate festive times together?
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#lifestyle #intentionalparenting #family #kidsinnature #adventure #regenerativeneighborhood #plantingtrees #chocolate #fruit #togetherathome #getoutside

"What if the process isn't about shaping them, but allowing them to soften us, reminding us of the essence we were born with?" @zachbushmd captured in words the essence of something special we've been feeling about the relationship of parents and children.
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For us this is a deepening of the journey of rewilding. It's about feeling the purity, the wonders, the magic of everyday life. It becomes very palpable when we are immersed in nature, without the dizzying distractions of screens and outside noise. And children are such incredible guides for this journey.
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If you're a family looking to grow together in nature, you can find out more about the Bamboo Village at www.ekawa.co (link in bio).
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#intentionalparenting #family #kidsinnature #familylife #lifestyle #liveinthemoment #learnfromkids #rewilding

To feel a deep connection with your neighbours is such a gift of life. Choosing to spend time together making things, sharing experiences, learning or testing new ideas fosters connection and growth as human beings.
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Growing as a family in nature in a space of like-heartedness has been a dream in process for a long time, and now it's actually happening 🤍
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How do you like to connect with your neighbours?
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#family #neighborhood #lifestyle #childreninnature #community #regenerativeneighborhood #liveinnature #adventure #bamboovillage #intentionalparenting #kidsinnature

To rewild is an inner and outer experience. The way we take action is a reflection of our inner being. To care for the world is a lifestyle choice because the inside and outside are so related.
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This is a snippet of a story of Ekawa which began in 2018 as a vision of inner and outer rewilding. Through the creation of sculptural architecture in the rainforest it is becoming a Bamboo Village, a neighbourhood for regenerative living.
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#lifestyle #nature #intentionalparenting #family #liveinnature #community #regenerativeneighborhood #kidsinnature he

This is a family adventure of living in the wild and becoming a rainforest neighbourhood...a bamboo village. It's about like-hearted families choosing to live immersed in nature, building their homes, co-creating, sharing in the joy of raising children, growing food, learning and exploring the journey of life.
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Let's reimagine what the act of living can become....
Let's live in symbiosis with nature...
Let's create a life we don't need to take a holiday from...
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If you're curious to learn more or visit us, you can read more information on the webpage www.ekawa.co or write us a message :)
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#bamboovillage #adventure #community #liveinspired #liveinnature #lifestyle #reallife #family #familyhome #home #bamboohouse

Over the last 6 years, our journey has taken us from working as architects in the UK, to the adventurous experience of life in the Colombian rainforest...
* Firstly exploring bamboo architecture,
* Then feeling the call to create a family,
* and now the beautiful adventure of community
... a bamboo village!
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This is part of the regenerative neighbourhood which is growing in the Valley of San Blas, Antioquia, Colombia. Come, visit and experience the lifestyle :)
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#community #lifestyle #regenerativeneighborhood #bamboovillage #family #rainforestlife #adventure #rewilding #together #experience

Our heart rock collection is a daily reminder to choose our thoughts and mood...
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"What you think, you create. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you become." (Anonymous)
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"Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny." (David O'McKay)
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#thoughtscreatereality #lawofattraction #love #choose #chooselove

Family garden moments...it's beautiful to play and plant and pick food all at the same time. Feeling grateful for the abundance of nature and the pleasure it brings, especially when a dip in the stream follows a hot gardening session!
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📷 @susanna_mcintyre
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#garden #family #permaculture #nature #naturelovers #harvest #gardening #growyourownfood

Feeling the feeling of togetherness and being so thankful for the family we are creating. Lately wandering around our home valley of San Blas we are so excited about the new neighbours arriving to this area!
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#family #neighbourhood #togetherness #gratitude #rainforestlife

We are keen to create a lifestyle of aliveness. As part of this we mostly share our passion for the sculptural architecture that we are creating at @ekawa_ekawa .

Living foods are another aspect of this lifestyle which we enjoy. This photo was taken recently when we were invited to give a workshop on raw vegan cuisine. Thanks @kasana.co for the beautiful opportunity!
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#lifestyle #livingfoods #alternativeliving #healthyliving #vegan #rawvegan #food #aliveness

Today we planted some coconut trees!
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Let's create the world we want to live in...and the world we want our children to live in...and their children...and theirs...
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#planting #treelovers #plantatree #reforestation
#createourfuture
#children #7generationsahead
#friendship #togetherwecan
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With @travelstoriesinphotos

A day in the life of this jungle babe
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#rainforest #baby #wild #nature #everyday #moments #lovelife

Over the last few months we have been blessed with very special visits and experiences. Our parents became grandparents, siblings became aunties and uncles, and we are getting into the joy of being parents together. Feeling grateful for these beautiful moments and may there be many more :))
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#family #baby #growth #love #togetherness

Today we are feeling inspired by this quote: "the only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion"... (Albert Camus)
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This brings up for us memories of the calling in our hearts to allow Saskia to arrive to this world in a free-birth, where the wisdom of the bodies is called upon and trusted absolutely.
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#quote #inspired #family #freebirth #home #together

For all friends who are bamboo and architecture enthusiasts...
Our bamboo architecture stories are now appearing on @ekawa_ekawa . Here at @dwelling_in_symbiosis we are sharing our adventures of rainforest life as a family.
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Para nuestros amig@s con interés en la arquitectura y el bambú...
Estamos compartiendo las historias de arquitectura en bambú y guadua en @ekawa_ekawa . Aquí en @dwelling_in_symbiosis estamos compartiendo nuestras aventuras de vida cómo familia habitando los bosques de San Blas.
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#bambooarchitecture #construction #naturalmaterials #ecobuilding #bioconstruccion #arquitectura #guadua #arquitecturanatural

We're starting to burst out of our nesting bubble.... Little by little our baby is becoming less teeny tiny!
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Having lived her first 6-months in a space of love that is home and feeling very rooted in this soft experience of life, she is starting to engage joyfully with little adventures in the outside world. Happy 6 luna-versary Saskia!
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#family #baby #nesting #homelife

What a joy to celebrate the solstice together with these beautiful beings. And...how incredible to feel the San Blas tribe growing! Full of gratitude and creativity for the future that is emerging here.
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Nos encantó celebrar el solsticio con todos estos seres hermosos. Y.... Qué increíble sentir la tribu de San Blas creciendo! Estamos llenos de gratitud y un sentido de creatividad por el futuro que está emergiendo aquí.
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#solstice #celebration #friendship #connection #gratitude

* Home sweet home *
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Home feels like a place of wonder, a place of creation, a place of peace. It is a place that holds space for an inner and outer re-wilding in an uninterrupted flow. A deep rootedness emerges from these experiences and we feel at home in the world and in ourselves.
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This is a little post we are making as we travel and explore some of Antioquia. The more we travel, the more we feel deep appreciation for home!
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#rainforest #home #bambooarchitecture #guadua #nature #bioconstruccion #permaculture #greenroof #herbgarden #livewildbefree

Carving pumpkins from the garden in the company of beautiful souls, happy Halloween!
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#halloween #pumpkin #afternoonfun #neighbours #creativeday

A day of human pyramids, dancing, designing and experiencing sculptural space... Our friends @tacuara.co brought their diploma to @ekawa_ekawa where we had a great time hosting day 3 of their 10 day course. It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm for bamboo architecture from all over the world. Looking forward to the next one :)
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#workshop #bamboo #construction #designprocess #connection #creativeday

Since we moved back to live in the watershed the greenery of the roof has really flourished (especially in such rainy times!). Being in baby mode and not on the construction site we are finding real joy in connecting with all the garden has to offer.
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#livinginnature #garden #syntropicfarming #growyourownfood #greenroof #home #family

Watching her sleep, it feels as if time has stood still. The energy around is so peaceful and calm. Early morning sun shines softly on her expressions, growing and evolving every day. We rock her gently in her hammock, singing sweet words and feeling so very thankful to life.
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We're so touched by the kindness of family and friends in celebrating her arrival. And featuring in these pics, a hammock specially created by @laurirestrepo and @pinostories , which is making life something luxurious for this rainforest babe. Thank you all!!
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#newborn #baby #babyhammock #rainforestlife #everyday #magic #gratitude #family

A month ago a little piece of heaven arrived here to the bright moonlight and sounds of the forest. Everyday is feeling like such a huge gift, a learning, a joy and a deepening.
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And just like that, two became three... plus the doggies and the cats... and birds and monkeys and trees... and the circle of life that we are part of in the rainforest.
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#freebirth #sheishere #love

As the moon moves into possibly the last waxing phase of this pregnancy, we held a ceremony. Next to the stream we gave thanks for all that is and has been to bring us to this moment.
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With achiote seeds mashed into a paint we drew patterns in honour of the tones, impulses and energies we are calling into our lives to support this new phase.
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Feeling so excited!!!!!
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#ceremony #38weekspregnant #bodyart #newphase #nature #cycles #babycomingsoon

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A space for creative action through deep insight & investigation

PLACE

A PLACE OF TRANSFORMATION

The region is part of a transformational process, located where the Andean mountain geography dissolves into the ecology of the tropical planes in Colombia. Beginning as natural wildness, over the last century the territory has gone through a number of phases: first damage through exploitative farming; then pausing in stillness due to exodus caused by war; and now in a time of peace, looking towards a healing.

the san blas valley

Historically a home to rainforest, the region of San Blas has an abundance of natural springs and sunshine. A gentle transition is beginning, moving away from a culture of cattle farming and rainforest destruction, towards reconnection between humans and nature. Now we see reforestation and the emergence of alternative living.

ekawa in san blas

Life here is adventurous. The previously farmed land of Ekawa is now home to many bamboo sculptures for inhabitation, edible gardens and all sorts of wildlife. Several families live here and our lifestyles evolve through re-connection with the wildness of the earth, in a space of active, creative flow. Ekawa connects with the locality of San Blas and global ideals through workshops and lifestyle experiences, bringing together deep nature and creativity with humans from all walks of life.

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