Latest news with #Wayuu
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Lido Pimienta: La Belleza review – Gregorian chant meets dembow rhythm in a work of remarkable depth
Five years since her Grammy-nominated breakthrough record Miss Colombia, singer and producer Lido Pimienta has taken a radical shift in direction. On Miss Colombia, Pimienta combined sprightly electro pop with cumbia rhythms and soaring vocals to critique racism and misogyny – now, her fourth album La Belleza (The Beauty) is a nine-track orchestral suite touching on everything from Gregorian chant to strings-laden love songs and dembow rhythms. Inspired by Catholic requiem mass music and the luscious harpsichord folk of Czech composer Luboš Fiser's score to 1970 film Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, Pimienta and producer Owen Pallett began writing and arranging for the 60-piece Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra during the Covid lockdowns. The result is a moving work of remarkable depth. There is drama aplenty. Pimienta harnesses the trilling tension of the Philharmonic's strings section on the militaristic tone of Ahora, intended as a battle cry for her Indigenous Wayuu roots. Aún Te Quiero employs thrumming counterpoint phrasing in the horn section as Pimienta sings a lament for her past self, and El Dembow del Tiempo ingeniously layers a percussive dembow rhythm over baroque flutes, producing a strangely propulsive new sound. While the instrumentals are deftly arranged and often surprising, it's Pimienta's agile, flawless vocals that steal the show: effortlessly doubling the yearning trumpet melodies of requiem mass music on Overturn, performing a sweet, soaring falsetto at the end of Ahora, powerfully leaping through glissandos on the harp-plucking of Mango and layering poignant, full-throated harmonies on closer Busca La Luz. Ascending from whispered intimacy to bellowing force as she yearns for affection on Quiero Que Me Beses (I Want You to Kiss Me), her maturing voice is as captivating as the might of any orchestra. Egyptian producer Elkotsh's debut album Rhlt Jdi (Nyege Nyege Tapes) combines doom-laden synth bass with celebratory mahraganat rhythms to produce a thunderous new blend. The hammering techno kick drums and siren-like melodies of Mwlid Ala'sar are an infectious highlight. A new compilation of unreleased music from Cameroonian musicologist Francis Bebey, Trésor Magnétique (Africa Seven), is an Afrofuturist treasure trove, blending everything from drum machines with mbira melody to breathy pygmy flutes with synth buzz, confounding genre definitions from the 1970s onwards. Singer Manika Kaur's latest album Devocean (Six Degrees) is a soothing collection of spiritual music from Arabic, Sikh, Celtic and Indigenous traditions. At times in danger of straying towards wafting New Age ambience, tracks like Māori song Wakan Tanka manage to find poignancy in the blend of Kaur's gossamer voice with the earthy didgeridoo.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colombia's wind farms bring promise and pain for indigenous group
When José Luis Iguarán steps outside his home in La Guajira, northern Colombia, he is met with a line of 10 towering wind turbines stretching across the cactus-strewn terrain toward the Caribbean Sea. The Wayuu indigenous group, which Mr Iguarán belongs to, has lived on the arid peninsula region for centuries, herding goats, tending to crops, mining salt, and fishing. With some of Colombia's most powerful winds, La Guajira has now become the epicentre of the country's shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. But this green ambition has faced both resistance and reflection from locals, whose territory is deeply tied to culture, tradition, and a profound connection to nature. "You wake up and suddenly you no longer see the trees. Instead, you see and hear the turbines," Mr Iguarán says. His community now shares its land with Guajira 1 - one of Colombia's two operational wind farms. Another 15 wind farms are currently under construction in La Guajira, and there are plans for dozens more. "At night, the noise from the turbines disturbs our dreams. For us, dreams are sacred," Mr Iguarán adds. The Wayuu, who number around 380,000 in Colombia and extend into Venezuela, have distinct traditions and beliefs. Dreams are a bridge to the spiritual world, where they receive messages from their ancestors that are interpreted within the family. Despite the cultural disruptions, Mr Iguarán says that his community has benefited from Guajira 1. The energy company behind it, Colombian firm Isagen, has paid for them to have access to clean drinking water, better roads, and sturdy brick houses, which have replaced some of the mud and cactus ones. Isagen, which is owned by Canada's Brookfield, also pays three local communities an annual fee for the wind farm to be there, a percentage of annual electricity revenues, and 20% from the sale of carbon credits. These are bought by companies wishing to offset their carbon emissions. Mr Iguarán believes such energy projects can help bring vital development to Colombia's second-poorest region. But not everyone shares his enthusiasm. "The wind farms produce clean energy, but they create division within the Wayuu communities," explains Aaron Laguna, a Wayuu fisherman, who lives in the coastal village of Cabo de la Vela. His community is currently in the process of consultations over a wind farm due to be built nearby. He has seen others affected by projects complain about a lack of transparency, poor compensation, a disrespect of cultural norms, and corruption. "Bad negotiations are made, and the resources given [to us] aren't well managed by locals," he adds. These concerns have led to disputes with the energy companies, and even conflict within Wayuu communities. Some oppose the projects, while others feel excluded from negotiations that could bring them benefits. "There is still this idea that if it is green, it is automatically good," says Joanna Barney, director of environment, energy and communities at Colombian think tank Indepaz. It has extensively researched the energy transition and its effects on the Wayuu. "In Colombia… there isn't a solid legal framework to properly assess the environmental impacts - and the social impacts are immeasurable." In December 2024, Spanish company EDP Renováveis shelved plans for two wind farms in La Guajira, saying the projects were no longer economically viable. One factor was the doubling of local indigenous communities who said they would be affected, and therefore need compensation, from 56 to 113. EDP's decision followed the May 2023 exit of Italian multinational Enel from another planned wind farm in the region. Enel attributed its departure to "constant protests" that halted construction for more than half of the working days between 2021 and 2023. Guajira 1 was also marred by roadblocks, a common way of protesting in La Guajira when locals feel unheard. And think tank Indepaz has recorded cases of attacks against employees of the energy firms, including armed robberies and kidnappings. And in some areas it has found cases of displacement and violence between local communities who disagree over neighbouring wind farms. "We call it the 'wind wars'," says Ms Barney. For Colombian anthropologist Wieldler Guerra, there is a clear disconnect between the Wayuu and the wind farm companies. "There are two worlds talking, and they have not managed to understand each other," he says. This gap extends to the very way they perceive the wind - the element central to these projects. "For the Wayuu, the winds are people. It is not the wind, but the winds. There are eight different winds in Wayuu culture, mythological and ancestral beings with distinct temperaments that shape the surrounding environment and must be respected." By contrast, companies and the Colombian government see wind as a resource to harness for environmental progress, profit, and to address the country's energy needs. While Colombia has a relatively clean domestic electricity matrix, with nearly two-thirds coming from hydroelectricity, the country remains vulnerable to low reservoir levels, which creates a risk of energy shortages. Wind energy currently contributes just 0.1% of the energy mix. For energy companies investing in the region, the risk of conflicts with local people are a worrying prospect. One such firm, AES Colombia is developing the country's largest wind energy cluster in La Guajira, with six wind farms. The company insists it maintains an open dialogue with communities, offering fair compensation, and ensuring benefits such as clean drinking water and shares in carbon credits. But it says good community relations are not enough. "We cannot do these projects alone," says Federico Echavarría, general manager of AES Colombia. "The government must help resolve conflicts between communities." On the windswept beach in Cabo de la Vela, Mr Laguna says La Guajira has historically been neglected by the state. Education and healthcare are poor, and most rural communities do not have running water. Some people still walk hours each day to collect water from jagüeys – reservoirs filled with rainwater. His community has a small salt-water treatment plant that produces fresh water and it wants the company planning to build the nearby wind farm to expand it, so that more locals benefit. Despite the talk of progress, he points to a lingering paradox. "The worst thing is we won't receive even a single kilowatt of the electricity produced here," he laments. The plan is for the wind farm's electricity to instead be sent elsewhere, and that the village will continue to rely on generators, at least in the medium term. While the future might look bright for clean energy, many Wayuu are still anxious they will be left in the dark.
BBC News
04-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Colombia's wind farms bring promise and pain for indigenous group
When José Luis Iguarán steps outside his home in La Guajira, northern Colombia, he is met with a line of 10 towering wind turbines stretching across the cactus-strewn terrain toward the Caribbean Wayuu indigenous group, which Mr Iguarán belongs to, has lived on the arid peninsula region for centuries, herding goats, tending to crops, mining salt, and some of Colombia's most powerful winds, La Guajira has now become the epicentre of the country's shift from fossil fuels to renewable this green ambition has faced both resistance and reflection from locals, whose territory is deeply tied to culture, tradition, and a profound connection to nature."You wake up and suddenly you no longer see the trees. Instead, you see and hear the turbines," Mr Iguarán says. His community now shares its land with Guajira 1 - one of Colombia's two operational wind farms. Another 15 wind farms are currently under construction in La Guajira, and there are plans for dozens more."At night, the noise from the turbines disturbs our dreams. For us, dreams are sacred," Mr Iguarán Wayuu, who number around 380,000 in Colombia and extend into Venezuela, have distinct traditions and beliefs. Dreams are a bridge to the spiritual world, where they receive messages from their ancestors that are interpreted within the the cultural disruptions, Mr Iguarán says that his community has benefited from Guajira 1. The energy company behind it, Colombian firm Isagen, has paid for them to have access to clean drinking water, better roads, and sturdy brick houses, which have replaced some of the mud and cactus which is owned by Canada's Brookfield, also pays three local communities an annual fee for the wind farm to be there, a percentage of annual electricity revenues, and 20% from the sale of carbon credits. These are bought by companies wishing to offset their carbon Iguarán believes such energy projects can help bring vital development to Colombia's second-poorest region. But not everyone shares his enthusiasm. "The wind farms produce clean energy, but they create division within the Wayuu communities," explains Aaron Laguna, a Wayuu fisherman, who lives in the coastal village of Cabo de la community is currently in the process of consultations over a wind farm due to be built nearby. He has seen others affected by projects complain about a lack of transparency, poor compensation, a disrespect of cultural norms, and corruption."Bad negotiations are made, and the resources given [to us] aren't well managed by locals," he concerns have led to disputes with the energy companies, and even conflict within Wayuu communities. Some oppose the projects, while others feel excluded from negotiations that could bring them benefits."There is still this idea that if it is green, it is automatically good," says Joanna Barney, director of environment, energy and communities at Colombian think tank Indepaz. It has extensively researched the energy transition and its effects on the Wayuu."In Colombia… there isn't a solid legal framework to properly assess the environmental impacts - and the social impacts are immeasurable." In December 2024, Spanish company EDP Renováveis shelved plans for two wind farms in La Guajira, saying the projects were no longer economically factor was the doubling of local indigenous communities who said they would be affected, and therefore need compensation, from 56 to decision followed the May 2023 exit of Italian multinational Enel from another planned wind farm in the region. Enel attributed its departure to "constant protests" that halted construction for more than half of the working days between 2021 and 1 was also marred by roadblocks, a common way of protesting in La Guajira when locals feel think tank Indepaz has recorded cases of attacks against employees of the energy firms, including armed robberies and kidnappings. And in some areas it has found cases of displacement and violence between local communities who disagree over neighbouring wind farms."We call it the 'wind wars'," says Ms Barney. For Colombian anthropologist Wieldler Guerra, there is a clear disconnect between the Wayuu and the wind farm companies."There are two worlds talking, and they have not managed to understand each other," he gap extends to the very way they perceive the wind - the element central to these projects."For the Wayuu, the winds are people. It is not the wind, but the winds. There are eight different winds in Wayuu culture, mythological and ancestral beings with distinct temperaments that shape the surrounding environment and must be respected."By contrast, companies and the Colombian government see wind as a resource to harness for environmental progress, profit, and to address the country's energy Colombia has a relatively clean domestic electricity matrix, with nearly two-thirds coming from hydroelectricity, the country remains vulnerable to low reservoir levels, which creates a risk of energy shortages. Wind energy currently contributes just 0.1% of the energy mix. For energy companies investing in the region, the risk of conflicts with local people are a worrying such firm, AES Colombia is developing the country's largest wind energy cluster in La Guajira, with six wind company insists it maintains an open dialogue with communities, offering fair compensation, and ensuring benefits such as clean drinking water and shares in carbon it says good community relations are not enough."We cannot do these projects alone," says Federico Echavarría, general manager of AES Colombia. "The government must help resolve conflicts between communities."On the windswept beach in Cabo de la Vela, Mr Laguna says La Guajira has historically been neglected by the and healthcare are poor, and most rural communities do not have running people still walk hours each day to collect water from jagüeys – reservoirs filled with community has a small salt-water treatment plant that produces fresh water and it wants the company planning to build the nearby wind farm to expand it, so that more locals the talk of progress, he points to a lingering paradox. "The worst thing is we won't receive even a single kilowatt of the electricity produced here," he plan is for the wind farm's electricity to instead be sent elsewhere, and that the village will continue to rely on generators, at least in the medium the future might look bright for clean energy, many Wayuu are still anxious they will be left in the dark.
Al Etihad
01-04-2025
- General
- Al Etihad
How Indigenous peoples face climate change
1 Apr 2025 22:24 (The Associated Press) Indigenous communities are often among the first to feel the impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, rising seas and extreme weather events threaten their traditional ways of life, food systems and lands. In the face of this, Indigenous groups are finding ways to adapt and even some solutions to some of the problems that come with climate change. This shouldn't be surprising. Indigenous groups point out they have been successful stewards of lands for thousands of years. The AP climate team has reported on challenges these groups deal with, from the Amazon to the Arctic, and how they have combined tradition with innovation to respond. Here are some examples: Struggling to Protect the Future of Spearfishing The Ojibwe and other Indigenous people are fighting to keep this way of life vibrant. As a result of warming waters, increasingly variable seasonal changes and lakeshore development, walleye numbers in some lakes are dwindling. Losing this species would mean losing a food source for community members, a sovereign right to fish, and a deep connection to tradition and nature. A member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, spears a walleye by headlamp on the Chippewa Flowage Monday, near Hayward, Wis. (AP Photo/John Locher) Amazon's Ashninka Tribe Restore their TerritoryThe self-sufficiency of Apiwtxa village in Brazil, which comes from growingcrops and protecting its forest, is now a model for an ambitious project to help 12 Indigenous territories in the western Amazon about the size of the U.S. state of Delaware. The Organisation of Indigenous People of the Jurua River got a $6.8 million grant from the Amazon Fund, the world's largest initiative to combat rainforest deforestation. With Apiwtxa as the model, the grant is geared toward improving Indigenous land management with an emphasis on food production, cultural strengthening and forest surveillance. Apolima-Arara Indigenous men pose for a picture during the annual celebration recognising the Ashaninka territory in the Apiwtxa village, Acre state. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) Wayuu People in Northern Colombia Prolonged droughts, intensified by climate change, have worsened water scarcity, straining Wayuu's already limited access to drinking water and resources for livestock and agriculture. Climate change is rapidly altering the way of life for the Wayuu, a semi-nomadic Indigenous group living in the arid La Guajira region that spans northern Colombia and Venezuela. As rainfall becomes more erratic, food insecurity rises, with crops failing and livestock struggling to survive. The worsening conditions have forced many Wayuu to migrate, either to urban centres or across borders, further intensifying their socio-economic struggles. The Wayuu's cultural identity, rooted in their spiritual connection to the land, is also at risk. A Venezuelan migrant, of the Wayuu Indigenous group, plays with a chicken, in the Belen neighborhood, on the outskirts of Riohacha, Colombia. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia) Climate Change Destroys an Alaska Village Charles Alexie stands along the coastal erosion that has eaten away at the riverbanks in Newtok, Alaska. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Alaska town of Newtok has been destroyed by erosion and melting permafrost. All that's left are some dilapidated and largely abandoned grey homes scraped bare of paint by salt darting in on the winds of storms. The town's residents gradually moved their possessions onto boats to relocate to Mertarvik, becoming one of the first Alaska Native villages to complete a large-scale relocation because of climate change.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
ICT NEWSCAST: Wisconsin University honors Ho-Chunk land and Native students
The ICT Newscast for Friday, March 14, covers .Check out the ICT Newscast on YouTube for this episode and more. Wisconsin University honoring Ho-Chunk land and Native students: UW-Madison is investing in Native students through the "Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise," covering tuition, housing, and fees. President Trump's joint address to Congress and its impact on Indian Country: A roundtable discussion with Holly Cook-Macarro and Mike Stopp addresses the impact of Trump's policies. A Tribe in Maine celebrating a landback victory: The tribe has regained stewardship of forest, wetlands, and river frontage. Renewable energy projects affecting sacred land: The Wayuu community in Colombia is facing challenges with renewable energy projects. The passing of Marion Ironquill Meadmore: One of Canada's first Indigenous women lawyers, she was also a co-founder of Canada's first Indian and Métis Friendship Center. View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country. ICT is owned by IndiJ Public Media, a nonprofit news organization. Will you support our work? All of our content is free. There are no subscriptions or costs. And we have hired more Native journalists in the past year than any news organization ─ and with your help we will continue to grow and create career paths for our people. Support ICT for as little as $10. Sign up for ICT's free newsletter.
