2024, Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia
Amulet of protection
From the crop we took the ink, from the earth we extracted pigment, we made of the maloca an alchemical laboratory and we saw the color be born. The chambira sprouted in fuchsia from a green leaf called chokanary, germinated a vibrant orange from the golden achiote, a deep blue from the huito, a radiant violet from the huitillo. The chambira dressed the jungle with its colors.
The following images emerge from a journey into the Colombian Amazon, where, alongside Kasia, mother, caretaker, and keeper of knowledge, we witnessed the forest’s color palette come alive. A research on natural dyes from the Amazon Rainforest, exploring color as a spiritual practice and an amulet of protection.
Research and photography by Verónica Santamaría
Guidance by Kasia Morales and Abuela Tomasa