Esmeralda Palacios, a native of the Humanitarian Zone Nueva Vida (New Life) peace community, Cacarica Bajo Atrato, Chocó, young mother of 4, died in 2012. In the photo, she had just given birth to her second child. I stayed at her house in 2007. Gallery Cacarica
Life opens its way into the city where pigeons carve a niche and compete with other birds for food
In Cacarica River Basin over four thousand people were brutally displaced in 1997. A military and paramilitary action called "Operation Genesis" deployed for a week with bombings, burning of houses and killing, resulted in a massive displacement that have not ended totally but has been resisted by Afro-descendant communities who fought for their land in the highly biodiverse forests of the Lower Atrato in Chocó. Gallery
Most of the pictures here belong to the project African FoodBasket one of the increasing sustainable food initiatives that not only have brought the countryside to the urban population closer, but also lead to the creation of culturally appropriate agro- ecological practices to improve access to affordable and healthy food for urban diverse communities. The Afri-Can FoodBasket is one of those initiatives in the city of Toronto where economic actions and collective identity processes have been channeling towards achieving food security and most important, food justice. Community-based urban agriculture is a way for ethnic communities and, in the case for African Canadians, to empower themselves and take back their communities. Gallery
New people crowd the city. It emerges with many conflicts, triumphs and failures and, in spite of the bitterness and misery, it is revealed as a space full of surprises. People converging. Nature taking over urban spaces. Gallery
The school Lorenzo Mirabal is located on the banks of the Inirida river, in Piedra Alta, four hours away from the town Puerto Inírida. This is a sacred site for the Puinave tribe and the school, conducted by the teacher Lucas Cuiches was developing an educational project that propelled the recovery of their history and tradition, an experience in which the life of the school and the community became joined into one. Here is a series of images of the school activity among the Puinave people in Piedra Alta. (link to portfolio and article)
Indigenous of North America celebrate their music, dances, food and art crafts in powwows, a huge gathering of tribes that become an important celebration of culture and identity and a way to pay homage to their veterans. Leading the parade or Gran Entry are tribal dignitaries wielding antlers decorated with eagle feathers and tribal guards carrying banners and flags. Men, women and children compete in different categories and dancing styles while musicians located in concentric circles around the drums, play and sing. In 2011 the 18th and last Canadian Aboriginal Festival was celebrated in Toronto. Even though the festival has been promoted as the largest multi- discipline Aboriginal event in North America, it is now gone apparently due to economic constraints.
