For all of our local New Mexico Teachers:

We are very excited to announce our next series of LAII k-12 Teacher workshop for the spring semester “Stitching Resistance: The History of Chilean Arpilleras.”

The National Hispanic Cultural Center and the UNM Latin American & Iberian Institute are coming together once again to provide another in-depth and profound look at Latin America history, art and experience via special events tailored for New Mexico teachers. This pair of workshops will focus on demonstrations and resources designed to bring the history of Chile and the arpillera art form alive in classrooms! Teachers from grades 4-12 will benefit most from this content, though all are welcome to attend.

Nearly 40 years ago, the armed forces of Chile overthrew the administration of Salvador Allende. That day, September 11, 1973, created the necessary conditions for the art form known as arpilleras. These textiles became the most visual (and visible), poignant, and widespread manifestation of opposition to authoritarianism, violation of human rights and the disappearance of loved ones associated with the military government that ruled Chile until 1990.

The workshop series will be presented in two parts:

“Chilean Arpilleras and the Classroom” will be held on March 5 from 5:00-8:00 pm at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

This workshop will start with a private tour of the National Hispanic Cultural Center art museum to provide a face-to-face experience of the artwork of the exhibition Stitching Resistance: The History of Chilean Arpilleras. After the tour, we’ll provide three different curriculum perspectives for how to bring this history and art into the classroom. Free copies of the curriculum will be provided to all participants. We will also feed the soul with tapas and refreshments.

“Bringing an Art Form to Life in the Classroom” will be held on March 19 from 5:00-8:00 pm at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

This workshop will expand upon themes explored in the previous one, but with an emphasis on hands-on activities. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own arpilleras in the workshop, and activity kits will be provided so that they can then share the same experience with their students. Tapas and refreshments will be provided.

If you have any questions or to register, email Keira at kphilipp@unm.edu. Click here for a pdf version of our flyer. Feel free to share this information with anyone else who may be interested.

For those of you who aren’t local or can’t attend–don’t worry! We’ll be posting a variety of resources and lesson plans here on the blog–from general information on Chile to curriculum specific to teaching about this time period in Chilean history. Be sure to check back!!

Hope to see you at the workshops!

–Katrina