“We cannot let our culture die.”
These words still ring vividly.
Earlier this year, leaders for the project “Pueblo Kawésqar” sat down with Kawésqar communities of Magallanes (Southern Chile). During one of the first meetings, members of the marginalised indigenous group voiced their desire to revitalise their culture and let others know about their history, heritage and customs.
Located in Chilean Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park is considered by many as the 8th wonder of the world. This will come as no surprise to those adventurers who have been lucky enough to gaze upon the park’s jagged peaks and turquoise lakes.Of course, where natural beauty and adventure abound, people often do too. In the last four years alone, park visitation doubled, and in 2016 reached a historic record of 252,000. Unfortunately, Torres del Paine’s soaring popularity has also been accompanied by an increase in man-made forest fires. Since 1985, the park has lost one-fifth of its 242,000 hectares to fires, all of which were started by tourists. These fires devastated native Lenga tree forests and the habitats of already endangered species.
