This project intersects with journalism and innovation by focusing on how material objects in traditional practices can be reimagined to reflect modern environmental values. Instead of reporting on a singular event, we used interviews as a method to document living heritage and imagine its future evolution.

The innovation lies in the blend of anthropology and environmental storytelling. We weren’t just covering a tradition—we were engaging in a dialogue about how traditions can adapt while maintaining their emotional and cultural roots. By proposing a prototype using recycled materials, we also entered the realm of design thinking within journalism, making the audience reflect not only through words but through possibility.

Materiality in journalism is often overlooked, yet it plays a crucial role in how messages are received. In this project, objects were not just symbolic—they were central to the narrative, prompting questions about continuity, change, and sustainability.

This project helped me realize how journalism can be used not only to preserve culture, but to question it gently—to ask how it might evolve in ways that remain true to its origins while embracing change.

The interview with Asia Palacios was especially powerful. Her insights reminded us that tradition is not just repetition, but emotional and communal memory, and that changes must respect that spirit. She saw potential in using recycled materials, but emphasized doing it meaningfully, not just for appearance.

As a journalist, I found it fascinating to report on things that are usually seen as intangible (like values and heritage) through the lens of tangible, material choices. This taught me that innovation doesn’t always mean high-tech—it can mean rethinking something physical in a way that feels honest, thoughtful, and sustainable.