Diagnosis of the tourist potential of the intangible cultural heritage. Case Study: Depts. Arauco and San Blas in the Willows, La Rioja - Argentina.

The province of La Rioja has information from varied local authors that discuss the intangible cultural heritage tourism: myths, legends and folk beliefs of the province of La Rioja in general and specifically in the study area but found no research, background and other efforts that have been made on the use of these potential tourism resources for the cultural tourism in the area. Therefore, this project is that it arises "Diagnosis of the tourist potential of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Case Study: Depts. Arauco and San Blas in the Willows". Arauco is a village in the Department namesake, in the northern province of La Rioja, Argentina. It is located 5 km south of the provincial capital Aimogasta, reported by Provincial Route 9. The Department San Blas in the Willows, is 200 km. north of the province of Las Rioja, was formerly called "Vicious Valley" for its lush and fertile. It borders to the north with the province of Catamarca, east to the Department Arauco, south east by the Department Castro Barros and west by the Department Famatina. It has 16 locations, distributed over 50 km. bordering the Cerro El Velasco. The same, mainly aims to determine whether there are documents and files on research to study the intangible heritage: myths and legends, popular beliefs, festivals and spaces related to these in the Depts. Arauco and San Blas in the Willows to link to tourism. Departments involved in the investigation, are rich in intangible cultural heritage includes practices, expressions, representations, knowledge and cultural spaces associated and other riches associated with popular beliefs, myths and legends around the cultural legacy left by the ancestors inheritance "diaguitas "Aboriginal group inhabiting the central region (Dept. Capital, Arauco and San Blas in the Willows) in the province of La Rioja, influenced by the Inca civilization, had a great cultural development. Worshiped the Pachamama or Mother Earth, which they considered protective of crops and animals. Also attributed evil powers. The represented as an old woman, or a lizard or frog. Also worshiped the sun and the moon. In the higher parts of the mountains lifted their "pucaras" walled fortresses to defend themselves in times of war. Given this, this project aims to survey, record and inventory of these divinities diaguitas fundamentally linked to the terrestrial Pachamama, Yacumama, Saramama, Zapam Zucum and other lesser gods like Llastay, Huayrapuca, Mikilo, among others. Products of Indian devout soul and its profound respect for the environment and earth provider of the most vital to the survival of life. Besides these gods, other mythological characters studied, holidays and sites related to these, on the study area and the Departments Arauco San Blas in the Willows to publicize its existence, location and general characteristics to propose them as tourist attractions or supplements to enrich the cultural tourism in the area. First, we performed the theoretical framework that took into account the following theoretical bases that define the problem posed: tangible and intangible cultural heritage, myths, legends, popular beliefs, festivals, sustainable tourism, among others.