Books Details
Author : Zoila S. Mendoza Pages : 302 pages Publisher :
University of Chicago Press Language : eng ISBN-10 : 0226520099
ISBN-13 : 9780226520094
Books Descriptions
During the patron saint fiesta in the Andean town of San
Jer?nimo, Peru, crowds gather at sunset in the town square,
eagerly awaiting the entrance of the colorful dance troupes, or
comparsas. With their masks, music, and surprising
interpretations of contemporary events, the comparsas of the
Cusco region are the focus of this multifaceted work. At the
crossroads of folklore and ritual, mass media and local
preferences, and regional and national identity, the
comparsas?recorded here on VHS, DVD,?and compact disc?have
become a powerful way for the local people to make sense of
their place in Peru and in the world. As Zoila Mendoza shows,
they do more than reflect societal changes, they actively
transform society.In this fluid world, she argues, racial and
ethnic identities are shaped more by notions of what is decent,
elegant, and modern rather than by skin color or status. As the
different troupes vie for the townspeople's recognition as the
most "authentic" group, these notions are
