Rap & Poetry on the Land

           It might seem counterintuitive to spend research time gathering rap albums and camping gear, but this is the 21^st century, and speaking truth to power takes many forms in the southern Chilean countryside.  What I’ve been up to in Temuco the last few days: reading blogs about spoken word and rap events in rural southern Chile, listening to groups such as Wechekech ñi Trawün (up in Santiago), and Kolectivo We Newen (here in the south) [see links]; and gathering items like a 4-season tent & trekking pants, for the significant amount of time I plan to spend outside in this warm-now-but-not-for-long part of the world over the coming months.

            Tomorrow I’m heading to the area directly west of Temuco, half-way to the coast, just south of Nueva Imperial, for the 4^o Mingako Kultural (4^th Cultural Gathering) [again, see links], organized by poet Erwin Quintupill.

            My ipod is still behind in the count when it comes to Chilean rap, so I’ve been riding around Temuco on the buses, listening to Mos Def & Talib Kweli, getting psyched up for the weekend.  The NYC beats in the summer heat of southern Chile stir reflections about cultural identification, sense of place, and different forms of self-determination.

Here are some links: to beats, readings, and stirring cultural production; all thanks to Erwin Quintupill, Fabian Marin, and other regional artists (except the Wekecheke ñi trawün link—that group is up in Santiago).

http://mingakokultural.blogspot.com/

http://www.nodo50.org/kolectivowenewen/

http://poesiamapuche.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/wechekeche4

And finally, some scenery shots from recent travels:

From the cordillera and all across Argentina to the Atlantic (pic. 1, on the Chilean side of the border), westward to Chilean coastal towns like Puerto Saavedra (pic. 2), Mapuche culture is deeply attached to the land.  At this juncture in a long and complex history, what do rap and poetry bring to the table?  More on that after the weekend.

1. Sierra Nevada & Nacimiento del Bio-Bio, on the Chilean side of the cordillera, near Argentina

2. The coast at Puerto Saavedra: black volcanic beaches, rough cold water stirred by wind, waves & the arctic Humboldt current, rich sea life.