Our Demand
(Senda india)

Our Demand retraces the combat of members of the Wichí community in northern Argentina to take back their stolen lands. The film draws on a 1991 archive when the Wichí filmed themselves with a camcorder and a sense of humour, collecting proof of the legitimacy of their demand in preparation for a lawsuit to have their lands returned. Their wandering in the forest is not simply an exercise in mapping, archaeology and taking stock of the fauna and flora, but also a way of highlighting a wealth of knowledge and know-how. Here, the filming is a gesture enabling them to reappropriate themselves, their image and their culture as a system of defence against land-grabbers. Now that the Argentina of Javier Milei is making us fear the worst for indigenous communities, the Wichí’s combat creates a powerful resonance. AR