The Kichwa Collective hosts an immersive experience at the Madison Public Library

Kaypimi Kanchik | We Are Here: Honoring Indigenous Migration Stories and Celebrating the Kichwa Community in WI, is a Library Takeover event planned for Saturday, April 15 at Central Library (201 W. Mifflin St.) from 4-9 PM.

This event is designed to elevate the lived experiences of the migrant Kichwa communities in Wisconsin from a first-person perspective. It is an offering to all the past and current Kichwa families who continue to nurture the knowledge, resilience, and joy left by our ancestors and bridge it to the next generation.

Kichwa refers to the indigenous communities in different regions of Ecuador and the language that is spoken in those regions. Indigenous groups make up an increasing percentage of immigrants in the United States, yet continue to be underrepresented and invisibilized in the mainstream conversation of migration. This is often due to forced displacement separating them from their territories, traditions, and communities. "Kaypimi Kanchik", "We Are Here" hopes to center these indigenous migration stories through different forms of cultural expression showcasing Kichwa artisans, dancers, speakers, and musicians.