La gentrificación y la fiesta popular, caso de estudio: La diablada pillareña

Abstract

The diablada pillareña, intangible heritage of humanity, is a festival celebrated from the first to the sixth of January each year in the canton of Santiago de Píllaro. This cultural manifestation of great relevance attracts thousands of visitors and tourists. However, the growth of the tourist influx has generated several problems, including the accumulation of people in a single meeting point, road congestion, environmental, auditory and visual pollution, as well as the risk of losing the essence, authenticity and tradition of the celebration. This study determines the gentrification in the development of the popular festival, based on a qualitative methodology with the purpose of understanding in depth the experiences and perceptions of local residents regarding the effects caused in recent years in the realization and staging of the festival. By using techniques such as interviews and observation of specific groups of people subdivided into participants, organizers, authorities and local community, it was possible to confirm a notable concern for the increase of visitors, because this phenomenon causes visible consequences that affect the development and proper management of the preparation and execution of the diablada pillareña. The organization, logistics and scarce control of this new problem unleashes a series of inconveniences with the community, which affects social cohesion and the preservation of cultural heritage. The implementation of new proposals to help mitigate the situation is a feasible solution that intertwines the importance of promoting tourism and maintaining the traditional character of the popular festivities.