The students who make up the collective Almaguer cultural, raíces y costumbres presented their proposal in a call from the Ministry of Culture, where they were among the 1,400 winners.

Almaguer cultural, raíces y costumbres, comprised of students from the University of Cauca, ranked 175th among the 1,400 selected winners in the context of the Research Projects call called 'Youth for Change'. The collective includes Sindy Catherine Granoble Gómez from the Bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences and Environmental Education, Julieth Alejandra Granoble Gómez from the programs of Bachelor's degree in Art Education and Fine Arts, Jennifer Andrea Ruiz Tuquerres from the Bachelor's degree in Art Education, and Camilo Ruiz Tuquerres from the programs of Bachelor's degree in Art Education and Bachelor's degree in Music.

The proposal presented by the students, which was among the 5,000 submissions in the research call led by the Ministry of Culture, focused on the recovery, transmission, and redefinition of the identity sense of the Almaguer territory, encompassing various cultural aspects that are part of traditional knowledge.

"Almaguer boasts great cultural richness encompassing different artistic, gastronomic, historical expressions, customs and traditions, myths and legends, notable places, and representative individuals that safeguard memories of the past Almaguer, cultural aspects that for many of its inhabitants are relegated to oblivion. Therefore, it's important to highlight and redefine the cultural richness revolving around the cultural manifestations of the territory and embrace them from an identity perspective," stated the students.

The municipality of Almaguer and the neighboring municipalities in this region of the country have been left in oblivion, places filled with tradition that have been severely affected by war, aspects for which unfortunately they are recognized. Hence, it was pertinent to develop a project around elements that enrich culturally and traditionally, and compile bibliographic material as the town lacks such resources.

"The process began with the execution of a curved cartography, a territorial mapping of emotions, where experiences, stories, and life events were collected, which are part of the territory and heritage. During the exploration of the territory, each unique knowledge was investigated, engaging with representatives of different cultural expressions, wise individuals who shared their cultural legacy. Audiovisual material was collected, reinforcing the experienced moments."

Following this, each experience was pre-structured, organizing cultural categories that complemented and interconnected with each other; each category was enriched according to the individuals interviewed. The collective held a contest awarding the best narrative related to a traditional Almaguer myth. Around 150 students from educational institutions in the municipal center participated in the contest, seeking dialogue with their grandparents and relatives to immerse themselves in the stories.

The textual compilation obtained was edited, and a selection of corresponding images was made; collaboration was done with Jorge Iván Coronell, a graphic designer from the University of Cauca, who took charge of organizing the aesthetic part of the booklet.

While this process was ongoing, the educational institution Normal Superior Santa Clara from the municipality of Almaguer invited the collective to give a presentation at the XIII Pedagogy and Science Event, where the project's process and development were discussed. From that moment on, the acceptance of the material being produced became evident.

The collective collaborated with a publishing house for the materialization of the booklet, printing 160 copies. The official launch took place during the cultural week of the San Luis educational institution, where the Almaguer community got to know the cultural booklet entirely, the projection and impact of the project. Copies were distributed in the institutions of the 7 municipalities of the territory and autonomous educational centers, as well as the two educational institutions in the municipal center and the municipal library, benefiting around 2000 students. A copy was given to the University of Cauca, and a booklet was gifted to each person interviewed and anyone who, in some way, contributed to the creation of the booklet.

The proposal was well-received by the community; nationally and internationally, the collective was invited to give a presentation at the IX International Meeting and XII Regional Meeting of Experiences in Popular and Community Education of the Master's in Popular Education at the University of Cauca. The collective received coverage in the Extra del Cauca and Diario del Cauca newspapers, mentioning the project's development and its impact both within and outside the territory.

"As a cultural research collective, we aim to uphold the educational quality and the name of our Alma Mater. Through research processes, we seek to contribute to the cultural development of our territory, leaving a mark through each project that benefits the communities. As young people, we are committed to safeguarding, preserving, and promoting the cultural expressions that shape our identity. The projection of our proposal had an impact and left a mark, that mark which, as Unicaucanos, we aim to leave in every step," concluded the students.