A Preview from the “Earth Defenders” Graphic Novella - La Cadena de Colombia

This graphic novella excerpt presents a narrative set in Buenaventura, Colombia, depicting the experiences of Afro-Colombian communities whose territories were promised protection under the national constitution and the law granting recognition of their territorial and cultural rights. Through illustrated scenes, the story contrasts traditional community life with later urban fires, forced displacement, and the rapid expansion of a major shipping port linked to global trade. Residents describe demolitions of informal housing, environmental contamination, violence, and intimidation affecting families who oppose these developments. Community members organise meetings to discuss land rights, displacement, and the need for investigation and collective action, while women leaders emphasise resistance, ancestral strength, and the defence of land, culture, and community survival.