Month: March 2021

The Eternaut

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Hector German Oesterfeld and Francisco Solano Lopez’s comic Eternaut had me hooked, especially with its cliff-hanger. Maybe because I am in the international relations program, the micro and macro political aspects portrayed in this comic I thought were very intriguing.

At least in what we can generalize as the Global North, the Cold War would usually only include state actors in the US and Europe. The same went for the two World Wars despite any contributions from Latin American countries or other continents. So, that kind of dismissive attitude displayed at the beginning of the comic when the eternaut is playing cards with his friends can be interpreted in multiple ways. In the context I have already mentioned, I think the most natural response is to be apathetic towards politics or events that you do not think affects you directly (I do not take this stance but it is a common one) which is what these characters do until they see the immediate effects of the deadly ‘snow’ outside their window. Moreover, the comic shows how nobody in Buenos Aires was prepared for such a disaster which further exemplifies my earlier point. In the U.S. during the cold war era, especially during the 1950s, there were so many preparations and drills for nuclear bombings in schools and at home (which were proven to be not effective in the least), as well as bunkers being made underground but the intention was there. So, when the time came and the actions of the U.S. and the USSR did have a larger rippling effect than intended, those all the way in Latin America had no escape except in this fictional scenario where these group of friends and the eternaut’s family get creative to make a suit that will allow them to scavenge for supplies in this apocalyptic world.

On a more contemporary note, the dismissive attitude at the beginning of the comic is still relevant today since Western media still excludes most headlining global news, even in this increasingly interconnected system we call globalization. Which reiterates the notion of apathy towards events that we do not think directly affect us but they do. And in doing so, we not only disempower and invalidate the stories of other nations, but the lack of exposure also thwarts opportunity that comes with exposure such as more resources, networks, investment, and so forth. Maybe that is the intention, or maybe it is another ripple effect from the West that we are not aware of.

Question for this week: How else can these dismissive attitudes in The Eternaut be interpreted in the context of Latin American popular culture?

Peruvian Punk (Greene)

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Peruvian punk is not something I thought I would come across but I am glad I did. Shane Greene, while publishing his article in an elitist and rather inaccessible form of publication, an academic journal, discusses the Marxist aspects associated with the distribution and production of Peruvian punk.

While reading the article, I noticed that the upper class brought punk to Peru, just like how our Galeano reading mentions how soccer was introduced to Latin America through the English, an elite class. Anyhow, the discussion about the monopolization of musical production with vinyl and its dissipation when cassettes became cheaper alternatives is an interesting aspect. Cassette Culture, as Greene refers to, allowed for the widespread circulation of cassettes, local production, and the de-monopolization of the music industry which, therefore, made musical recordings accessible to most people. Moreover, the pirating and the use or consumption of cassettes also tied in with the socio-political message of rejecting global capitalism and oppressive institutions as there were no limitations on the creative potential of punk ‘underproduction’. It is, however, a bit ironic that in later years following Peruvian punk’s humble beginnings in the early 1980s the iconic band Narcosis chose to release a limited production of vinyl of their music that criticized overproduction.

Another aspect that I drew a connection to were the similarities that Peruvian punk and the general concept of Indigeneity shared. For instance, both have faced criticism/racism as not being valid as their ‘informal’ transmission of culture is not standardized and is much more fluid. There is also the rejection of capitalism found in arguments for Indigenous sovereignty and Peruvian punk, as well as critiquing class conflict that plays on rigid binaries of race, gender, orientation and so forth. Their mere existence challenges colonial institutions because they offer an alternative to the existing social/political systems in place. The fetishization of musical formats such as vinyl and Indigenous artworks, clothing, and more for collecting cultural pieces also fits the ‘Marxist capitalist-produced commodities at large’ (Greene 297).

However, punk is much more provocative to promote a discourse that undercuts social norms by blatantly disrespecting them which does not seem to be the case for those defending their ancestral identity. Just existing in a colonized system is a revolutionary act. Ethnic cultural identity is also something that cannot be as widely related to such as an ideology shared in a music genre. My explanation here is obviously very generalized but worth exploring in greater detail in a more specific context.

Do you know of any other musical genres in Latin America that challenge the mainstream? How are they provocative?

 

Eduardo Galeano’s Soccer in Sun & Shadow

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I do not know much about sports but Galeano’s work was a fun read. The writing is playful yet authoritative so it made the book easier to read. Anywho, I wanted to bring some aspects about how spectator sports like soccer are similar to the act of war in some ways, from the technical layout of the game, the politics associated with it, and its romanticization.

What I found most interesting was the comparison of soccer to actual warfare from pages 17-23 because it makes complete sense. Wars have been romanticized for as long as I remember (even with the fallouts of WW1 and the Vietnam war) as with key figures being iconified in history. Political decisions obviously depended on who won and who did not and who would gain territory; soccer players and those betting on them would decide who would rise to fame and receive money while the losers become more invisible. With soccer matches being romanticized and representing pride and dignity, countries began to use their teams to promote nationalism and economic endeavours, as with gaining new territory and building an army, down to the matching outfits. Just like Jon said, soccer can be a whole course, because even though I do not know how to play soccer or the teams, the game itself is a far-reaching phenomenon that can be used in reference to most in life.

In another realm of popular culture, I also found it intriguing that the poorer folks in Latin America appropriated soccer from the upper-class English rather than vice versa that brought the game to the continent. I automatically assumed soccer came from Latin America because of how fused it is with everyday life but I was wrong. The game also emphasizes a few themes like machismo and opportunity. At the beginning of Galeano’s book, he notes how it is every young man’s dream to rise up the ranks, become famous, woo every woman and become wealthy through soccer while also including that a lot of players in Latin America reference the soccer ball as a woman because it is loyal (21).  A lot of things to unpack there. The woman in both senses is objectified figuratively and literally and feeds into the narrative of manliness. This narrative also serves to gatekeep women from playing soccer or being paid equally if they do. And to bring it back to the war comparison, women were expected prizes when men came back from war successful or participated in tournaments. Soccer’s chauvinistic roots live on.

My question for the class: what do you associate soccer with?

The Fighting Cholitas

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I think this is my favourite reading so far. The Fighting Cholitas documents the ‘double life’ of traditional, Indigenous women in Bolivia who wrestle regularly. Really though they are challenging stereotypes on what it means to be a woman, as well as traditional to create a more fluid identity. Wrestling also helps as a cathartic release for everyday stresses and creates a sense of community in El Alto.

One of the more obvious features of the fighting Cholitas is that they choose to wear their traditional layered skirts when they fight, even if it seems unreasonable to an outsider. However, choosing to wear the layered skirts is to proudly express their identity not only as a woman but as an Indigenous woman as well. There is also the direct challenge to masculinity or machismo by 1) displaying aggression in the ring 2) wearing traditionally feminine attire 3) all while being wives, mothers, sisters and so forth, and they do it with confidence. These women could easily be scrutinized but choose to fight anyways as a testament to their strength and sense of self.

Moreover, being able to put the social norms aside to fight is reasonably a cathartic experience. To let your walls down and express yourself through wrestling is truly la Lucha libre. In addition, there is the aspect of being ‘idolized’ or cheered on by spectators that is also a confidence booster. People gather to see these women fight in an auditorium regularly, supporting their favourite Cholita wrestlers or booing the Rudas (the fighters who don’t obey the rules) because of its novelty and the show they put on. Children, little girls in particular, are seen in the documentary as well imitating the Cholitas fighting in the auditorium which is warming to see. The fights are usually a spectacle between good and evil or the Technicas (wrestlers who follow the rules) and the Rudas so they are also reinforcing values about justice for the young ones to emulate. 

Thinking about how this was filmed in 2006, the message about challenging social norms is even more potent since there was not a widespread movement of women’s rights just yet in Latin America. There is a quote by G.D Anderson that goes “Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength” which resonated with me especially in context to the Fighting Cholitas. These women lead complex lives but chose to fight the good fight regardless of which side they fight on in the ring.

My question for the class: What do the Fighting Cholitas represent for you?

Roger Canals’ article “The mirror effect: seeing and being seen in the cult of María Lionza”

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For this week’s reading(s), I found the content of Canals’ article intriguing but found his ‘take-away’ message a bit alarming.

The positive aspect I want to address is that exposure to a Latin American religion other than catholicism is always welcome, since popular media does not make it readily available.  I appreciate how Canals’ anthropological research was done in a respectful manner, documented how a somewhat ‘invisible’ cultural practice is performed to a presumable Western audience, given that the text was written in English, and some context to how it is significant within Venezuelan society. However, I did find his concluding message conflicting as it suggests disrespecting cultural norms to collect more data.

‘visual mistakes’, as Canals’ refers to wrongly capturing cultural practices to ‘collect valuable data for research’, could be avoided altogether if he asked the right questions with consent from those he wished to collect data from. Moreover, Canals could have used another medium to record his data, such as writing or sketching, as to not invade privacy or interfere with cultural practices. His methodology and encouragement to other visual anthropologists thus highlight some ethical questions that tread the line of humanizing, dehumanizing, and integrity.

As for the actual content within the text, I wondered why the more evolved version of Maria Lionza is a white woman. Maybe it’s racism, maybe it follows the chronological history of Venezuela from pre-conquest to present, but it definitely reinforces some harmful norms that are common in Latin America. Language, either oral, captured through a medium, or behavioural, shapes the way you think and perceive the world so it is interesting how such a mixed population would continue to validate this concept.

Lastly, I do not really understand why the religion of Maria Lionza is called a cult if it is the second most practiced religion in Venezuela, whose population is almost 29 million. At this point, I am no longer critiquing Canals but Western interpretations of African or Indigenous religions in general. The term cult is used to define a social movement rather than a religion at all, which is offensive given that these religions have been performed for centuries or even more than millennia. I do not see why Voodoo, Candomblé, or Maria Lionza should be considered a myth or cult given their cultural significance. Especially if many people practice this religion, I do not see how they are a ‘secret’; maybe given that the West is not in close proximity to the communities that practice these religions and that the values from the religions we are familiar with conflict with those found in Maria Lionza and so forth is the reason we do not take them as seriously.

Therefore, my question to the class is – how did you find Canals’ writing? Methodology?