Victims of armed conflict in Neiva participated, for the first time, in the programming of the 59th National Folklore Festival and Bambuco Reign.

Héctor is a survivor of armed conflict resident in the city of Neiva in the department of Huila and for this occasion he decided to accept the invitation to play Mohán, in the traditional parade of chivas in the framework of the 59th National Folklore Festival and Reign of Bambuco.

He and his companions were characterized as emblematic characters of the regional tradition, opening formal inclusion spaces in the representative events of the Huilense culture.

Representatives of the Departmental Huila Table of Victims took the initiative to turn this unprecedented event into a reality, to become more visible through a space dedicated to folklore and culture of national order, to receive the applause and attention of own and foreign, demonstrating true sense of roots to the territory, especially of organization and teamwork to achieve an objective, as they have done many times in the defense of their cause.

The 59th National Festival of Folklore and Reign of Bambuco is the most representative event of Huilense culture, thousands of tourists "do the trip" as mentioned historically and popularly. The table of victims made presence in the traditional parade of buses that gathered 30 communities participating in a prize for the best decorated vehicle under strict parameters and that implied the union of victim community resident in Neiva to equip La Desplazada, a name they assigned to the car Traditional loaded with characteristic elements.

Armed with bugles, horns, tail and ‘gallo and the shirt of the Colombia team, and at the rhythm of sanjuanero, the participants encouraged their journey along the boardwalk of Magdalena River at the sight and applause of crowds.

Derly Pastrana, coordinator of the Departmental Table of Víctims, promoter of the event, said that “the Table decided to participate in this event because it shows that we want to build peace from the territories with culture; today we want to show all the victims of Huila, the displaced people of Huila that we ask all those groups outside the law that we no longer want to live these displacements”.

For his part, Alfonso López, also a member of the Table, said that “in 2019 we are motivated to participate because the victims are also part of the culture, folklore, and from the mainstreaming we make a proposal at the San Pedro festivities”.

Moving from the stand to the stage, once again vindicates the resilience of survivors of armed conflict as active subjects.

(Fin/YUM/CMC/LMY)