Zapatista Solidarity Event-Melbourne

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A discussion on the diverse contexts of autonomous organizing AND
organizing for autonomy in Mexico.

Talk about four struggles which are part of the Other Campaign

Purepecha people's autonomous school& enviro conservation.

Farncisco Villa Popular Independent Front's urban housing co-ops
Cucapa people in Baja California North Community Police in Guerrero

Short doccos on different indigenous struggles and organizing in the north
of Mexico.

Entry, food & drink all by donation.

In Our Own Image - Public Forum on Media and Indigenous Struggle

On Thursday April 3, a public forum on Auckland will be held on the struggle to create representations of indigenous struggle and experience. Alexandra Halkin, the International Coordinator of the Chiapas Media Project and Leonie Pihama, a film maker and renowned scholar on Maori education and broadcasting, will discuss the challenges of bringing indigenous self-determination on screen.

IN OUR OWN IMAGE

A public forum as part of the Talk About Terror series at the Whare Wananga, Auckland Central Library

WITH

Alexandra Halkin, Chiapas Media Project, Mexico
Leonie Pihama, Maori and Indigenous Analysis Ltd., Aotearoa

For many indigenous groups, the issue of who controls representations is critical. With a cultural identity that exists outside of mainstream society, the complex histories and unique perspectives of these groups are often lost in our images of the nation. This idea of competing images of identity in one nation was recently highlighted in the news coverage of the so called 'terror raids' on the Tuhoe communities of Ruatoki and Taneatua on the East Coast. While mainstream media overwhelmingly focused on the legality of the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002, Maori media saw the raids as a continuation of state oppression against the Tuhoe sovereignty movement. In this second session of the Talk About Terror series, we examine what it means to create representations In Our Own Image through the work of two film makers, Alexandra Halkin and Leonie Pihama.

Alexandra Halkin, the International Coordinator of the Chiapas Media Project (Promedios), joins us from Mexico. Promedios gives voice to indigenous peoples from the states of Chiapas and Guerrero in Mexico by providing them with cameras to track their lives in a region torn with infamously poor human rights records and one of the highest international incidences of political murders and disturbances. She is joined by Leonie Pihama, a film maker and renowned scholar on Maori education and broadcasting, who played a crucial role in the formation of the Maori Television Service. What will emerge in this dialogue spanning two distinct nations are the commonalities of indigenous experience - the struggle to create space for indigenous representations, the marginalisation and demonisation of minority cultures, and the importance of film and television in shaping our perceptions of society.

In Our Own Image pays tribute to Barry Barclay (Ngati Apa, 1944 - 2008) who dedicated most of his life to bringing indigenous stories to the screen. Director of the landmark 1974 Tangata Whenua documentary series, he was a pioneer of Maori film and television, forever altering the cultural landscape of New Zealand by becoming the first Maori to direct a feature film in 1987, the visually cerebral Ngati. Barclay sought to shed light on the international struggles shared by indigenous peoples to retain autonomy over their own image by offering alternatives to the largely stereotypical representations of these cultures. In the second session of the Talk About Terror series in response to the 'terror raids' on the Tuhoe people and the power of visual representation played out in the news media during that time, we honour Barclay's legacy by bringing together two contemporary filmmakers to discuss the challenges of indigenous self-determination on screen.

DATE: Thursday April 3

TIME: 6-7.30pm

VENUE: Whare Wananga, Auckland Central Library, Lorne Street

This lecture is a part of the Talk About Terror Series Organised by Nova Paul, Geraldene Peters and Phoebe Fletcher AUT University, The University of Auckland

In Our Own Image.pdf (200 k)

Related:

http://www.chiapasmediaproject.org/cmp/index.html

Indigenous Gathering of the Americas -statement of the north

Introduction to the closing declaration of the pre-gathering at the Rancho Penasco , from October 7-9, brought to the attention of thousands of people at the first indigenous encounter of the Americas, hosted and called for by the National Indigenous Congress, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and the traditional yaqui authorities.

Latin American and Asia Pacific Solidarity Gathering 2006

respective nations of: Bolivia, Tuhoe,Ngati Whatua, Mexico

Latin American and Asia Pacific Solidarity Gathering 2006


"Better to die standing, than to live on your knees."

Have just had 2 inspirational days of sharing common struggle and
resistance to the colonial beast that has ravaged ( and continues) to ravage the world. Grassroots people Asia, Melanesia, Polynesia, over the South
America. Humble revolutionaries imbued with a great love & respect for their lands peoples & way of life, actively resisting.

The greed for the plunder of our resources and destruction of our
identity is similar all the world. Genocide keeps on perfecting
itself, so you get a clear picture of whats in store for us if we dont
assert our right to be and live as Maori on Maori land. NZ settler
govt just keep perfecting killing us off slowly.

Chaz was a mercurial ambassador for Tuhoe and gave a moving korero
about Mana Motuhake, and our colonial history & continuing resistance.
It was choice to tautoko bro, and we even had tutu Maori tamariki
running around Smile.It was good to be reminded that around this planet,
we the colonised, the oppressed, exploited & marginalised are the majority and the time has come for us to stand up.

In struggle & solidarity

Ana


www.latinlasnet.org