The VIII edition of Identities Festival will highlight the indigenous languages Ckunsa, Quechua, Rapanui, Mapudungun and Inuit. Thus, among the invited exponents are the Peruvian cultural group Yuyachkani; the Rapanui musicians of the Hotu clan; the dance company of Ricardo Curaqueo; the Inuit throat-singing performers, Tooma Laisa and Leanna Wilson; The Footprint Theatre, as representatives of the region and Delight Lab in the visual arts.
at the foot of Huanchaca Ruins National Monument, the artistic program of the new edition of Identities International Festival of Performing Arts in the Atacama Desert was launched last Tuesday.
The VIII edition of the festival will take place in Antofagasta and San Pedro de Atacama between October 1 and 8 and will value the indigenous languages ckunsa, Quechua, Rapanui, Mapudungun and Inuit, officially joining the call of UNESCO, which invites to build a decade of actions to highlight, visible and revitalize the Indigenous Languages of the world.
programming
Theater, dance, music, visual installations, urban interventions, training spaces for the community, barter and tinkuy will give life to Identidades Festival 2022. Among the invited exponents are the Peruvian cultural group Yuyachkani; the Rapanui musicians of the Hotu clan; the Ricardo Curaqueo dance company, with the show “Molfun, territory of water and death” and the Inuit throat singing performers, Tooma Laisa and Leanna Wilson, who travel from Canada.
Meanwhile, for the first time, Antofagasta residents of the La Huella Teatro company will participate with three of their own productions. The play “Allqu Yana, because black dogs are better” in collaboration with Teatro de Ocasión; the parade “Ckuri, cleaners of Towns”, and the revival of “Chajnantor, look back”.
In the visual arts, the presence will be Delight Lab with “Ngen ko. spirit of water”, in addition, in San Pedro de Atacama, Ckira, an immersive diegetic light installation, will be presented by Julio Escobar, co-produced with Identidades Festival, which will offer special functions for the Lickanantay community.
“For all people, their language is fundamental. Languages give meaning and teach what culture is, what lies behind the peoples. That the ckunsa language can be made visible through this festival is essential. It has always been said that our language is dead, but today, more than ever, we have shown that our language is alive. That is why it is essential to make it visible to the world through the eighth version of Identities Festival”, said Rubén Reyes Aymani, executive director of the Foundation for Culture and Tourism of San Pedro de Atacama and research member of the Linguistic Council, at the launch of the program. Ckunsa Lickanantay.
UNESCO Alliance
The so-called Tinkuy are also contemplated in the 2022 programming, this time, in alliance with UNESCO. Is about spaces for dialogue by speakers of indigenous languages who will share reflections on performing arts and their oral traditions, which will also be broadcast online through www.carpaidentidades.cl. Barters will also take place, instances of exchange between visiting artists and cultural and community organizations of the territory.
Alejandra Rojas Pinto, director of Identidades Festival stated that: “Scenic art is capable of harmoniously dialoguing with indigenous languages and the link they generate becomes a powerful way of making visible and revitalizing all these languages that are at risk of disappearing. For this reason, we want to contribute to the construction of meeting and dialogue spaces that contribute to the recognition and respect for the diversity of cultural expressions and the promotion of arts and cultures for social change”.
A festival for the community
Identidades Festival will also have training seminars for students and performing artists from the region, in addition, it will offer a series of audiovisual productions and online theater performances on its web platform and on regional television, inspired by the revitalization of indigenous languages.
“Identities Festival is one of the best activities we have in the region. One, because they started when they were little and today they are our ambassadors in the world. And two, because of the message they deliver to us, just when our society yearns for change. and precisely the recognition of our ancestors and ancestors is what we need today in Chile. Identities go beyond a wonderful cultural show, because what they do is a contribution to the construction of our society”, adds Andrea Merino, advisor to the Regional Government of Antofagasta.
All Identidades Festival activities are free, however, those interested must collect tickets and/or register, as appropriate. The information in this regard will be available from the month of September on www.carpaidentidades.cl and on the festival’s social networks.