Fables from Memory:

Reconstruction of Collective Memory through Literary Creation

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this research is to reconstruct the collective memory through literary creation, involving students who are victims of displacement and the Colombian armed conflict within the Bachelor's Degree Program in Literature and the Spanish Language of the Universidad Popular del Cesar. Methodology: The methodology employed was action-participation research, utilizing the creative writing workshop as a tool and space for the production of fictional texts aimed at reconstructing the collective memory of the participants. Results: The outcome comprised a set of methodologies and tools to be utilized in creative workshops, targeting vulnerable populations within the context of the Colombian armed conflict. Identified gaps and voids in the official history of the armed conflict are an opportunity for rewriting a version through fiction and literary creation that vindicates the experiences of all affected individuals, thus reconstructing the collective memory of the country. Conclusions: Spaces for reading, dialogue, writing, and creation, such as the creative writing workshop, are indispensable  for the reconstruction of a collective memory that promotes the search for truth, forgiveness, and peace.