Ever since Mariana Rivera-Uribe could explore on her own two feet, they have carried her towards the wonders of nature. With 15 years of professional and recreational experience as a photographer and filmmaker, Mariana combines her passion for storytelling with her love of the wildness of the world to advocate for its protection. She recognizes the power and potential of images, nature and emotions to awaken individual consciousness- transforming views to incite collective action.

Image of Mariana Rivera-Uribe by Juan Cristobal Cobo

“I believe nature, images and storytelling have the power to connect and transform values in societies…they have the capacity of penetrating the rough layers of rationality and judgment, allowing us to feel vulnerable and connect with what we see in order to take action and [make] tangible impacts for nature and for those who protect it,” says Mariana.

As one of Photographers Without Borders Revolutionary Storyteller Grant recipients, Mariana will leverage the power of storytelling to protect 400-600 hectares of land across two regions in Colombia: the sacred land of the Muisca peoples near what is known as Bogotá and that of the Arhuaco peoples in the highlands of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. These lands are vital to the communities for maintaining practices such as food cultivation and the use of medicinal plants.

Mariana’s project, entitled “Zuhuscan Zuca Aba: Decolonizing the land to decolonize the mind,” will support an ongoing campaign led by the Cabildo Mayor Muisca de Oriente - one of the remaining Indigenous communities in Colombia - by documenting and sharing the movement which seeks to liberate Muisca and Arhuaco land from colonial development and exploitation.

Decolonization of the land requires relearning how to maintain a permanent dialogue with natural surroundings through alternative education and spiritual practices, healing the connection with the land that has been lost through centuries of forced separation. This connection revives the understanding that we are all “muysca planetarios” (people of the planet): “people rock,” “people river,” “people trees;” humanity and nature are one.

Beyond protecting the land to preserve vital cultural practices and maintaining environmental and spiritual balance, Mariana’s project will also save diverse and essential ecosystems that are at risk of destruction for the extraction of their abundant natural gifts, as has happened for centuries through the continued colonization of Indigenous lands.

Mariana’s creative talent, professional experience and connection with the communities make her the ideal storyteller to advocate for the protection of Muisca and Arhuaco lands. She completed a degree in biology and works for the world’s largest conservation organization (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Throughout her eight years of professional photography experience, her work has been exhibited in the 2020 Siena Photo Awards and the 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Collection.

As a co-founder and director of Coral Studio, Mariana has completed multiple visionary projects which have raised awareness about the importance of protecting nature and inspired successful action. She collaborated on the 2020 documentary, Expedicón Tribugá, which motivated 20,000 people to stand up against the development of the Gulf of Tribugá. The immensely biodiverse area was officially declared a protected area in 2021, preserving the livelihoods of many afro and Indigenous communities, as well as thousands of plant and animal species.

Born and based in Medellín, Colombia, Mariana has visited Arhuaco communities and has been connected with the Muisca community for 15 years through friendships and volunteer work. During her several visits, she has built trust and knowledge with the community and, importantly, a substantial understanding of and belief in their commitment and purpose to protect the Earth.

Mariana’s Revolutionary Storyteller project will be completed towards the end of 2022. In the meantime, you can view her work in the Mother Earth Speaks Contact exhibit or follow her on IG to see more of her work.