Memory in Ayacucho as a dissonant heritage: social agency and tensions after the internal armed conflict

The memories of the internal armed conflict in Peru, despite the ongoing and tense debates surrounding the issue, remain an unresolved matter for the families of those who were kidnapped, detained, and disappeared. These demands have transcended public spaces, gained relevance and adapting to the political context, serving as a mechanism for social reclamation and transitional justice.

In Ayacucho, the Peruvian city that was most affected by the conflict, the recent memories are manifested through the appropriation of places and territories, revealing a profound cultural backdrop. The forms of memory in this region not only reflect the past but also enrich the cultural heritage with an additional layer of value derived from collective memory. This approach, still relatively unexplored, opens new pathways for understanding how the memories of conflict contribute to the construction and valorization of cultural heritage in the region.

The goal of the study is to identify how recent memory constructs a layer of heritage valuation, such as the Plaza Mayor in Ayacucho. Qualitative methodologies were employed to describe the practices and manifestations of the community, serving as an initial record that includes both historical background and current impact.