Memories and identity crossing borders.

Seven stories of “migrant” women.

Abstract

In my research “memory and identity crossing borders. 7 stories of migrant women”, carried out within the master's degree in Amerindian studies of the Faculty of Anthropology of the UNED University, different women of indigenous roots from Abya Yala who currently live in the province of Barcelona were asked if for them it has been possible to maintain their identity and origins despite the radically different contexts where migration has taken them. Through a methodology in which life stories stand out, as a way to learn more about reality, we can approach stories about the diaspora and the memories prior to it. With a methodology that highlights life stories, we can approach some elements that women express that connect them to their culture and identity, mainly Art, ritual and activism. Art is, for the majority of them, a form of expression that allows them to connect with their origins through a playful and aesthetic event, however, not just as entertainment but also with the vindication of their ancestral learning. The ritual is applied in a particular way for each of them, however, all agree that it’s part of everyday life. Finally, activism is present in most of the life stories, even though some involve more than others in the social movements of claim or denunciation. This is not only to defend their territories, but also to defend the rights of the migrants.

KEY WORDS: woman, migration, identity, memory.