Fr. Luis Bolla, "Yankuam"

Fr. Luis Bolla, “Yankuam”

Much more than a missionary

(ANS – Lima, Peru – February 7, 2025) - 12 years ago, on February 6, 2013, the Servant of God Fr. Luis Bolla, died in Lima. He was a Salesian missionary known among the indigenous Achuar people as “Yankuam” (a word that means “Twilight Path” in the local language). For the life he lived, however, the simple title of “missionary” is too limited: he was a radical witness to the Gospel who transformed his vision of evangelization while discovering the profound value of the culture and dignity of the indigenous peoples.

Luigi Bolla was born in Italy in 1932 and felt a vocation for missionary service from a young age. After becoming a Salesian, he was sent to Ecuador, to the vicariate apostolic of Mendez, a region dominated by the Shuar and Achuar ethnic groups. In a context where the predominant idea was to “civilize” the Amazonian peoples, Fr. Bolla soon realized that his mission was not to impose a foreign culture, but to accompany and strengthen the identity of these peoples.

For a long time, missionary work in the region had consisted of placing children and youths in educational institutions with the intention of “integrating” them into the mestizo society. Fr. Bolla, however, discovered that this method led to a loss of identity and a sense of inferiority among the indigenous people. Instead of seeing them as “savages” who needed to be transformed, he recognized them as a noble people with a rich culture and much to teach.

In his writings, Fr. Bolla emphasized that a person’s dignity lies in his identity and sense of belonging. For this reason, he endeavored to learn the language and customs of the Achuar, earning their respect and trust. He never criticized their culture but tried to understand it and accompany it in its evolution, without losing its essence.

The Second Vatican Council had a profound influence on the way Fr. Bolla understood his missionary work. The openness of the Church toward an enculturated evangelization provided him with the basis for his work. His goal was not to “convert” the Achuar into Christianized Westerners, but to proclaim the Gospel starting from their reality, respecting their worldview and accompanying them on their journey of faith.

Fr. Bolla dedicated his entire life to the Achuar, living among them, sharing their daily life and learning from their wisdom. His main concern was that, in their process of change and modernization, they not lose their pride and identity.

“Yankuam” was not only a missionary, but a brother to the Achuar, a witness of faith and a bridge between cultures. His legacy still lives on in the Amazon rainforest and in the memory of those who continue his work.

Fr. Bolla’s beatification process is underway, and his figure is remembered with great respect and admiration. His life leaves everyone with a clear message: evangelizing does not mean imposing, but accompanying with humility and love, recognizing the beauty of every culture and the dignity of every person.

Source: Salesianos.pe