The process of rescueing from destruction the patrimonial legacy contained in the Sound Archive of Chilean Traditional Music serves as a basis for a critical review of the concepts of identity and patrimony within the current situation of traditional and local musics in the worldwide context of digital technologies. According to this perspective, it is necessary to review the history of the Chilean cultural development of the 40's and 50's, focusing on the construction of a national identity based on the concept of folklore. If the value of these traditional musics and sounds is brought to light it is possible to strengthen the presence of local identities in the Chilean culture, thus emphasizing their importance for cultural state policies aiming to be truly democratic.