Grassroots memory work supported by MEMPAZ

The Ruta Pacífica de las Mujeres (Pacific Route of Women) uses theatre with women victims of the armed conflict in Caucasia and Cáceres, Antioquia . Ruta Pacífica has developed this methodology, which aims to support women to share what happened to them and heal the wounds of the war.

"We feel we are healing because we can tell the truth of the horrors lived through the play. We let our emotions travel across our bodies and this allows women who had not spoken before to speak out. When the stories come out we can rebuild ourselves. There are similar stories, but each woman who gets it out lives the experience in a particular way. The stories allow us to ask questions that go beyond the individual, ques tions that are connected to the destruction of the social fabric and of nature." (Aura quoted during MEMPAZ’s memory encounter in Pueblo Bello, October 2019).

Mujer Misterio de Amor que Da Vida a la Vida (Woman Mystery of Love that Gives Life to Life) uses food to bring forcedly displaced people in Cartagena del Chairá and Florencia (Caquetá) together and rebuild their communities. The table provides a space around which people can talk about the past and share strategies for everyday survival. The food that once kept them alive now brings lively community interactions, thus helping them recuperate and creating a new culinary tradition at the same time. Linking food and memory together has inspired participants to set up a peace shop, which gives additional income to the community.

“The communal shop allowed members of the community to share experiences before, during and after the forced displacement; this, together with engaging in an economic activity and in leisure pastime playing games, such as chess and dominos, helped rebuild the social fabric” (Andrea quoted during MEMPAZ’s memory encounter in Pueblo Bello, October 2019).

The Museo de Memoria del Conflicto de Valledupar (Valledupar’s Memory Museum of the Conflict) develops songs with victims, often using the vallenato style that the region is famous for. These songs support victims to revisit their experiences during the armed conflict and to transform these memories into lyrics. By singing about the realities experienced in their communities, victims overcome the silence that had been imposed by armed actors.

“When the paramilitary groups arrived in April 1998, they took people from their houses and killed two people in front of everyone. Through violence they controlled the territory. Children were asked to remain silent” (Felicia quoted dur ing MEMPAZ’s memory encounter in Pueblo Bello, October 2019).

The Colectivo de Comunicaciones de Simonorua Youth Communications Collective), with support from Colombia’s Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) uses new technologies (drones and digital cameras) to complement traditional indigenous Arhuaco storytelling. By taking and sharing photos, the group can expand their memories, thereby protecting and sharing them in a culturally appropriate way.

“Outsiders used to document our story before, now it is us.” (Kwaringumu quoted during MEM PAZ’s memory encounter in Pueblo Bello, October 2019).

Rodeemos el Diálogo (Embrace Dialogue) uses memory activities to reflect on the impact of the conflict on marginalised regions and the complexity of building truth in Colombia with students and teachers. It is also building a network of teachers in Bogotá, Cali and Pasto to make sure that they continue teaching about memory and truth.

“If we identify student’s emotions, we can trans form the negative perception of the peace agree ment, which is usually based in misunderstand ings circulated on social media through fake news.” (Karen quoted during MEMPAZ’s memory encounter in Pueblo Bello, October 2019).