Yo bebo leche y agua

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Yo bebo leche y agua. In 1981, the Código de Aguas (Water Law) was written during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. According to it, water is defined as a "national good in public use" but it can be freely traded and purchased like a commodity, even by individuals. Chile's water supply is almost completely privatized. 18.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "From our house, we saw Edelaysén destroying everything. Together with our neighbors we founded the Los Maquis Libres movement. We try everything possible to protect the river." Cristobal Weber McKay (32) and Franny Parkinson (33). 19.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "When we destroy our rivers, it also affects us. We can continue to pollute or sell the water, but the bottom line is, it all comes back to us. It makes some people richer, but not necessarily happier." Katharina Wittmann (38). 31.7.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "The saddest thing, apart from the construction of the hydroelectric plant itself, is the fact that Puerto Guadal's social structure has been very badly damaged by it. People have chosen sides, and now we don't talk to neighbors who were our friends before. The whole Los Maquis issue is very polarizing.“ Cristian Weber McKay (34). 21.2.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. Snow and ice form important water reserves in winter, which are returned to the water cycle in summer when the glaciers melt. Lago Chelenko, as the Chileans call the second largest lake in South America, also consists of glacial water and has an average temperature of 9 degrees Celsius. 18.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. Miriam Ninoska Chible Contreras (58) feeds grass pellets to her horses. Weather extremes, exacerbated by climate change, are pushing farmers to their limits. Snow almost completely covers the grassy soil, which is the main source of food for the animals. 23.7.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. Recently Chile rejected the new constitution that would have included a revision of the water law. "It cannot be that one person or company owns the water. How can it be that you have the water right in front of your eyes but you are not allowed to use it?", Cristobal Weber McKay (32). 26.7.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "I am disappointed in the people of Chile. Even more than in the politicians who privatized the water. Because in the end, it is us who give the politicians the opportunity to continue to act. In Chile, money is worth more than water. I have never seen a non-corrupt government here." Camilo Acuña (32). 1.3.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. In summer, people often get together for so-called "Asados" (barbecues). Traditionally, a lamb is grilled on a large spit over an open fire. Potatoes and "Pebre" (salad consisting of tomatoes, onions and coriander) are served with it. 6.2.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. In the early 20th century, when the colonization of Patagonia began, it was legal to clear entire forests to make room for livestock. To do this, the settlers carried out controlled fires. This method is still used today. 8.1.2023, Los Ñadis, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. The villagers get their drinking water from Lago General Carrera. They do not have their own water rights but obtain it from the local drinking water committee APR (Comité de Agua Potable Rural). The APR owns water rights at one point in the lake and is the administrator and distributor of the water in the village. 4.2.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. After the annual shearing, the sheep are bathed to rid them of vermin. The main occupation of many Patagonian farmers is sheep breeding. The export of sheep wool in particular made Chile an important trading partner in the late 19th century. For economic reasons it is slowly disappearing though. 7.1.2023, Los Ñadis, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "We need to reconnect with nature and not think of ourselves as a separate part. We are made of carbon, water and minerals, in very crude terms: just like a refrigerator. We share many chemical elements with everything that surrounds us. But we separate one from the other." Milton Dorat (43) and Katharina Wittmann (38). 12.1.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "For me, water means respect and admiration. I wish that the mentality here would change. We are a small community where together we can achieve great things." Andrés Barría (36). 27.7.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "When I was little, I had a lung problem. A doctor once asked me: What do you wash your clothes with? Juice or water? From that moment on I understood the importance of only drinking pure water. We must protect our waters and keep them clean in order to preserve them." Judith Barría Marchant (36). 7.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "I love the tranquility and nature in Puerto Guadal. Here is my refuge in a world where so many terrible things are happening." Patricio Caimapo (64) grew up in Puerto Guadal. 28.7.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. By starting with the Los Maquis Libres movement, many people joined, but then the municipality of Chile Chico started to put pressure on them. Many people who were holding public offices stopped being part of the movement because they were afraid to lose their jobs. The mayor even prohibited them to speak on the radio. 16.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer und Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. "I am afraid of the future. Knowing that someday there won't be enough water for us. I wish we had a greater awareness of the nature that surrounds us. But people are not informed enough. And the schools don't care about changing that either." Diego Martin (21). 31.1.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. The Canadian power generation company Edelaysén benefits from the Los Maquis river. In 2019, they built a hydroelectric power plant. "They started to destroy the whole mountain and build roads. And in the end, the electricity generated is not even used for the village." Cristobal Weber McKay (32) and Franny Parkinson (33). 23.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. Those who live outside of the village center have to take care of their own water supply. This means not only acquiring their own water rights from the state, but also building their own water pipes. This process can take years and is very expensive. 5.2.2023, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2023 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

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Yo bebo leche y agua. Puerto Guadal was settled for the first time in 1918. Today, the village has about 800 inhabitants, who live both in the center and in the surrounding region. Puerto Guadal is located at Lago General Carrera and is reached by the Carretera Austral. The people here live mainly from agriculture and tourism. 23.8.2022, Puerto Guadal, Chile. © 2022 Stella Meyer and Sarah Schneider.

Yo bebo leche y agua

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