'Abya Yala' is the name chosen by the
Indigenous peoples of the Americas in
1992 to replace the name of the
North and
South American continents.
The expression, which in the
Kuna language means "land in its full maturity", is used by the
Kuna to refer to the continents.
The
Aymara leader
Takir Mamani argues for the use of the term "Abya Yala" in the official declarations of indigenous peoples' governing bodies, saying that "placing foreign names on our villages, our cities, and our continents is equilvaent to subjecting our identity to the will of our invaders and their heirs."
See also
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Kuna Yala is the name of the autonomous Kuna region.