Autumn Quarter 2003-04 News
Eventful Autumn at CLAS
Autumn Quarter saw a diverse and impressive roster of speakers at CLAS.
We opened our Wednesday Bolívar House Lecture Series with a talk by Chilean artist Andrès Ovalle, who displayed his work at the Center through early January. Sr. Ovalle spoke in the midst of a room filled with paintings, sketches, and pamphlets displaying his work. He discussed the source of his creative process, which is rooted in the spiritual history of Chile's indigenous peoples.
CLAS affiliated faculty members Professor Thomas Sheehan of the Religious Studies Department and Assistant Professor Fernando Gomez of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese also spoke during the quarter. Professor Sheehan gave a lecture discussing El Salvador's recent history, in economic, social, political, and ideological terms. Professor Gomez spoke about his interview-based research into attitudes of scholars toward the concept of "Hispanicity."
CLAS hosted Dr. Alfonso Valenzuela, a visiting scholar in the Urban Studies program at MIT. Drawing from his research at UNAM and MIT, Dr. Valenzuela spoke about his research into public space as a tool for restructuring urban areas in Mexico City.
We also heard from CLAS visiting scholar Roshni Rustomji-Kerns, author of the recently-released novel The Braided Tongue. Dr. Rustomji-Kerns, a scholar of the Asian experience in Latin America, spoke about her investigation into whether Mirrha Catarina de San Juan, a Gujarati woman who was brought to Mexico in the 1600s, could have been the legendary Ur China Poblana. Dr. Rustomji-Kerns's research revealed that Mirrha Catarina was probably not the Ur China Poblana, but nonetheless led a fascinating life as a healer and spiritual leader.
Former CLAS Associate Director and Autumn Quarter instructor Kathleen Morrison spoke about her research, which she conducted in Bolivia during the summer. Dr. Morrison is an expert on the topic of street children in Latin America, and her lecture, entitled "Spit and Polish: Los Lustrebotas de La Paz" detailed her ethnographic study of Bolivia's shoeshine boys and girls.
Anthropological Sciences undergraduate Abigail Levine gave a second lecture at CLAS to update us on her research into pottery production in Farfan province, Peru. Ms. Levine's research has centered on monkey effigy vessels, and her latest discoveries have been in the comparison of vessels unearthed at separate archaeological sites in the region. By comparing vessel dimensions, she was able to identify "mold-mates"--vessels created from the same molds, and thereby identify patterns of production and distribution of the vessels during Inka rule.
Finally, we heard from current Knight Fellow Pablo Rosendo Gonzalez, Special Projects Editor at Capital Intelectual in Buenos Aires. Sr. Rosendo spoke about his experiences as a journalist following the evolution of the Mercosur trade agreement.
During the Autumn Quarter, we also debuted a Friday afternoon documentary film series. Our first film, and topic of heated debate, was The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, a documentary filmed and produced a pair of Irish filmmakers who happened to be in Caracas during the short-lived overthrow of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government. CLAS's decision to screen the film provoked intense debate among Venezuelans and others who attended its presentation.
We also screened the film Suite Habana, a groundbreaking documentary about daily life in Cuba. CLAS was one of the first U.S. venues to see the film.
Finally, Brazilian filmmakers Daniela Broitman and Fernando Salis joined us to present their film, Voices from the Edge: The Favela Goes to the World Social Forum.
CLAS intends to continue showing Latin American films throughout the academic year. Please see our current Quarterly Event Calendar for details.
Archaeology for the People: Copan Today
In early October, CLAS had the pleasure of hosting a well-attended lecture by Ricardo Agurcia, the lead archaeologist at the Copan site in Honduras.
Sr. Agurcia presented slides of Copan, recounting not only of ongoing discoveries at the site, but also how site management has taken the local population into consideration. He explained the temple nomenclature, developed by researchers as they unearth structures, and talked about artifacts such as textiles (which have largely disintegrated in the tropical heat) and pottery (some of which contains text allusions to the distant Teotihuacan settlement). But he also spoke about what he and his colleagues are attempting to do on a larger and more topical scale.
Copan today represents an experiment in "applied archaeology." The Honduran government has become involved in its study and restoration, and has contributed resources toward construction of signs, a visitor center, and a town museum. The government has been respectful of the opinions of archaeologists at the site, and researchers have been able to drive the development of the site so that, while it functions as a tourist attraction, it also houses a research center and a sculpture museum. The most recent additions to the site have included a children's museum, public bathrooms, and a demonstration garden, which grows crops that the Maya grew.
In 1975, Copan saw just 12,500 tourists. In 2002, 135,000 tourists visited the site, which now offers such amenities as nature hikes and other eco- tourism activities. The town of Copan has seen economic growth to match the tourist boom. Three hotels have multiplied to 30. Local laborers not only excavate the ruins, but also help to build infrastructure necessary to accommodate tourists.
Sr. Agurcia pointed out that in the 5th, 6th, and 7th centuries, Honduras, now the poorest country in Central America, was not a third world nation. Drawing on this rich heritage, Sr. Agurcia and his colleagues are expanding their study of past civilizations to develop five new archaeological sites in Honduras, where they hope to launch similar programs that involve and elevate local people.
"Archaeology," Sr. Agurcia reminded the audience, ^?is not just about pretty objects, but about people."
Venezuela: Present and Future
The final week of October, CLAS presented a screening of the controversial film "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," followed by a lecture by Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez the next day. Ambassador Alvarez spoke about Venezuela's current economic and political climate, and the outlook for Venezuela's future.
Both events drew large crowds and sparked heated debate by members of Stanford's Venezuelan community. The ambassador's visit drew picketing protesters as he spoke to a crowd of more than 60 packed into the CLAS seminar room.
After an introduction by political science professor and former director of CLAS, Professor Terry Karl, Ambassador Alvarez gave his impressions of the relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela. The ambassador came to the U.S. just three months before Hugo Chavez was elected president. The election, said the ambassador, was a turning point, during which the U.S. Congress's stance on Venezuela shifted from a "lack of interest" to a concern that Venezuela would become "another Cuba." Ambassador Alvarez noted that Congress believes Chavez has links to the Castro government and to Colombia's FARC, and that he is seen as an oppressor of capitalism.
The ambassador then shifted his focus to the role of the media in Venezuelan politics. He gave an overview of his country's recent political history, and he spoke of losing friends to the political situation. However, he expressed a belief that there is movement toward a "more flexible situation" in Venezuela.
With increasing unrest in the audience, Ambassador Alvarez called for listeners to hear him out before posing questions. He went on to show a series of graphs demonstrating the favorable economic impact the Chavez government has had, including low unemployment rates. He cited the short-lived coup against President Chavez and opposition-led work stoppages as the causes of higher unemployment under Chavez's leadership, and outlined hardships the president had faced in trying to put his policies into practice.
When the ambassador took questions, there were clearly differences of opinion among audience members, with some people demanding justification for Chavez's actions, and others calling for more respectful discourse.
One member of the audience suggested that Venezuela needs a "real left," rather than the Chavez government's violence. He called this a "very important line," saying that the Venezuelan people want a non-violent left. "Where is this line for you, Ambassador Alvarez?" he asked.
The ambassador responded that he did not feel he had chosen violence, and that "the 48 hours of Carmona's coup were the real violence in the last years," a sentiment that was echoed by some in the audience.
"Chavez calls on supporters for bloody revolution," said one listener. "Is that constitutional? How is the other side radical in the face of that?"
Some members of the audience felt the ambassador's visit was merely a public relations ploy, claiming that he arrived late, spoke too long, and won a war of attrition with audience members by putting their questions off until many had to leave. Others expressed gratitude for the rare opportunity to speak directly with a representative of their government.
CLAS feels fortunate to have provided a forum for debate about the Chavez government. We would like to remind all who attended that CLAS is an academic, nonpartisan entity, and does not take a stance on political issues.
CLAS Loses a Dear Friend
We at the Center for Latin American Studies are deeply saddened to inform
our friends that our beloved colleague Alicia Herasimchuk passed away
on Friday, 15 August, 2003 at her Menlo Park home after a valiant and
inspiring fight against cancer.
Alicia, our Student & Academic Services Coordinator, had worked at the Center for six years. In addition to the assistance she provided to our students and visiting professors and scholars, she was the driving force behind the Center's many lovely parties, and also planted and maintained our beautiful gardens.
Alicia touched countless lives during her years at the Center, and she leaves behind a legacy of flowers, laughter, style, and class. Those of us who knew her will never forget her.
Goodbye, Alicia. We will miss you dearly.
There was a memorial celebration of Alicia's life at Bolívar House on Thursday, 2 October. CLAS staff planted a dogwood tree on the Bolívar House grounds in memory of Alicia.
Alicia, a Remembrance
at your funeral they refused flowers
because in living you had been
the snapdragon's kiss
the shower of hyacinth pollen
the dance of summer sunflowers
you
you were the queen
of springtime
always overcoming
always bringing forth life
from beneath the darkest haze
you had sketched out your soul
in our hearts like a naked petal
bearing your vulnerabilities
your raging beauty
and your silent strength
despite the harshest winds
there is no flower
worthy of your memory
CLAS Rotating Art Exhibit
Beginning in fall of 2003, CLAS would like to encourage any Latin American artists living in or visiting the Bay Area to contact us about displaying their work at our center. We would also like to see student artwork and photographs with Latin American themes.
Our Summer, 2003 exhibit was a series of mixed-media paintings by visiting professors Antonio Eligio "Tonel" Fernández and Fernando Birri. In the past, we have also displayed the photographs of alum Emily Yates-Doerr, whose 2001 honors thesis earned her the Creativity in Latin American Studies distinction.
From October to January CLAS will be displaying the works of Chilean artist Andrés Ovalle.
Click on the thumbnails to view full-size paintings.