Manacillos

Upon reaching the clear waters of the Yurumangui River, wooden houses begin to appear along its banks. There are 13 settlements in the river basin, home to approximately 4,000 residents, mostly descendants of enslaved Africans and maroons brought to work in the mines between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Manacillos hold profound spiritual significance, reaffirming their African roots and resisting colonialism and imposed Catholicism through syncretism, creating a new collective cultural identity.

Since 2022, I have been traveling to the riverine communities along the river to accompany and document both the traditional Holy Week festivities and the social challenges faced in the territory. Over these years, I have built a network of friendship and trust with the people of Juntas de Yurumangui, with the aim of carrying out a community-based documentary project and safeguarding the living memory of the Manacillos festival, while also supporting their social processes. #ongoingproject