I am Valentina Martinez, an Ecuadorian archaeologist in the Manabí province. This page is to raise funds for the people of the Salango Community who are defending their ancestral lands from outside developers. Local indigenous land conserving is imperative to preserve their unique lifestyle embedded in local values and traditions.

Salango is a small village in coastal Ecuador, where a population of 3,000 is dedicated to ocean fishing and farming. Characterized by the surrounding undeveloped mountains, pristine beaches, and lush forests, it’s a village with deep roots: the archaeology of Salango demonstrates that the area has been continuously occupied for 5,000 years. The people of Salango today are the descendants of this long lineage of expert seafarers, farmers, ceramicists, and builders.

However, this combination of scenic environment and cultural history has attracted private developers who have repeatedly tried to acquire large swathes of community-owned land. Despite the people of Salango's profound connection to this place, they have had to defend it for centuries. In 1979, they joined together to become legally recognized as a Comuna, allowing for the fair land administration by its inhabitants.

In the early 2000s, a private developer aggressively acquired a large section of Comuna Salango’s beachfront property, impeding all local access, including traditional subsistence activities such as collecting diverse mollusks. Although the people resisted this development, many of its leaders were threatened, persecuted, and incarcerated. In 2004, the Comuna took the bold step of presenting their case to the Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (Inter-American Court of Human Rights) to seek justice. Finally, after 21 years, the case will be adjudicated at the Court in Guatemala in May 2025.

This GoFundMe request is to gather financial support so Comuna members can finally present their case at the Court and win long-overdue Justice. Local villagers have extremely limited financial means and, without help, will not be able to attend the crucial final hearing. Funds are sought to cover the travel expenses of six Comuna delegates to the Court ($700/person: passport, airfare, room, and board for 4 days).

If justice prevails, the land will return to its original owners, and the Comuna will be compensated for years of persecution.

Each Comuna delegate's life stories will be told in the coming days.