Sacred Rivers | POY Latam

220701 Mapuches Rio Pilmaiken Chile Escrache a empresa noruega Starktaf 220701 Mapuches Rio Pilmaiken Chile Escrache a la empresa norvega Starktaf 220701 Mapuches Rio Pilmaiken Chile Escrache the Norwegian company Starktaf

The waters of the Truful Truful River go through the Conguillio National Park near Melipeuco, South of Chile, Monday, July 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) As águas do rio Truful Truful atravessam o Parque Nacional Conguillio, perto de Melipeuco, no sul do Chile, na segunda-feira, 11 de julho de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Las aguas del río Truful Truful atraviesan el Parque Nacional Conguillio cerca de Melipeuco, al sur de Chile, el lunes 11 de julio de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Community members walk towards the river Pilmaiquen after sunrise during the Wiñol Txipantü celebrations or Mapuche New Year in Carimallin, South of Chile, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Membros da comunidade caminham em direção ao rio Pilmaiquen após o nascer do sol durante as celebrações do Wiñol Txipantü ou Ano Novo Mapuche em Carimallin, no sul do Chile, no domingo, 26 de junho de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Miembros de la comunidad caminan hacia el río Pilmaiquen después del amanecer durante las celebraciones del Wiñol Txipantü o Año Nuevo Mapuche en Carimallin, al sur de Chile, el domingo 26 de junio de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Mapuche women get wet in Pilmaiquen river to purify themselves and renew their energies in the context of the Wiñol Txipantü celebrations or Mapuche New Year, in Carimallin, South of Chile, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Mulheres mapuches molham-se no rio Pilmaiquen para se purificarem e renovarem as suas energias no contexto das celebrações do Wiñol Txipantü ou Ano Novo Mapuche, em Carimallin, no sul do Chile, no domingo, 26 de Junho de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Mujeres mapuches se mojan en el río Pilmaiquen para purificarse y renovar energías en el marco de las celebraciones del Wiñol Txipantü o Año Nuevo Mapuche, en Carimallin, sur de Chile, el domingo 26 de junio de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Plants called Nalca, whose roots are used as “lawen” or natural medicine in the Mapuche worldview, are seen near the river Pilmaiquen after sunrise during the Wiñol Txipantü celebrations or Mapuche New Year in Carimallin, South of Chile, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Plantas chamadas Nalca, cujas raízes são usadas como “lawen” ou medicina natural na visão de mundo mapuche, são vistas perto do rio Pilmaiquen após o nascer do sol durante as celebrações do Wiñol Txipantü ou Ano Novo Mapuche em Carimallin, sul do Chile, domingo, 26 de junho de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Plantas llamadas Nalca, cuyas raíces se utilizan como “lawen” o medicina natural en la cosmovisión mapuche, se ven cerca del río Pilmaiquen después del amanecer durante las celebraciones del Wiñol Txipantü o Año Nuevo Mapuche en Carimallin, al sur de Chile, el domingo 26 de junio de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

220709 Mapuches Truful River 220709 Mapuches Rio Truful Truful 220709 Mapuches Río Truful Truful

220625 -25 Mapuches Chile Machi Millaray 220625 -25 Mapuches Chile Machi Millaray 220625 -25 Mapuches Chile Machi Millaray

Members of different Mapuche communities gather around a fire outside the ruka during the Wiñol Txipantü celebrations or Mapuche New Year in Carimallin, South of Chile, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Membros de diferentes comunidades mapuches se reúnem em torno de uma fogueira do lado de fora da ruka durante as celebrações do Wiñol Txipantü ou Ano Novo Mapuche em Carimallin, no sul do Chile, no domingo, 26 de junho de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Miembros de diferentes comunidades mapuches se reúnen alrededor de un fuego fuera de la ruka durante las celebraciones del Wiñol Txipantü o Año Nuevo Mapuche en Carimallin, al sur de Chile, el domingo 26 de junio de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

220628 Mapuches Rio Pilmaiken Chile Machi Millaray 220628 Mapuches Rio Pilmaiken Chile Machi Millaray 220628 Mapuches Rio Pilmaiken Chile Machi Millaray

A general view of the construction of Los Lagos hydroelectric plant, owned by the Norwegian company Statkraft, next to the Pilmaiken river, considered a sacred river by the Mapuche communities, in Los Lagos, South of Chile, Monday June 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Vista geral da construção da usina hidrelétrica de Los Lagos, de propriedade da empresa norueguesa Statkraft, ao lado do rio Pilmaiken, considerado um rio sagrado pelas comunidades mapuches, em Los Lagos, no sul do Chile, na segunda-feira, 27 de junho de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Vista general de la construcción de la central hidroeléctrica Los Lagos, propiedad de la empresa noruega Statkraft, junto al río Pilmaiken, considerado sagrado por las comunidades mapuches, en Los Lagos, sur de Chile, el lunes 27 de junio de 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Throughout the world, for millennia, rivers have provided wondrous gifts: nourishment, mobility, irrigation, natural beauty.

In recognition of these gifts, some cultures held the rivers of their kingdoms sacred, beseeching them with prayers, partaking of their waters for joyous and somber rituals.

Today, although these rivers remain objects of devotion, some face serious threats: severe pollution, diminishing flows, hydroelectric projects.

Telling their life stories, the deep conflict that exists between many Mapuche communities with hydroelectric projects that alter the course of the rivers and pollute their waters, was an extraordinary experience for me as a photojournalist.

The rivers not only irrigate their fields, feed their families, but also provide them with the water they use daily to hydrate themselves and cook their meals.

On the slopes of the rivers grow native plants that are used as natural medicines to cure all kinds of diseases. Ancestral wisdom is passed from generation to generation and natural treatments are performed in indigenous villages near the rivers, far from urban centers.

In the Mapuche cosmovision, the souls of the deceased are transported underground from the cemeteries to the rivers, and it is there where their waters carry the spirits throughout the territory.

That is why they believe they live with their ancestors, with their deceased loved ones who live in the natural world of trees, flowers, earth, stones and much more.

Today their rights are threatened by hydroelectric companies that fight, on the contrary, to profit from nature.