Paper short abstract:

The 'Cromagnon' was a nightclub in Buenos Aires, where 194 people died violently, en masse. Survivors made aesthetic and symbolic elements, Catholic and pagan, and a popular altar was turned into a mixed shrine, added to an official shrine named 'Memorial Square'. With both shrines existing together, the official one underwent a process of a new signification and symbolisation transmitting a sense of identity.

Paper long abstract:

"Cromagnon Republic" was a nightclub dedicated to rock concerts, located in the district of Balvanera, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this nightclub, 194 people died violently during a live concert of the national-rock band "Callejeros" on 30th December 2004. This catastrophe is a tragedy of mass death. To the survivors, this death opened a mournful phase during which they were burdened with special duties: to mourn and manifest their pain in different ways. These duties are expressed in the aesthetic and symbolic elements - both catholic and pagan - that turned a popular altar into a mixed shrine. Apart from this popular shrine, also an official shrine was built by the State, and named "Memorial Square". Both shrines co-exist, but the official one is undergoing - by those who built the first one - a process of new signification and symbolization with particular characteristics and is transmitting a sense of membership and individuality. To resume, the 'Cromagnon' death has a specific meaning for the collective consciousness of the survivors and their relatives. It is an object of different cultural manifestations: producing different and contestating popular and official expressions in the city. By Lic. Damián Pedro Cioce, Lic. Ana Gabriela Muñiz and Prof. José María Narváez.