https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fjKzZEKtvNhx3KMwNa4rYT4b0rkMYzWtKNaDNZ4GYhw/edit
Monday, December 7, 2020
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Monday, November 9, 2020
Friday, November 6, 2020
Ofrenda Review
A continuous message throughout El Centro De La Raza's production was "LIVE! MASK UP! STAND UP AND SPEAK UP!” I appreciated that they did not try to hide the reality of where we are, or pretend like this is any other year. This celebration is different that any one in the past, and ignoring the place that we as a country and as a world are in would not have done justice to the moment. There were encouragements to vote in both Spanish and English, as well as resources for questions and information on voting. I found this aspect of "Stand up and speak up!" to be especially prominent. We know the Latino vote is key, and mobilizing this group of voters can and in fact has changed the election. The organizing that took place in Arizona, some of which looks like what El Centro did, had real change and impact to empower people to use their voice. As Hilda said in the beginning of the celebration, we must speak up and vote for those who no longer have a voice. Personally, when I voted for the first time I felt the same sense of duty to the hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their lives from the pandemic, but also for the many people who cannot vote due to death, criminal record, citizenship, etc. I also felt a sense of responsibility for my family to use my voice. So many of those feelings were because of our readings, assignments, and our offends that brought this moment and what it means to the forefront.
Ofrenda Review
Francisca Garcia gave a nice explanation of the elements of an ofrenda while showcasing one herself. The one behind her had a very nice color scheme: showcasing large sunflowers, candles, what seems like orange and pink play flowers, papel picado with more flower patterns, and finally a chair to her left.
She first mentions how the word ofrenda translates into ‘welcome,’ which refers to our (people who are alive) responsibility to welcome the dead as if they are home, whether or not they are related to us. She says the three levels of most every ofrenda (like the one behind her) are a representation of the stages before life & birth, life here, and death. She also mentions that ofrendas can range in size: from small and able to fit on a table, to much much bigger.
After, Francisca discusses the key items that make an ofrenda, while showing examples on hers. Water is necessary, a bit of salt as a metaphor for life’s flavor, photographs of the loved ones, flowers (such as, but not limited to cempasuchil), foods, bebidas, candles to light the way, calaveras as a metaphor for the sweetness of life, and finally, some of the person’s favorite items.
Francisca points out that the chair is not only a favorite item, but an item of remembrance for Roberto Maestas, one of the founders of El Centro. For her, it is used as a remembrance and way for his spirit to know he is always welcome to visit since that is where he lived his life.
Altar review
Altar review: Resilience in the face of adversity and COVID-19
Making a digital altar with my hardworking group was overall a great experience. I am Mexican and growing up I had always heard about the Day of the Dead, but never celebrated because it wasn’t a popular event to celebrate where my parents grew up in Mexico. However, I’m glad I have been given the opportunity to learn about this important event, and was able to virtually participate this year. I feel like I’m closer with my culture in a way, and who knows maybe in the future I will have my kids celebrate this holiday because of the powerful message that can be presented by making the altar/ofrenda. As I was looking through the altar/ofrendas my classmates made I was very impressed by all their hard work and the overall powerful message that their altar presented. One altar in particular that caught my attention is the altar about “Resilience in the face of adversity and COVID-19”. This altar piqued my curiosity because it reminded me about the article we read in class about how COVID is unfortunately attacking the Latinx community at a higher rate than other communities. I also thought it was unique how this group showed a Photo of both Vilma's Great Grandfather and Daniela's Great Grandmother and Father. I felt like this made the altar more personal, and can help the audience relate to this altar more. Having the focus of the altar be around something that is so current like COVID in my opinion is very powerful.
The Ofrenda Podcasts
The Ofrenda Podcast is produced in collaboration with KRVU 105.7 Community Radio and University of Washington students enrolled in GWSS 451 Chicanax/Latinx Cultural Production
Episode One
Podcast title: “Exploring Cultural Roots: Dia De Muertos” (55 minutes)
Listen to KVRU Community Radio Soundcloud link:
or
Through conversation with our interviewees, Edgardo Garcia and Francisca Garcia, as well as one of our classmates(Michelle Vazquez Navarro), we hear the diverse and unique experiences of how El Dia de Los Muertos is Traditionally celebrated over different platforms and families. We speak with our interviewees to explore how these traditions have crossed borders to the United States and how/if those practices have been incorporated into the Seattle Dia de Los Muertos festivals over time, Dia de Los Muertos and expand on how those childhood memories can influence their organization and visions of the Seattle Dia de Los Muertos festivals. We hope you enjoy our Show!
Podcast group members: Citlalli Rodriguez, Gabrille McDaniel, Michelle Vazquez Navarro, and Keely Rae Wolfer
Altar Review: Remembrance of Immigrant Children
Vilma Garcia
Upon seeing my classmates Altar: Remembrance of Immigrant Children, I really felt connected to the message they were conveying. Having migrated as a child myself, it physically hurts to imagine what parents, children, and families have gone through under the trump administration's zero tolerance policy. To think that children were ripped apart from their families, that they went through so much trauma is truly heartbreaking. Just recently we learned that some parents could not be located and reunited with their children, that thousands of children have been “lost”. This angers me at how little this administration, this government thinks of immigrant children, children who have no fault at all, children whose only wish is to be reunited with a parent, to see a world with more opportunities.
This altar brought me to tears for it reminded me that there are families that will never be together again. That there are children who left this world too early due to the cruelty of other humans. There are children, youth, who died of a cold... a cold, an illness we have treatments for. Should they have been seen as children, as human, as valuable, should they have received proper human care, they would still be here, not taken too early. It is very saddening to think that there are toys on that altar, toys to represent how young these souls were, toys that they might not have had in life, toys that they might have been excited to receive once they reached the “land of opportunities”.
I am really touched that my classmates chose to remember and honor the souls of the immigrant children we have lost. It gives me hope that they are not forgotten, that their stories are still with us, and that they will someday hopefully receive the justice they deserve. Thank you.
Ofrenda/Altar Review
Liliana Alvarado Garcia -
I will be reviewing the "Remembrance of Immigrant Children" altra/ofrenda from one of our groups in the class. This altar brought forth the topic of remembering the children who had sadly died due to migrating to the United States, or under the custody of ICE, it reminds us of the organizations that the Government has put into place to treat immigrants as less valuable with little to no human rights. This altar was built beautifully, by placing items that one could remember of a child, for we know that the day of the dead is a time to be home with our past loved ones. By placing items such as toys, it brings the thought of a past child that when visiting the altar, would get the chance to see these toys and know they are being remembered. The other item that was placed on the altar were the monarch butterflies, which to me meant a lot, for it is a symbol of community. Community that continues to fight for each other and for their rights as human beings. The stories of these children that have passed away due to migrating through the harsh path to the United States, or even arriving here and later dying under the ICE custody, have not been forgotten, for advocates for immigrants use their stories to call for justice in reforming the way immigrants are treated here in the United States and a safer way for immigrants to be accepted here as human beings.
El Centro de La Raza's Online Celebration Review
El Centro de La Raza’s Dia de Los Muertos Online Celebration was very touching to watch. While it’s a shame that we couldn’t go and see the celebration, I think that El Centro did a good job of curating their events online. It was really heartwarming to see the children singing a 'De Colores' a song I remember singing in my childhood.
Along with the children’s singing, the Ofrendas were beautiful. I think El Centro de La Raza’s Ofrenda for those who have died at the hands of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter Movement really struck me. Though not all the names of the deceased could have been placed in their Ofrenda, it was nice to see how much they are trying to bring forth that those who have died this year are human beings and not just the statistics being put out by the government.
Washington State Poet Laureate Claudia Luna Castro’s Ofrenda was also extremely beautiful and while it has all the elements of an Ofrenda it’s interesting that she changes how her Ofrenda is altered based on the trajectory of how the year has been going. Francisca Garcia’s explanation of the Ofrenda building was sweet and straightforward for those who may not have known how to build one. Overall, El Centro’s celebrations were gratifying and allow one to celebrate life and have a space to heal and be hopeful for the future.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Altar Reflection
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the making of this years altars for Día de Lis Muertos. Learning about what Día de Los Muertos represents and the history behind it helped me understand the importance of the tradition. Growing up, I saw my mom's mini alters lit with candles, pictures and incents hidden in random places in our household. Some would be placed on top of her dresser or on top the highest shelve in the closet. Although we practiced making altars, we never adopted the tradition of Día de Los Muertos. Having the opportunity to engage in this tradition was really special to me. Seeing the variety of the beautiful altars created and the uniqueness embedded in each was amazing to see. Every altar has a story and unique remembrances to their loved ones who have passed. Claudia Luna Castro mentions that her altars are made different every year such as placing different flowers but the unique part of her altar is the components made by her children which she incorporates. She also mentions the practice of cleansing the altar before lighting everything up which I thought was different and unique. I also thought it was beautiful that she wrote a poem for her grandmother. In her poem she writes, "this is why, in my altar, there's room, incense light and water in a cup" (22:07), just how her grandma taught her. I thought the poem was a special and personal way in which she is able to communicate not just through the altar, but with the words of her heart through this beautiful poem.
Altar Reflection - Mariana Aguiniga
Mariana Aguiniga
Altar Reflection
Being from a traditional Latino household I had the impression that ofrendas/altars always followed a similar structure by including certain elements, at least that was something I was accustomed to seeing when growing up. I was very fond of the fact that amongst the Altars/Ofrendas that were created by my fellow peers none looked too alike. Each one took it in a unique direction, I really came to appreciate this. I wasn’t sure how this project in general was going to turn out due to the fact it was something I was used to seeing be done physically by hand however this online approach gave students more creative space to experiment with. In particular I was intrigued with the direction that Altar team 5 took this project in. For example their water element they used an image of the Rio Grande at the very bottom of the altar. As they explained that crossing the rio represents both uncertainty and hope, I think this is where resilience is introduced the risk of starting and completing this journey in aspirations of “a better life”. They also included a candle to represent their fire element, as they had mentioned “With the candles we are memorializing and morning the literal death of so many, but also the death of the lives we all took for granted, while still trying to remain hopeful.” This allowed me to think and reflect on my own life, there is more out there that is greater than me and my problems as an individual and I think that is such a significant thing to take account of.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Altar reflection on El Centro's virtual event of Día de Los Muertos
The virtual celebration of Día de Los Muertos hosted by El Centro
was a lovely and educational experience. I also want to commend them on taking
the time to show the importance of times we are living in. I really appreciated
it that they took the time to inform the community how much we, as a Latinx
community, have been affected by the virus this year. It is important to not
just read about it in the news but also hear leaders from our community be
vocal about it. Additionally, what a great platform to continue to inform the
viewers on voting procedures, I hope this motivates more people to get out and
make their voice heard. The altar that I want to talk about is the one created
by the poet Claudia Luna Castro and her family. Aside from the beautiful and
traditional elements depicted, there was comments she made about the process
that caught my attention. Castro mentions that although altar making is a traditional
practice, “every year it looks a little different [19:35].” It reminds me how
powerful art can be to express and be a constant reflection of the current
times. I also love that even though the theme might differ every year, Castro’s
altar has some elements that are always present, which make it very personal.
She mentions how there are components to her family’s altar that are family-made,
she specifically mentions things handmade by her children that were incorporated
into the altar since they were young and continue to be part of it even though
they are now adults. There is a lovely message of connection and consistency in imagining
how her altar changes with the times but is also rooted in her family’s history
and roots. There was one last noticeable moment in her altar presentation for
me and that occurred when she began to read a poem she wrote for her grandma. The
upside of having a virtual platform allowed for us to see both the altar and
her, while hearing her poem layered on top of the beautiful ofrenda her
family had created. It allowed me to imagine future in-person altares having
an audio component to them as well.
Dia de Los Muertos - El Centro Review, Reeder
The day has finally come for our group altares to be on display for everyone to see! Looking at Group 2's altar (Daniela Altamirano Crosby, Vilma Odette Alvarado Garcia and Carla Annet Avila) I love the arch they created with the marigolds. I appreciate the highlight of how COVID-19 is impacting those in prison, ICE detention centers, and essential works with the article headlines on the third level of the altar.
Francisca Garcia held the workshop that we had attended a while ago when this project was assigned. I love that she is a part of the event the same way at the workshop: explain what an ofrenda is and how to build one. My favorite aspect of her altar is the remembrance chair that she has next to it for her ancestor Roberto for whenever he wants to come and sit. The chair is for him to feel welcome. I hadn't seen that before and thought it was a very touching aspect to her altar.
Dia de los Muertos at El Centro review
The show that El Centro de la Raza put on this year was very fun to watch. I enjoyed listening to the little kids choir and thought that it was nice that they are learning about this beautiful celebration from such a young age. Francisca Garcia's altar stood out to me because of the way her set up was made. She was one of my interviewees for my groups podcast and seeing her ofrenda helped me better understand everything we talked about. It was very nice that a few people's ofrendas not only had pictures of their loved ones, but they also included people who have passed away because of COVID 19, at detention centers, crossing the border as well as Black lives who have been lost against police brutality. Claudia Luna Castro's ofrenda was also one that was nice to look at because she stated that she changes the way her ofrenda looks every year depending on what is happening that year. Overall, all of the ofrendas were very nice and I really liked how there was even a small part where an art exhibit was mentioned and briefly talked about.
Monday, November 2, 2020
Dia de los Muertos Celebration El Centro Reveiw
Francisca Garcia's Ofrenda for Roberto stood out to me. Making an Ofrenda from a chair reflects upon the space that people can take up. The chair was beautifully decorated, where the colors add a vibrant quality to the physically empty space, and I think that this is what brings joy out of feelings of hollowness that could linger. A chair takes up space whether someone is sitting in it or not. Whereas altar's can set up a space to interface with the land of the dead, a chair brings the Ofrenda into personal life as an everyday object that isn't normally dignified as special. Decorating the makes it stand out without removing it's existence as a chair, welcoming in Roberto to take their place along living.
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Thursday, October 22, 2020
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Claudia D. Hernández Flash Presentation, Kaitlynn Mitchell
An excerpt from "Knitting Fog" and her poem "This is Why I Write" presentation:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-kezpnMJ2nZXAAs7iXqQuePMQKj2keAM/view?usp=sharing
Citation to journal article;
Hernández, C. (2013). ARTIST'S STATEMENT: A Latina/Chapina Artist Speaks Through Poetry and Photographs. Chicana/Latina Studies, 13(1), 9-23. Retrieved October 15, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43941375
Monday, October 12, 2020
Maria Sabina, Her Life and Chants. - The Untold Stories of Maria Sabina Flash Presentation - Keely Wolfer
Slide 1)
- Hey everyone, my name is Keely. In the interest of our theme this week, “Body, Mind, Espíritu, resilience”, I am going to talk about Maria Sabina. Bringing recognition to her the ways in which her healing practices and beliefs have become misrepresented and misunderstood over time is a form of resistance against the history of western consumerism and colonialism in relation to Indigenous culture.
Slide 2)
- María Sabina was an Indigenous women born and raised in Huautla de Jiménez, Mexico, a mountain village in Southern Mexico. She is known for her healing and spiritual connection to her sacred saint children, that being psilocybin mushrooms. Her first time engaging in taking the mushrooms, she was under 10 years old and eventually realized that she possessed a special gift that allows her to heal others with the mushrooms.
Slide 3)
- “Maria Sabina differentiates herself from sorcerers and other types of curers who bewitch and use hallucinogenic plants as source of personal power…” (tandfonline)
- By eating the mushrooms, and subsequently vomiting them, the malignant spirit is taken from the body.
- Maria Sabina explained that after ingesting the mushrooms with the ill-person she is attempting to heal, “The God that lives in them enters [her] body” (pg 93) She explains that once she arrives in the place she should be, everything is clean and everything is known; she hears voices that speak to her and this is how she connects with the bad spirits that have taken over the sick individual.
Slide 4)
- In the words of Maria Sabina, “These young people, blonde and dark-skinned, didn’t respect our customs. Never, as far as I remember, were the saint children eaten with such a lack of respect...They take the children at any time and in any place...from the moment the foreigners arrived to search for God, the saint children lost their purity. They lost their force; the foreginers spoiled them.” She says “Before Wasson, I felt that the saint children elevated me. I don’t feel like that anymore. The force has diminished.” (pg 86-91)
Slide 5)
- Wasson took a practice that was used humbly and selflessly, and turned the mushrooms into a individualistic, consumerized and psychedelic seeked out experience.
- Him and other Westerners would travel to visit Maria Sabina and they would enter her home without an invitation, they took many photographs of her including during her healing ceremonies and used and/or sold those photos when they were back home.
- To those who do not know the deep rooted untold stories of Maria Sabina and her Saint Children, she has been misrepresented as a “hippie”, a “druggie”, and her image has been understood through the interpretation of R. Gordon Wasson and other westerners who had the privilege of visiting her.
- The story of Maria Sabina exemplifies the ways in which a significant amount of drugs that modern western society either utilizes as an agent in pharmaceuticals or otherwise deems as illegal or unethical, have been taken from the practices of indigenous peoples against their consent or knowledge.
Monday, October 5, 2020
Beyond the Cliffs of Abiquiu by Jo Carrillo - Flash Presentation for Gabby McDaniel
In this week's discussion on "Living in the Borderlands," I've brought a poem to share by Jo Carrillo, an esteemed poet and feminist. Carrillo's work centers on the gentrification of Native lands, specifically her Native lands in Abiquiu. In her poem, "Beyond the Cliffs of Abiquiu" she presents themes of (1) uses of Native land for energy, (2) inequitable power structure of white people over Natives, and (3) white appropriation and homogeneity of "Indian" culture.
The first portion of her poem opens on the discussion of white gaze, describing the Native Americans of the area as "a rock." She continues on to reflect the cultural appropriation and homogeneity the indigenous people are subjected to on behalf of the tourists that come through, describing a design as names of 6 different tribes to demonstrate how they're all viewed as the same. Carrillo continues on to highlight the class stratification between the white tourists and the Native workers in the mines, used to further serve the people who abuse the lands. In her last stanzas, Carrillo discusses stereotyping of natives as all drunks before the final crescendo of all her previous topics put together. With her last stanza, she reminds readers of the village, as if it's all she has left to say after venting through all of her frustrations. A short reminder that these are people with homes and with a culture, not just a source of your "authentic Navajo Hopi Zuni Indian made real live artifacts."
This poem connects to the topic of this week's discussion through geography as the cliffs of Abiquiu are near the borderlands discussed in our readings. It's additionally relevant in the perspective of how Carrillo, the voice of the people living in Abiquiu, describes her experience as an indigenous person facing gentrification and class stratification. Carrillo highlights the feelings of the indigenous people of the borderlands.
Powerpoint link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIHjdGlpgm_8w5D_UUKSBAQ4MdA6eBfT/view?usp=sharing
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Info for first day of class
Dear students,
Looking forward to meeting. I've opened the registration for 1pm even though class starts at 1:30pm.
I will publish the course website at 1:15pm. Don't worry if you can't access it right now.
Thank you,
Prof. MHP
Here is our Zoom link:
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Oct 1, 2020 01:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYvdeuurDkrGtSsm-78yaEqKmgsRkep5Ee-
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Required books
Required books: You may acquire them used online if you wish.
- Voices from the Ancestors: Xicanx and Latinx Spiritual Expressions and Healing Practices by
- Violence Girl: East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, a Chicana Punk Story by Alice Bag
- Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. Book by Gloria E. Anzaldúa (this is no longer in print so you can search for a copy to purchase online--I suggest you get one if you can because now they are collector's items and will increase in value). If you can not find one, I will provide chapter scans.
https://www2.bookstore.washington.edu/textsys/InsertCourse.taf?_function=InsertNew&tic=76755
Other assigned reading will be available online via this Canvas site.
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