The Casa Choco-Late project aims to deliver a three-year programme of cultural activities for the people of Nuqui in Colombia and nearby villages led by professional artists across different fields, as well as other cultural leaders who will work with people to develop a deeper understanding of their own cultures.
The project is set up by
Fernando Arias, Diego Arias and
Grupo de Jovenes de Nuqui (GJN - Group of young adults from Nuqui) represented by local leader Josefina Klinger.
Read an update on the project that was sent to the Prince Claus Fund by Fernando Arias:
The first stage workshop sessions are now complete. Unexpectedly, the programme attracted many more children than anticipated. The three main workshop programmes led by local leaders were Dance, Music and Song.
Because of their popularity we are continuing the workshops for new attendees, to run five days each week in the afternoons and early evenings.
The workshop leaders feel confident that the main objectives have been met, in transferring the most important cultural traditions on to a younger generation. Without Casa Choco-Late there would be no formal space in which to meet and no paid teachers. The project created such excitement in Nuqui that this in itself created a momentum of confidence. A comments book expresses part of this excitement and visual documentation has been taken.
All the instruments needed for the workshops have been bought.
Casa Choco-Late has filled a need for a community space. It has served as a space for the realisation of parallel cultural events such as the launch of the Local Library and the 1st cinema in Nuqui. We have lent Casa Choco-Late a video projector. This has been a real event for many people in the town as they have never seen larger than TV size images.
Maria Garcia, a psychologist specialising in Therapy of Movement, who used to work with minority groups in London visited Nuqui. She realised a ten-day workshop. After seeing Maria’s enthusiasm and organisational skills we suggested that she should remain in the region as the coordinator for the
next 2-3 months. She accepted and we will pay her a symbolic fee. One of the aims of her remaining for this period will be to train the local leaders in organisational and management skills. They desperately need it.
We have been approached by Universidad Nacional, one of the most respected universities in Colombia. They wanted to know more about Casa Choco-late and we suggested a visit to Nuqui. Laura Sanabria, coordinator of the programme ‘Vigias de Paz’ (which the university is running to help socially disenfranchised groups around Colombia to develop cultural projects) visited last month and is interested in collaborating in the future.
All images courtesy of Casa Choco -Late. Click on the image for a larger version
Report in Spanish (contains pictures)
