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Moving Image / Entrevista con Vladimir Reyes Varas

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Title
Entrevista con Vladimir Reyes Varas
Contributor
L. Nunez, Jorge
Malat del Valle, Gabriel
Martín-Cabrera, Luis, 1972-
Reyes Varas, Vladimir
University of California, San Diego
Date Created and/or Issued
November 15, 2016
Contributing Institution
UC San Diego, The UC San Diego Library
Collection
Transandean Lithium Project: Coyo (Chile)
Rights Information
Under copyright
Constraint(s) on Use: This work is protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Use of this work beyond that allowed by "fair use" or any license applied to this work requires written permission of the copyright holder(s). Responsibility for obtaining permissions and any use and distribution of this work rests exclusively with the user and not the UC San Diego Library. Inquiries can be made to the UC San Diego Library program having custody of the work.
Use: This work is available from the UC San Diego Library. This digital copy of the work is intended to support research, teaching, and private study.
Rights Holder and Contact
Reyes Varas, Vladimir
Martín-Cabrera, Luis, 1972-
Description
Vladimir Reyes Varas es originalmente de las comunidades atacameñas de Peine y Toconao, pero vive en la comunidad de Coyo desde 1988. En su entrevista Vladimir cuenta que creció en las ciudades de Antofagasta, Calama y Copiapó desconectado de sus costumbres indígenas y que sólo más tarde fue redescubriendo sus raíces atacameñas. Al volver a Coyo empezó a cultivar la tierra otra vez con su padre que había sido pastor y agricultor antes de mudarse a la ciudad y a vender lo que cultivaban en San Pedro de Atacama. Este proceso de cultivar la tierra, le llevó a acudir al museo de San Pedro de Atacama y a leer más sobre la historia de los atacameños. En los años noventa, tras la aprobación de la ley indígena, Vladimir fue elegido como primer presidente de la comunidad atacameña de Coyo. Una de las primeras tareas que inició como presidente fue recuperar la gestión de los restos arqueológicos de Tulor, para que estuviera en manos de la comunidad de Coyo. Más adelante Vladimir explica cuál es la relación que tienen los atacameños con la tierra, el volcán Licancabur y la hoja de coca. Después, Vladimir cuenta cuál es el funcionamiento administrativo de la comunidad de Coyo y añade que sus funciones principales son gestionar para el turismo la aldea de Tulor, la laguna Baltinache y la laguna de Tebenquiche. En la última parte de la entrevista Vladimir aborda el significado que tiene el agua como fuerza vital para el pueblo atacameño y explica la relación que hay entre la actividad minera del litio y el descenso de las napas subterráneas de agua. En general Vladimir se muestra contrario a la actividad de extracción del litio e incluso está en contra de los acuerdos y compensaciones económicas que se han pactado con la minera Rockwood Litium. Vladimir ve la minería y el turismo a gran escala como una amenaza para la comunidad de Coyo y los pueblos atacameños que puede terminar por forzarlos a desplazarse de nuevo a las ciudades aledañas. — Vladimir Reyes Varas is originally from the atacama communities of Peine and Toconao, but he has lived in the Coyo community since 1988. In his interview Vladimir recounts that he grew up in the cities of Antofagasta, Calama and Copiapó, disconnected from his indigenous customs and that it was only later that he started rediscovering his roots in the atacama. Upon his arrival in Coyo he began cultivating the earth again with his father who had been a shepherd and a farmer before moving to the city and selling what he grew in San Pedro de Atacama. This process of cultivating the earth led him to go to the San Pedro de Atacama museum and read more about the history of the atacameños. In the 1990s, with the approval of indigenous law, Vladimir was elected as the first president of the atacameño community of Coyo. One of the first projects he began as president was the recovery of the ownership of the Tulor archaeological remains, so that they were in the hands of the Coyo community. Later in the interview, Vladimir explains the relationship of the community with the earth, with the Licancabur volcano, and with the coca leaf. Vladimir then explains how administration in the community functions, and he adds that its principal purpose is the management of tourism in Tulor, in the Baltinache lagoon, and in the Tebenquiche lagoon. In the final part of the interview Vladimir shares the significance of water as a vital force for the atacameño community, and he explains the relationship between lithium mining and the decadence of underground water layers. In general Vladimir is against lithium extraction activity, and he’s even against agreements and economic compensations between the community and Rockwood lithium, the mining firm. Vladimir sees mining and tourism as a threat towards the Coyo community and the atacameño community who might end up displaced.
UC San Diego Library, UC San Diego, La Jolla, 92093-0175 (https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/contact)
La comunidad de Coyo fue consultada para la creación de esta colección digital y, por lo tanto, retiene el control de su herencia cultural (lenguajes, prácticas, tecnologías, recursos naturales, territorios e información personal). Para cualquier uso que vaya más allá de la investigación o la enseñanza, busque por favor el permiso y el consentimiento de la comunidad. The Coyo community was consulted in the creation of this collection and they retain control of their Indigenous cultural heritage (languages, knowledge, practices, technologies, natural resources, territories, and personal information). For use beyond research or teaching, please seek permission from and give attribution to the community.
Type
moving image
Identifier
ark:/20775/bb16844277
Language
Spanish
Subject
Oral history
Lithium mines and mining
Interview
Historic sites
Volcanoes
Politics and government
Lagoons
Atacama Desert
Coyo (Chile)
Place
Atacama Desert
Coyo (Chile)

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