Gandoca-Manzanillo, its ancestral legacy and modern threats

This corner has a delicate ecological balance and an ancient heritage dating back to pre-Columbian times. Located in the southeast corner of Costa Rica on the Caribbean Sea, the wetland is made up of coral reefs, seagrass beds, rivers, swamps and flooded forests.

It is home to hundreds of species whose interdependence forms a very fragile ecosystem, which has unfortunately been altered over the decades by activities such as agriculture, logging and unregulated tourism.

According to archaeological records, the first indigenous peoples of the southern Caribbean settled these coastal wetlands about 4,000 years ago, developing a diversified and sustainable economy adapted to their environment. His legacy includes a technological milestone in our pre-Columbian history: some of the oldest ceramic vessels recorded in the country.

These past inhabitants demonstrated a deep knowledge of local ecosystems and combined marine and terrestrial resources. They developed practices such as hunting and fishing for sharks and other reef species, as well as exploiting plant resources such as the American oil palm.

This successful pattern of adaptation not only laid the foundation for the development of future populations in the region, but also influenced the subsistence practices of subsequent peoples. Much of this knowledge was likely adopted and adapted by people of African descent and other settlers who inhabited these shores in more recent times, demonstrating the cumulative and evolutionary nature of human knowledge in this territory.

These practices have persisted in Gandoca-Manzanillo for thousands of years and, until recently, were an example of the coexistence of humans with their natural environment. However, this relationship is once again under threat.

Complaints made Ana Christina Rossi In his novel Crazy girl from Gandoca It has been achieved: the logic of sustainable development is being undermined by private concessionaires, public institutions complacent with private developers and realist government policymaking.

he allow The National System of Protected Areas (Sinac) is story The sanctuary is an egregious example of a quiet opening of the door to destruction. This decision reveals a worrying lack of long-term vision and a profound ignorance of the immeasurable value of this space in our national heritage.

Rossi’s vision has proven to be a warning about the threats facing this fragile ecological and cultural relationship. We must recognize the importance of protecting not only Gandoca-Manzanillo’s natural environment, but also the ancestral knowledge and sustainable practices that have preserved it for thousands of years.

As defenders of this unique heritage, we must speak out against short-term policies and advocate for the full protection of this natural and cultural treasure of Costa Rica.

norberto.baldi@ucr.ac.cr

The author is an archaeologist and genetic anthropologist, coordinator of the Biological Anthropology Laboratory at the University of Costa Rica.