Lunes, 7/12/2015: Afro festival Saturday, Alianza Francesa, nativity scenes

Hola, Todos – 

Pagina cultural – 

Alianza Francesa – the exhibit “Cuenca” by Kurt Ehrmann will run to 17/12 in the Galería Paul Cézanne. The Alianza will also present the French movie “Alta Sociedad” (High Society) (Sounds like a Katherine Hepburn – Cary Grant screwball comedy – maybe because there was a movie with that title.)

Taller navideño – Christmas workshop for children, also at the Alianza Francesa, this Sat. (12/12) from 10-12:00. Sign up at the Alianza on Tadeo Torres 1-92 y Solano or call 2825-298.

Casa Abireta – (Open house) at …….(you guessed it) the Alianza Francesa on 18/12 in the afternoon to show off the work of it’s students.

Articles about –

El Museo de las Conceptas which is being studied by a team from Quito to find out what the public wants and what the museum possesses in order to plan the renovations. (What a concept, eh? (I’m channeling my inner Canadian today since I grew up more or less next door.) Find out what the public wants?)

Youth are being trained in street theater arts. (And now we’re in for some real confusion.) The training will be on 9, 10, y 11 de Nov. with a pasacalle (parade – a new word for the day and just after you’ve learned desfile) on 12/11 at 19:00 from Plaza del Herero to Plaza del Vergel. (Do you think they mean December? Because this is Ecuador and I’d be astounded if they were talking about Nov, 2016. That’s just too much long range planning.)

Banco del Austro which, for the 5th year, has supported culture in Cuenca with its sponsorship of the poetry “Festival de la Lira.” (The bank made sure it got its pat on the back publicly.)

The 3d Latin American music workshop finished with the XX Concierto de Música Popular Latinoamericana MI CUENCA CANTA! (20th Concert of popular Latinamericn music – My Cuenca Sings)

Otras cosas –

Titular – Suspenso por saber ganador de II etapa (Suspense over knowing the winner of stage II) of the National Football Championships.  (And that’s not the NFL version of football. Or even Aussie rules football – which is a great game to watch if you like football.)

Afro-Azuayans will celebrate marimba, including the music and the dance, as an Immaterial World Heritage. Nila de Aguiar, coordinator of the Movimiento de Afro Libre de Azuay (Free African Movement of Azuay?) said there are about 17,000 afro descendants in Azuay. The celebrations this Sat (12/12) will be in parque San Blas with food (Ecuadorian soul food?) and culture. (And I hope, marimba.)

The constitutional amendment naming communications as a public service passed last Thu. The supporters feel that Ecuadorians’ rights to obtain information will be prioritized over the business interests of communications businesses. Opponents feel this will put communications under government control. (Do universities still train journalists? Or has that department been subsumed into the Video Arts Dept? Or where ever they train film actors.)

Giant nativity scenes herald Christmas – Different barrios and institutions build these scenes, often from recycled materials, each year. There is one at El Asilo “Cristo Rey” on Sangurima with hours Mon-Sat from 8-12:00 and 15-17:30 and Sun. from 8-12:00.  There’s another in Barrio San Roque which will have various Cuenca churches such as El Vergel (And it’s not just a shopping center where the Supermaxi is.), Todos Santos, and San Roque in the display. Neither of these two exhibitors competes in any contests. (If any of you has been to the Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe, the photo of the San Roque pesebre (manger – a bonus word) looks like their dioramas.)

An ad – for the 1st Feria for Dignity, Interculturality and Food Sovreignty will be in the parque De La Madre on Fri and Sat (11-12/12).  It’s organized by the provincial gov’t of Zamora Chinchipe.

Internacional –

Venezuela – is waiting election results.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne