Hip it to the Hip Hip Hop

The flyer will be printed out tomorrow:

From class:

The five elements of hip-hop: MCing, DJing, tagging, breakdancing, beatboxing (and "extended elements" like the fashion and the slang). The birthplace of hip-hop: Brooklyn, NYC in the late 1970s. Hip-hop's popularity and incorporation into mass media. The historical rivalry between the East Side and West Side, which came to a peak in the mid-1990s. The globalization and commercialization (and even product placement) of hip-hop and its reception in other countries (Japan, Sri Lanka, France, India, Spain, Mexico, Tanzania, Ghana, and of course Argentina).

And here's that amazing clip of Polish breakdancers getting blessed in the Vatican City - how's that for a Moment of Zen? What does that say about the reception of hip hop?

No Classes With Kristal and Charly 07/07-11/07

Hi Everyone,

Because of a Fulbright conference that Charly and I must attend, there will be no classes with us from July 7-July 11.  Don't be sad! We'll be back the following week!  Check the blog for possible reading assignments to be discussed when we return.

Best,

Kristal

Hip hop and you don't stop

Our party's location has been confirmed:

HIP HOP AND YOU DON'T STOP
feat. invited deejay DJ Mobil (from Brasil)

Friday, July 4th - 11:55 pm until the next morning
at FRIDA Bar - Calle 5 e/ 54 y 55

Check out our Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=21917927236
Soon we will have flyers ready to hand out. Contact us if you're interested in helping with publicity for the party!

Invite anyone you'd like! This is our party for all of you to congratulate you for a great first term!

Dear Monday Class,

Charly will be covering for me on Monday.  Come to class refreshed, and ready to learn about the wonderful world of hip hop.  

Love, Kristal

Return of the Movie Night

Now equipped with state-of-the-art technology, we proudly present our long-awaited

MOVIE NIGHT

9pm (21.00 hrs), Wednesday, June 25th

Charly's place - Calle 58 e/ 11 y 12, No. 819 Depto 6A

(now the doorbell works too!)

Featuring: O Brother Where Art Thou?

Give yourself a well-deserved study break! There will be food, movies, and good company. As always, bring any food or beverages you'd like!

Nationhood, indigenous peoples, immigrant cultures

OH MAN! I just remembered this terrible, terrible portrayal of indigenous people in Walt Disney's animated movie Peter Pan! This song is called "What Makes The Red Man Red?" Watch this and be privy to the kind of racist portrayal of indigenous people that for so long had been the dominant discourse regarding American Indians. Remember that Smoke Signals was the first movie of its kind: written, produced, directed, and acted entirely by Native Americans.

As I mentioned in class, recently the Canadian Prime Minister issued an official apology for Canada's historical treatment of indigenous people, specifically for the practice of placing indigenous children in boarding schools where they lost contact with their families and their traditions. (Some of you are reading about a similar practice that took place in Australia). A similar official apology has yet to be made by the US government, although currently a bill for it is in the US Senate... check it out here.

IMMIGRATION

As promised in class, here is a link to Fievel's American Tail (I loved this movie when I was little) and Fievel Goes West. Imagine, little Fievel Mousekowitz as a gun-slinging cowboy! Very interesting given our discussion about indigenous peoples, immigrant cultures, and the concept of nationhood.

And here's that iconic photo I told you about:



In 1869, work crews consisting mainly of Irish immigrants coming from the east and Chinese immigrants coming from the west meet at Promontory Point, Utah to complete the Transcontinental Railroad. At center, they drive a golden spike into the ground to commemorate the event.


For more perspectives, from real live people from the USA, check out our Facebook group where we ask them questions, entitled 'Tell Your Story'. Just click on this link... No wait, this one... No, wait, that's another song about Facebook.


No, THIS ONE! That's it! (See also: 'Comments' on this blog.)


There are no cats in America,

Charly

A few notes

As we finish our discussion of the film Smoke Signals, be ready to draw comparisons between US history (as seen in our readings: Zinn, Takaki, Wikipedia - get them if you haven't already!) of treatment of their first peoples, and the history of Argentina's pueblos originarios. Thanks again to Natalia for showing us the following links, which can be a good punto de partida for some more discussions:

http://www.elhistoriador.com.ar/articulos/republica_liberal/conquista_del_desierto.php
http://www.elhistoriador.com.ar/articulos/republica_liberal/sometimiento_indigena_conquista_al_desierto.php
http://www.mapuche.info/indgen/indymedia040825.html

Regarding MOVIE NIGHT:
Unfortunately, as we're still making arrangements to have the technology available for Movie Night, our next Movie Night will be Wednesday, June 25. By then, for sure, I'll have it together. There will be lots of food to celebrate our re-inauguration of Movie Night, too!