GRAPHIC EXPRESSIONS OF THE AMAZONIAN KICHWA PEOPLE IN PASTAZA: THE CASE OF THE MUSHUK WARMY COMMUNITY IN THE SAN JACINTO COMMUNE

Abstract

Body painting among the Amazonian Kichwa people of Pastaza is a cultural expression with strong symbolic significance. Through different pictographic patterns, this practice communicates aspects of the community's identity, worldview, and social structure. The graphic expressions on the body were analyzed through visual semiotics using a freely accessible photographic database on the Flickr platform. The research design was exploratory-descriptive in nature, which guided entry into the Mushuk Warmy community, San Jacinto Commune, located in the southwestern part of the province of Pastaza. The images collected were processed through a semiotic analysis matrix where categories were designed from a visual social perspective. The results determine that the symbols used are grouped into six categories: natural elements, sacred animals, elements of orientation, celestial elements, elements of war, and basic graphic elements. The findings represent spiritual connections, roles within the community, and links to nature. Complementarily, it was possible to identify that women play a central role in body painting, as they are responsible for creating and applying the designs. They also process wituk and achiote, fruits used to make the pigments applied to the bodies.