Cultural Identity and Resignification of Culture in the Province of Santa Elena

Abstract

Cultural identity is of the utmost importance for the people and communities of Santa Elena because it plays a fundamental role in the way in which the individual perceives himself and how others perceive him. On the other hand, the resignification of culture is a vital and necessary process that implies giving new meanings and reinterpretations to existing cultural aspects and thus keeping alive the identity inherited from our ancestors. The objective of this document is to identify the characteristics of cultural identity divided into four dimensions: cognitive, evaluative, affective, and behavioral, grouped into three components of ethnic identity such as: ethnic affirmation, elaboration or development of ethnic identity and ethnic behaviors, determining the possible factors that affect autochthonous social memory to take the necessary actions that contribute to the preservation and strengthening of cultural identity. The methodology has a mixed approach that involves processes of collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative information. The population sample corresponds to 388 respondents and 4 interviewed specialists. The results show us that, although the number of people who self-identify as indigenous people from the coast or Guancavilcas has increased (16,75%), the percentage is very low compared to those who consider themselves mestizos and whites (72,17%) this in itself generates an adverse factor related to the knowledge of ancestral culture in the life of the inhabitants of Santa Elena.