Abstract:
In the preservation of Paraguayan and latinx stories, there has always been the strong and distinct mark of resistance. We tell our stories to resist the continuous push of colonization and oppression in our lives. Particularly, latinx indigenous resistance has long been the backbone of many preservation efforts in latinx culture. To get closer to our roots is to find out who we really are and where we came from, and how we can move forward in time. Mediums like song, dance, and poetry have greatly influenced how this is presented, such as the revitalization of the Guarani language in Paraguay by poets and activists alike.
Games have proven both harmful and hopeful in how culture is presented. Harmful in the ways indigenous cultures are grossly appropriated, yet hopeful when crafted by indigenous and latinx creators. We resist death and erasure with our words, with our songs, with our bodies. To play and to create games is also a form of resistance we tap into, to be present in a digital space, to resist the colonization of our digital bodies and minds. To resist is to show our happiness and our pride in the face of oppression.
This talk will engage the subject of resistance through play in regards to latinx indigenous culture, specifically from the Paraguay region. The main points will cover the different ways in how we as a community resist the pull of oppression, especially in regards to the heightened vulnerability latinx people face in the United States. This talk will practice solidarity, anti-oppression, decolonization, and celebration of latinx lives as we journey forward to a place of hope and healing.
Bio:
Gabriela Aveiro-Ojeda is a queer animator and storyteller raised in Paraguay, South America and based in Toronto, Canada. She uses oral traditions and folklore as a basis for most of her work and designs, centering storytelling practices as a way to bring life to her creations and resist erasure of latinx and indigenous stories in digital media. She honours these stories to foster healing in her community and family tree and to further develop her craft in storytelling.