List the key activities that were carried out during this reporting period in order to achieve these expected results. Please describe the activities in detail and note their effectiveness or any problems encountered in implementing them.
1. Transmission of knowledge
Bearers -their sons and grandsons- are actively involved in the safeguarding of the element by promoting family and community activities related to work songs. Among the strategies used to facilitate the transmission of knowledge it is possible to mention meetings, especially those that involve senior members, to remember the llano activities. These spaces have been used to teach people about work songs composition and how they respond to inspiration in a specific moment, and to the feelings of llaneros during the milking process and cattle driving. In some cases, it was not possible to conduct some of the activities; however, resources such as imagination and props were useful tools to simulate llano activities, for instance, a wet sponge was used to simulate the milking process. Youngsters learned about social-productive processes linked to the element in order to put that knowledge into practice in the future.
In other cases -in partnership with ranch owners- some of the cows were separated from the mechanical milking process to start the practices with manual milking tradition. In communities where this solution was possible, bearers taught young generations about milking songs, through practical exercises with cows.
Even though cattle transportation is usually done with vehicles; since 2017, bearers created short cattle driving routes in order to practice the process. In these cases, they also involved young members of the community in order to pass the knowledge linked to milking songs.
It is important to highlight that all knowledge transmission activities were performed taking into account inclusion between the members of the community. Talks were given to children, men, and women, with no discrimination in order to pass all the element to the entire community to preserve the collective memory. Likewise, the inclusion of the entire community was accomplished, including respect as the right to have access to this community and ancient knowledge.
2. ICH Research
Between 2020 and 2021, in partnership with university students from UNELLEZ, video materials were recorded in order to register work songs for safeguarding and promotion of the element for future generations. During this process, local students participated in work songs; however, these activities were not only conceived to be preserved but they were useful to pass the knowledge, achieving then two goals set for such safeguarding.
The Center for Cultural Diversity started a documentary research on the Cabrestero Route; this research consists of finding information about the traditional route used for cattle driving. This study had ethnographic findings in the heart of the community in order to conduct the documentary safeguarding of the route, threatened by cattle transportation with the use of vehicles. However, this field research, just like a proposed Bearers Census, was interrupted by the pandemic. Both the bearers and the Center for Cultural Diversity pretend to continue with the research and the census in the next working period.
3. ICH Promotion
Between 2018 and 2019, an exclusive radio show was developed to specifically promote work songs and the live in the llano. The idea was to communicate the element locally, regionally, and nationally. Bearers also gave many interviews during this period to promote ICH. Since 2018, it began a project with the National Disc Center to register and promote work songs in the entire country. Also, since 2021 -and through the National Radio System- a new radio show was created to promote work songs nationally.
During 2017 - 2021, bearers were invited to different photographic and ethnographic exhibitions related to the element. In these exhibitions, bearers were asked about the names of the pieces, and about the strategies that could be used to improve further exhibitions.
In 2020, despite COVID-19, bearers were organized and carried out the Llano Work Songs Virtual Fest, where members from different communities participated in order to promote llano work songs.
In 2017 - 2021, activities were carried out with different communities separately; nonetheless, in 2021 it was possible to have the 1st National Meeting for the Safeguarding of Llano Work Songs, coordinated by the Center for Cultural Diversity and the participation of bearers from different llano states such as: Barinas, Cojedes, Guárico, and Portuguesa. Intellectuals and other specialists also participated in this event. This meeting was an opportunity to show the achieved goals during the working period, and participants shared thoughts about current and future goals. Additionally, it was possible to develop strategies to effectively continue with these projects and the Safeguarding Plan based on the leadership and the actions of bearers.
4. Education for Safeguarding
Since 2017, in partnership with teachers, meetings with children from different community schools have been taking place in order to teach llano activities. In these meetings, they learn about the activities related to the cultural elements associated to the lifestyle of llaneros. All those activities are focused on raising the awareness of young people about the appreciation of the element and the lifestyle in the llano. The aspiration here is these youngsters become promoters of the traditions from their communities for future generations.