Aerial Vision and Violence: The Beginnings of Aerial Photography in Colombia (1920s)

Abstract

At the end of 1921 the Colombian-German Air Transport Company (SCADTA), an aviation pioneer, introduced aerial photography to northern South America. Following the completion of a number of minor projects, the company was commissioned to map the border territory between Colombia and Venezuela, in order to demarcate the boundary between the two countries. This commissioned project, conducted between the months of May and June 1923, represented a milestone in the work of aerial photography in South America. However, it also included an expedition to the impenetrable Catatumbo rain forest, which was allegedly inhabited by "savage Indians" and marked by a process of violent colonization and exploitation. Testimonies from certain members of the aerial photography mission shed light on the local inhabitants' perception of the incursion.