This photo, showing locals bathing in the Guayas River in Ecuador, was taken in 2005 as part of my documentary project, ‘The Gulf of Oblivion’, about the poor population of Santay Island. The island has been inhabited by 47 families since the 1950s; in 2010 it became a national protected area and is a popular tourist destination. Meanwhile, the inhabitants have been petitioning the state to recognize their collective right to the land. Though documentation only proves that they have lived on Santay Island for 70 years, the families’ oral histories and the memories of the elders suggest that they have been there much longer.
Daniel Patino Flor Majorityworld.com
