Latin American Studies

The Latin Civic Association & the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art

Invite you to join senior docent Bernice Magee for a special tour to explore the museum's Pre-Columbian collection with objects from Mexico, Peru, & Ecuador

October 11, 2008 1pm
Cornell University Johnson Museum

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Witness for Peace Mid-Atlantic Speaker Tour October 2008

Come hear Freddy Caicedo, a Columbian human rights organizer give insights into the Columbian Free Trade Agreement.

Not Free, Not Trade, Not an Agreement

October 13, 2008 7pm
Ithaca College Clark Lounge (Campus Center)

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Two Latin American Films:

Presented by Ithaca College Latin American Studies Program and Cornell University Committee on U.S. — Latin American Relations (CULSAR).

At Ithaca College:
Sept 8: FRIENDS 202 7pm

The Last Zapatistas: Forgotten Heroes (2002) 90 min

In this engrossing piece of living history, director Francesco Taboada Tabone captures a group of men (all well into their 90s) who reminisce about their exploits during the 1910 Mexican Revolution. Through enthralling interviews, the film brings to life the testimony of these last 12 surviving revolutionaries of the storied Liberation Army of the South -- patriots who fought and bled alongside Gen. Emiliano Zapata.

At Cornell:
Sept 10th: Uris Hall 7pm

Juchitan Queer Paradise (2003) Discussant: Billie Jean Isbell

This is fascinating portrait of Juchitan, a small Mexican city near the Guatemalan border. Here homosexuality is fully accepted; gays are simply a third gender. If a boy shows a predisposition to homosexuality his family will rejoice and be thankful for receiving what is considered a blessing. In Juchitan a man who wants to be a woman only has to dress like a woman to be considered and treated as a woman by the entire community. The film profiles three gay people: a teacher, a hairdresser and a shop owner. In other ways this is a truly unique society. The population of Zapotec Indians resist the homogeneous trends of globalization. While Indian languages are endangered everywhere else in the world, in Juchitan, the Zapotec language is spoken proudly at home, at municipal meetings, in poetry, song and theatre. Celebration plays a crucial role in this society. Fiestas called velas (candles) are held frequently and can last up to a week! The film concludes with the colorful fiesta, the "Vela des folles" which the gay men featured in the film organize each year.

CULSAR: http://cuslar.org/