Kaypimi Kanchik: We Are Here! Podcast series
This podcast series is a space that stems from my curiosity to know how the stories of personal experiences have been used for shape people’s identities and how these personal experiences have extended far beyond traditional forms of storytelling. With the participation of various people within my community, I am analyzing how identity and culture have been the driving force to adopt newer forms of storytelling and digital media to convey impactful narratives that have served as tools to further strengthen identity and culture wherever we stand. This space aims to amplify and highlight kichwa artist’s and activist’s work while sharing their personal experiences with storytelling and how it has influenced them to do work that is reflective of their identity. This podcast series hopes to explore and analyze how different people have adopted different digital mediums to share their story in an empowering and unique way. This space is not only to share experiences, but to create essence of belonging and acceptance of those who grew up in the diaspora, wishing for media that reflected their story. With this project, I hope to learn more about storytelling and how it has impacted and shaped people‘s identities across all territories. That way we can bridge various worlds together!
The power of traditional storytelling
As we begin on our new journey into the power of storytelling we first see the back story as to how this podcast came to be and what it hopes to become. In this episode I introduce the world of all things Kichwa storytelling and how yours truly has been able to shape her identity around the stories that her loved ones shared with her. Through the lens of a Kichwa Warmi you see how impactful narratives can be and how they become a lifeline for many Indigenous people who live in the diaspora.
Weaving Across Time and Distance
Archives are an essential piece to a larger puzzle that is our identity not only showing us glimpses from the past but serving as physical proof of those before us. In this episode we begin seeing how storytelling takes the form of different mediums, exploring how much their significance is deepened when used to preserve stories that connect us through time and distance.
Having the ability to create visuals that are reflective of our experience and identity becomes essential when living in the diaspora. In this episode we explore how illustrations created by Adina Farinango embody resilience and strength, becoming a source of representation that extends far beyond mainstream media’s perception is indigenous women.
Illustrating Identity
TikTok as become such a big platform that everyone uses and that’s no different with indigenous communities, from learning how to make traditional dishes to learning Kichwa when you’re on the right side of TikTok you find so much cultural knowledge. In this episode we see what impact TikTok is making in the Kichwa diaspora with the help of Nina Amaguaña.
Indigenous TikTok
Being Indigenous comes with a lot of responsibility not only because you’re responsible for transmitting knowledge and wisdom from the past but also because you’re breaking barriers and structures that were created to see our downfall. In this episode we explore identity, storytelling, and advocacy and how they all are interconnected in ways that are much deeper than we could ever imagine. Thalia Caroll-Cachimuel talks to us about how identity and stories has fueled her need to advocate for indigenous communities globally in order to move forward as a collective.
Identity to Action
Sometimes legends and stories hold deeper significance, giving listeners insight as to how connections to the earth run deeper in certain communities. In this episode we explore the importance of myths and legends within indigenous communities. Seeing how El Tayta Imbabura legend and presence has been a lot more impactful than imagined.