The indigenous Nasa people in Colombia are fighting for better living conditions and recognition from the government.

Every six days, a member of the indigenous Nasa community is killed in the Cauca region of Colombia, as so-called collateral damage in the war on drugs – an example of targeted action by paramilitaries. Discrimination, harassment and racism are faced by the Nasa every day. During the Coronavirus pandemic, they were not even treated properly in the country’s hospitals.

The government doesn’t engage with the problems of the 185,000 indigenous people – so they take care of everything themselves. At the height of the pandemic, they set up roadblocks around their tribal area. No one could get in or out without being checked or disinfected by the Nasa. Only 976 indigenous people became ill, three died. Across Colombia, 1.2 million people became infected in the same time and 32,000 died.

To draw attention to their problems, 8,000 indigenous people set off on the Pan-American Highway in autumn, first to Cali and then on to the national capital Bogotá. They wanted to talk to the president in person. On the way, more and more people joined them. In the end, one million protestors gathered on the Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá to demonstrate against the government, the Coronavirus crisis and the state of the country.

A film by Christopher Stöckle and Oliver Schmieg

Camera Oliver Schmieg
Sound Julián Andrés Sabogal Prieto
Editor Christopher Stöckle
Composer Marc Stöckle
Sound Mix Stani Milkowski
Production Assistant Durley Peña González
Associate Producers Carmel Fuhg, Izzy Hughes-Morgan
Head of Production Ko Miklik

Executive Producer Antje Boehmert

A production of DOCDAYS Productions for ARTE G.E.I.E.

Length: 13 min
Release Date: 2021