In Colombia’s Rio Grande de la Magdalena there has been a natural phenomenon for centuries: the fish swim up from the swamps to the head of the river. The arrival of the fish represents the end of a period of hunger, it is a symbol of abundance, commerce, a propitious moment to barter and trade and, ultimately, to make money. Of the people dedicate themselves to fishing, we can highlight certain qualities: their focus, patience, and physical stamina, and we can transpose these qualities onto their symbol. The qualities also follow, in abstract terms: the work of the alchemist and the transmutation of metals into gold; the precious labor of artisan goldsmiths; and the mystical value that pre-Columbian natives would give gold as an offer to the gods.