Turbines or Traditions: The Dual Edge of Colombia's Wind Energy Revolution

In La Guajira, northern Colombia, the Wayuu indigenous community faces a turbulent transition as towering wind turbines rise in their ancestral lands. For centuries, the Wayuu have thrived through herding, fishing, and mining salt. However, the shift to renewable energy has disrupted both their environment and their cultural practices.

José Luis Iguarán laments that the majestic carob trees, once central to their landscape and culture, have been replaced by relentless wind turbines. The community, while witnessing development through clean water and improved infrastructure funded by the energy company Isagen, grapples with the sacred disturbance of their dreams—which holds spiritual significance in Wayuu tradition. Despite financial perks and development opportunities, locals report division and discontent within the community.

Aaron Laguna, a Wayuu fisherman, raises concerns about transparency, compensation, and respect for cultural norms, as disputes arise over negotiations for proposed wind farms. Joanna Barney, from Indepaz, emphasizes the need for a better legal framework to assess both social and environmental impacts amidst the backdrop of conflict.

Notably, projects like those from Spanish firm EDP Renováveis and Italian company Enel have faced suspension and protests, further highlighting the distrust and challenges faced by energy companies in engaging with local communities. The term ’wind wars’ emerges to describe the escalating tensions surrounding these initiatives.

Anthropologist Wieldler Guerra articulates the cultural disconnect, noting that for the Wayuu, winds represent mythical beings, contrasting with the capitalist view of wind as a mere resource. Even as energy companies publicly commit to community benefits, there remains a palpable fear among the Wayuu that they will not even gain access to the very electricity generated on their lands. As ambitions for a greener future materialize, many in the Wayuu community feel left in the dark, illustrating the complex interplay between renewable energy goals and the culture and rights of indigenous peoples.