About me:
On behalf of the WorldBeat Center, we present to you a newly emerged topic and reality which touches basis on what has been underrepresented on Mexican official establishments and institutions: Afro-Mexico. Since the arrival of Hernan Cortez--not to mention the Olmec presence which clearly resembles African traits in early Mesoamerica--the African presence became notorious throughout Mexico. Thus, slavery like in the rest of the Americas became fundamental in the minery, sugar cane, and cattle industry. In spite of their key role in fueling a strong economy that would allow Mexico to become an independent nation from Spain, African descendants to this day remain systematically in the shadows of society. They are not only underrepresented and ignored in the Mexican CENSUS (INEGI) but also have been going through what we refer to as a cultural drought. The effects of globalization projects (such as NAFTA and PPP (Plan Puebla Panama)), which spread deep in rural, coastal, and southern Mexico, currently eliminate any intermediate option between the preservation of culture and that of economic sustainability for Afro-Mexicans. In effect, the African presence in Mexico has been consecutively struggling and resisting to obtain national recognition; thus allowing them the right to be considered in institutional reforms based on standard necessities.
We refer to this resistance as a Maroon Cultural Resistance: a common struggle amongst all African descendants of the Americas which focuses in forming a collective identity by rediscovering, reclaiming, and manifesting their African heritage. As a marginalized sub-culture, Afro-Mexicans have been evidently organizing for the past three decades. Here at the WorldBeat Center we been investigating this topic since 2003. Our goal here at the WorldBeat Center, nonetheless, is to raise awareness about this topic and educate the African-American and Mexican/Chicano/Latino youth in the San Diego/Tijuana area; all with the intention of building cultural bridges of common understanding.
With the resources we have accommodated over the past three decades at WorldBeat Center, we intent to put our tools in practice. One of our strategies will be to film every step we take along the way as well as to publicize what we document throughout public access TV and archive it in our online TV station called "WorldBeat Live!". Furthermore, through our experience promoting music, we intent to help document, support, and spread Afro-Mexican dance, music and other forms of culture. The information and material we gather will be used for educational purposes as well as to fund (e.g. art exhibits, music/dance groups, photographic exhibits, clothing and textiles, fair trade products, musical instruments, CD's and DVD's). This entire process and strategies used in the end will help empower communities for the purpose of reaching self-autonomy.
Comments
Nov 19 2009 9:48 PM
Respect
atahsoundstudio Berlin
Nov 19 2009 9:48 PM
Nov 19 2009 9:48 PM
Nov 17 2009 1:29 AM
CARLOS DE NICARAGUA Y FAMILIA'S NEW ALBUM "MILITANTE" IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE BAND'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE!
JOIN THE MAILING LIST AND RECEIVE A TRACK FOR FREE!
SPREAD THE WORD AROUND THE WORLD : THE "MUY POPULAR INTERNATIONAL" CARLOS DE NICARAGUA Y FAMILIA'S ALBUM "MILITANTE" IS A HOT SALSA REGGAE ROCK ALBUM : YOU BETTER BE READY TO GROOVE AGAIN AND SOME MORE!...
THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER..."MILITANTE" IS BOTH IN TRIBUTE FOR OUR HEROES AND MARTYRS AND A CALL FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, JUSTICE, PEACE, LOVE & SOLIDARITY FOR HUMANITY...I & I NEED TO STAND UP AND FIGHT AS MILITANTES IN A ONE LOVE VIBRATION & IRATION !
Nov 4 2009 7:30 PM
Multicolor clouds video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BymiB9Wssno
Oct 28 2009 7:04 AM
Oct 28 2009 7:03 AM
Oct 28 2009 7:03 AM
Oct 20 2009 4:10 PM
Oct 18 2009 8:01 AM
Oct 13 2009 12:19 AM
Oct 7 2009 2:29 AM
Oct 1 2009 4:33 PM
Oct 1 2009 4:33 PM
Sep 28 2009 11:28 PM
Sep 28 2009 11:28 PM
Sep 28 2009 11:28 PM
de gira por mexico..
pagina 4
Sep 28 2009 11:28 PM
Sep 22 2009 1:22 AM
Sep 21 2009 1:31 AM
Te invitamos a ti, a tu familia, y amigos a que formen parte de la Guelaguetza 2009 compartiendo con nosotros de la tradición Oaxaqueña, de su rico gastronomía, artesanía, música regional y su colorido folklor.
..
..
..
..
Sep 18 2009 9:37 PM
Can you please come to the pet store protest in Grossmont Center Shopping Mall next Sat.?
We desperately need strong activists like you to join us and are trying
to get as large a groups as possible there next Sat. We hope to have
someone videotaping for a you tube video of the protest. We start at 11
AM. Some of us stay until 2 PM, but we realize that not everyone can
stay that long. We have signs and flyers.
Mall security is testing that to the limit and are now keeping cameras
on us, the pet store employees are taking photos of the protesters,
they are passing out their own "our side of the story" flyers, and we
have had instances of employees coming out and screaming obscenities at
us. Security is telling us we can't bring any chairs except
wheelchairs, we can't lean signs, we have to physically hold them, and
they are putting limits on what they say we can do even if we have the
law on our side that says differently. We are now refusing to comply
with any unreasonable demands.
Sep 18 2009 9:37 PM
Download/Descarga OWill-Audiolagia
GRATIS!!!***
dale click ala foto
Sep 18 2009 9:37 PM
Download/Descarga OWill-Audiolagia
GRATIS!!!***
dale click ala foto
Sep 9 2009 4:07 PM
Sep 9 2009 4:07 PM
Gracias for your friendship here by myspace. I am happy about it
On January I was in Mexico. It was too short but I will come back again !!! But Im very interesting for the mexican culture and the mayas. I love the famous mexican painter Frida Kahlo and I was in Mexico City to the Casa Azul in Coyacan. This house faszinated me very much !!
I am learn very nice people there !! The african culture are very interesting, too ! I like the djembe drums very much !!
I wish you a great and sunny week !
Enjoy the moments in your life !
sunny greetings
Kristina