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By: Petra Kelly-Voicu
Living in the Tz’utujil Maya community of Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, I’ve learned a lot about the delicate balance between indigenous livelihoods and nature, and the role of outsiders in the picture. My husband’s aunt, a Tz’utujil local with over a decade of experience in social work, would often comment on foreigners’ strange habits when it comes to environmentalism and social work. “Tell me, have you ever planted a tree before?”, she once asked me. “No, I have not,” I admitted. “See, that’s what I don’t understand. Foreigners always say, ‘you should stop doing this, you should stop doing that,’ in the name of environmental protection. But they never plant trees. We always plant trees with our schools, because we’ve always had a relationship with nature. So why do foreigners insist on telling us how to protect nature?” Her words reminded me of the many conflicts between externally-led environmentalism and indigenous communities that I have learned of over the years. At its worst, where large-scale and government-backed projects clash with indigenous rights, the phenomenon has fittingly been dubbed “eco colonialism”. One stark example lies on the other side of the country, in the Q’eqchi’ Maya territory surrounding Semuc Champey — a turquoise cascade of pools and surrounding forest that is one of Guatemala’s most popular tourist destinations. In 2005, Guatemala’s National Congress designated Semuc Champey as a protected natural area, placing it under the management of the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP). But this decision was made without consulting the Q’eqchi’ people, who had inhabited and cared for the forest for centuries. The move would restrict the Q’eqchi’s land rights and access to sacred sites in the area. And while the government promised 30% of tourist revenue to be allocated to the Q’eqchi’ communities, the community has failed to receive any such benefits ten years later. In 2015, part of the Q’eqchi’ community reasserted control over Semuc Champey in peaceful protest. One year later, they were forcefully and violently displaced by the military and National Police. When the Q’eqchi’ people have successfully managed and protected the forest for centuries, why does conservation have to mean impeding their rights to their ancestral lands? Back on Lake Atitlán – home of the Tz’utujil people – eco colonialism comes in the form of a controversial government-supported wastewater cleanup project that has similarly caused widespread outcry from the Tz’utujil community. Led by environmental NGO Asociación Amigos del Lago de Atitlán, this project proposes the construction of a “megacolector” to divert wastewater from the lake for use in large-scale agriculture, in a bid to reduce water pollution. But the Tz’utujil people, who view the lake as their grandmother, fear that this could mean privatization of the lake’s waters. These fears are further augmented by the involvement of several elite Guatemalan interests in the plan, and what Tz’utujil leaders denounce as extractive plans for the watershed. The government’s support for this project in the name of “clean water” is especially ironic given its long-standing inaction on illegal tilapia farms polluting the lake — farms that Tz’utujil authorities have repeatedly demanded be removed in order to protect the lake’s ecosystem. After years of being ignored, the community took matters into their own hands this week and dismantled the farms themselves. These struggles in Semuc Champey and Lake Atitlán reflect a recurring global pattern: indigenous peoples have long been among the world’s best protectors of nature, yet their voices are often ignored in the decisions that shape their land’s future – while government and elite interests benefit. But if research shows that conservation works best when led by local communities, then conservation must start with listening. Environmentalism cannot come at the expense of Indigenous rights. It’s time to elevate the voices of those who have protected these lands for centuries—and challenge the assumption that outsiders always know best. References
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