Local Voices

With those interested in "thinking together," two groups of local co-researchers were formed: one with students and teachers from the Vicos secondary school and another with young and adult residents of the countryside. With both groups the themes of interest were identified and meetings, workshops and other "labors of memory" activities were held. For example, the young people from the secondary school decided to interview adults and elderly people in the community. On the other hand, after several sessions to see and to analyze the visual materials, the second group of co-researchers decided to organize a meeting with representatives of the ten sectors of Vicos in order for everybody to see the materials together and "talk". As Vicosino Juan Sanchez expressed it: "When we don't talk about it, we forget." Later, both groups of co-researcher held large meetings in the ten political sectors of Vicos. In every meeting the visual materials were projected and a space was opened for collective recalling and reflection stimulated by the projected images. The local co-researchers were gaining confidence as co-facilitators; they not only participated in the organization and development of the meetings, but also in the elaboration of the questions. They also facilitated recording the proceedings with tape recordings and photographs. Every meeting had an attendance that reached more than 100 participants in certain sectors and each reunion had its own particular flavor and color. In total, some 1,200 Vicosinos of different ages participated in the meetings and talked about the changes and events in their community.

Additionally, Vicosinos decided that they wanted to have "a book on the history of Vicos" for present and future generations. The book "Memorias de la Comunidad de Vicos: Así nos recordamos con alegría" ("Memories of the Community of Vicos: this is how we remember with joy"). One group of more than 50 Vicosinos (who represented the 10 sectors of the community and the local co-researchers) participated in the elaboration of the book: they chose the title, revised the contents, and worked on the translation of Quechua into Spanish. They decided on the organization and structure after patient work of reading and analysis and worked on the design and layout of the edition. All the chapters were constructed on the basis of testimonies with the exception of the final chapter, which briefly recounts the development of the Living Memory Project and was entrusted to the project coordinator, Florencia Zapata. Important to note, the book in no way tries to tell the "official story" of the community. On the contrary, it presents the plurality of voices with which the Vicosinos assign (and reassign) multiple meanings to their past. Nor does it represent all positions on the events it recounts, just of those who wanted to and could share their perspectives.

The book was published with the support of CIIFAD at Cornell University and each Vicosino family received one copy. Moreover, several copies were delivered to Vicos primary and secondary schools, Cornell libraries and numerous academic and development institutions in Peru and the US. Furthermore, an English edition is now on process, because as Vicosino Víctor Paucar said: "I am satisfied that we are giving reflection for our community and for Peru, Vicos and its sectors, [...] it is the time to share all knowledge"

1. Participatory research is that which recognizes everyone's capacity to produce knowledge, respecting his or her distinct expressions and manner of producing it, and also recognizes the value and power of this knowledge. Moreover, it emphasizes participation, understood as an exercise of people's right to control their own situation, and seek a horizontal relationship between the outside researchers and the members of the community (local co-researchers). Finally, it promotes changes that improve the situation of the community involved. (Greenwood and Morten, 1998).

2. The Living Memory Project was framed in the theoretical developments on the construction of collective memory, particularly in the concept of "labors of memory" (Jelin, 2002), which in the collective plane promotes debate and active reflection on the past and its sense for the present and for the future.

3.The register of oral histories and analyses of narratives are framed in the theory of Narrative Inquiry, understood not simply as stories told, but as a form of research, a way to know (Lyons and LaBoskey, 2002).