Creating Images

Our world is inundated with images, icons, and embedded visuals meaning.

In the recent media blitz following the Virginia Tech tragedy I've been thinking about how individuals have the power to highjack the cultural and media imagination with self-generated images.

We create ourselves and own our representation now with greater efficiency and power: youtube, my space, blogs, etc. Amongst the critique of how "old media" is covering the latest event, I've decided to post photos of the "oldest media": writing on walls.

Create your own history and representation by posting a comment.

Voyeurism

I'm playing with the idea of voyeurism. Information operations are about collecting and distributing times, people, places, events, etc. I've decided to let it all flop out.

For a while, I closely guarded what messages I sent; but "this is me, here I am" is my new attitude.

On my front door is an old sign for a store called "Indigenous Roots". Though I am neither indigenous nor rooted, it is under this sign I sit to watch people. The porch-monkey culture is not very common here, but I'm doing my part to bring it on.

Watching people is what we do: You Tube, cafés, Springer ("America's TV show")... We are naturally drawn to watch. Take down the fences and let's be naturally drawn to being watched as well.

My Hero

After meeting millionaires, princes, generals, doctors, gold prospectors, and revolutionaries my greatest hero remains my dad.

To talking to everyone no matter their looks
To seeing folks for who they are
To loving travel and new experiences,
and for the ability to appreciate them as they run at you like a mad mother moose,
and for the bravery and strength to never look away.

My hero. My dad.

Recipes vs. Terror

Money's been getting really tight lately, so I've been searching for some creative forms of funding.

I've been watching closely my progress on www.suite101.com and how many people have been visiting my articles, which then leads to money. It turns out that my Mexican recipes have blown my articles on information and terrorism out of the water!

As such, I have been cranking out some really tasty recipes so people can properly prepare for Cinco de Mayo. Nachos, drinks, sandwiches... Everything I could think of.

Check out the list at http://mexican-food.suite101.com/ and leave a comment for what else you'd like to see!

Spanish and beer

A Spanish teacher once said that 3 beers is the perfect amount to drink before learning Spanish. I'm not sure about that. I've had 3 beers and my Spanish still sucks.

It's a little frustrating trying to work for a Spanish speaking organization not speaking Spanish myself. Poco a poco.

Here's my latest published recipe. It's a spicy beer drink called a michelada. Enjoy.

What Makes a Terrorist?

Former Marine Colonel Walter Murphy recently was held up at the airport because he had made his way onto the Terrorist Watch List. I recently wrote an article on this very problem, but was unaware how easy it was to get on the list.

When asked why he thought he was on the list, Murphy replied that he thought it was as punishment for speaking out against the current administration's use of military force.

If criticizing the government is enough to be labeled a "terrorist"–and put into the same group of folks known for violently attacking anyone for shock effect– then who is not a terrorist? I'm now afraid to criticize the government or share any allegiances with any organization that questions any form of government. Who's scaring whom? Where is this fear coming from and who started it?

I've decided to take some time this week and read up on the nature of "terror" and "fear" and how it is created.

This week my "Documents" folder disappeared from my computer in a wave of bizarre network issues plaguing the office. I never thought I'd ever be afraid of writing emails home...

Town Meetings are the Same Everywhere

I was invited to a meeting of the minds last night about how local community organizations should progress with the new global movement recently started. It reminded me of a lot of community meetings I've seen in the states. Personality conflicts trumping actionable steps and concrete plans. Intellectuals thinking about broadening networks, while locals are concerned about "a Japanese woman throwing trash into the river".

It looks like no matter how well unified a movement may be, it's the internal stamping and spitting that will keep the fires of progress at the level of coals...

Semana Santa in Guatemala

We had been sitting here for three hours already watching four men run a platform with John the Prick (John the Baptist in Catholic beliefs)4 blocks between Jesus and Mary. The thrusting of the statue invokes a bizarre orgy in which the brother of the corn god impregnates the earth. In this case, Jesus has been assimilated into the Maya traditions as the symbol of corn with the celebration of rebirth being one of the most important festivals of the year.

The men will continue to run the statue back and forth until dawn, about 8 hours total, without rest.

The following day is the raising of Christ followed by a Catholic mass. This is a celebration of both traditionalists and Catholics, each group with their own religious leaders and own ideas on the symbolism of the ceremonies.

After the mass, the statue of Christ is loaded into an enormous urna a large psychedelic coffin. The urna is then hoisted onto the shoulders of 30 men who will slowly carry the urna around a 4 block area for around 15 hours. During the mass, people have been working on creating street art work with colored saw dust. This collective art piece extends the entire path and is trampled as the men carry Christ until dawn.

Templo de Arcotete

We exchange vocabulary in Tzotil, English, and French with a local family while waiting for a small craft shop's owner returns to buy some goods.

Women are washing clothes in the nearby river, while many of the men are chopping down trees for lumber and firewood. Sheep, game hens, and cows wander around the humble houses blurring the lines between the farmland and homelife.

All of this is happening in the shadow of the Templo de Arcotete.

The church at Arcotete is in the center of a small community of weavers and farmers. A symbol of colonial Spanish rule assimilated to the Maya traditions.

The land was maintained as a traditional hasienda with a patron whom the indigenous people worked for until 1979.

The property was then converted to an ejito, a collectively held piece of a land where each member has rights to certain parcels and all decisions pertaining to the land must be collectively made.

The church on the property remains a place of sacred worship and practice as part of the Mexican Orthodox church.

During the days when there was a Patron, he would pay to have a priest visit the church semiannually. Since his death their have been no visitations.

Most of the Patron's property has been left to fall apart, except for the church which is well maintained.

The Mayas have adapted many of the Catholic practices and symbols into their own practices and ceremonies.

Everything from the number of crosses, to their arrangement, to the symbols carved into them, to their color has deep meaning.

Much of the Maya belief systems are based upon dualities. The east/west alignment of the cross along with its vertical post connect the sun and the moon, and heaven and earth. The color is half blue, the color of the sky, and half green, the color of the earth, symbolizing further connections. Carvings in the crosses depict offerings and tree branches.

We are in the middle of Semana Santa, Saint's Week, and it is a perfect example of this assimilation of Catholicism and Maya traditions.