We have lived through thousands of emotions in a magical space, full of color and creativity. After the week of the first workshop, we have our first animated shorts films from Living Legends!! And we are so happy!

Our young participants were at first a bit shy and as well a bit surprised about the workshop topic “oral tradition”, a topic that is not much talked about in the community. As one of the first activities, the participants asked their families about stories and ancient knowledge of Cotacachi. And our adventure began. Together we visited the storyteller, heard their stories and started to design the backgrounds and characters for the animations. We were very surprised by the creative skills of the group and how they used different materials, many of them from nature: leaves, pebbles, moss, branches and seeds that were mixed with clothing fabrics, playdough and beautiful paintings. It was incredible to see the level of detail reached.



For the international team it was wonderful to spent time with the people of Santa Barbara a community close to Cotacachi with a community tourism project called Runa Tupari. We lived in the houses of families for one week and shared their way of life. Women are here the ones who run the house and the organization of the commuity, they are the ones who work in the fields, the Pacha Mama. The impact of their clothes, their necklaces, their clothing fabrics and embroidery made by hand is not questionable, all is made with subtle care and more important it has the tradition of legacy between generations.



 The first days were rainy and cold, we worked hard and finally the screening day of the animated films came. A bright sun accompanied us all day with an incredible sunset at the end, next to the mountains and lagoons, the unique landscapes of the Andes.

The participants of our first workshop said goodbye with the sound of San Juan, a very traditional sound of the celebration of the IntiRaymi which is the celebration of the sun, where people express their gratitude for the good harvest.

Julia Silva