Bolivia: Radionovela declared intangible piece of cultural heritage

The city council of Morochata, Bolivia has declared the radionovela “Hilarión Grágeda, Leader of the Rebellion against Large Landowners” an intangible piece of the city's cultural heritage. According to the accompanying statement, the production in the indigenous Quechua language is of special value in the preservation and documentation of indigenous culture and history. Bolivian Minister of Culture Sabina Orellana pledged to have the radionovela broadcast nationwide through media partners.  

By becoming radio producers, indigenous women help preserve their culture

The radionovela was created as part of the Colaboratorio project of DW Akademie and its partner CEPRA. What makes it especially poignant is that the story of Hilarion Grágeda is told by the descendants of the movement themselves. Indigenous people from the village of Yayani and surrounding communities were involved in the production of the radionovela, from the script to the music to voice-over. This collaborative approach is at the core of the project, whose goal is to establish creative spaces and enable participation that ensures the relevance and sustainable success of citizen radio.