Original article: «Minga»: Un arca de memorias y tactos que flotará por los ríos de Valdivia

«Minga»: A Floating Ark of Memories and Touches to Sail the Rivers of Valdivia

«Minga» is a floating artistic intervention in the rivers of Valdivia, inspired by local weaving practices and popular festivities. It invites participants to celebrate collaboration and reciprocity during uncertain times.

On Saturday, March 28th, this riverine allegory will silently float down Valdivia’s rivers, encouraging reflection on a vision of nature intrinsically linked to politics and communal life, transforming this river habitat into an extension of the vital and emotional space of the local community.

Through his exploration of living along the river, visual artist Pablo Schalscha presents an intervention that not only honors the territory’s past but also challenges its present, urging the community to actively engage with their habitat through simple artisanal practices.

«The diverse territories of the Los Ríos Region are globally recognized for their rich natural and cultural heritage, having been the epicenter of the largest earthquake in history and emblematic environmental crises that have empowered a citizenry with an active consciousness for the protection and preservation of nature,» Schalscha commented.

Participatory Artwork

For months, with the collaboration of many individuals and organizations, thousands of Ñocha leaves have been hand-harvested and processed, creating this sculpture that will glide over the water, encapsulating the time, memory, and labor of many inhabitants and participants in the process, forming this ephemeral allegory that aims to highlight the power of collaboration.

In this way, «Minga» transcends the concept of art or spectacle, seeking to establish itself as a civic, poetic, and ecological celebration in the river’s heart, as noted by the artist, who secured funding for this initiative through the National Fondart, Artistic Creation line, Visual Arts.

Alongside the development of this river intervention and as a result of research, Pablo Schalscha has created an artist’s book documenting the various stages of this process, crafting an object that treasures letters, photographs, illustrations, newspaper clippings, construction plans, sketches, and drawings.

Titled «Minga. Ritual Technology, River Allegory,» this publication is an artwork in itself: its design, predominantly visual, and its experimental book form reflect and honor the processual and ephemeral nature of the intervention.

The book will have 100 copies printed using risograph/laser techniques and handmade binding. The edition is managed by Almacén Editorial from Concepción, and its launch will take place at the Valdivian bookstore Gato Caulle, made possible thanks to Conarte 2025 funds.

A Floating Story Never Written

The river as a «stage» is the myth we are invited to remember and the ritual we are encouraged to create collectively. To that end, the entire community is invited to actively participate this Saturday, March 28th.

Participants may follow the complete route or watch from specific points as spectators, and even join from the waters in a kayak or other type of vessel, for which a short registration form is available on the artist’s Instagram profile: @pabloschalscha.

«Starting at 10 AM, the route begins, with key highlights including a river plunge at Collico beach with a poetic reading by Javier Milanca, returning at 4 PM to the Costanera Cultural Parque Prochelle sector (next to the Pedro de Valdivia Bridge, by Isla Teja) for a gathering and opening at 6 PM, which includes greetings from local authorities and a musical intervention by María Segú (María y los Templos). Finally, the floating sculpture will spend the night anchored and illuminated in the Costanera Cultural Parque Prochelle area,» explained Pablo Schalscha.

El Ciudadano