Jiwasa: The Communal We Article by Ruben Hilari Quispe

“Jiwasa is a fundamental principle and linguistic code in the Aymara language that means “communal we.” In many ways, it relates to Quaker testimonies: community, integrity, peace, and harmony with nature. In what follows, I reflect on how Aymara foundations such as jiwasa have been suppressed or transformed through the influence of missionaries and Friends pastors from the United States of America.” Read the full article, published by Friends Journal, January 1, 2026, translated by Renzo Mejia Carranza.

Quakers and Jiwasa: Moving from I to We. “Rubén, an Aymara Quaker and linguist, introduces us to jiwasa – a concept of “we-ness” that includes humans, the environment, and even the objects around us. He invites us to sit with the unsettled feeling of language that doesn’t center the individual.” - Quakers Today Podcast interview with Ruben Hilari Quispe, released January, 2026