Echoes of the Lake: The Fishermen of the Desert by Nico Muñoz

On the shores of Lake Poopó in Bolivia, an ancient culture remains resilient in the face of climate change. In early September 2023 I set out on a journey to film a documentary for the ARTE network. During my visit I witnessed the gradual drying up of the Desaguadero river, which serves as the main tributary to Bolivia's second largest lake. This drying trend has occurred in recent years due to mining, agriculture and urban expansion along its course towards a lake that now exists only in memory. In a small community on the banks of what was once their source of life, 14 families of the Uru ethnic group remain, embodying the consequences of a world that demands more and more resources to sustain an ever-expanding way of life. It is difficult to imagine a world without mining and technology, but a world without water is simply impossible.