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Currently, Guatemala is the stage for the exploitation of several natural resources which, in its form and method, is comparable to the plundering that started over 500 years ago. A new phase of this began with the end of the internal armed conflict, marked by the signing of the Peace Accords in 1996. Five years ago, gold and silver mining started in the municipality of San Miguel Ixtahuacán, department of San Marcos. The mining is carried out through the open-pit method, which generated social conflicts (between members of the same communities), environmental contamination (by chemical agents contaminating the water and air), as well as the destruction of nature on several levels (drying up of water sources, deforestation, topographic modifications). Starting in 2008, this photographic project documents the reaction of the Mayan (Mam and Sipakapense) population when faced with the problems generated by the transnational company GoldCorp’s activities. Through community organisation, the Mayan population united in order to show its dissatisfaction, asserting their right to expression through community consultations and peaceful demonstrations.
Prologues by Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri – Rigoberta Menchú Tum
Texts by Magalí Rey Rosa
These images by Daniele Volpe show a story of resistance and dignity. The eyes of the people depicted in the photos tell us about their organised struggle against the abuses committed by the big corporations. His photographs never die; they last forever, and will be an essential contribution when the time comes for justice to be done. [Rodrigo Abd]
“Under the same sky” is an impressive production of photographs by Daniele Volpe and a magnificent text by Magalí Rey Rosa about the gold mining carried out by Goldcorp in the indigenous communities of San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipacapa. Not only does it convince, it also sensitises us. [Ricardo Falla]
Already, the images captured by Daniele Volpe showing the struggle of the indigenous peoples form part of history’s archives. This collection highlights the aspect of the human being that demands that its rights be fulfilled; the indigenous human being defending Mother Earth and her resources, not because he or she wants to own them, but because nature’s destruction is the destruction of humanity. [Rigoberta Menchú Tum]