2020 Theses Master's

Pachamama Oral History Project

Naranjo Jara, Anahi

The effects of climate change are unprecedented, with low-income communities of color across the world on the frontlines of its detrimental on physical and cultural landscapes. In the Andes region of Ecuador, agriculture extends beyond an economic driver: it’s a cultural heritage. Farmers, especially those in third world countries, have been historically voiceless in climate change discourses, but on the frontlines. Storytelling through oral history is can bridge that gap and empower Andean farmers to advocate for themselves in their own terms to bring their concerns and stories to the forefront of climate change discourses.

My thesis, the Pachamama Oral History Project, explores the effects of climate change on the physical and cultural landscapes of agrarian individuals in the Central Andes region of Ecuador. I interviewed my grandparents and mother, and the final product is a website, social media kit, and a 37-minute oral history-based documentary. Despite adversities these individuals face in light of a changing climate and lower crop yields, their stories demonstrated resilience of culture and adaptation in a changing world.

Keywords: climate change, culture, agriculture,