What happened to the town Uru Chipaya It’s one of those stories that shouldn’t happen. This indigenous population made up of the communities of Puñaca Tinta Mariá, Vilañeque and Llapallapani settled thousands of years ago on the shores of the Poppo Lakewhich was not only their source of food and work, but also defined their identity as “Men of the Lake” (Qotzuni, in the original language). Until one day the unthinkable happened: droughts induced by the climate change and an extractivist economic model led to the complete disappearance of its waters in 2016.
What I used to be the second largest lake in Boliviaafter the Titicaca, became an extensive saline desert landscape. The community, which lived mainly from hunting and fishing, was forced to change its lifestyle. Many decided to migrate to the city and the families that stayed had to reinvent themselves.
He photographer and audiovisual producer Gaston Zilberman (23 years old) documented the consequences of the war in Ukraine in March 2022 and the humanitarian aid after a fire in Peru earlier this year together with the NGO International Chain, in which he also actively participates as a volunteer. In search of a new story to tell, fate brought him along Michael Salama (22 years) to Bolivia. “A friend told me that his brother, who studies History and Environmental Sciences at the Princeton University in the USA, “He wanted to do his research thesis on the Uru community,” Zilberman told Ámbito, and I add: “I instantly decided to travel with him to do a documentary project.”
The documentary Qotzuñi: Men of the Lake, It was screened for the first time last Tuesday the 19th at the Palermo Ecopark and it is a stark example of the consequences of climate change, which some people insist on denying, and which is advancing by leaps and bounds.
GZ Image 2.jpg
Gaston Zilberman
In addition to his experience in documenting social and environmental problems thanks to his participation in humanitarian actions of the CHAIN NGO, Zilberman (@gastonzilberman) was part of the production of the documentary in collaboration with National Geographic about him last passenger train to Patagonia in operation, where it shows the vitality of this transport for many people. What he is most passionate about about his work on this type of project is “show realities that are not otherwise seen”.
The main objective of the documentary he made with Salama is “llsend this story to the world”and they achieved it: They published a note in the US, for Harvard, in Argentina and in Bolivia. However, Zilberman believes that something more is needed: “I seek to unite the documentary concept that National Geographic applies, for example, to the action of humanitarian aid NGOs. Combine that main objective with providing a help service to the community to be able to contribute a more immediate impact.”
Documentary short film “Qotzuñi: Men of the Lake”
In July of this year, Zilberman and Salama settled eight days in Bolivia to carry out this documentary: “They were very intense days of work.” More than five hours of audiovisual content were reduced in twelve minutes that invite reflection. Using raw images, and with a certain poetic air, they achieved a clear and forceful message that transcends the history of the Uru community and raises awareness about the impact of the climate crisis on society in general.
GZ Image 3.jfif
Gaston Zilberman
The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident around the world. The screening of the documentary after the weekend of strong storms in much of the country gives even more relevance to the story being told. “The storm we experienced, like last year’s heat wave, are warnings that we are having, but there are communities that have been experiencing the consequences of climate change for more than twenty years,” Zilberman reflected.
Approach to the Uru community
“From the beginning we made it clear that “We wanted to make his story known to the world.”, noted the filmmaker. During their stay, the young students ate and slept in the Uru town: “Being in the community had to be a hybrid between participate and be an observer. That commitment on our part was what allowed us to open them up and be able to film them in a more genuine way.”
GZ Image 5.jpg
Gaston Zilberman
In this documentary, the Uru are the protagonists and narrators of their own story. Don Rufino Choque, member of the communitysummarizes with a forceful phrase the havoc that the drought caused in the community: “The lake was our mother and father. Now, we are orphans.”
And it is that with the disappearance of Lake Poopó They lost a part of their identity Qotzuni: “The drought divided us”, they stated in the documentary. Despite this, those who stayed managed to reinvent themselves and currently live off the harvest and crafts. However, even if it is impossible, the hope that the lake will re-form remains intact.
GZ Image 4.jpg
A shocking fact about this story does not appear in the narrative of the documentary and that is that the people themselves Men from the community began working for mining companies surrounding areas to survive, who were largely responsible for the disappearance of the lake due to the pollution and excessive use of its water. “They work for those mainly responsible for the extinction of their ancient source of life and sustenance (the lake),” said the young man.
The power of photography
This story was not only told through the short film, but Zilberman also captured it with his camera. images that show the harsh reality of the consequences: “Photography is my tool to fight against indifference to the climate crisis that continually worsens, and to encourage other people to take action against this problem.”
“The work carried out in Bolivia was the first step of a larger scale audiovisual project to be able document indigenous communities in Latin America that are affected by the climate change and polluting industries,” said the young photographer.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
