Afro-descendant and indigenous communities in the Pacific region of south-west Colombia have rich ancestral oral traditions that have long been central to the design and development of their collective life projects. However, these have been disrupted by both conflict and insecurity in the region and internal community dynamics, including feelings amongst young people that they are often unheard by an older generation of leaders, affecting intergenerational collaboration that has been central to communities’ efforts at self-protection. This article examines the potential of Participatory Video (PV) to be a catalyst for intergenerational dialogue in this complex context. Focusing on traditional forms of intra-community dialogue, ‘conversas’, in Buenaventura (a majority Afro-Colombian city) and Caldono (a majority indigenous rural region), we identify three mechanisms through which PV created spaces for more inclusive conversas on the territory: i) helping to reconnect young people with their communities and territories; ii) create structured moments of listening in which elders’ narratives and youth perspectives were brought into conversation; and iii) functioning as a method for the co-production of actionable knowledge across generations. As well as contributing to ongoing discussions about how intergenerational dialogue can be promoted, the findings also shed important light on the value of PV as a tool of social change and intergenerational collaboration, foregrounding PV as a process that, when adopted by the community, operates as a catalyst for dialogical relationships, rather than merely as an output-oriented practice focused on representing the views of the community to outsiders.
Filmmaker, professor of film, and leader of the Film Creation Research Group at the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (Cali, Colombia)
Natalia Campo-Castro is a filmmaker, professor of film, and leader of the Film Creation Research Group at the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (Cali, Colombia). Her areas of expertise include participatory video, community cinema, social inclusion, critical Latin American studies of disability, decolonial gender studies, and film creation methodologies.
Interdisciplinary Researcher; Honorary Fellow, University of Sheffield.
Juan Mario Díaz-Arévalo is an interdisciplinary researcher who combines practical engagement with research into the history of participatory action research (PAR). He coordinates the PAR Platform, a network that supports research, engagement, and capacity development for non-academic organisations in Colombia. He is an honorary fellow at the University of Sheffield.
Educator and community-based participatory researcher from Buenaventura, Colombia
Viviana Yussed Díaz Holguín is an educator and community-based participatory researcher from Buenaventura, Colombia. She supports initiatives that empower children and young people, tackling the dynamics of violence and fostering active participation to promote their rights and the creation of safe spaces. In her work, she uses participatory action research, popular education, and participatory video as tools for education and communication that strengthen collective identity and community memory.
Indigenous woman from the Nasa people in Caldono, Cauca, Colombia
Claudia Vannesa Rebolledo Ulcué is an indigenous woman from the Nasa people in Caldono, Cauca, Colombia. She studied social communication, and her work focuses on strengthening community processes through community-led communication, promoting the participation of women and young people. Her work has contributed to the recovery of traditional knowledge and local identities, as well as the promotion of sustainable productive initiatives.
Professor of International Politics at the University of Sheffield, UK
Simon Rushton is Professor of International Politics at the University of Sheffield, UK. His research focuses on the global politics of health and on post-conflict peacebuilding, with a particular interest in participatory research methods.