VISUAL MEMORY OF THE FOLKLORIC FESTIVAL OF THE MI SENDERITO SCHOOL AS A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY IN NORTE DE SANTANDER

Abstract

This research article analyzes the Mi Senderito School Folk Festival and its influence on the establishment of cultural identity in the region, focusing on its role as an educational strategy for preserving intangible heritage in Norte de Santander. Given the risk of losing local traditions due to the effects of globalization, the study set out to build a visual memory of the festival, developed between 2010 and 2020, as an experiential learning tool. Using a qualitative approach and a case study design, surveys, participatory observation, and documentary analysis were applied to students, teachers, and administrators who played a leading role in the festival, either as volunteers in the organization or as direct participants in the event's thematic content. The results show a high appreciation of the festival as an educational and cultural space, highlighting its impact on strengthening the sense of belonging, intergenerational participation, and the transmission of traditional knowledge, even since its adaptation to contexts such as the pandemic. It is concluded that the festival, beyond a school activity, represents a pedagogical device that articulates culture, education, and community, and whose systematization contributes to its sustainable projection and institutional replicability.