Animals, plants, and things in the Guachucal reserve

Authors

Abstract

In the Guachucal indigenous territory, life reveals itself as an
intermingling of influences and mutual care among all beings. Caring for the "airs" relies on substances like "chapil", which is fortified with various plants to heal
afflictions moving through the world—such as the "bad air"
that can pass from a sick cow to a person. This coexistence demands constant reciprocity: the linden tree thrives only if it senses the sounds and music of the people, while animals like Paco the sheep require the company of cows to keep from withering away. Dogs, in turn, heal and learn through shared warmth. In this setting, the good life depends on close contact and the vital exchange between humans, vegetation, and animals.

Author Biography

Yorely Viviana Quiguantar Cuatín, Resguardo de Guachucal

A member of the Guachucal Indigenous Reserve (Pueblo de los Pastos), she holds a degree in Anthropology from the University of Caldas (Manizales) and a Master’s degree in Anthropology from FLACSO-Ecuador. Her research focuses on Indigenous, sociocultural, historical, and gender anthropology, as well as community work, with a strong emphasis on ethnography. She has worked on recovering the collective memory of the Pastos people in the Department of Nariño alongside Pastos women; this work resulted in the publication of the book "Mujeres Pastos en la lucha por la recuperación de tierras: Resguardos de Guachucal y Cumbal" (Pastos Women in the Struggle for Land Recovery: Guachucal and Cumbal Reserves), in collaboration with the National Center for Historical Memory (CNMH, 2020). She has also contributed to the community through the book "Perteneceres", specifically with the chapter titled "Las Mayoras neblina que caminan en el tiempo" (The Mist-Like Elder Women Who Walk Through Time). Additionally, she authored the chapter "Cargas luminosas: santos peregrinos y castillos en las fiestas de la Virgen de las Lajas" (Luminous Burdens: Pilgrim Saints and Castles in the Festivities of the Virgin of Las Lajas) for the book "La mestiza nos llama: estudios antropológicos en el santuario de las Lajas". Most recently, she published the chapter "Los castillos santos, fiesteros y crianzas en los Pastos - Resguardo de Guachucal, Nariño" in the book "Vidas campesinas en la Panamazonia" (Peasant Lives in the Pan-Amazon), released by the University of Nariño in 2025.

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Published

2026-09-26

How to Cite

Quiguantar Cuatín, Y. V. (2026). Animals, plants, and things in the Guachucal reserve. Memorias Disidentes. Revista De Estudios críticos Del Patrimonio, Archivos Y Memorias, 3(6), 265–281. Retrieved from https://ojs.unsj.edu.ar/index.php/Mdis/article/view/1572

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 6 (2026): Traces and Murmurs. Plants and Animals in Dissonant Memories

Section

Lenguajes Instituyentes

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Yorely Viviana Quiguantar Cuatín

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