Lake Poopó’s Disappearance: The Uru Community’s Tale of Resilience by Gaston Zilberman, Motivarte

'The lake was our mother and father, our home. Now, we are orphans,’ said Rufino Choque, whose words echo through the desolate, windswept salt flat that had once been the thriving shore of Lake Poopó, Bolivia. 

Rufino’s indigenous Uru community had lived in harmony with the waters of this ancient lake for generations, nurturing a profound bond that sustained their lives and preserved their unique cultural identity. Today, however, their way of life is marked by profound transformation, as climate change-induced droughts and industrial contamination caused Lake Poopó to disappear entirely by 2016. 

Prior to this, the Urus lived in floating houses and spent weeks on their boats in the lake; hunting and fishing was their main source of subsistence. By narrating the Uru community’s loss of their cherished home, my goal is to provoke reflection and raise awareness about the urgent need to address the consequences of climate change and contamination.