Pozuzo

Pozuzo is a small town located in the central rainforest, in Pasco – Peru, where an Austrian-German colony was established in 1859. The origin of its history goes back to the times of president Ramon Castilla, who planned to repopulate the rainforest with European immigrants who, in turn, would exploit the local resources. Due to the lack of money and the change of government, a plan of the course the immigrants were to follow was never created, which caused one of the most dramatic European immigrations in South America. Out of the 300 colonists that left Prussia and Austria, only 160 arrived.

Their isolation made them preserve their customs until 1976, when the only road that now connects them to the rest of the country was finished. Even nowadays, due to the region’s weather and its geography, they still live isolated during the raining season, between December and March.

The road has made the connection with neighboring communities possible, giving way to a new migration in search of better opportunities.

The project shows the time of transition in which the town tries to remain a colony in spite of the constant migration of its people.

The pictures of this first stage were taken between the years 2000 and 2003. In 2008, a last trip was made as an attempt to start a second stage.