Passports are now available in the office of Modern Languages in Thatcher Hall or the
office of University Relations, Lillard Administration Building room 201. You may also
pick up a passport at any of the August or September events.
ALAS, the Association of Latin American Students, will host several events, including
four Movie Nights--August 30, September 13 and 27, and October 11, all movies at 6:30 in room
120 of the Communications Building--and two Latin Nights on October 12 and
November 2. There may also be a traditional game night in early November; watch this page or
contact ALAS for details.
August 28, Pegasus Theater 3:30 p.m.: "Luis Buñuel: A Surrealist
Exile in Mexico." This lecture by Al LaValley is the kick-off for the Buñuel
film festival that will run through September. Dr. LaValley directed the Film
and Television Studies Department at Dartmouth College for 15 years and he's
been teaching film studies since the 1960s. This semester, he will teach a special
one-time seminar on Mexican Cinema here on campus. Don't miss this fascinating
introduction to the works of one of Mexico's most important cultural treasures!
This event is jointly sponsored by Passport UCO and the College of Liberal Arts
Dean's Lecture Series.
September 4, 11, 18, and 25, and October 2, Pegasus Theater 3:30 p.m.: Film
Festival: The Wonderful Horrible Mexican Films of Luis Buñuel. The films,
in order, will be Los olvidados (1950; 88 min), Susana (1951; 80 min), Subida
al cielo ( Ascent to Heaven / Mexican Bus Ride ) (1951; 85 min), El bruto (1952;
83 min), and Ilusión viaja por tranvía (Illusion Travels by Streetcar)
(1953; 82 min).
September 12, ground floor of the Chambers Library, 1:00 p.m. "People of
the Serpent & Jaguar: A look at the symbolic links in the art of PreColumbian
cultures from Mexico to Peru."
Dr. Bill Hommel of UCO's Department of Art will introduce the collection of pre-Columbian
artifacts that will be on display in the library during the Passport semester. These works of pottery, metal and stone from Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru and Ecuador, dating from 900 to
1300 C.E., include a 900 CE Mayan 3-legged vase with painted symbolic
designs, a 3-legged bowl with incised designs from Costa Rica, a 1300
CE Chimu miniature copper and silver mask, and a 1200 CE Stone figure
from Ecuador. Find out what to look for and what these pieces tell us about the history of the Americas' vanished civilizations.
This presentation is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Library, and will be followed
by refreshments in the lobby.
September 20, Lakeside Café (internet café and coffee shop), Nigh University Center,
9 p.m. Join us at the big-screen TV as we kick back and watch the Globetrekker crew travel through Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
September 27, Pegasus Theater 7:30 p.m.: Performance of traditional dances
by dance troupe Los Niños de España y Mexico. The dances will
be accompanied by commentary in both English and Spanish on cultural context,
costumes, and other details that will deepen understanding of the dances' significance.
This event is co-sponsored by the Dean of Liberal Arts.
October 3, Pegasus Theater 2:00-3:15 p.m.: Brian Hearn, film curator at the
Oklahoma City Museum of Art, will return to our campus to lead discussion about
Recycled Life, a 20-minute film that was nominated for this year's
Academy Award for Best Short Documentary. The film examines the lives of individuals
who make their homes and livelihoods in the sprawling garbage dumps of Guatemala
City. Eye-opening!
October 8, Pegasus Theater 7:30-9:00 p.m.: "Kings, Sacrifice, and Slaves: Isotopic evidence from Mexico and the Maya." T. Douglas Price, an archaeological
chemist from the University of Wisconsin, will give a presentation on his work
with the remains of preliterate Mesoamerican civilizations. By studying the
bones of prominent Mayans, particularly the ruler Yax K'uk Mo, Professor Price
has discovered that the ancient Mayans were a lot more mobile and more sophisticated
in their trading and travel practices than has been hitherto suspected. Dr.
Price was the subject of the article "Written in Bone" in the May/June
2007 issue of Archaeology magazine. This event is jointly sponsored by Passport UCO
and the College of Math and Science.
October 10, Wellness Center room 127 3:30 p.m.: "Poverty in Eden: Costa Rica,
region of contrasts."
Chris Price of World Neighbors has an MFA in International Studies with a concentration in Latin
American Studies, and he was with the Peace Corps in Costa Rica some years ago.
His primary area of expertise is reproductive health and rights, and he spent
several years as a consultant for the HIV/AIDS alliance. He will discuss his
experiences, and current health care concerns--both among the locals, and what
you ought to consider yourself if you are thinking about taking a trip abroad in
the region.
This presentation is co-sponsored by the Wellness Center. Healthy refreshments will
be provided!
October 24, Pegasus Theater 7:00-9:30 p.m.: Movie, El Norte. This classic film
follows the story of two siblings who flee government persecution in 1980's
Guatemala and seek to build a new life in the United States. This film is scheduled
to complement the October 29 presentation by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, since she
will be speaking about the same general time frame and similar situations... but a
very different effect on the United States.
October 25, Business building room 110, 3:00-4:15 p.m.: Dr. Tomas de los Santos of UCO’s Economics department will speak about "The Economic Transformation of Mexico."
October 26, Liberal Arts room 225, 11:00-11:50 a.m.: Dr. Diana Pardo of UCO’s Modern Languages department will speak about her seminar, "Literature of War and Revolution: Mexico, Nicaragua, and Guatemala," and the research she conducted last summer, interviewing the survivors of violent revolutions in Central America.
October 29, Pegasus Theater 7:00-8:00 p.m.: author Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz will
discuss her experiences as a political activist in Nicaragua during the Contra
wars in the early 1980s, followed by a signing of her book, Blood on the Border.
This event is jointly sponsored by Passport UCO and the College of Liberal Arts
Speaker Series.
November 1, UCO Jazz Lab 7:00-9:00 p.m.: Day of the Dead celebration. The
Passport program teams up with the Department of Modern Languages' annual talent show
for food, fun, and fiesta on this traditional Mexican holiday.
November 15-17, 7:30 p.m., November 18, 2 p.m., Mitchell Hall Theater:
Conviction, an original, premiere production
by award-winning student playwright Elford Alley, based on a true story.
A routine traffic stop goes terribly wrong in a Texas border town, leading to shots fired
and Deputy Sheriff Eduard Gonzalez going to prison for violating the civil rights of a
convicted drug smuggler. After three years he is released a changed man. Broken and with
his life in shambles, he struggles with what action to take against the man he feels put him away.
A special Passport preview, free of charge, may be attended at the final rehearsal on November 14.
Otherwise, student tickets are $4.
On November 15 at 9:30 p.m., the American Democracy Project will sponsor a panel discussion after the performance. Meredith Scott, American Democracy Project student coordinator, will serve as moderator. Panelists include Diana Pardo, Glenn Freeman and Elaine Bartgis. They will speak, and
answer questions from the audience. This discussion event is free of charge and you
may attend whether or not you attended the Thursday evening performance. Students who attend both the Thursday performance and the panel discussion will receive credit for two separate Passport events.
November 19, Mitchell Hall Theater 7:30 p.m.: Songs of Central America and Mexico, performed
by UCO's voice faculty.
November 28, Pegasus Theater 7:00 p.m.: UCO's Fashion Marketing students present a fashion show focusing on traditional Central American and Mexican attire, and contemporary clothing inspired by it.
November 30, Pegasus Theater 10:00-11:00 a.m.:
Publication Release and Passport Drawing
New Plains Review: Central Passport. Find out about the College of Liberal Arts' literary journal, New
Plains Review, and this special issue that focuses on the Passport to Central America and Mexico program.
Authors' Reception and Book Sale in the Pegasus Lobby, 11:00-12:00 noon
