Comment to a party that has died: The Coraza

Abstract

This article analyses the Coraza festival in Ecuador from psychological, ideological and social perspectives, questioning the appropriateness of the term "religious" in the indigenous context. The festival not only represents a religious event, but also a space where aspects of social life, community solidarity and reaffirmation of identity are manifested. On a psychological level, the festival allows indigenous people to express their awareness of solidarity and to confront, albeit temporarily, ideological repression through ritual consumption and Dionysian celebration. From an ideological perspective, the festival reflects a hierarchical and a-historical understanding of society, reinforcing both indigenous identity and their oppression. Socially, the festival functions as a rite of passage and a mechanism of unification within the community, while facilitating economic exploitation by mestizo authorities and the church. Thus, the Coraza festival is presented as a symbolic comedy that, although it resolves some ritual contradictions, perpetuates exploitation and contempt towards indigenous people.