El cerro que come hombres (The hill that eats men)

Not posing portraits shot inside Cerro Rico in the Conti mine in Potosí, Bolivia. At least 8 million indigenous and African slaves died in the 300-year exploitation of the mountain from which silver was extracted. Now silver has become a legend, but more than 200 mining cooperatives still dig into the guts of that mountain, mostly looking for precious minerals that serve the construction of mobile phones and technology equipment. The miners worship El Tio, the God of the depths of the mountain, which protects them from accidents and help finding minerals. It is represented in the form of a demon with a big foul, a symbol of fertility, which is offered as a gift of coca leaves, cigarettes and alcohol. It was introduced by the spanish in 1545 AD, which served an excuse to control the miners. The wives of workers can not enter the mine, it is said to not annoy Pachamama, the mother earth, Tio's wife. The sky is too far away and there are no stars that can be contemplated in times of discomfort. The only thought is to be able to get some money to feed their family and maybe for a job to deserve a promotion, and that means living for longer. Making the miner means dying young, often because of silicosis. To do the miner, however, is a cause of pride, a pride that creates a strong bond with your mates and at the same time makes you a prisoner.