Encyclopedia of Latin American Theater by
Latin American culture has given birth to numerous dramatic works, though it has often been difficult to locate information about these plays and playwrights. This volume traces the history of Latin American theater, including the Nuyorican and Chicano theaters of the United States, and surveys its history from the pre-Columbian period to the present. Sections cover individual Latin American countries. Each section features alphabetically arranged entries for playwrights, independent theaters, and cultural movements. The volume begins with an overview of the development of theater in Latin America. Each of the country sections begins with an introductory survey and concludes with copious bibliographical information. The entries for playwrights provide factual information about the dramatist's life and works and place the author within the larger context of international literature. Each entry closes with a list of works by and about the playwright. A selected, general bibliography appears at the end of the volume.
From Tejano to Tango by
Author of two books on Issac Albeniz, including Issac Albeniz: A Guide to Research (1998), Walter Aaron Clark has compiled thirteen essays that discuss the various aspects of Latin American music. The essays cover the social and political impact the music generated as well as the rhythmic development of the various genres. In this essential book, significant personalities, including Carmen Miranda, are discussed. The scope of the contributors is vast as divergent musical styles such as the Macarena dace craze, Bob Marley's reggae music and the seductive strains of the tango are analyzed.
A Guide to the Latin American Art Song Repertoire by
A reference guide to the vast array of art song literature and composers from Latin America, this book introduces the music of Latin America from a singer's perspective and provides a basis for research into the songs of this richly musical area of the world. The book is divided by country into 22 chapters, with each chapter containing an introductory essay on the music of the region, a catalog of art songs for that country, and a list of publishers. Some chapters include information on additional sources. Singers and teachers may use descriptive annotations (language, poet) or pedagogical annotations (range, tessitura) to determine which pieces are appropriate for their voices or programming needs, or those of their students. The guide will be a valuable resource for vocalists and researchers, however familiar they may be with this glorious repertoire.
El Salvador by
A severe social and political crisis in El Salvador during politicians, religious figures and activists through strikes but organized the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMNL) and launched an armed insurrection against the government in early 1981.Within months, the FMLN established itself in control over two departments - which it was to guerrilla's support base in the countryside. Although bombardments, strafing, shelling, summary execution of anybody captured, and massacres of civilians became the norm of the day, the FMLN continued growing in strength and by 1983, reached the peak of its power and control over the countryside.El Salvador, Volume 1: Crisis, Coup and Uprising 1970-1983 - is the first inclusive and incisive military history of this incredibly vicious, merciless war: one of two major conflicts fought in Central America during the 1980s within the context of the Cold War. Based on official documentation and carefully cross-referenced secondary sources, it is lavishly illustrated with original photographs and custom-drawn color profiles and is an indispensable single-point source of reference.
Cuba and Puerto Rico by
In this first systematic comparative study of Cuba andPuerto Rico from both a historical and contemporary perspective, contributorshighlight the interconnectedness of the two archipelagos and encourage a morenuanced and multifaceted study of the relationships between the islands andtheir diasporas.
Colombia by
Michael J. LaRosa and Germán R. Mejía offer a comprehensive approach to Colombian history in the post-independence era, from about 1810 to the present. This third edition includes vital updates that dive into the historic 2022 presidential election and signing of the Peace Accords with FARC in 2016. This deeply informed and accessible book thematically traces the history of Colombia, moving beyond the common perception of a failed state to explore the rich heritage and dynamism that have characterized Colombia past and present. The book focuses on the factors that have contributed to Colombia's unification and development and looks at political projects, economic activity, and cultural development that have pushed Colombia forward. Also included are a photo essay, detailed chronology for further study and research, and a chapter dealing with Colombians abroad.
Peru since Independence by
Few nations in the world have trekked such a dramatic political path as Peru. Its relatively neglected post-1821 history comes alive in this concise and timely illustrated survey. Opening chapters address the complex struggle for independence, the chaotic age of the caudillos, nascent stability under Ramón Castilla, and the War of the Pacific. Middle chapters look at state-building under Cáceres and Leguía, the Aristocratic Republic, labor and social unrest, the radical thought of Mariátegui, and the political dynamism of Haya de la Torre's APRA. Later chapters look at the Odría Ocenio, the governments of Belaúnde and García, the Sendero war, the Fujimori dictatorship, and the rise and fall of Pedro Castillo. Stand-alone chapters also explore Peruvian culture. Sensitive to issues of gender, ethnicity, and class, Peru since Independence fills a glaring gap in our understanding of a vital Latin American and Pacific Rim nation.
Bakers and Basques by
Mexico City's colourful panaderías (bakeries) have long been vital neighbourhood institutions. They were also crucial sites where labour, subsistence, and politics collided. From the 1880s well into the twentieth century, Basque immigrants dominated the bread trade, to the detriment of small Mexican bakers. By taking us inside the panadería, into the heart of bread strikes, and through government halls, Robert Weis reveals why authorities and organised workers supported the so-called Spanish monopoly in ways that countered the promises of law and ideology. He tells the gritty story of how class struggle and the politics of food shaped the state and the market. More than a book about bread, Bakers and Basques places food and labour at the centre of the upheavals in Mexican history from independence to the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution.
Cinemachismo by
After the modern Mexican state came into being following the Revolution of 1910, hyper-masculine machismo came to be a defining characteristic of "mexicanidad," or Mexican national identity. Virile men (pelados and charros), virtuous prostitutes as mother figures, and minstrel-like gay men were held out as desired and/or abject models not only in governmental rhetoric and propaganda, but also in literature and popular culture, particularly in the cinema. Indeed, cinema provided an especially effective staging ground for the construction of a gendered and sexualized national identity. In this book, Sergio de la Mora offers the first extended analysis of how Mexican cinema has represented masculinities and sexualities and their relationship to national identity from 1950 to 2004. He focuses on three traditional genres (the revolutionary melodrama, the cabaretera [dancehall] prostitution melodrama, and the musical comedy "buddy movie") and one subgenre (the fichera brothel-cabaret comedy) of classic and contemporary cinema. By concentrating on the changing conventions of these genres, de la Mora reveals how Mexican films have both supported and subverted traditional heterosexual norms of Mexican national identity. In particular, his analyses of Mexican cinematic icons Pedro Infante and Gael García Bernal and of Arturo Ripstein's cult film El lugar sin límites illuminate cinema's role in fostering distinct figurations of masculinity, queer spectatorship, and gay male representations. De la Mora completes this exciting interdisciplinary study with an in-depth look at how the Mexican state brought about structural changes in the film industry between 1989 and 1994 through the work of the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), paving the way for a renaissance in the national cinema.
Folk Treasures of Mexico by
In his foreword, former New York governor and vice president of the United States Nelson A. Rockefeller remembers his first trip to Mexico in 1933 and his subsequent, life-long fascination with the Mexican people and their popular art.
Rockefeller¿s collection of more than 3,000 pieces of Mexican folk art is widely considered to be the most exceptional in the U.S., and Folk Treasures of Mexico celebrates these icons with more than 150 photos of the pieces, many of which are quite rare.
In the main text, Marion Oettinger, Jr., curator of Latin American Art at the San Antonio Museum of Art, describes the objects according to function: utilitarian, ceremonial, decorative, or for play. Among the many noteworthy objects are a wooden-carved centurion helmet mask from the eighteenth century depicting a Roman guard, which is one of the few remaining masks of this type in existence, and a nineteenth century ceramic pitcher from Oaxaca that combines many stylistic techniques. Other objects include a variety of children¿s toys, clothing, and items for eating and drinking.
Originally published in 1990, the book contains a preface by Rockefeller¿s daughter, Ann Rockefeller Roberts, who was instrumental in finding permanent homes for her father¿s stunning collection, which can now be found in the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Mexican Museum in San Francisco.
Including a glossary, bibliography, and chronology, Folk Treasures of Mexico is a must-read for anyone interested in Latin American art, culture, and history.
Frida Kahlo by
As a woman artist who confronted many taboo subjects - and herself - head-on, Kahlo produced groundbreaking work that shifted the terrain of the art world. In these pages, new high-resolution photographs present the most accurate reproductions ever of her visionary artworks, including many ravishing details. That astounding fidelity and the detailed analysis of the artist's life and process combine to make this a must-have book for Kahlo's legions of fans worldwide. Readable and illuminating, Frida Kahlo is illustrated with rarely seen paintings from private collections alongside iconic favourites, including many of Kahlo's striking self-portraits and her sensual still lifes. Archival and personal photographs, insightful descriptions of her works, and numerous excerpts from her intimate diaries and letters provide context and imbue Kahlo's work with additional meaning. Authors Héctor Tajonar and Roxana Velásquez--the world's foremost authorities on Frida Kahlo - deftly untangle the many threads of Kahlo's complex persona. Kahlo was a charismatic force. Fiercely political and proud of her Mexican heritage, she maintained a dense network of romantic and platonic relationships, including two marriages to fellow artist Diego Rivera. But her childhood illness and the tragic accident she suffered as a teenager left her physically vulnerable. Understanding that duality is key to fully appreciating Kahlo's extraordinary work. With this deeply researched, stunningly designed volume in hand, readers can do just that.
Healing with Herbs and Rituals by
Healing with Herbs and Rituals is a herbal remedy-based understanding of 'curanderismo' and the practice of 'yerberas,' or herbalists, as found in the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Part One, 'Folk Healers and Folk Healing', focuses on individual healers and their procedures. Part Two, ""Green Medicine: Traditional Mexican-American Herbs and Remedies"", details traditional Mexican-American herbs and cures. These remedies are the product of centuries of experience in Mexico, heavily influenced by the Moors, Judeo-Christians, and Aztecs, and include everyday items such as lemon, egg, fire, aromatic oil, and prepared water. Symbolic objects such as keys, candles, brooms, and 'Trouble Dolls' are also used. Dedicated, in part, to curanderos throughout Mexico and the American Southwest, ""Healing with Herbs and Rituals"" shows us these practitioners are humble, sincere people who have given themselves to improving lives for many decades. Today's holistic health movement has rediscovered the timeless merits of the curanderos' uses of medicinal plants, rituals, and practical advice.
Planet Taco by
Planet Taco asks the question, "what is authentic Mexican food?" The burritos and taco shells that many people think of as Mexican were actually created in the United States, and Americanized foods have recently been carried around the world in tin cans and tourist restaurants. But thecontemporary struggle between globalization and national sovereignty to determine the meaning of Mexican food is far from new. In fact, Mexican food was the product of globalization from the very beginning - the Spanish conquest - when European and Native American influences blended to forge themestizo or mixed culture of Mexico.The historic struggle between globalization and the nation continued in the nineteenth century, as Mexicans searching for a national cuisine were torn between nostalgic "Creole" Hispanic dishes of the past and French haute cuisine, the global food of the day. Indigenous foods, by contrast, wereconsidered strictly declasse. Yet another version of Mexican food was created in the U.S. Southwest by Mexican American cooks, including the "Chili Queens" of San Antonio and tamale vendors of Los Angeles.When Mexican American dishes were appropriated by the fast food industry and carried around the world, Mexican elites rediscovered the indigenous roots of their national cuisine among the ancient Aztecs and the Maya. Even this Nueva Cocina Mexicana was a transnational phenomenon, called "NewSouthwestern" by chefs in the United States. Rivalries within this present-day gourmet movement recalled the nineteenth-century struggles between Creole, Native, and French foods.Planet Taco also seeks to recover the history of people who have been ignored in the struggles to define authentic Mexican, especially those who are marginal to both nations: Indians and Mexican Americans.