e-culture: Remember the Alamo, Thanks for Caring, Code Pink, More Great Events
April 8, 2004


IN THIS ISSUE

Remember the Alamo Thanks for Caring Code Pink Upcoming Events Spring Festivals

Talking About Globalization Coming Attractions Texas Wildflowers Good Friday

"Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" was the battle cry of the Texas Revolution in 1836.

For many of the new European American settlers of the Austin colony, granted in the Mexican state of Texas, under the government of Coahuila, the war was a fight for independence. For thousands of slaves, however, brought to Texas by Anglo ex-patriots from slave holding states like Tennessee and Georgia, and bought in markets in New Orleans and Galveston, it was a fight to keep them in bondage.

After Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821, the original Spanish land grant to Moses Austin fell under the authority of Mexico. In December of 1827, President Vicente Guerrero declared that all slaves were free.

The Texas economy and attraction of new immigration depended largely on the plantation system of slave labor agriculture. The Texans claimed they were not free under the laws of Mexico, which, they claimed, required them to speak Spanish and convert to Catholicism as Mexican citizens.

Mexico's Bustamante Decree of April 6, 1830 prohibited further immigration from the United States, which hurt trade between Texas and the U.S., and attempted to enforce the prohibition of slavery. Slaves composed a quarter of the population, with slaveholders in control of the economy.

But the war for independence wasn't strictly a battle between Anglo Americans and the marching armies of Mexico under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna over slavery. Many different cultures were inadvertently caught up in the struggle between Anglos and Mexicans, and the issues of citizenship, as the new frontier colonies attracted emigrants from deep in Eastern Europe, seeking prosperity as farmers and shopkeepers.

In fact, diversity of cultures played a role in Texas history and politics from independence, through nationhood, and finally, as it seceded from the Union to join the Confederate States. Adverse to slavery, many German and Czech counties voted against secession from the Union. On the other hand, some German Texans, like settlers of many diverse backgrounds, fought against Mexico in the Texas independence movement and on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

[See Sheena Oomen's German Texans article at: http://www.houstonculture.org/cr/germans.html] (Thanks to Sheena Oomen for contributions to this newsletter, as well.)


What about the Tejano Mexicanos? Some of them died at the Alamo too, defending Texas in the struggle for independence. With the tremendous media hype surrounding the current release of the film "The Alamo," we wanted to offer some insight into the legendary event and place in history, Mission San Antonio de Valero, and add some new names to the list of immortal storied figures like Jim Bowie and Davy Crocket.

Read John Schmal's article on Tejano Patriots in the Texas Revolution.
http://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/alamo.html

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Thanks for Caring

We want to thank Carmen Peña Abrego, Linda and Lorenzo Garza, Adelaida Mendoza and her daughters, Chad McMillan, Rose Mary Salum, and Monika Hallqvist for helping us organize efforts to collect teddy bears and stuffed animals to comfort children who need medical care.

We provide some of the stuffed animals to the Houston Fire Department for ambulance drivers to keep in case they must transport a child to the hospital.

And, in our most recent effort, "Para Los Niños," we will provide stuffed animals for children who are receiving care by Houston doctors and pharmacists, as part of medical missions operating in the colonias near Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

We will report more about the results of these helpful volunteer's effort in the near future.

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Code Pink

"Crosses for Peace," a fundraiser for CODEPINK, will be on display through Saturday, April 17.

In this Tenth Anniversary Exhibit at Las Manos Magicas, "Crosses for Peace" is helping raise funds for the CODEPINK for PEACE Valentine's Day demonstration in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to demand the resolution of the murders of nearly 400 young women there in the past ten years.

In the exhibit, 20 crosses by 30 artists from Houston and other parts of Texas and Louisiana are on display. Work is presented in a wide range of media, including paintings, sculpture, fiber, glass, wood, and mixed media. The themes are peace and/or artist's thoughts about the many slain young women.

The gallery has been carrying on its concern for the crisis in Juarez since last October, when its Dia de los Muertos altar was dedicated to the young victims.

Las Manos Magicas
4819 Blossom Street at Durham

Visit the Las Manos Magicas website at:
http://www.lasmanosmagicas.com/

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Upcoming Events

FotoFest 2004 - "Celebrating Water - Looking At The Global Crisis" will end after this last weekend on April 12. Be sure to take advantage of this international biennial of photography in Houston.

See the FotoFest schedule of events at:
http://www.fotofest.org

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Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwanese Dancers in City Contemporary Dance Company of Hong Kong
Sponsored by Dance Salad Festival

The 12th season of Houston's premier international dance festival, Dance Salad, promises more world-class performers from the far corners of the globe. Legendary dancer/choreographer, Xing Liang, will perform his beautiful original work I Want to Fly. Trained at the Beijing Dance Academy, Liang is a crown jewel in the Chinese and Hong Kong dance community and a returning favorite at Dance Salad Festival. Japanese choreographer Jo Kanamori who presently has his own company in Japan, will present a work entitled Under the Marron Tree danced by Rei Watanabe.

Asia Society members receive 12% discount on tickets, see www.ticketmaster.com and use the password "Asia." Mature audience only.

April 8th - April 10th 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Texas Wortham Center, Cullen Theatre, Houston, Texas
Asia Society members receive a 12% discount
713-629-3700
http://www.dancesalad.org

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The India-China Relationship: What the United States Needs to Know
Harry Harding, Author and Dean, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

As we head into a new century, the two most populous nations on earth, China and India, continue a long and tangled relationship. With a contested border, sharp eyes on the balance of power in Asia, economic competition, nuclear weapons, and daunting internal problems, their interaction will deeply affect not only stability and prosperity in the region, but also vital U.S. interests. The dynamics of the Chinese-Indian relationship are little known to or understood by Americans.

A discussion occasioned by the release of Asia Society and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars' newest publication, The India-China Relationship: What the United States Needs to Know. The speaker will highlight the major themes of this recently published book, which underscores the centrality of the India-China relationship to the long-term future of peace and stability in Asia, and to the thinking of U.S. policy makers and academics.

This program is FREE and open to the public. Professor Harding will be available to sign his book following the presentation. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitor parking is available in the lot adjacent to Sewall Hall and the Faculty Club (Cohen House).

April 12, 6:00 p.m. Presentation followed by book signing
309 Sewall Hall, Rice University
(for parking info: http://www.rice.edu/maps)

713-439-0051
http://www.asiasociety.org/tx

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Emma Bunker, "The Distinctive Khmer Buddha: From Sacred Simplicity to Jeweled Royalty"
Co-Sponsored by Asia Society Texas and Museum of Fine Arts Houston

The MFAH recently acquired an 8th century bronze Standing Buddha from Thailand that beautifully expresses the sacred simplicity characteristic of the finest early Buddha images created in mainland Southeast Asia. The museum's Standing Buddha was probably cast in northeast Thailand, a region rich in metals that was part of the great Khmer Empire centered in Cambodia. For three hundred years, Buddhist and Hindu beliefs were popular among the Khmer. By the twelfth century, however, Buddhism became the state religion and images of the Buddha developed into richly jeweled images that emulated the appearance of the Khmer ruler in all his glory. Emma C. Bunker, Research Consultant on Asian art at The Denver Art Museum, discusses the distinctive evolution of the Khmer Buddha.

April 17th, 5:00 - 7:00pm
Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Brown Auditorium, 1001 Bissonnet
Admission is open to the public and free with general museum admission.
Admission is free for Asia Society and MFAH members.
713-439-0051
http://www.mfah.org

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Spring Festivals

Here are some great festivals going on in our region:

Houston International Festival - April 17,18, 24 and 25, 2004
http://www.ifest.org

Fiesta San Antonio - April 16 - 25, 2004
http://www.fiesta-sa.org

Festival International de Louisiane, Lafayette, LA - April 21 - 25, 2004 http://www.festivalinternational.com

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - April 23 - May 2, 2004
http://www.nojazzfest.com


These festivals are important for the preservation of cultural arts. There are many more coming up, including Basant Bahar. Stay tuned!

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Talking About Globalization

Listen for Victoria Masih and me on KPFT's "Progressive Forum," on Thursday, April 15, at 8:00pm. KPFT is a community radio station on the dial at 90.1 FM.

We will be talking about an important conference on the impact of globalization and a pair of enlightening films on globalization issues.

Two powerful topical films are being presented in conjunction with the conference, "Winners and Losers: The Impact of Globalization." Award-winning journalist, John Pilger, investigates Indonesian sweatshop factories, the labor behind many famous brand names, in "The New Rulers of the World." The second film, "Thirst," offers a piercing look at the global corporate drive to control and profit from water, as water is becoming the most valuable global resource of the 21st Century.

The free screening of these films will take place at the Rice Media Center, Wednesday, April 21, 2004, at 7:30pm.
Get more information:
http://www.houstonculture.org/film

The conference on global justice, with keynote speaker Kevin Danaher, author and co-founder of Global Exchange, and John Hart, an expert on Mexico's social and economic history, will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2004, at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin St. Call (713) 522-9850 to register. Registration is $20 (includes lunch); $10 for students and anyone who requests a reduced fee. Advanced registration is preferred.

At the conference, University of Houston history professor, John Hart, will be speaking about the U.S.-Mexico relationship as the laboratory of globalization strategies.

Houston Institute for Culture will present a workshop on Local Economies and Local Cultures, which will present the "Case for Localism in Media, Business, Culture and Economy." The workshop will offer a historical and cultural perspective on globalization to help participants understand how the base of local ownership impacts independence and self-determination in the community. Participants will consider the positive impact of support for local business: support for neighborhoods and the city; better quality of life for families; wider base of ownership in the community; diversity of interests and cultures; and, as counter balance to the worldwide spread of limited ownership and homogenization of cultures/narrowing of interests.


There is also a conference to promote economic globalization at University of Houston on April 15.
http://www.bauersymposium.org


Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks as we explore the difference between the proponents of economic globalization and the socially conscious activists and educators who favor global justice. With our mission to promote cultural education, we will explore the issues with an emphasis on the value of localism in media, business, culture and economy.

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Coming Attractions

"On the 14th day of April in 1935, There struck the worst of dust storms that ever filled the sky." We will explore the cultural history of the day that is famous for Woody Guthrie's tale of the Dust Bowl.

We will also report on the film "Thirst," about one of the most important subjects of the Twenty-first Century - Water. And we will let you know how you can become an important volunteer of the Houston Institute for Culture.

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Texas Wildflowers

The bluebonnet is the Texas State flower. Fields of bluebonnets, daisies and Indian paintbrushes attract thousands of weekend motorists to the Coastal Plains and Hill Country in March and April. Other distinctive wildflowers found in the Hill Country include Indian blankets, Mexican hats and winecups.

There is still time to get out and discover fields of wildflowers, as you tour the back highways of the Gulf Coast region and Hill Country. These helpful websites will guide you:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas
http://www.wildflower.org

Wild About Texas Wildflowers
http://www.lnstar.com/mall/txtrails/wildflowers

Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas
http://www.wildseedfarms.com



Discover what thousands of New Mexicans, and a small group from Houston, are doing on this Good Friday:
http://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/chimayo.html

Join us on a great summer adventure in New Mexico, Utah, or the Big Apple:
http://www.houstonculture.org/travel


Thank you for supporting Houston Institute for Culture.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org


Cultural and Community Organization Listings:
http://www.houstonculture.org/listings

2003 Report to Friends and Volunteers:
http://www.houstonculture.org/report

Support Houston Institute for Culture:
http://www.houstonculture.org/giving