1st Place; Echoes of the Hive by Mahé Elipe

The Melipona bee is a rare species that doesn’t have a sting. It is seen as sacred by the Maya people, and its honey is said to have miraculous properties. It also embodies the resistance of indigenous communities in the region Hopelchén, Campeche nestled in southeast Mexico, against the ravages of agro-industry. In March 2023, a tragic fate befell more than one hundred beekeepers: their Melipona bees were poisoned by fipronil, an insecticide that is banned in most countries in Europe, but is still permitted in Mexico. This tragedy left deep scars on the Mayas, whose survival is intertwined with the golden nectar of the Melipona. Like an unrelenting tide, intensive agriculture is swallowing the Yucatan Peninsula, pushing back millennia-old jungles and threatening ancient practices. These images reflect the unshakeable determination of the Ka Kuxtal Much’Meyaj group, through individual and collective resistance, to leave behind an untarnished legacy for future generations.