2. 2. The day picked to hold the march was very strategic. Two days later, July 20, is Colombia’s Independence Day. By having the protest just two days before, the displacement community challenged the notion of Colombia’s Independence. They showed Colombians and the world that in fact independence in Colombia is not for all. Not for the displaced community.
(Down with Uribe’s Government)
- Quienes Somos? Desplazados. De donde vivimos? Colombia, Colombia, Colombia
(Who are we? Displaced people. Where do we live? Colombia, Colombia, Colombia)
- Hay estan, hay estan, los que roban la nacion
(There they are, there they are, those that rob the nation)—This was said every time we passed a government office, a food/clothes chain, a person in suit.
- Abajo Accion Social! Abajo, Abajo, Abajo
(Down with Accion Social! Down, Down, Down)—Accion Social is the president’s agency that deals with many social issues, and is the one that is mainly dealing with the displacement issue. After talking to many of the families that participated in Taller de Paz, talking to la Defensorial del Pueblo in Colombia http://www.defensoria.org.co/red/, and by witnessing this protest, the conclusion is that Accion Social is a complete failure, lyers, and frauds.
- Que se cumpla la ley 387! Que se cumpla, que se cumpla, que se cumpla!
(Fulfill Law 387!, Fulfill, fulfill, fulfill)—Law 387 is law that was passed in 1997 especially to address the displacement crisis. Obviously, this law was just constructed with false promises. You can read more about it here.
- Somos desplazados, no somos delinquentes!
(We are displaced, not delinquents)
- El pueblo, sin techo, exige sus derechos!
(The community, without a roof, demands their rights)
I leave with some footage from the protest.
The progress the kids made in the three weeks of our taller was very impressive. The first week they barely knew how to use the cameras, and by the third week the cameras were being used to conduct projects like the one below. Before finishing I would like to note one more thing: our students only had four class periods to complete these projects. This means four hours to choose a topic, discuss it, create questions, conduct the interviews, and edit the presentations (using Imovie for the first time!). For this reason the presentations were a little basic in regards to editing but we still felt that what was produced was very cool and a testament to the kids creativity, energy and initiative. I would just ask that you keep in mind the time restraints while watching.Presentacion Final de Ingles y Lit from Alex Frye on Vimeo.
Fotografía from Alex Frye on Vimeo.
These last three weeks we have been extremely busy with the program, as Cami wrote (which explains the lack of updates on the blog). We finished the end of the curriculum based program, sad I know, but before I talk about that I will give a quick recap of things that have gone down the last three weeks.
Taller de Tecnologia/Fotografia:
The taller that I have been facilitating with Andres (El Taller de Fotografia y Tecnologia) has gone pretty well. The kids have really enjoyed it. The first week was more technological based, teaching the kids how to use the basic camera and computer functions. While the second week we focused more on the ability to tell stories through pictures. However, through out the whole program we have focused on individual expression through photography.
Some of the activities we have done are:
Making stories out of pictures:
Creating a comic book story
For the final project, which is a culmination of everything we have learned, the groups are created a digital presentation using iMovie. They went pretty well. The older groups had the choice of either pretending to be the president, doing a self-portrait, or choosing a problem facing Colombians. We had a variety of topics chosen. Everything from garbage problems to the poverty problem in Colombia. This presentation has given the kids a great opportunity to use technology to explore these topics. During the whole last week, the kids had the opportunity to interview government officials, talk to the police, and start conversations with regular Colombian citizens on the streets. This was a great moment for our taller because it is where eventually we wanted to arrive at--using technology to explore issues and problems that affect the kid’s lives.
& Now, the Unscripted Colombia:
La Universidad Nacional:
A week and a half-ago the group ventured into the unknown, otherwise called La
Universidad Nacional branch in Bogota (La U, La Nacho). We were lucky that Camila had a connection there, otherwise we might have never gone. Once inside the sprawling campus, we met with some very kind and energized group of students who were nice enough to show us around. I had been to two of the most prestigious universities in Bogota, La Javeriana and Los Andes, indeed very nice. Nevertheless, as I walked around La Nacional, there was more to this University than ‘nicety’. La Nacional smelled like the sweat of revolutionaries, it looked like a passionate, flame-hearted mosaic of quotes where many of the walls were tagged, drawn
on, and muralized. For a moment there I imagined myself drawing on Swarthmore’s walls, but then I realized I would probably be tazered. Perhaps the coolest thing was walking through a campus so filled with history. Thanks to our student-guides, we got a glimpse of the complex/violent/exciting history of La U. The massacre of 1984, Che speaking at La U (the space where he spoke is now called La Plaza Che), and los piedrasos (consisting of students throwing bricks at the police)
Misc. Pictures:
Taller de Paz Materials
Juan Pablo also made his mask to rep Colombia. He explained that it would come handy while watching soccer games of la selección Colombiana.
While the Taller de Paz group was preparing for the program last week, we got glimpse of some very interesting things:
1. Botero
On Thursday of last week, while pasiando around La Candelaria (Center City) we bumped into famous Colombia painter Fernando Botero’s museum. The museum, which used to be una casa colonial, has a a very large collection of Botero’s famous paintings. There are many different views on Botero’s purpose, such as using obesity to mock the rich and powerful. However, when I look at these paintings I see defiance. Defiance of the structures that are rooted in art and in society about the meaning of beauty. For example, in the following picture,
Botero gives this “gorda” a very sexual appeal, as implied by the fruit, the powerful colors, the whip (I like to believe its a whip), and the naked body of this woman.
2. Colonial Structure
Colombia, at least in Bogota, has kept some of the colonial organization left by the Spanish. This is best demonstrated by the continued importance of the “Plazas”. The following
These plazas were supposed to be the center of town, where government and administrative buildings are found, as well as well the towns church and schools.
Oh, and in the Plaza de Simon Bolivar (Bogota’s main plaza), you are bound to get attacked by pigeons.
3. La Primera Maravilla de Colombia
Last week on Father’s Day, the group, along with my family members, took a now tren turista, to go to Zipaquira. In Zipaquira, the famous salt mining town of Colombia, the group descended to the famous “Salt Cathedral” of Colombia. Voted, Colombia’s First Wonder, the cathedral is simply breathtaking, even for the non-religious. And yes, it is all made out of salt. Just lick the floor and walls!
4. Los NO Uribistas:
And now, for some political analysis. After almost seven years since President Uribe came to power, many readings on Colombia, and a Latin American Politics class, and I still have not decided if I am Uribista, leaning towards no. President Uribe is praised for his firm hand against the guerrilla movement, the drug war, and for making Colombia safer. Nevertheless, many things get missed from this analysis. During Uribe’s administration, the displacement crisis in Colombia has significantly increased (making Colombia the country with the most critical internal displacement crisis in the world), drug trafficking and production has also increased. Thus, yes its true that the guerrilla crisis is under more control, but at the cost of many innocent lives. That is the lives of farmworkers and villagers.
So, while talking with one of my Taller de Paz colleagues, Sandra, who is from Colombia. She made me realize the in fact Uribe has made Colombia safe. But, not safe for all. Safe for those who have money and live in the cities.
5. To leave on a good note. Here is more amazing Colombian food, yes, espero que se pongan celosos.
Crispy arepas.
Patacon, con carne y aguacate.
Crepes and Waffles: Cheese and Mushroom Creppe
Tamal
Two Golden Buñuelos
And some miscellianous pictures:
Stay put, Up Next: The first week, Candelario Obeso, Colombian music.
