Guardian of the Immortal Leaf

The Mamos are the spiritual guardians of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is in them that all the wisdom connecting communities to nature is entrusted. Their strength and understanding have enabled indigenous peoples such as the Koguis to survive even today amid the complex circumstances surrounding the world, especially the disappearance of ancestral cultures, which in turn is linked to the destruction of ecosystems. This photograph was taken as part of the filming project for the documentary "Expedición Jaguar", which chronicles and highlights the deep connection between indigenous communities throughout Colombia and the jaguar, while also explaining the jaguar’s ecological importance. In fact, the Kogui people, to whom Mamo José (pictured) belongs, describe themselves as “the people of the jaguar’s language.”