Artist Biography: Elias Botero Garcia

I have had the opportunity to develop my professional career in the most remote places in Colombia, working with local communities in search of improving the provision of tourist services. I consider myself a wanderer, I am passionate about lost causes, I am moved by the need to leave a legacy for the conservation of our planet. 

In the period between 2016 - 2019, I participated in the co-creation of a group of experiential walks that sought to generate awareness about our territory and our body. In 2017 I was a semi-finalist for the Civic Award in my city. In 2019 I had the opportunity to be a tour guide for the Los Nevados National Natural Park. In the period between 2019 - 2021 I was a community ecotourism professional in National Natural Parks of Colombia, where I visited different protected areas strengthening the planning and execution exercises of community tourism. In 2021 I was awarded a scholarship by the Ministry of Culture to generate processes of appropriation and conservation of heritage in the municipality of Guasca through strengthening organizations that carry out community ecotourism activities. In 2022 I was part of the Herencia Colombia Program (Ministry of Environment), where I learned about investment processes for conservation in my country. Finally, between 2022 and 2023 I was part of the project team of the Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism where I strengthened my skills for the management and formulation of tourism projects with communities that were historically affected by the Colombian armed conflict.

Faces of Peace. Colombia Beyond the Guns.

The construction of social fabric around tourism, peace, and conservation processes in Colombia has allowed for the transformation of territories and communities. Travelers from around the world venture to fully appreciate the natural and cultural legacy of these hidden treasures. This exhibition is an invitation to explore the deep and authentic Colombia from the perspective of its local population, where nature and customs have not been adulterated by tourism activity.

The invitation is to travel consciously, and understand that each journey is an opportunity to transform our realities, the realities of local communities, to support biodiversity preservation and cultural heritage processes. Welcome to Colombia, the country of beauty; more than an enriching experience, it is a transformative one.

An Emerging Destinations Program. Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism (ACOTUR).

Photos by: Emerging Destinations Program. Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism (ACOTUR).

The Land of Zocay Monkey with Faces of Peace

Vista Hermosa, Meta, Colombia.

Colombia ranks third among the countries with the greatest biodiversity on the planet, after Brazil and Indonesia. This South American country boasts the highest diversity of birds, orchids, and butterflies. In the municipality of Vista Hermosa, the local community and organizations have come together to design regenerative tourism experiences based on the sustainable use of biodiversity. These experiences have led to processes of appropriation and conservation of different species of flora and fauna, such as the harpy eagle and the zocay monkey, both species of special interest to scientific excursionists. "The Land of Zocay with Faces of Peace" is a tourist experience that has generated more than 37 jobs and represents a successful case of tourism, peace, and conservation, showcasing the social, cultural, and economic benefits that communities received from nature.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Innovar Tours (Instagram: @innovar_tours)

-       Palmarum Travel (Instagram: @palmarumnaturetravel)

Photo by: Alexis Ruiz

Community-Led Conservation Efforts in Colombia: A Look at Participatory Science Initiatives

San José del Guaviare, Colombia.

The photograph shows Norbey Rojas, the leader of community tourism for the Fantasías de Cerro Azul Association. Thanks to the installation of camera traps on his property, Norbey has been able to monitor the behavior of jaguars, thereby generating valuable insights for the conservation of this majestic species in the region.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Happy Life Tours (Instagram: @happylifetoursguaviare)

-       Biodiverso Travel (Instagram: @guaviarebiodiverso.travel)

Photo by: Caminantr3s

Cocoa and Reconciliation: The Legacy of the Martínez Family

Vista Hermosa, Meta, Colombia.

For Aurora Martinez and her family, peace is a cocoa seed transformed into chocolate. In 2012, this family enterprise decided to engage in the process of the substitution of illicit crops for cocoa plants. Over time, the farm has become a tourist attraction where visitors can immerse themselves in a world of aromas and knowledge. Additionally, hikes are organized to observe the endemic zocay monkey, and the history of the armed conflict in the region is shared with travelers. Through sustainable tourism, the local community has transitioned to legal economies, facilitating scenarios of peace and reconciliation.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Innovar Tours (Instagram: @innovar_tours)

-       Palmarum Travel (Instagram: @palmarumnaturetravel)

-       Finca Agroturistica la Piel Roja (Instagram: @finca.lapielroja)

Photo by: Tatiana Medina

Women Guardians of Traditions

Tierra Alta, Córdoba, Colombia.

Colombia's history has been hugely affected by armed conflict, which has strongly impacted women. That's why the Peace Agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian State and the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has an entire chapter dedicated to gender, the first of its kind, highlighting the leading role of women in setting precedents of resistance against the situation of armed conflict. Contributing to peacebuilding and community empowerment. Gender-perspective cultural tourism in Colombia is a peace tool that allows for the articulation and preservation of knowledge associated with traditional music, community and gastronomic tourism, promoting practices such as midwifery, the use of medicinal plants, craftsmanship, and the implementation of sustainable production systems.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Frasquillo Tours (Instagram: @frasquillotours)

Photo by: Frasquillo Tours

Guardians of the Past: Rock Art in the Serranía de la Lindosa

Serranía de la Lindosa, San José del Guaviare, Colombia.

The Guaviare region, situated in southeast Colombia, has vast and rich biodiversity. It houses one of the most extensive collections of rock art in the Americas.

These ancient rock paintings hold profound archaeological significance and likely carry sacred importance for the indigenous peoples of the region. The Serranía de la Lindosa, a focal point for this artwork, was inhabited roughly between 12,600 to 11,800 years ago.

Depicting a diverse array of animals and human figures, these remarkable expressions of human creativity are rendered using red mineral pigments. Until recently, the local communities remained largely unaware of the cultural and historical significance of these rock art sites. However, following the signing of a peace agreement, there has been a notable shift in focus. The younger generation has transitioned away from cultivating coca around these sacred rocks and has instead embraced community-centered tourism initiatives. This shift has cultivated a renewed sense of ownership and appreciation among the community for both the region's biodiversity and its invaluable cultural heritage.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Happy Life Tours (Instagram: @happylifetoursguaviare)

-       Biodiverso Travel (Instagram: @guaviarebiodiverso.travel)

Photo by: Caminantr3s

Taste of Jungle and River

San José del Guaviare, Colombia.

Life in Colombian communities is closely connected with the river, which, along with the forest, provides local populations with unique ingredients. In these destinations, you can taste smoked fish, moriche, seje, cocona, arazá, tabena, squash, wild cassava, cashews, star fruit, among many other native crops that grow in these regions. This confluence of cultures with diverse ancestral knowledge, in a space rich in a variety of climates capable of providing multiple ingredients, offers a vast catalog of dishes and gastronomic knowledge brimming with wisdom.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Guaviare Gastronomic Experiences Network (Facebook: @Regguaviare)

Photo by: Caminantr3s

Tourism in Guapi: Driving Cultural Intergeneration Shift

Guapí, Cauca, Colombia.

Guapi, a surprising destination in Colombia, not only hides the secrets of the tropical jungle but also serves as an eloquent example of the generational turnover processes that occur in the country. This phenomenon is due to the appropriation of traditional knowledge by young people, such as music and dance, which are an intrinsic part of the region's cultural identity. Additionally, community tourism plays a crucial role in strengthening the bonds between the community and its natural and cultural heritage, promoting enriching exchanges between visitors and locals. Guapi, with its vibrant rhythms of marimba and ancestral songs, represents a living example of the World Cultural Heritage, join the history and joy of Afro-Colombian traditions with the indigenous heritage of the first inhabitants of this part of the biogeographic Chocó.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

-       Guapi Tours (Instagram: @Guapitours)

Photo by: Caminantr3s

Tourism as a strategy for appropriation and promotion of traditional practices.

Tumaco, Cauca, Colombia.

On the peaceful coast of Tumaco, Cauca, a fisherman plunges into the waters of the Pacific. Tourism represents a powerful opportunity to enrich our understanding and appreciation of these deeply-rooted traditions in this coastal community.

Recommended local tour operator in the destination:

• Conociendo.co  (Instagram: @conociendoco)

Photo by: Caminantr3s

Elias Botero Garcia, Artist

Email: elboteroga@unal.edu.co

+ 57 314 840 64 18

Artwork Inquiry, contact: Peg Ramier, Director, NUNU-Director

Email: ramierarchitects@gmail.com

337-847-1000

Ralph Schexnaydre Jr, NUNU-Curator/Preparator

Email: rjschex54jr@gmail.com

832-725-5687



George Marks, NUNU-Program Director

Email: georgemarkstudio@gmail.com

337-356-9429