Co-construction of Heritage Through University Extension: Fishing Dock for the Seis de Julio Association. Naranjal – Ecuador

Abstract

The Seis de Julio district, located in the Naranjal canton of Ecuador, is a community of approximately one thousand inhabitants that faces the challenges of isolation and limited access. Its economy is centered on artisanal fishing, specifically the collection of mangrove crabs. In a University Extension project, ancestral knowledge was recovered to co-construct its local heritage. This work documents and relates the importance of the academic model of action to recover and strengthen the identity of communities that require support to recognize their cultural values and forge their heritage in highly sensitive natural contexts and vulnerable socioeconomic conditions.