"Tambadoras Dancing with the Palo River:" a research creation exploration of traditional gold mining in Colombia

This thesis explores the traditional gold mining practices of Tambadoras, a group of women from Guachené, Colombia. It reflects on the production of the video documentary "Tambadoras Dancing with the Palo River" (2022) as part of a curatorial call for experimental videos and the website www.tambadoras.com, tracing their development as part of an academic inquiry through the framework of research-creation. Unlike conventional academic research, which often starts with predefined hypotheses and research questions, this project evolved organically from the creative process of producing the video documentary and the website. The video captures the interplay between Tambadoras' traditional mining methods and the Palo River, a body of water essential to their livelihood and cultural heritage. The bilingual website, in English and Spanish, acts as a complementary platform to disseminate this research. The website contains the video and provides historical context, serving as an archive, a pedagogical tool and a connector of generations that allows Tambadoras' voices and stories to be heard by wider audiences Employing a research-creation methodology defined by Sawhuck and Owen as "research-from-creation" (2012), this study examines the socio- economic implications of Tambadoras' mining methods, the challenges they pose to conventional narratives of artisanal mining, and their alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals concerning gender equality and clean water and sanitation. This thesis contributes to the discourse on sustainable mining practices, the empowerment of women in artisanal mining, and the preservation of Afro-Colombian cultural heritage.