AMIDST THE STONES HYPNOTIZED BY THE MOON

This video documents a day in the life of pastoral nomad shepherds of the Andean plateau, a lifestyle that is rapidly becoming extinct. The Puna is a vast plateau in the Andean cordillera. This land of contrasts alternates modest valleys with barren, arid highlands. The Puna, once part of the Inca Εmpire, once a disputed territory -now shared by Argentina,Bolivia,Chile and Peru- is, in fact, a nation. The altiplano inhabitants are highly independent people, used to the harshness and isolation imposed by Mother Earth or Pacha Mama. Their rich traditions and culture have survived ages of unkind, treacherous weather and traumatic colonisation,political shifts and persecution. Perhaps partners in a secret conspiracy, the people of the regionhave learned from the Pacha Mamathat silence is a key element to their survival and the survival of their culture.