March 15, 2006
Cultural Survival brings Mayan women's voices to Clark stage
Worcester, Mass. - The Women's Studies Program at Clark University and Cultural Survival, an organization promoting the rights of indigenous peoples, invite the public to a performance of the play "Creci solo con el amor de mi madre" ("Just With the Love of My Mother"), at 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 5, in the Jefferson Academic Center, Room 320.
The play is by FOMMA, a Mayan women's playwright cooperative based in Chiapas, Mexico. FOMMA is an acronym for "Fortaleza de la Mujer Maya" (Strength of the Mayan Woman), and was founded in 1994 by the first Indian women playwrights, Petrona de la Cruz and Isabel Juarez Espinosa.
The play (approx. 1 ½ hours) is in Spanish and an English text summary and text on the theme of play will be provided. A question-and-answer period will follow.
FOMMA'S works confront many universal issues through an indigenous lens. They depict women's issues, reproductive health, domestic affairs, women's self-determination, as well as liberation from violence through dramatic visuals and humor. The group uses funding from its performances at home and abroad to provide a variety of educational opportunities through language training and skill building for Mayan women and children.
FOMMA's performances are especially relevant to Latin American studies, women's studies, anthropology, theater and media arts, and Spanish language classes.
This event is co-sponsored by Clark's Government Department, Higgins School of Humanities, International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE) Department, Intercultural Affairs Office, Foreign Languages & Literatures Department, and Screen Studies. For more information, contact the Women's Studies Program at Clark, 508-793-7358.
To learn more about Cultural Survival, visit www.cs.org.
"JUST WITH THE LOVE OF MY MOTHER"
The play begins with friends at a bar, one of whom has invited them for a celebration of the birth of his child, which he assures them, will be a boy. The friends don't believe him and place bets that the child will really be a girl.
Upon the birth of the baby, the man discovers he was wrong and turns his anger on his wife, blaming her for having a girl. He refuses to accept his newborn daughter or his loss in the wager. Refusing to pay his friends, the man succumbs to alcoholism and takes to the streets. He ignores his wife's pleas or the advice of the elders.
The mother is forced to fend for herself and her daughter. Soon she also becomes indebted to a local supermarket owner who gives her free food and medicine for her daughter.
The father is seen wandering the streets. Until one day a dream frightens him into speaking to his wife about what has happened. His noble wife has faith and confidence in that her husband will someday realize the truth and change his ways.
Despite all the family's troubles, the daughter grows up to be well-educated and finds a good job. Her father eventually overcomes his vices and returns to his family as a better husband and father.
"CRECI SOLO CON EL AMOR DE MI MADRE"
La obra trata de unos amigos que se invitan a un bar, uno de ellos invita para
festejar el nacimiento de su hijo como es muy macho él asegura que va
ser varón, los amigos no lo creen, pero al apostar en efectivo y hasta
su esposa, los amigos aceptan, están pendientes el día que dará
a luz su esposa, al saber que no fue varón rechaza a su esposa por el
hijo que tuvo como si sola ella elaborara al hijo y niega que sea de él
, tampoco acepta de haber perdido en la apuesta con los amigos que le andan
cobrando lo que apostaron en efectivo, se vuelve un alcohólico no escucha
ni acepta la platica de su esposa ni los consejos de los ancianos, rechaza a
su hija.
La esposa para poder alimentar a su hija y ella, va a un mini súper para poder abastecer de algunos alimentos o medicamentos cuando esta enferma su niña, todo fiado, de tanto que debe con el dueño de este súper y como es solo lo acosa, le regala cosas cada vez que llega a pedir las cosas ella.
El marido muchas veces se queda tirado en las calles, hasta que uno de sus sueños reacciono con el susto tuvo el valor de comentar a su esposa lo sucedido, ella noble, abnegada teniendo fe y confianza de que algún día se de cuenta de sus realidades.
La hija creció logro estudiar consiguió un buen trabajo, con
el tiempo el padre logro superarse de su egoísmo le pidió perdón
a su familia quiso mucho a su hija y su esposa, pago todo lo que debía
su esposa en el súper.