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I loved watching this video! The physical strength, confidence, and grit of these women is very cool. Something that I found to be beautiful is how the cholita wrestlers find so much purpose and strength in what they do. Many of them speak about how empowering being in the ring is. Marta la Alteña (Jenny) …

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In this week’s readings, I was amazed by how culturally significant clothing and appearances are not only in lucha libre but also in everyday life. It’s so interesting to see and understand the stories behind such cultural items, namely the mask used in Mexican wrestling. The significance of the masks is explored in the sectionsContinue reading "Week 9: Wrestling" read full post >>

This week’s readings are super interesting to me and right on brand with my final project! I’m going to discuss my favourite article of the two “Sarita Colonia Comes Flying”. I thought this article was super interesting because it demonstrates very clearly what powers people believe Sarita Colonia possesses from the perspective of someone who …

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This week, I found Roger Canals article on María Lionza particularly interesting. I was initially drawn to it because of its complexities and rituals. Canals begins his article with an introduction to the cult. I quite liked how he outlined the correct terms for the spirits. It also reminded me of Alison Spedding’s article “TheContinue reading "Week 8: Religion" read full post >>

For our final project, we will be investigating the origins and traditions of Catholicism in Mexico. We are most interested in studying the different Mexican saints and virgins, as well as their cultural significance. For example, we might talk about La Virgen de Guadalupe or La Santa Muerte. According to a Pew study referenced in …

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Feeling Collective: The Queer Politics of Affect in the Riot Grrrl Movement, Kate Siegfried In the article “Feeling Collective: The Queer Politics of Affect in the Riot Grrrl Movement”, Kate Siegfried coherently outlines the Riot Grrrl movement by showcasing its history and its effect on popular culture. She begins by highlighting what this underground movementContinue reading "Somos Mulheres Não Utensílios: Riot Grrrl in Brazil" read full post >>

The assigned readings for this week remind me of a course I took last year called Anthropology of Drugs (ANTH 203), where we studied the socio-cultural meanings and constructions of drugs. One of the most important things I learned through this course is that the classification of substances as drugs is highly dependent on cultural, …

Continue reading "Coca, Corridos, and Culture"

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I found Alison Spedding’s article “The Cultural Life of Coca” incredibly interesting. I didn’t realise that there was a cultural significance behind growing coca, I thought it was only a way to earn money. I found the symbolism behind the coca plant so beautiful and meaningful. It started to feel more personal to me sinceContinue reading "Week 5: Drugs" read full post >>

This week’s readings were focused on the possible roles and symbolism of food in Latin American popular culture. Despite the readings being very different, a common theme between the two is the actual or symbolic power of food as a form of rebellion against oppression. Where Rosario Castellanos in “Cooking Lessons” uses the action of …

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In her story “Cooking Lesson”, Rosario Castellanos expertly outlines the woes of women and their place in society. She combines two stories to highlight the sacrifices that she has had to take because of the gender roles that tie her down. During the story, the woman/narrator explains her resentment towards being a housewife all whileContinue reading "Week 4: Food and Drink" read full post >>