SIONA
“I dream that our young people will defend our territory.
And that will be our legacy.
We know that we're cultivating the air,
and that air will help another country
that might not always have it.
So it’s not just for us.
It’s for the world.”
- Adiela Mera Paz
Commissioned by The New Yorker and supported by The Pulitzer Center.
Set in the Colombian Amazon, Siona: The effort to De-mine Sacred Space in the Amazon follows Adiela Mera Paz, a Siona indigenous leader, as she deactivates landmines in her ancestral territory making it possible for her people displaced by armed conflict to return.
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The presence of landmines has confined the Siona to just a small territory, and has made hunting and fishing prohibitively high-risk while also infringing on their spiritual practices. The landmines were planted by FARC guerrillas during the decades-long internal armed conflict against the Colombian government, which, despite a recent Peace Accord, has not abated. In 2009 Colombia’s Constitutional Court declared the Siona people– whose ancestral territory is along the Putumayo River dividing Colombia and Ecuador – victims of extremely serious human rights violations and “in danger of being physically and culturally exterminated by the internal armed conflict.” Pressured on all sides by armed conflict and encroaching oil companies, the Siona continue to protect their land and cultures against the odds.
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Adiela’s personal story is the core of the film, portraying a young indigenous leader living on the frontlines of climate change and conflict. Combining observational scenes with Adiela’s personal testimony, the film asks the viewer if empowering women like Adiela and the culture she defends will be enough to protect the environment. This nuanced approach strives to illuminate deeper rooted issues facing indigenous communities who, if the Amazon is to be protected, must be at the forefront of its defense.
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Director and cinematographer Tom Laffay is based in Bogotá, Colombia and is a recipient of the inaugural 2020 Andrew Berends Fellowship. He is currently producing his first feature length film with the Siona Nation.
Contact Tom at tplaffay@gmail.com for inquiries or support.
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Awarded / Best Medium Format Documentary by the Online Journalism Awards, 2021Awarded / Best Sound Design by the SIMA Social Media Impact Awards, 2021***
Run time / 10:22Language / Spanish & Mai’CocáSubtitles / EnglishFeaturing / Adiela Jinet Mera Paz/ Taita Humberto Piaguaje/ Celio Yaiguaje/ Alejandro Pérez ÁlvarezDirector & Cinematographer / Tom LaffayEditor / Jaap van’t KruisProducer / Emily WrightOriginal Score / Mateo Kingman & Alejandro MendozaSound design / Isabel TorresExecutive Producer Soo-Jeong KangMap Design / Naib MianGIS Map Support / Tyler BirdArchival FARC Footage / RCN Televisión