POLICY CULTURAL: “THE MENHIRS OF THE TAFÍ VALLEY

Abstract

The government cultural policy towards archaeological patrimony in the province of Tucumán is the subject of this paper which takes as study case “The Menhirs of the Tafi Valley”.

This investigation takes as starting point the sixties because during this period were begun the actions from the National and Provincial State and different groups integrated by local residents and researchers of the subject.

After that, I will point out three highly important moments: 1º- When the general Domingo Bussi, as governor of Province of Tucumán during the last military dictatorship in 1977, ordered the creation of the ‘Park of Menhirs’ on the La Angostura hill; 2º- When the executive disposed to move these pieces as a result of the actions initiated by the inhabitants of the village ‘El Mollar’. Act accomplished in March of 2002. And, 3º- the situation of these cultural items in the present government administration that began at the end of 2003.

The completion of the move and their posterior preservation are a personal experience as director of Anthropological and Historical Patrimony Agency (from 1999 to 2004) when I was coordinating the commission established by the Cultural Secretary of State to execute the movement of the Menhirs and their posterior preservation. This personal situation had allowed me to observe the pressures and divergences which were produced in the area of the patrimony by the different ideological positions of the social actors who were involved.

The proposal is the practice of an authentic democracy towards patrimony which should be promoted by the State starting from cultural politics and having as axes the respect to the cultural plurality and permit to socialize the goods.