Documentary shows problems faced by Costa Rica’s Maleku indigenous people

April 4^th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) Directed and written by Jeffery Lopez, the short documentary, Hami Toro, deals with the indigenous Maleku people’s struggle to regain access to the sacred wetlands of Cano Negro, located in the north of the country.

The documentary will be presented at 7pm on April 11^th at Cine Variedades in San Jose, and admission is free.

The goal of the presentation is to show the living conditions faced by the Maleku after the establishment of Cano Negro wildlife refuge.

Some thirty years ago, the Costa Rican government, in the context of creating the Cano Negro wildlife refuge, limited the use of natural resources in the Cano Negro wetlands, which local populations had historically relied upon.

The Maleku people have been particularly affected by the rules put in place by authorities since the establishment of the wildlife refuge.

According to the documentary, the Malekus and other indigenous can no longer perform their traditional practices, including spiritual activities and traditional coexistence between the community and nature, in addition to providing food for their families, along the Rio Frio river and the Cano Negro wetlands.

The short documentary is presented from the standpoint of two Maleku elders, who find it impossible to continue their culture and traditions.  The film describes, through the Maleku elders, the impact of the government’s restrictive measures and the development of agro-industrial activities in the area on the Maleku people, as well as describing the Maleku’s worldview and cultural practices.