OUCH! Why We Love Shoes That Hurt Us

In "Why We Love Shoes That Hurt Us", fashion historians, professors of economics and gender studies and podiatrists debate why women wear high heels and other extreme shoes.

"Are high heels all about sexual advantage, since they elongate and exaggerate the female form?", they ask. "Or is there another explanation? What liberates women and what shackles them, when it comes to shoes?" (Room for Debate - Blog, The New York Times)

According to Nancy Rexford, author of Women's Shoes In America: 1795-1930, it's all about expressing power and control, "control over one’s own body, and the power to use one’s body to draw the gaze of others."

Most of us are familiar with the saying "You can't be too rich or too thin." And, social scientists agree that language reflects a society's values. Rexford echoes this idea when she argues that "thin is a mark of status, and high heels emphasize the advantage by lengthening the leg. Add platform soles, and you rise superior to a wasteland of waddling sweatshirts and dumpy athletic shoes."

Robert H. Frank, professor of economics at Cornell University and author of “The Economic Naturalist’s Field Guide: Common Sense Principles for Troubled Times" adds that you also cannot be "too tall". He explains "Height isn’t always advantageous, of course, but it usually helps. Taller people earn more, for example, and command greater attention in social settings. And hence the attraction of high heels."

In the context of the fashion business, he adds "heels have grown taller as fashion markets have become more competitive. On Paris runways this week, models had to wear five-inch heels atop two-inch platform soles to get an edge."

Marlene Reid, podiatrist and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medicine Association, offers a medical perspective. "When it comes to shoes, women should not have to choose between fashion and foot health. However, most women do need to make healthier shoe choices. According to a recent survey from the American Podiatric Medical Association, far more women (87%) than men (68%) have suffered foot pain due to footwear. Most foot conditions stem from the type of foot we inherit, yet the footwear we select can negatively contribute to the condition’s development. For example, flat feet are the main cause of bunions, but footwear, such as pointed shoes, can contribute to their progression and pain."

One important theoretical perspective that was not discussed in this debate is a biosocial explanation.

Dr. Helen Fisher, an anthropology professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, is in the camp of those who think that sky-high heels are just too sexy for most workplaces. “High heels thrust out the buttocks and arch the back into a natural mammalian courting — actually, copulatory — pose called ‘lordosis,’ ” Fisher said. “Rats do it, sheep do it ... lions do it, dogs do it. ... It is a naturally sexy posture that men immediately see as sexual readiness. [Heels] are a ‘come hither’ signal. ... “When women wear high heels at work, they send sexual signals that should be avoided if they want to be taken seriously.” (Do high heels empower or oppress women?)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Do high heels empower or oppress women? 23 September 2009 TODAYShow.com
Why we love shoes that hurt us. 8 October 2009 Room for Debate - The New York Times www.roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes

The Women's Conference

There is a live webcast today, Tuesday, October 27th from 8 am until 7 pm PDT, of the Women's Conference. Click here to view the webcast and see the website.

What is The Women’s Conference?

The Women’s Conference is the largest and most dynamic gathering of women in the nation. The annual Conference unites more than 80 internationally-acclaimed leaders, visionaries and authors with 14,000 women in one arena, plus thousands more online, to share enriching stories of transformation and success, self-empowerment and life lessons (The Women's Conference).

One section of the website is the XX Effect: Generation to Generation, WHAT DO WOMEN WANT? Women from diverse backgrounds and generations answer this question. You can actually join this conversation and share your opinion about what women want. Here is the link to the webpage.

According to WE Education: My

THE FACTS: A young woman who graduates from college will earn about 76% more over her lifetime than a woman with only a high school diploma. This education provides her with a head start in her effort to become financially independent today—and in the future.

This week, my online students will be discussing these and other issues related to gender. More later.....

Do Your Choices Reveal Your Class?

Balsamic vinegar, tofu, white bread or 9-nine grain bread, tartufo bianco vinegar? Does your consumption reveal your social class? What do you surround yourself with? Satirist, Joe Queenan, talks about baby-boomer consumption patterns.

Watch the video:  http://video.pbs.org/video/2365121624/

Marketing and the social sciences are intertwined. According to the PBS "People Like Us" website "Marketers know that birds of a feather flock together."

Yes, you are where you live!

Go to this website: PRIZM
"Type in your zip code and get a printout of the kind of people who live there, as well as the kinds of cars they drive, the food they eat, and the magazines they read. Maybe you're more like your neighbors than you think!" (People Like Us)

Thinking About Social Class

Last week we explored human diversity and the social construction of race. This week my online students are discussing social class, addressing the following questions:

What is the meaning of class?

Is it about:

social or economic position?
income?
education?
prestige?

power and control?

one's culture?
taste and lifestyle, regardless of income?
one's ethnicity, religion or race?
one's job?
one's self-image or attitude about the world?

The PBS documentary People Like Us: Social Class in America reveals the many ways Americans think about and define social class. The following is an introduction to the film.


How do you define social class? With which class do you most identify?

Human Diversity: Skin Color Adaptation

One of my students correctly pointed out that many physical traits, for example, skin color, represent human adaptations to different environments. A biological adaptation is a trait that has evolved over time because it increases the likelihood that a person will survive long enough to reproduce, thus allowing the survival of a population. A cline is a gradual change in a trait over a geographic area. The above map shows a cline for skin color.

Our skin must:

1. Absorb enough ultraviolet radiation from the sun to manufacture Vitamin D, which our bodies need to keep our bones strong and healthy.

2. Protect us from the damages of too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Too much UV radiation destroys folate, a B vitamin. Folate deficiency is linked to neural tube birth defects during pregnancy.

Melanin is the pigment in our skin that determines how much UV radiation will be absorbed by our bodies. Melanin also gives skin its color. The darker the skin, the more melanin it contains. Note the regions where skin tone is the darkest. These areas are closer to the equator where ultraviolet radiation from the sun is most intense. Melanin acts as a filter to protect the body from absorbing excessive amounts of UV radiation. If your skin tone is darker, your ancestors most likely lived closer to the equator. In regions with low UV radiation, such as Scandinavian countries, the skin contains low levels of melanin, making skin lighter. Light skin allows the absorption of enough UV radiation to make Vitamin D.

If a person with dark skin moves to Sweden, he/she should take Vitamin D supplements to prevent conditions such as rickets. This is why milk is usually fortified with Vitamine D. If a light-skinned Scandinavian woman were to move to a country in central Africa, she would likely need to take higher doses of the B vitamin, folic acid, particularly during pregnancy.

Hence, visible traits are biological adaptations to environmental conditions and not determinants of a person's identity.

In the following video clip, Nina Jablonski, author of Skin: A Natural History, discusses human adaptation to different climates and levels of ultraviolet radiation.

Race & Human Variation: Student Observations

During this past week, students in SOC 320 Gender, Race & Class engaged in a lively discussion forum after reading about race in our textbook, completing the sorting exercise and viewing the video clips at the PBS website. Here are just a few student comments from our discussion.

"Wow!!! First off let me say, I really enjoy topics like this. I found the video quite interesting when it explain how truly close we are, genetically alike, versus any other species in the world. It amazes me how much people react to race and the misconception that comes with race. Is race real? Race is real only to the minds of confused people. Society has created this separation amongst the many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Over the years, it has been embedded within us that we are a specific race, when ultimately we are just one race, the Human Race. Race is not real. Being a racist or having racism is real." Student in Soc 320 Online

Thank you for your comments! Yes, while there is genetic variation (scientists call this genotype) among human beings, classifying people into discrete biological or "racial" groups by their visible traits (scientists call this phenotype) is not possible. The sorting exercise demonstrated this. Dr. Kulik

"This section is absolutely interesting and I am soaking up every last bit of it. I've never really paid a whole lot of attention to the meaning of race and its origin. Unfortunately I only guessed 7 out of the 20 for the sorting exercise. I was very confident and actually took upwards of 20 minutes trying to get my answers correct because I was adamant I could figure out a person's race just by looking at their physical features. Race is not real and here it is 2009 with all the integration that we do as a country, well as a world, that we still attempt to put people in a "race" box just by their appearance. It was very interesting to see that we are more genetically linked then we think we are. The video was very enlightening and I will let my children watch it so they can learn this as I am. "You can't judge a book by its cover" truer words were never spoken!" Student in Soc 320 Online

Good points. Thank you! While human populations show some genetic variation, it is correct that we are far more alike than different. Dr. Kulik

"I did not do too well on the sorting exercise. I think I got seven out of the twenty right and the rest I guessed. It was not easy, I will tell you that though, I learned you cannot categorize people based on the way they look, their physical features. The reason why I did not do too well on the sorting exercise, for example, is that a person who is considered black in one society might be nonblack in another. Race should not be based on the physical features of people. I think race should be considered more a social and/or a mental construct rather than an objective biological fact." Student in Soc 320 Online

There are historical and cross-cultural data to support your argument that racial groups have been socially constructed. Historically, Brazil has classified people in as many as 30 or more categories. Also, in U.S. history, the Irish and Italians were once classified as "non-white". If race were purely biological, why would these categories shift over time and across cultures?
Good observation! Thank you! Dr. Kulik

"There is only one race, and that is the human race. I could go on for half an hour and talk about evolution, but anyone should be familiar with the works of Charles Darwin! I took a class in evolutionary psychology and we studied Darwin, I learned so much! Read about evolution! Scientists have concluded that we are one human race; Homo Sapiens! The external differences we see and wrongly perceive as races are just biologically developed traits that make us more suitable for the natural environment we initially grew up in. Natural selection has shaped our skin colors, noses etc. differently in order to better deal with the natural environment we live in." Student in Soc 320 Online

I'm glad you raised the concept of adaptation. I have posted some information on biological adaptation and skin color. Thank you! Dr. Kulik

Thanks to all students for your excellent work this week!

Is Race Real?

What is race? What makes a person "Latino" or "black" or "Native American"? Skin color, hair texture, facial features? Can you be "white" and "Hispanic" at the same time? Is someone from Spain of the same "race" as a person from Brazil? Is "race" defined by physical characteristics or are customs and beliefs better determinants of the category or categories to which we belong? If our culture and sociohistorical background more accurately describe who we are, perhaps, ethnicity (ethnic background) is a more meaningful category.

Answers to these questions vary, even among scholars, however, social anthropologists tend to prefer "ethnicity" over "race". The website from the PBS series Race: The Power of Illusion has an interesting interactive feature that allows you to try sorting people into races based on their physical characteristics. If you'd like to give it a try, click HERE. Go on, try it! It is fun and instructive.

View Part I of this PBS series "The Difference Between Us" at http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-about-01-01.htm

Marriage of John Rolfe & Pocahontas in Early America

The Wedding of Pocahantas with John Rolf, 1867. Lithograph by Joseph Hoover. Library of Congress.

Source: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006677657/

"When the English first arrive in America, neither the colonists nor Indians think of themselves or each other in racial terms. On the contrary, Protestant England's hated rival is Catholic Spain, while Native Americans see themselves as many nations divided by language, custom and power. When the Powhatan princess Pocahontas marries colonist John Rolfe, the union causes a scandal in the British court, not because Rolfe has married an Indian, but because Pocahontas, a princess, has married a commoner. In 17th-century England, social station is more important than physical differences." (Race: The Power of An Illusion)

Race: The Power of An Illusion, 10 October 2009 (www.pbs.org/race)

When Italian-Americans were "Enemy Aliens"

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, at least 600,000 Italian-Americans were labeled "enemy aliens" Many were forced to carry identification cards, report job changes, follow a strict 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and could not travel more than five miles from home. Some who did not comply with one or more of these restrictions were arrested and imprisoned

Some Americans of Italian ancestry were forced to leave their homes and jobs and relocate to other areas or internment camps.

Even the fisherman father of baseball great Joe DiMaggio who had a 56-game hitting streak in 1941, was told he could not fish San Francisco Bay or visit the city.

In Pittsburgh, California, 2,000 Italians were told to leave. Many were fishermen, and their boats were confiscated.

"Some of them lost their homes. They had no way of making a living, and so a lot of the things they had, they lost," says Pat Firpo of the Pittsburgh Historical Society (Dornin)

Government-issued propaganda posters (see above) encouraged the suppression of the Italian language and culture. Many Italian-American parents stopped teaching Italian to their children.
"A bill in Congress, Wartime Violations of Italian American Civil Liberties Act (HR 2442) which has passed the House of Representatives, would require the U.S. Department of Justice to compile a report detailing injustices suffered by Italian Americans and would request a formal acknowledgement of these injustices by the President (Italian.about.com).
Dornin, Rusty "'Secret' of WWII: Italian Americans Forced To Move" 21 September 1997 CNN (http://www.cnn.com)
"When Speaking Italian Was A Crime: Don't Speak The Enemy's Language!" Italian.About.com (http://italian.about.com)

October Is Italian American Heritage Month

Every year the president of the United States signs an executive order designating the month of October as National Italian American Heritage Month, in recognition of the achievements and contributions made to American culture by Italian-Americans.

On June 23, 2009 the New Jersey Senate approved a measure to permanently designate October as Italian-American Heritage month. The legislative response was driven by a grassroots effort by UNICO National through its Anti-Bias Committee. UNICO is the largest Italian-American service organization, founded in 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Unico is the Italian word for unique, one of a kind. Over the years, UNICO became an acronym that stood for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity (UNICO National). UNICO's national headquarters is right around the corner on Rt. 46 in Fairfield, NJ.

To learn more about the history of Italian-Americans, explore the exhibit Milestones of the Italian American Experience, created by the National Italian American Foundation.

Ellis Island & Italian Immigration

Between 1880 and 1920, nearly four million Italians immigrated to the United States. Between 1890 and 1910, approximately 85% were from southern Italy (Nelli 1973). Among those Italian immigrants were my great-grandfather Leonardo Romano, his wife Maria Romano and their two sons, Pasquale (age 3) and Matteo Luciano Romano (11 months), my grandfather. The passenger record and ship manifest (pasted below) show that my family arrived at Ellis Island, NYC on April 29, 1901 on a ship called Patria that originated from Naples, Italy. Their last place of residence was Roseto (Foggia), Italy. See the photo above.

Passenger Record

First Name: Leonardo
Last Name: Romano
Ethnicity: Italian
Last Place of residence: Roseto
Date of Arrival: April 29, 1901
Age at arrival: 31 y Gender: M Marital Status: M
Ship of travel: Patria (1882)
Port of departure: Naples
Manifest line number: 0027

		0027.	Romano, Leonardo	M	31y	M	Italian	Roseto
		0028.	Romano, Maria	F	22y	M	Italian	Roseto
		0029.	Romano, Pasquale	M	3y	S	Italian	Roseto
		0030.	Romano, Mattea	M	11m	S	Italian	Roseto

If your immigrant ancestors (Italian or otherwise) arrived at Ellis Island, you can search the records of Ellis Island for free at this link.
Humbert S. Nelli, “Italians,” in The Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups, Stephen Thernstrom, ed. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1973), 545.

Reverse Culture Shock!

I must confess. Since returning from Mexico this past weekend, I have been experiencing a moderate case of reverse culture shock, or as my son Maxwell calls it, "counter-culture shock".
Culture shock is the psychological disorientation one experiences when living or working in another culture. Reverse culture shock happens when you come home.

"Reverse culture shock results from being re-exposed to a familiar environment after being away from it for a period of time. For some, the experience is more intense than initial culture shock. Frequently, many experience feelings of frustration at re-adapting to the home environment (Peace Corps Worldwide)."

Max had a particularly stubborn case of reverse culture shock when he returned from a summer study program in Spain several years ago. He was irritable, moody and quite critical of American culture. He told me, "Spanish restaurants charge for bread, but give you a free bottle of wine with dinner! American restaurants should do the same!" (Not a bad idea, I thought--at least for us, but maybe not for the restaurant owner.)

I know. Wasn't I prepared for reverse culture shock? After all, I am an anthropologist. Yes, intellectually, I understand culture shock and reverse culture shock. And, I recall experiencing both when I spent a college summer study program in Ecuador. No one is immune and few are really prepared for what I call "re-entry shock".

According to the Center for Global Education, the stages of reverse culture shock are:

1. Disengagement - This happens before you even leave the foreign country, maybe a week or two before departure. You begin to realize that you must separate and say good-bye to the friends you've made abroad and to the place you briefly called home. It is not uncommon for people to feel intense feelings of sadness. This happened to me a week or two before I left Mexico. As my friend and I were watching a beautiful sunset from a rooftop terrace, my eyes suddenly and quite unexpectedly filled with tears. He understood what was happening to me, but the waiter was confused. Another close friend told me she sobbed for an hour and a half, the entire time it takes to ride from San Miguel to the Leon airport. The van driver was trying to comfort her.

2. Initial Euphoria - This is a feeling of elation and excitement at the idea of going home. I experienced this as a feeling of homesickness for my sons and colleagues and great anticipation for the return to the U.S. The length of this stage varies, but it was brief for me.

3. Irritability and Hostility - This is a difficult phase of reverse culture shock and I started feeling it when people were pushing each other to get off of the plane and talking on their cell phones. How rude, how impersonal they are. Hey, slow down, I'm on Mexican time, I thought. Then, while waiting for a connecting flight in Houston, which was delayed, I became annoyed at the Homeland Security announcement about the terrorist threat level of orange. I recall thinking, Do they really have to announce it every three minutes?! Why not every hour? This stage can also include the feeling of being a stranger at home and longing to return abroad. Yes, I've had both of those symptoms!

4. Re-adjustment and Adaptation-Gradually, one readjusts to being home. Getting back to a familiar routine and spending time with supportive family, friends and colleagues helps tremendously. I haven't fully entered this phase yet, but I am working on it!

Feet in Two Cultures

"Tolerance, intercultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected."
-- Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General of the United Nations

Saying adios to Mexico, to mis amigos was bittersweet. Reuniting with my colleagues, with my Berkeley "family" today was joyous. However, adjusting to life in New Jersey will take some time. I still feel as if I have one foot in each culture. My body and mind are still on "Mexican time" and the silence here keeps me awake at night. I miss the church bells and the mariachis.

I agree with Kofi Annan that respect for diversity is essential for our survival and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is a model for tolerance and intercultural dialogue. Of a population of around 80,000 people, at least 10,000 are Americans. It is not an easy task, but Mexicans and gringos (Americans) have had to work together side by side to preserve the city for future generations.
We can learn a great dea1 from the diverse community of San Miguel de Allende and apply it to our own communities right here in the U.S.

Dr. Martin Luther King once said that "Men hate each other because they fear each other, and they fear each other because they don't know each other, and they don't know each other because they are often separated from each other."

Atahualpa Caldera Sosa - Biologist & Watershed Expert

Atahualpa Caldera Sosa .

Atahualpa Caldera Sosa, biologist and watershed management expert, delivered a fascinating lecture to the Rotary Mid-day Club of San Miguel de Allende yesterday. I must admit that Ata has really inspired me to learn more about living sustainably. His family lives around 15 minutes outside of San Miguel de Allende on a property that is a model of sustainable living -- adobe house, solar panels, dry (compost) toilets, a windmill, solar oven, and a water collection system with filtration and a 90,000-liter cistern. Through his non-profit organization, Grupo de Acción Ambiental Interdisciplinaria A.C., Ata offers tours and workshops on how to construct and maintain some of these alternative energy systems.

Ata received his degree in Biology from the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM) and recently completed his Masters Degree in Watershed Management at the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro (UAQ). Ata has participated in various workshops and seminars in Mexico and abroad in Germany and Canada. He was Coordinator of Projects concerning Natural Protected Areas, Ecotourism and Compost for Organizacion Accion y Desarrollo Ecologico A.C. He also worked for the Ecology Department in Cuernavaca and the Environmental Management Program at the University of Morelos. In San Miguel he was Coordinator of Environmental Education for Save the Laja.

Ata is also a co-producer of an award-winning documentary directed by Francesco Taboada Tabone called 13 Pueblos: en defensa del agua, el aire y la tierra (defending water, air and land), Winner of Premio Rigoberta Menchu at the Montreal 2008 People's Festival.

"In the future, wars will be fought over water, but in Mexico the war has already begun. This documentary contemplates Mexico’s destiny, telling the story of the struggle of its indigenous people to preserve their natural resources and their cultural identity (Cine Las Americas)."

Click to go to a blog for the film.

13 Pueblos - defending water, air and land

Mexican Cinema Series

As part of the Mexican Independence celebration, Teatro Santa Ana at the Biblioteca Publica presents three great films this week, two movies representative of the Golden Age and one of the New Age.

"The outburst of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema took place in 1943. The 70 movies filmed that year proved cinema had become a true industry in Mexico. Europe and the US were busy in the war, which had freed Mexican cinema from the European influence and greatly diminished the American one. Mexican directors made their greatest effort that year; (Atencion San Miguel)".

Mexican Film Series

María Candelaria (1943) - Directed by Emilio “Indio” Fernández
Starring Dolores del Río (of Hollywood fame) and Pedro Armendáriz
"The story of a young flower seller of Xochimilco, who is harassed by the villagers of her community for being the daughter of a prostitute. The film examines both racism against Indians in Mexico and social ostracism in the forties (Atencion San Miguel)."

Thu, Sep 17, 2pm
Fri, Sep 18, 7pm
Spanish with English subtitles



Nosotros los Pobres
(We, the Poor) Directed in 1947 by Ismael Rodríguez
"It depicts the sorrows and difficulties of humble carpenter Pepe el Toro (Infante) and a vision of the people in the poor neighborhoods of Mexico City during the forties. Two glories of the Mexican stage and screen, Carmen Montejo and Katy Jurado (Oscar nominee for Best Supporting Actress in 1954 for The Broken Lance) accompany Infante in this unforgettable film, seen by generations of Mexicans (Atencion San Miguel)."

Fri, Sep 18, 4pm
Spanish with English subtitles

Voces Inocentes - Directed in 2004 by Luis Mandoki
(Innocent Voices)

Jesus Ibarra of Atencion San Miguel describes this film as a "touching story of Chava, an 11-year-old boy who lives in a small village in the middle of the civil war in El Salvador. During the eighties, the government army in El Salvador recruited 12-year-old boys, taking them out of schools. Chava has only one year left of innocence, one year before he is also enrolled by the army to fight against rebels. The issue of child recruitment is a central subject in the movie. Director Mandoki said, “Nowadays, more than 300,000 kids are recruited by armies all around the world. This is one of the reasons I had for telling this story (Atencion San Miguel).”

Thu, Sep 17, 7pm
Fri, Sep 18, 1pm
Spanish with English subtitles

Father Miguel Hidalgo - Padre de la Patria

The answer to last week's poll is: Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Father of Mexican Independence.

Father Hidalgo was born into a middle class family in the city of Guanajuato in 1753. "He attended the Jesuit College of San Francisco Javier, received a bachelor's degree from the University of Mexico in 1774, and was ordained into the priesthood in 1778. He soon earned the enmity of the authorities, however, by openly challenging both church doctrine and aspects of Spanish rule by developing Mexican agriculture and industry" (Library of Congress: American Memory).

In 1803, Hidalgo became the priest of a small parish of Dolores in the state of Guanajuato. Between 1803 and 1810, he focused all of his attention on improving the socioeconomic conditions of the Indian and mestizo population by developing local craft industries. He also joined the Academia Literaria, a literary and political group that organized a plot to free the colony of Mexico from Spanish rule.

In the early hours of September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gathered the congregation --mostly Mestizo and Indian --of his parish church in the pueblo of Dolores and urged them to take up arms and fight for Mexico's independence from Spain. That impassioned speech, known as El Grito de Dolores, or Cry of Dolores, is celebrated and "re-enacted" in Mexico every year on September 16 as Mexican Independence Day (The Library of Congress: American Memory).

In that cry for freedom, he is believed to have said:

My Children, a new dispensation comes to us today…Will you free yourselves? Will you recover the lands stolen three hundred years ago from your forefathers by the hated Spaniards? We must act at once.

El Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores), attributed to Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, September 16, 1810.

Father Hidalgo was captured and executed in 1811 and Mexico would not win the war for independence until 1821.

The following video made for the 2010 Bicentenario Mexico (Mexican Bicentennial) tells the story of the 11-year war for Mexican independence.

Library of Congress - American Memory (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html)

Que Pasa Calendario - This Week in San Miguel!

I have a Friday morning ritual. I walk 3 blocks to the jardin, buy a copy of the bi-lingual weekly newspaper, Atencion San Miguel and sit down at my favorite cafe on the corner of the jardin and El Correo. In my opinion, they serve the best coffee in town, Illy coffee. I order two cups of coffee -- first a cafe con leche (latte), bien caliente (very hot), then an Americano (American coffee), served with a tiny pitcher of warm milk.

Then, I peruse Que Pasa, the newspaper's calendar of arts, lectures, etc. for the coming week and circle the lectures and events that I might like to attend. Since I'm on a budget, I look for free events first. There are several free arts and cultural events and social groups each week and some that cost 60 pesos ($4.60) or less, for example play readings for only 20 pesos, less than $2.

This week's Que Pasa lists all of the events for the Fiestas Patrias, the celebration of Mexican Independence!

On Sunday there is a race to commemorate the Conspiracy for Independence.

Monday, the Conspirators Horse Ride through the streets to the jardin.

Tuesday is a really big day! "El Grito" (the cry for independence) night in the jardin with the Ballet Folklorico at 8 pm.

10:45 pm: The carrying of the Mexican flag to Ignacio Allende's house.

10:55 pm, the arrival of the athletes with a symbolic Liberty Fire at the Plaza Principal

11 pm the mayor leads a ceremony of El Grito! This year the newly elected mayor, Lucy Nunez, the first woman presidenta municipal (mayor) may be the first to shout "El Grito" from the balcony of the Museo Casa de Allende followed by a spectacular display of fireworks.The grito usually acknowledges the heroes of the independence by shouting their names -- Viva Hidalgo! Viva Allende! Viva Aldama! etc. Then, shouting the name of the town, for example, Viva San Miguel de Allende! followed by Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico!

My friend wondered why everyone carries a collapsed cardboard box or an umbrella to El Grito. Apparently, people hold them over their heads so they don't get burned by the falling sparks of the fireworks -- now that is a lot of fireworks!

Here's a slide show from last year's celebration. You can see the beautiful Parroquia, the fireworks and all of the umbrellas!



Midnight on: Fiesta!!
Wednesday- Military Parade, Mexican Independence Horse Riding and more fireworks!
Friday - Parade and Fair

Que Pasa also lists religious and spiritual meetings for the week -- Catholic masses, of course, but also Episcopal, Baptist, Jewish - Shalom SMA, Unitarian (of which I've attended here), and even Quaker, Mormon, Baha'i and Sufi! On Friday 9/18, for example, there is a Rosh Hashana dinner at 6 pm at a local restaurant followed by a service at 7:30 pm. This diversity reflects the thousands of American retirees who call San Miguel de Allende home.

Bridge classes, rubber bridge, backgammon, writers' & readers' forum, guitar workshop, bird walks, yoga, pilates, astrology lecture, art openings & receptions, films, concerts, plays -- something for everyone -- even daily meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, other 12-step meetings and a bereavement support group.

Click here to see the Que Pasa calendar for the coming week!

Fiesta Mexicana Kicks Off La Independencia!

On Monday evening, September 14th, the Biblioteca Publica (public library) will host their annual Fiesta Mexicana to start the week-long celebration of Mexican Independence!

This is how Atencion San Miguel, the local newspaper, describes the fiesta:

"Teatro Santa Ana (Santa Ana Theater) director José Luis Mendoza will MC the event with his natural predisposition for drama and his irreverent but entertaining persona. The fiesta begins with a welcome shot of mescal which will get guests in the mood to join in the fun of one of Mexico’s most loved games—Lotería (Bingo)! The cryptic calls for the bingo cards are a great way to hone your colloquial Spanish skills, and if you are quick on the draw you might earn a prize (Atencion San Miguel)."

The festivities also include the Ballet Folklórico, who will perform indigenous and Mexican dances, the musical group, Estudiantina, and the folklore harp performance of Sergio Basurto.

Traditional Mexican food and drinks include typical botanas (snacks) and national drinks. "All of this can be enjoyed on the cool stone patio of the lovely Biblioteca courtyard as the sun begins to set and the moon begins to rise (Atencion San Miguel)." Of course, you know where I will be on Monday evening!

Galeria Atotonilco - Mexican Folk Art

Serape from San Luis Potosi circa 1920

I recently spent a good part of the afternoon touring Mayer Shacter's spectacular Mexican folk art gallery, Galeria Atotonilco, and home, Casa Renacimiento (Renaissance House), situated about 5 miles north of San Miguel de Allende. In 2001, Mayer and his wife, writer Susan Page, purchased an abandoned rattan furniture factory on eight acres along the Rio Laja. They engaged landscape architect Tim Wachter and celebrated architects Steven and Cathi House, "who transformed the property and buildings into a spectacular home and gallery, which have now been featured in two books and a magazine. The unusual architecture has been variously dubbed "contemporary organic" or "modern baroque." (Galeria Atotonilco) You can take a virtual tour of the gallery by clicking here.

Originally from Berkeley, California, Mayer Shacter had a flourishing career as a ceramic artist for 27 years and also dealt in fine antiques. Since moving to Mexico, he travels throughout the country to find the best artists working today, and then purchases their finest work. He often commissionins pieces, so many of the items in the gallery are unique. His vintage serapes, 19th century retablos, ex-votos, and antique trunks are impressive. And, his collections of papel mache, carved and painted wood figures, ceramics and Huichol yarn paintings are quite beautiful.

Visits to Galeria Atotonilco are by appointment only. Contact information is on their website www.folkartsanmiguel.com

Diego and I -- In Guanajuato!

Greetings from the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato, birthplace of artist, Diego Rivera!

Move over, Frida Kahlo! I just had to have my photo taken with this statue of Diego Rivera (everyone does!), which is located just around the bend from the Museo Casa Diego Rivera, the home in which Rivera was born on December 8, 1886.

I recommend visiting The Virtual Diego Rivera Web Museum, especially the gallery of his paintings. Click here for the gallery.

Another interesting section contains video clips about his travels in the United States and the controversy about the content of his murals. There is also a home movie of Diego with his wife, artist Frida Kahlo. Click here to view the video clips.

One of my favorite murals is "Sunday Afternoon Dream in Alameda Park", which is on the wall in the Museo Casa Diego Rivera. It is also the first mural presented in the section with Rivera's murals, click here

I love this colorful city! It feels so European and there are far fewer Americans, so it was a welcome change for me. Just about all shopkeepers in San Miguel de Allende speak English, but in Guanajuato, this is not the case. Better for practicing my Spanish!

In addition to the Museo Casa Diego Rivera, I have also visited two other outstanding museums --click on the link to El Museo Iconografico del Quijote (yes, Don Quijote de la Mancha!) and the Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato (The Museum of the People of Guanajuato). I will be adding a slide show for each museum, but in the meantime here are a few street scenes from this charming city. Hasta luego.

Below is a slide show from the Museo del Pueblo (Museum of the People) with its beautiful murals depicting scenes from Mexican history and 19th century religious art.