Aculturización en la desvalorización sociocultural en la comunidad El Castillo, parroquia Veintimilla del cantón Guaranda, periodo agosto diciembre 2025.

Abstract

This research paper analyzed the influence of acculturation on sociocultural devaluation in the El Castillo community, Veintimilla parish, Guaranda canton, during the period from August to December 2025. The research addresses the problem of the loss of cultural identity among an indigenous segment that prefers to adopt new lifestyles alien to their sociocultural reality. The methodology applied is a mixed-methods approach (qualitative-quantitative), which included surveys of a sample of 319 inhabitants of the El Castillo community, and semi-structured interviews with the community president and a sociologist. The quantitative portion of the study reveals a concerning scenario: 62% of the community's inhabitants do not identify with local customs; 96% prefer to speak Spanish rather than Kichwa, especially in public spaces outside the community; and 33% distance themselves from traditional clothing, viewing it as irrelevant or even a source of shame—this is particularly evident among younger generations who are drifting away and lack attachment to their heritage. Furthermore, 59% of those surveyed admitted to having concealed their cultural traits at times to avoid discrimination in urban and work environments. The qualitative factors demonstrated that social media, migration for economic reasons, and the lack of a continuous communal environment accelerate cultural assimilation and hybridization, aggravated by a weakened bilingual education system and local public management that is merely temporary/coyuntural. The study concludes that there is an urgent need for intervention, and therefore, proposes the design of a strategic communication product focused on sociocultural revaluation and ethnic self-recognition within the community.