l Decolonising action-research: the Potato Park biocultural protocol for benefit-sharing 97
Box 4: Rich pictures
Rich pictures are images
that visually depict a
complex or multi-layered
situation or concept and are
used to ground, orientate or
stimulate a discussion.
ANDES, along with its
indigenous research
partners, have used rich
picturing as an opportunity
to re-value the ancient
Incan image of Santa Cruz
Pachakuti that symbolically
depicts the indigenous
Andean cosmovision.
This image has proved
extremely useful in
orienting discussions
around natural resources or
agriculture within an
indigenous holistic
cosmovision, ensuring that
the discussions are rooted in
these concepts and at the
same time reasserting
traditional culture and
knowledge.
proposed article and potential regulations
for enacting them. In total there were 30
consultation groups involved in this process,
consisting of five members (designated by
geographic proximity), an indigenous
researcher who facilitated the discussions
and a member of the gastronomy collective.
Traditional leaders occasionally participated. The groups met four times a month
at predetermined times to discuss the
different aspects of the draft agreement and
offer their observations, suggestions and
doubts. Local researchers carried out semistructured interviews with members of the
communities for additional feedback. Input
from the meetings and interviews resulted
in a second draft of the BCP.
Indigenous researchers once again
played a central role in facilitating these
consultation groups and the discussions
that took place. Researchers used methods
such as video and powerpoint presenta-
tions and conceptual images/rich pictures
(Box 4). A video was developed in Quechua
to explain the legal terms used in the BCP
and reinterpret the concepts in indigenous
terms, even creating new Quechua terms
to reflect these new concepts.
The consultation process itself was
based on the Andean principles of reciprocity, duality and equilibrium, and
traditional practices used for generating
and maintaining flows of dialogue and
decision-making. For example, members
of the park’s gastronomy group prepared
and served traditional dishes using some of
the rare species of potato found in the park
to members of the consultation groups,
both as a form of reciprocity and to facilitate discussion about biocultural heritage.
The concept of duality is reflected in the
inclusion of men and women, young and
old, and diverse kinds of experience and
knowledge.