Ángela Ponce, a talented photographer, has been recognized for her powerful project ‘Guardians of the Glaciers’ with the $5,000 PhotoVogue Festival Grant. Her work focuses on the Quechua community living near the Quelccaya Ice Cap, the largest tropical glacier in the world. This glacier is facing a dire threat due to global warming, melting at a rate of 60 meters per year. If greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced, the Quelccaya Ice Cap is projected to disappear completely within the next three decades.
Ponce’s photographs capture the quiet strength and resilience of the Quechua community. Through ancestral knowledge and rituals, they are dedicated to preserving the glacier and its surrounding ecosystem. Ponce’s images showcase the intimate connection between the community and the glacial environment, highlighting the beauty and importance of this threatened ecosystem. The grant will be invaluable for Ponce, enabling her to expand her project and further delve into the critical issues surrounding climate change and the impact on indigenous communities.
Ponce’s journey with this project began in 2021 during an assignment on climate change in the Peruvian Andes. While initially focused on the glacier’s retreat, she was deeply moved by the community’s profound dependence on the glacier and their commitment to protecting it through their ancestral traditions. This encounter shifted her perspective, revealing the direct and profound impact of climate change on vulnerable communities.
The project evolved from a small team endeavor to a participatory one, actively involving the community members. They became not only subjects but also guides and experts, sharing their knowledge and experiences of witnessing the glacier’s slow demise. The project’s impact has extended beyond photography, creating platforms for community representatives to share their concerns and perspectives on the glacier’s fate.
The ‘Guardians of the Glaciers’ project serves as a powerful call to action, urging us to address the urgency of climate change. It highlights the importance of recognizing and respecting the knowledge and practices of indigenous communities who are on the front lines of this crisis. The project also emphasizes the need for immediate action to protect not only the Quelccaya Ice Cap but also other glaciers in Latin America and around the world.
Reaching the glacier requires a challenging trek through high altitudes, between 4,500 and 5,000 meters above sea level. The Quechua community, deeply respectful of the environment, shared their traditional practice of offering gratitude to the Earth before beginning the ascent. This act of respect resonated deeply with Ponce, becoming an integral part of her explorations. During one of her trips, the weather turned harsh, with clouds and rain threatening the expedition. A wise community elder, Exaltación Chuquichampi, conducted a ritual to appease the weather, and miraculously, the sun emerged soon after. These experiences, while difficult to explain rationally, have profoundly influenced Ponce’s artistic vision, imbuing her photographs with a contemplative and dreamlike quality.
Beyond documenting the crisis, Ponce’s project has ignited conversations, particularly among the younger generation of the Phinaya community, the closest to the glacier. The project has been showcased in the local school, where access to updated information on the glacier’s condition is limited due to poor electricity and internet connectivity. Ponce believes that photography can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and sparking change. She hopes that her images will inspire reflection and action, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.
While photography may not directly stop climate change, it can certainly fuel discussions and stimulate concrete actions. Ponce’s ‘Guardians of the Glaciers’ project stands as a testament to the power of photography to document reality, spark dialogue, and advocate for a more just and sustainable world.
