Tairona Heritage Trust
Tairona Heritage Trust is a UK-registered charity that amplifies the voice of Colombia's indigenous Kogi people through documentary films, theatre, publishing, and the UNESCO-endorsed Munekan Masha ecological restoration project, funded primarily by donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersSwansea, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tairona Heritage Trust does
Tairona Heritage Trust is a UK-registered charity (Charity Commission No. 1196707) founded in 1990 and based in Swansea, Wales, with approximately 11 employees. Its mission is to amplify the voice of the indigenous Kogi people of Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, to defend Kogi culture, and to support the recovery of Kogi ancestral territory. Operationally, the Trust functions as a communications, cultural, and ecological-restoration platform on behalf of a single beneficiary community, not a traditional commercial enterprise.
The Trust's core products are a portfolio of documentary films headlined by 'Aluna' (2012) and its prequels/sequels — including 'Message from the Heart of the World', 'Among the Clouds' (screened at COP16, November 2024), and the 'Aluna' companion feature — together with the 'Gonawindua' theatrical production (launched October 2024), a publishing line (notably the 2024 'Gold' book), and the Munekan Masha ecological restoration project, which is designed to be replicable across other indigenous groups and is a flagship case of the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition. Distribution is via community screenings, theatrical release (e.g., Bookworm/Cinedigm), high-profile venues (COP16, Highgrove 2025), and academic partnerships with institutions including the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, University of Zurich, Teatro Cenit, Tchendukua and OGT. The Aluna film is recognised under Colombian Decree 1500 as being of cultural interest.
The business model is donation-led, supplemented by book sales and revenue from film screenings and theatrical performances. In March 2019 the Trust restructured away from direct land purchase towards a communication-and-restoration model. The 2024 leadership transition — founder Alan Ereira's retirement and the appointment of Luci (Mama Luciano Sahe) as Chair alongside new trustees Dr. Vian Sharif, Falk Parra Witte, Janet Wilson and Petra Gomersall — is the most material recent governance change and is the principal risk and renewal event facing the organisation.
Tairona Heritage Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tairona Heritage Trust
- Legal name
- Tairona Heritage Trust
- Website
- https://taironatrust.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tairona Heritage Trust is a UK-registered charity that amplifies the voice of Colombia's indigenous Kogi people through documentary films, theatre, publishing, and the UNESCO-endorsed Munekan Masha ecological restoration project, funded primarily by donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tairona Heritage Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous Rights Advocacy and Cultural Preservation
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Community-Based & Indigenous-Led Ecotourism (THAAAEAH), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)
Keywords
Where Tairona Heritage Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Swansea
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tairona Heritage Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Giving: The primary revenue stream for this registered UK charity (No. 1196707) comes from public donations to support Kogi indigenous communities, land recovery efforts, and environmental protection projects.
- Film Screenings and Licensing: Revenue generated from screenings of documentary films including Aluna and Message from the Heart of the World, though both films are openly available online for free.
- Book Sales: Sales of Alan Ereira's book 'Gold: How it Shaped History' and potentially other publications about Kogi culture and environmental knowledge.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tairona Heritage Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tairona Heritage Trust amplifies the voice of the Kogi indigenous people of Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta by producing documentary films, theatre performances, and a collaborative ecological restoration project, and by supporting Kogi land recovery and cultural defense efforts. Its core outputs are documentary films (Aluna, Message from the Heart of the World, Among the Clouds), the Gonawindua theatre production, and the UNESCO-endorsed Munekan Masha ecological restoration project, all funded primarily by public donations.
Product overview
Tairona Heritage Trust offers a portfolio of documentary films (Aluna, Message from the Heart of the World, Among the Clouds), the groundbreaking Gonawindua theatre performance, the Munekan Masha ecological restoration project, and publications including newsletters and the Shikwakala book. The core offering centers on amplifying indigenous Kogi voice through documentary filmmaking, cultural performances, and collaborative environmental projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Munekan Masha: A transdisciplinary, collaborative ecological restoration project supporting the Kogi people to influence land management methods by disseminating their techniques to a wider audience. Also known as 'Munekan Masha: Reviving Water in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta'.
- Gonawindúa
- Aluna
- Message from the Heart of the World
Products and services
- Aluna Feature-length documentary film (2012) directed by Alan Ereira in collaboration with the Kogi people, conveying the depth of their environmental knowledge and abilities; made publicly available online via the Trust's website and YouTube for global audiences.
- Message from the Heart of the World Award-winning documentary film and companion book (1990, 1992) by Alan Ereira, created with the Kogi people to communicate Kogi environmental concerns to a global audience; freely available online.
- Among the Clouds Documentary film produced by Tairona Heritage Trust based on a script by young Kogi scriptwriter Jacinto, conveying an urgent environmental message to global younger-generation audiences.
- Gonawindua: The Heart of the World Groundbreaking Kogi theatre performance showcasing environmental knowledge through theatre, dance and music; the first-ever theatrical work created by the Kogi people, featuring 12 young Kogi actors and developed in collaboration with Teatro Cenit and directors Nube Sandoval and Bernardo Rey.
- Munekan Masha: Reviving Water in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Transdisciplinary collaborative ecological restoration project endorsed by the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition; supports the Kogi people in influencing land management methods by disseminating their indigenous ecological restoration techniques to academic and policy audiences.
- Shikwakala
Quantifiable outcome
- Tayrona National Park expanded by 170,000+ hectares for ancestral land protection
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Tairona Heritage Trust
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tairona Heritage Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Tairona Heritage Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES CoalitioncoreUNESCO's BRIDGES (Building Resilience in Defense of Global Environments and Societies) initiative has adopted the Munekan Masha project as its flagship pilot project. The Trust works with BRIDGES to integrate indigenous and academic knowledge for sustainability solutions.
- University of Wales Trinity Saint DavidcoreAcademic partner providing research support and institutional backing for the Munekan Masha project. Alan Ereira serves as Professor of Practice at the university. Luci Attala, a trustee, is Senior Lecturer in Anthropology.
- TchendukuacoreFrench NGO and institutional ally that has worked with the Kogi for land restoration. Co-organized the Cross-diagnosis project in Drôme, France and supports ongoing ecological development projects.
- Organización Gonawindua Tayrona (OGT)coreThe Kogi indigenous organization's administrative body that represents the Kogi people. The Trust works directly with OGT on all projects, with OGT providing oversight of cultural integrity and project focus.
- Amazon Conservation Team (ACT)minorNGO working extensively in the Sierra Nevada supporting Kogi land restoration efforts. Supported OGT's Cabraldo Santos visit to UK and provides technical expertise for land management.
- Fundación BachaqueroscoreLong-term supporter of THT that has worked with the Kogi for land restoration. Operating restoration projects including wetland recovery and river restoration at Carrizal reserve.
- Teatro CenitcoreColombian theatre company working with the Kogi on Gonawindua: The Heart of the World - the first-ever theatre production created by the Kogi people. Co-producing with award-winning directors Nube Sandoval and Bernardo Rey.
- Universidad de MagdalenaminorColombian university providing academic support and research capacity for the Munekan Masha project. Humanities Department part of the broad Alliance supporting OGT.
- University of ZurichcoreScientists Dr. Ingrid Olivares (biodiversity expert) and Dr. Rodrigo Camara-Leret (ethnobotanist) from University of Zurich are working with the Kogi Mamas on the Munekan Masha project.
- Zhingonezhi AllianceminorAlliance formed at the Dibulla consultation in June 2019 to coordinate support for the Sierra Nevada indigenous peoples. Includes OGT, THT, Tchendukua, ACT, University of Magdalena, and Juan Mayr's Foundation.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tairona Heritage Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tairona Heritage Trust social profiles
Digital presenceTairona Heritage Trust compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Tairona Heritage Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tairona Heritage Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Tairona Heritage Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tairona Heritage Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tairona Heritage Trust
What does Tairona Heritage Trust do?
Tairona Heritage Trust amplifies the voice of the Kogi indigenous people of Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta by producing documentary films, theatre performances, and a collaborative ecological restoration project, and by supporting Kogi land recovery and cultural defense efforts. Its core outputs are documentary films (Aluna, Message from the Heart of the World, Among the Clouds), the Gonawindua theatre production, and the UNESCO-endorsed Munekan Masha ecological restoration project, all funded primarily by public donations.
Is Tairona Heritage Trust a public or private company?
Tairona Heritage Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Tairona Heritage Trust founded?
Tairona Heritage Trust was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tairona Heritage Trust based?
Tairona Heritage Trust is headquartered in Swansea, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Tairona Heritage Trust make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Giving is the primary driver. The others are film Screenings and Licensing and book Sales.
Does Tairona Heritage Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tairona Heritage Trust.
What industry is Tairona Heritage Trust in?
Tairona Heritage Trust's product category is Indigenous Rights Advocacy and Cultural Preservation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAI, Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAC, Land Trusts & Protected Areas. Its NAICS code is 712.