El mar es vida y amenaza: un estudio de caso sobre la percepción del riesgo, la memoria territorial y la adaptación frente a la erosión costera en el pájaro, Manaure, la Guajira

Abstract

This study analyzes the perception of coastal erosion risk in the community of El Pájaro, Manaure, La Guajira, based on their connections with the sea, territorial memory, and generational differences. Adopting a descriptive-interpretative qualitative approach supported by ethnographic tools, semi-structured interviews, a focus group, ethnographic transect walks, field notes, community illustrations, and a document review were conducted. The results show that coastal erosion is not perceived solely as a physical phenomenon, but as a socio-territorial issue that affects housing, mangroves, lagoons, fishing areas, roads, sacred sites, and community memories. Likewise, generational differences emerge in how the phenomenon is explained, weaving together ancestral knowledge, local experience, formal education, and scientific discourses. The study concludes that adaptation strategies must be participatory and intercultural, recognizing the territory as a living space, a source of memory, and a driver of cultural continuity.