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Looking For Paradise

Looking For Paradise

As sentinels dozens of snow-white herons guard the mouth of the Rio Papaturro, the gateway to the Reserve of Los Guatuzos. Once a land of uncontacted indigenous tribes, today this complex of rivers, marshes, lagoons and tropical rain forests lying on the edge of Costa Rica is a border land with an uncertain future. An heritage that withdraws, day after day, under the unremitting blows of the machete and of a poverty, hungry for land to cultivate to feed its children and damned, to preserve the conditions of its own existence.

Here, in this remote and beautiful land, live just few hundreds of people, a community consisting mainly of young families. Marginalized in the suburbs of the big cities, families of farmers settle in these forgotten place, looking for an alternative to life and for land to cultivate, a slow exodus of settlers driven by hunger and by the hope of a better future.

In 2008, for the first time in the history of humanity, the number of people living in the cities surpassed that of those living in rural areas. This event, once acquired, together with the growing reduction of distances generated by globalization and the Web, contributed to radically alter the perception we have of our planet.

In reality, the percentage of anthropized territory is below 3%; urbanization and megacities are not the solution for all people, neither they are an answer to the pursuit of happiness. That is why we are assisting to a return to nature.

This work is the first  chapter of a series of stories that aims to tell about man’s eternal search for a place in the world. We are lost on this planet, awed by the beauty that surrounds us, searching for our place, a home to welcome us, a paradise lost. This pushed the Los Guatuzos farmer community to search for a better life within the field taken with great effort from the tropical wilderness. The simple question this work wants to ponder is: are we still going to be able to live in nature and to find an equilibrium with the environment that surrounds us or is this possibility lost forever?

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Nicaragua, the view of a lagoon near Managua. The eastern part of Nicaragua is rich with lakes and marshes that stretch from the tropical forest to the slopes of the Marabios, active volcanoes sprinkled throughout the mountain ranges of the country.

Village of Los Guatuzos. A boat carrying passengers and supplies along the river Papaturro. San Carlos, the nearest town, is 4 and a half hour distance. The inhabitants of these remote communities are increasing gradually; farmers and young families settle in these places, searching for land to farm or a chance to work across the border.

Papaturro river. Traveling along the route that leads to the community of Los Guatuzos. A man tries to free his boat captured by the floating plants that cover the river bed. Remaining trapped in the small bends of the river is not uncommon during this trip. San Carlos, the nearest town, is four and a half hour away.

The wildlife reservation of Los Guatuzos with its 43.000 acres is one of the most important elements in the Rio San Juan biosphere. Once a land of uncontacted indigenous tribes, today this complex of rivers, marshes, lagoons and tropical rain forests lying on the edge of Costa Rica is a border land with an uncertain future.

Rural lands of Los Guatuzos. A horse tied to the fence of a farm house. The paths linking the villages are small roads covered by mud. A horse is the only way to move fast. In this remote land live just few hundreds of people, a community consisting mainly of young families. Marginalized in the suburbs of the big cities, families of farmers settle in these forgotten place, looking for an alternative to life and for land to cultivate, a slow exodus of settlers driven by hunger and by the hope of a better future.

Marisela, 16 years old, lives with his family in a small house in the village of Los Guatuzos. Once a land of uncontacted indigenous tribes, today this complex of rivers, marshes, lagoons and tropical rain forests lying on the edge of Costa Rica is a border land with an uncertain future.

As sentinels dozens of snow-white herons guard the mouth of the Rio Papaturro, the gateway to the Reserve of Los Guatuzos. Once a land of uncontacted indigenous tribes, today this complex of rivers, marshes, lagoons and tropical rain forests lying on the edge of Costa Rica is a border land with an uncertain future.

Village of Los Guatuzos. A boy at work in the fields. He and his family are clearing a small piece of forest to obtain a parcel of land to cultivate. The inhabitants of these remote communities are increasing gradually; farmers and young families settle in these places, searching for land to farm or a chance to work across the border.

Nicaragua, the tropical forest hugs a volcano. The eastern part of Nicaragua is rich in lakes and marshes that stretch from the tropical forest to the slopes of Marabios, active volcanoes sprinkled throughout the country’s mountain ranges.

Inside the rainforest of Los Guatuzos. A tiny frog with a red body and blue legs (Strawberry Poison-Dart Frog - Dendrobates Pumilio). This rare specimen has found optimal conditions for her only inside this forset, with temperature constantly between 27 and 28 degrees and the humidity at ground always around 100%. This little frog’s venom dart is one of the most toxic among all 'poison dart' frogs, used by the natives for dipping their arrows tips.

A small boat docked along the banks of the Rio Papaturro. The inhabitants of these remote communities are increasing gradually; farmers and young families settle in these places, searching for land to farm or a chance to work across the border.

Lands of Los Guatuzos. Tribeth, 13 years old, in the corn fields behind the house. Together with his father and his 11 brothers and sisters, he takes care of the cultivated land claimed from the nearby forest.
The inhabitants of these remote communities are increasing gradually; farmers and young families settle in these places, searching for land to farm or a chance to work across the border.

Rural lands of Los Guatuzos, the house of a farmer’s family in the middle of the tropical forest.

Manuel, 14 years old, lives with his family in a small house in the village of Los Guatuzos. Manuel attended the community school and like many other young people here he hopes to continue his studies across the border, in Costa Rica.

Nighttime, the light of a torch shines onto a Kingfisher between the tree branches, along the banks of the Rio Papaturro. The wildlife reservation of Los Guatuzos with its 43.000 acres is one of the most important elements in the Rio San Juan biosphere. The balance between wetlands and human activities here is very fragile.