Author: ms99

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Final Thoughts

The past 14 weeks have no doubt been busy and unusual for everyone, and adjusting to the online format is something most people are finding quite difficult. In these times I found that this course and its format has been really a gift for me, since most of my classes are largely asynchronous, it was some semblance of normalcy to have weekly interactions with other people, be it over zoom. The content that we have covered this past term has made me think about the things around us, the interactions we have, and the environment we grew up in. Stepping outside to see what culture is in its varied forms was a process of reflection and learning.

For me, the topic that I found especially resonant was the reading on the Coca leaf farmers, because it made me look at the interactions between people and resources in a more human way. Now what I mean by that, is some other courses I have taken this semester don’t incorporate the importance of culture and human well-being. All too often I find certain disciplines have a reductionist manner of looking at the world, as simple inputs and outputs, but I believe studying culture as we have this term gives us some much-needed perspective.

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Week 13: La revolucion digital

“This complex situation emphasizes the underlying tension of how devices designed for constant internet connectivity operate in a radically different fashion for those living in Cuba.” This quote from the article is one that stood out to be quite a bit, and I think that’s because soon to a certain level I have always been in spaces where instant internet access was an option. That’s one way in which I believe we take for granted the spaces we live in to be the default, whereas the normal for someplace like Cuba is a struggle to get internet access. In some ways, I see the situation in Cuba as being a sort of staggering in technological advances that have in its vacuum created cultural practices. To be more clear it seems like over half of the population has smartphones, and yet the defining feature of a smartphone needs internet access which is not present, yet the use is still there and has led to the creation of illegal internet providers. This could be seen as yet another of the lasting legacies of foreign policy and systems of governance. Both in Cuba and other countries which we consider the global south, it is interesting to note the effects that the internet has had on people, even if they are not very connected themselves, and furthermore how this connectivity can shape attitudes and culture in the form of mobile media.

Do you think internet connectivity in the global south can have largely beneficial or detrimental effects?

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Week 12: Comics

I’ve always found comic strips similar to Mafalda interesting because of the variety of readers they can appeal to. Both children and adults can enjoy them and get different meanings from the text, and Mafalda seems to be quite similar. However, what Mafalda seems to focus on is the middle class of Argentina, and in doing so we as readers can get a better idea of the culture that the middle class in Argentina lived in.  Like Cosse said, the comics brought to light the social, political, and economic issues that were unique to the burgeoning middle class, and in doing so we can learn a lot about what matters to a culture, and what sets them apart. As well as the use of humor in exploring social dynamics and identities.

For the first page of the Mafalda comics, I had a hard time fully understanding the concepts, possibly the humor was lost in translation. But in particular, there were two that caught my attention. Number 4 and 5 on page 2, the first which I believe was a humorous look at the more progressive aspects of middle-class social thoughts on gender roles, and the conflicts that still occur in society with these new interpretations. And the second, which I can relate to my own family experiences in many ways of the generational divide when it comes to patterns of consumption, especially in the case of the father in the comic who probably did not grow up middle class.

Taken from our readings. “humor operates ‘‘in a sociopositive way to solidify a group’’ and favors ‘‘social self-reflection.’’

Along with humor, what are some other aspects of social life that you believe can operate in similar ways? Possibly there are some in the previous topics we discussed.

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Week 10: Soccer in Sun and Shadow

Firstly I want to say that the format that Galeano uses is quite interesting and makes the reading quite accessible, even for someone who is not that interested in football such as myself. What I found interesting from the very start is the distinction that was made between what is the shallow popular culture view of football players and the lives they live, while giving another side to the story of what reality can look like for many players. Whereas the game is so simple and grounded, Galeano draws to attention how at the high level, the actual playing of football gets ever smaller. With the cameras, sponsorships, expectations, and business interests “buy him, sell him, lend him”.

Learning about the origins of football was quite intriguing and in many ways, I believe football’s status in culture even today is quite closely linked to centuries ago in England. With Football being considered “riotous and plebian” in early English society, we can see similar class connotations of football that exist in many places even today, with football being considered a working-class sport while sports such as rugby or cricket have quite the opposite reputation. I think we can also say that football is such a part of popular culture in so many parts of the world exactly because it is accessible to even the working class parts of society.

Were there similar class associations with sports where you grew up? Did you find yourself pushed in a certain direction with participation or opinion due to those connotations?

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Week 9: The Fighting Cholitas

The clip about the fighting Cholitas was quite a refreshing view on what I understood as a mostly male-dominated sport, as the image that comes to mind when I think of wrestling are usually the very commercial WWE events with mostly men performing, while media depictions of wrestling in the Latin American context are those of male luchadors.

What I found to be particularly significant was the pride with which the women performed and spoke about wrestling. There was definitely a sense that everything such as the style of their clothing being something very cultural to them as Bolivians as well as the wrestling being very connected to their identity. In many ways, it seems that they see the wrestling of the good vs bad as symbolizing some of the challenges that they have faced in their own lives.
There also seems to be fighting back against the cultural norms that have existed as obstacles to them expressing themselves as wrestlers and performers. I also thought the makers of the documentary did a good job in showing the women as more than just wrestlers and interviewing them to find out their entire identities, rather than just by their relationships or professions.
A question that comes to mind is how big a part does sports play in your own life and the cultures that you grew up with?
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Week 8: Religion (Sarita Colonia & Maria Lionza)

This week’s readings gave me an interesting look at the origins and modifications that can occur in religious tradition and practices. Although I have read briefly about how the major religions of today were formed themselves as having many elements derived from previous pagan religions, I did not quite know how recent many of these evolutions are still occurring. With the case of the Cult of Maria Lionza, I found it really fascinating to learn about how cultural forces can combine the Catholic, Indigenous, and African religions into one.  And more so as to how Maria Lionza herself has more than one portrayal in her appearance, possibly changing based upon the group who are worshipping her. There are also the more recent cultural forces that have been introduced into the Cult of Maria Lionza such as the association of Hugo Chavez, whose political actions seem to resonate with many of the followers of Maria Lionza. In the case of the Sarita Colonia reading, I found it fascinating to see how a person who lived such a normal life came to be so venerated and worshiped, it seems like a stark contrast from many of the other public figures we seem to look up to who are quite the opposite. If I’m honest I could not figure out the meaning of the story itself, the allegory and messaging flew right over my head, although I have a feeling the snake is of importance as is with Christianity. But I hope I can read some of the other entries and get a better idea!

The figures that culture seems to hold in high regard such as Sarita Colonia can tell a lot about what they value. What are the cultural factors and induces that might affect who we idolize in such a way as students in Vancouver in 2021?

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Week 5: The Cultural Life of Coca & The Coca War

The role that the media and film industry plays in creating dominant narratives is one that can’t be overstated, and especially so when we’re talking about the cocaine trade.

Building upon last week’s readings it was really eye-opening for me to learn about the extent to which the people in Bolivia had a connection with the Coca plant, and the role that it played in the economic and social parts of their lives. I remember especially the comparison of the process of Coca farming to the life of a married couple and how it accompanied them throughout their life. I found this to be a stark contrast with how a lot of us, including me, live our lives. I don’t really find myself connected to what I consider sustenance, possibly because I am so disconnected from its own life cycle. But the farmers in Bolivia seem to have a connection with what is such an integral part of their lives.

As fascinating it was to learn about the Coca plant and the farmers in Bolivia, it equally difficult to read about the effects that the war on drugs had on these communities. It was hearing the stories from a first person perspective that really set this piece apart from just learning about it from a disasociated news channel reporter. After learning about the importance that this plant played in the lives of these farmers it was especially distressing to read about thier livelihood being destroyed in such a manner.  A lot of my other courses focus on economics and politics, and I find that a lot of the times learning about public policy is detached from the real world effects it causes,. Reading the first hand accounts of effects that foreign policy has on the developing world is something that has given me a new perspective on the issue.

I find that a lot of the narrative given to us about the coca plant is centered around cocaine and the illegal drug trade around it. The associations of the plant with the narcos seems to come from the news and entertainment, and I really believe that it’s important that everyone is made aware of the entire picture.

Has reading these accounts changed the way in which you view the coca plant? Why do you think it’s important to learn about the first hand stories of these farmers?

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Week 4: Zapatista Corn

As I looked into the issue of the Zapatista Corn, the more I am reminded of the importance that agriculture and food play in forming culture. It’s something that I was not really conscious of before, but when I really think about it it seems that so much of what we associate with culture is around daily interactions and celebrations which tend to revolve around food.  So it was quite an awakening for me to read about how certain nations and indigenous cultures have to fight and protest to preserve such integral parts of their culture.

This is not the first I had read about the issues that revolve around modern agriculture, having studied the rise of high fructose corn syrup in an economics course I could draw connections with the story of the Zapatistas. The effect on the mass production of corn for corn syrup as a cheaper alternative to sugar has had detrimental effects on the health of Americans on a grand scale, and once can see how such changes to one’s diet can trickle into the cultural realm.

So it makes perfect sense to me that the people of Mexico would be alarmed about the introduction of GMO corn into their crops, not to mention the issue of large American firms such as Monsanto using Mexican land for their production.  We can see how the introduction of a new kind of corn would be a threat to agriculture and sustenance which is such a big part of the Mexican culture.

The article brought to my attention the concept of a Biocultural Innovation, something that I was not aware of. In particular, activists using reaching out to farmers about techniques such as genetic testing, seed banking, and the use of global distribution to strengthen the movement against GMO corn.

Can we think of any other similar movements against neoliberal policies that have gained traction in the region and how were their techniques similar or different to that of the Zapatistas?

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Week 3: The Pongo’s Dream

At its heart The Pongo’s dream, a story about a mistreated and humiliated worker and an abusive landowner who is told of what could await him in the afterlife.

The story incorporates themes of anti-colonialism and class relations in a striking manner, and when reading about the author who adapted it from Quechua, this should come as no surprise.

Arguedas is an anthropologist, who possibly knows firsthand the treatment of indigenous people through his life in Peru, and is an individual who fought for the preservation of indigenous culture as well.

The story is adapted and taken from a Cuzco peasant lends it credibility in the sense that it might give us an insight as to what living conditions were like for so many indigenous Peruvians during colonial rule. The story has a very anti-colonial and anti-imperialist message, showing the landowner who refers to the worker as an ‘Indian’ and treats them all with abuse, but especially the pongo worker who is the most destitute. The worker who endures all the abuse and never lashes out violently, tells the landowner and the other workers about his dream. A dream in which through divine order, the unfortunate worker who in this life is smeared in dirt and excrement and the landowner covered in honey find their fates reversed int the afterlife. Having the story end at that very point emphasizes the point of the story, the spirit of opposition to tyranny and rule.

The story also carries implications of class relations, by having the worker and landowner having their fates reversed in an instant, a common theme seen in the revolutions that have taken place in many Latin American countries.

For me, this story raises the political questions of class relations and revolutions. What can we understand about the conditions of the working class and indigenous populations in colonial nations? and what were the forms of backlash and revolution against colonial rule in Latin America?

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Week 2: Latin American Postage Stamps

Something as small and ordinary as a postage stamp isn’t what would typically come to mind I think of popular culture. But looking at Child’s article made really made me reflect upon what the purpose of a stamp is, apart from the obvious, as well as what they might say about the nation by which it is produced and the effect it might have on the ordinary person.

If we think of popular culture as the ordinary, the accessible, and the emotional, and especially the overlooked, stamps seem to fit the bill quite well. They are a part of daily life that is overlooked, yet I think most of us remember using them when we were children, and we remember the faces or things that were on them with eerie accuracy.  This makes me think of why it is that they were decorated in such specific and illustrious ways. Child mentions the use of stamps by the state, and it can be seen as a vehicle for the state ideology.

Stamps seem to be used by the state as a reminder or documentation of what is and what should be held in regard by the populace, and by placing this bit of ideology on something as ordinary as a stamp I believe it serves as attempting to fit that ideology into popular culture.

The examples given by Child are good examples of figures or events that are regarded as popular culture. The Cuban revolution is an example of an event that is to be celebrated and glorified. And figures such as Che Guevara who was featured in an Argentinean stamp, the country of his birth being a reminder of the fact that Che was born Argentinean.  Thinking more cynically we can look at the Guatemalan stamp that claims Belize, which can be seen as an attempt by the state to popularize an opinion on the dispute to the general public.

Looking at these examples had made me appreciate the nuances that exist when looking at popular culture. Stamps, on the one hand, could be an appreciation of recognition of popular culture from the ordinary people themselves, at the same time, it can also be seen as a state-sponsored ideology being imposed upon the public, attempting to slide into the popular culture.

What other forms of popular culture do you think are influenced by the state, are there any certain beliefs of facets of popular culture that we may think to be completely bottom-up but in fact not really so?

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