Simbología y escena: Análisis de la Cultura Chuquidel Ayllullakta del cantón Saraguro como inspiración para la dirección de arte y la creación de una acción performática

Abstract

Abstract: This research-creation analyzes the development and execution of AWAKUNA, Weavers of Life, a decolonial performance based on the Saraguro culture (Ecuador). This performance sought to reinterpret Andean ritual elements in contemporary theatrical language, generate intercultural dialogues, and evaluate the potential of art to activate cultural memories. The methodology employed required fieldwork visits to the community, with special contact with Saraguro leaders and elders. The impact of the performance was then evaluated through interviews. The results reveal that the multisensorial nature of the performance the scent of the earth, traditional colors, and ritual movement generated deep emotional connections in the audience, although some had a lesser understanding of the specific symbols. The analysis of testimonies reveals three main impacts: the representation of culture without appropriation; productive nostalgia in urban spectators; and the recognition of ancestral feminine knowledge. The conclusion is that the performance succeeded in functioning as a representational ritual that activates bodily memory, but requires complementing post performance pedagogical devices. The research contributes to the field of decolonial performing arts, demonstrating that art can be a vehicle for historical reparation without falling into folklorization, particularly in contexts such as urban Loja.