La tierra de Oña: color. técnica y patrimonio

Abstract

The parishes of Oña and Susudel, in the province of Azuay, are part of the National Inventory of Cultural Heritage. They are sceneries with historical, cultural and landscape richness, given their rugged geography and historical connection with territories of economic and social power (linked to their Cañari heritage and the Inca domination). However, the intangible heritage of these parishes has barely been studied. Thanks to local institutional efforts to enhance the value of tangible and intangible heritage found in the traditional techniques of the communities, it has been discovered the prevalence of knowledge on the production of paint from soil pigments and its use in the architecture of these parishes. Nevertheless, it is also evident the gradual loss of valorization and transfer of knowledge of these practices. As part of the initial phase of the research project of the University of Cuenca: Soils of Colors, this research includes an approach to the territorial and historical contexts of the canton Oña, as well as a valuable contribution to the study of color in the local architecture. As a result, this study allowed the identification, documentation and experimentation of the traditional knowledge related to the techniques of soil paint production, which was achieved through an ethnographic approach to the repositories of this knowledge. In addition, this study enabled to verify the prevalence and relevance of the technique in the current context in order to promote the transfer of knowledge.