The intangible cultural heritage of the chugchilán parish: an analysis of legends and tales as an expression of the andean cosmovision

Abstract

This ethnographic research addresses the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of the parish of Chugchilán (Cotopaxi, Ecuador) through the analysis of its oral tradition, specifically its legends and folktales. The study focuses on unraveling how these popular narratives serve as primary vehicles for the persistence and expression of the Andean worldview within a context of social, tourist, and migratory change. A qualitative methodology based on oral history and in-depth interviews with key storytellers (rucu and mama) was employed. The results demonstrate that the oral narratives of Chugchilán encode fundamental Andean principles such as dualism (yanantin), reciprocity (ayni), and territorial sacredness (veneration of lagoons, hills, and high-altitude grasslands as Apus). The persistence of these stories, despite the influence of modernity and evangelization, reveals itself as a mechanism of cultural resistance that reaffirms local identity in the face of homogenization. The conclusion underscores the urgent need to document and value these traditions as a vital epistemological and heritage asset for the community.