Manacillos Festival: Afro-Colombian Community Reclaims Ancestral Land Through Ritual
Photographer Ever Andrés Mercado won a World Press Photo award for documenting the Manacillos festival, an ancestral ritual of the Afro-descendant community in Yurumanguí, Colombia. Each year, hundreds of residents navigate the Yurumanguí River to reunite in the remote village of Juntas. This gathering serves as a powerful act of resistance and resilience against decades of violence, economic instability, and state neglect that forced thousands to flee. The festival, held during Holy Week, facilitates grand family reunions for those displaced to cities like Buenaventura and Cali. Participants adorn streets with palm leaves, wear hand-woven costumes, and commit to three nights of vigilance without sleep. Beyond celebration, the event is a strategic effort to reaffirm land ownership and protect their territory from plunder by armed groups and multinational corporations. In 2025, the festival attracted approximately 1,500 people, marking the highest attendance in recent years for the small village. Mercado emphasizes that this story highlights peace and the community's determination to preserve their 350-year-old heritage and way of life amidst ongoing threats.
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Manacillos Festival: Afro-Colombian Community Reclaims Ancestral Land Through Ritual
Photographer Ever Andrés Mercado won a World Press Photo award for documenting the Manacillos festival, an ancestral ritual of the Afro-descendant community in Yurumanguí, Colombia. Each year, hundreds of residents navigate the Yurumanguí River to reunite in the remote village of Juntas. This gathering serves as a powerful act of resistance and resilience against decades of violence, economic instability, and state neglect that forced thousands to flee. The festival, held during Holy Week, facilitates grand family reunions for those displaced to cities like Buenaventura and Cali. Participants adorn streets with palm leaves, wear hand-woven costumes, and commit to three nights of vigilance without sleep. Beyond celebration, the event is a strategic effort to reaffirm land ownership and protect their territory from plunder by armed groups and multinational corporations. In 2025, the festival attracted approximately 1,500 people, marking the highest attendance in recent years for the small village. Mercado emphasizes that this story highlights peace and the community's determination to preserve their 350-year-old heritage and way of life amidst ongoing threats.
The Guardian