Bicentenario de la Batalla de San Félix (1817-2017): Entre la historia oficial y las manifestaciones culturales guayanesas

Abstract

The commemoration of the Battle of San Felix has a profound significance for Ciudad Guayana. Its inhabitants consider it an important event for its regional identity. In this regard, April 11 has become a holiday in which, in the light of national history, a “heroic past” full of meanings is recalled, occupying a place among the cultural manifestations of the Guyanese people. In this work, we seek to delve into the origins of this celebration and address - with a critical stance - how a close relationship has been built between the historical event itself, the official discourse of the Venezuelan State and popular interpretation; the latter is characterized by a cultural imaginary typical of the inhabitants of the Guyanese region. Aspects that can be traced and analyzed through the Venezuelan press as a historical source and the bibliography related to the regional history of the current Bolivar State