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   Since, the arrival of the Spanish colonisers to Latin America, a hierarchical society was clearly defined, each stratum portrayed various customs and traditions segregating them or encapsulating them. In my opinion, no other period is clearer at depicting the power of the hegemonic culture, were the dominant expression of culture is gendered as supreme and correct. Religion for instance, serves as a good example, only Catholicism was considered to be the ‘truth’ anything else would cost the person its life. Nevertheless, a process -of what today has been termed hybridization occurred, where the Spanish mixed with the indigenous. The native Mexicans mixed their ‘traditional’ expressions with the new ones to create a new product. One can not deny power relations were at play, yet in order to understand culture one must not expect it to remain constant. Culture influences the individual and in turn, the individual becomes influenced by it. Consequently, it is dynamic and constantly evolving. The various influences are what make it rich and alive.

   Nothing is pure, yet culture should have the ability to transmit through its essence a sense of identity. Therefore, in Latin America two powerful cultures working side by side, at times representing separate expressions which seem to represent two distinct societies are present. Whether it is appropriate or desirable is not the question. This phenomenon signals two distinct societies co-exiting side by side at the same time, sharing the same scenario and pieces of the identical narrative. This is a historical consequence; therefore, Latin American culture should be understood as a hybridization process. In order to diffuse, the differences dragged into the present, a strong and united social mobilization that encapsulates the majority of the social fabric is required. Sidings with Garcнa Canclini, post-modernism is the expression of the past, the present and the future. Post-modernism is the first movement that acknowledges the dual identity that Latin America conveys. Artist, do not provide a solution to the problem yet they use their medium to express and pose a critique, make people aware and responsible for the production of culture. I believe this is the main purpose of the book

   It is in the modernist movement were artists begun to identify themselves to forge a unique identity. Still the influence from abroad or an apparent hegemonic culture is present. Culture becomes more attached to that which belongs to Latin America: ‘lo nuestro’-ours; to forge expressions that reach the dominant standard. Yet, people are able to claim it as their own, a rapture from past notions commenced. The break is invisible at the time, but it slowly begins to forge a hybridity that promised to be more inclusive in ht future. Gabirel Garcнa Marquez, postmodern writer, in his highly acclaimed novel “Cien Aсos de Soledad” depicts the history of Colombia or of Latin America, yet writers such as Hemingway and Faulkner heavily influence the magical realism style in which the novel is written. Nevertheless, the themes in the book are what forge and stress a Latin American identity. There is no doubt regarding culture being bound by power structures yet if one believes it is a dynamic process, hence managing to escape imprisonment culture is able to provide a level of truth regarding identity.

   However, no cultural expression is pure; nevertheless, it is its essence that matters. It becomes problematic to examine culture with a rational lens, since culture is a sentiment, borne from the self and manifested through the being, i.e. the artist. Art cannot be view through reason, since it is emotions and feelings. Politicising culture removes the ability for it to be able to express itself in the ‘purest’ form. Yet as the essay previously discussed there in no pure cultural expression, therefore we are trapped in a coming and going. Today, it is impossible to ignore the role marketing and publicity has on cultural expressions. In order to be legitimized the artist must aligned itself to certain pre-stabilised clauses. Definitely, these forces are narrowing the freedom of a genuine cultural expression. Since artists are forced to comply to the pre-established parameters if they wish their work to reach mainstream, hence a larger audience. Nevertheless, the essence of the subaltern cultural expressions will transcend the boundaries. One cannot deny the ‘evolution’ of culture has had a double meaning, one of conquest and another of establishing roots for a people. In this case Latin Americans, who do not belong to the pre-Columbian culture but neither are a complete product of western culture are faced with the necessity and desire to develop an original project.

   Many times, the power of culture is used as a mode of subjugation. Nevertheless, traditional indigenous cultures are the ones under more pressure, therefore, these expressions are not static and constantly undergoing redefinitions. This redefinitions, has forced them to develop strategies of survival and resistance. Overall, they have managed to retain certain ‘original’ expressions. Consequently, in my opinion, since they have managed to remain present after more than five centuries of oppression and marginalisation, new challenges such as the media which plays huge role at shaping the cultural imaginary; will indeed pose a treat but the indigenous culture will find one way or another to survive.

   If one must label Latin American culture, furthering our need to classify an put abstract concepts in man-made pigeon holes, postmodernism allows greater mobility and creativity. Modernists, depicted a linear process that ultimately lead to a utopian, though in the postmodern the future is unknown, and challenges the given –it is not prescriptive. In post-modernism cultural expressions are open for interpretation with its intersubjective meanings, as well as examining contingent powers. Power does not derive from capabilities i.e. physical, social capital but through its intersubjective thoughts. A post modernism keeps pointing towards non-hegemonic expressions. As popular culture is bound to give the direction of the future one must pay close attention to it. Popular culture is of celebration and belonging, not that it does not carry political tint but a perfect example of those expressions is the celebration of the day of the death.

   Latin America is a good case for postmodernism as the division that are clearly defined by the elite/ popular division provide a clear understanding its original intent. If one believes that understanding can occur from an acknowledgment at pre-judgments, one become aware of these pre-judgments, in turn, creating a new language. In Gramcian terms, culture acts as tool to legitimatise power as it creates consent.

   One must not forget that all politics imply imposition. The evolution of culture and ideas provide and ideological struggle. At the end, one must not forget the possibility to interpret acts in various ways. Political behaviour and political processes are a reflection of a culture’s evolution, history, geography, values, ethnicity, and religion international and internal factors. Nestor Gacia Canclini asserts Latin America has always been post modern. Problems with post modern discourse emanates from elites circles, since postmodernism tries to break the boundaries of ‘high’/‘low’ culture since in Latin America everything at a point in time was part of popular culture. Postmodernism if properly understood can be a way of contesting the hegemonic idea of culture.

   The role of classism is Latin America is highlighted by a constant need to legitimise and create respect for certain cultural expressions as well impose certain interpretations. One must not forget that the feminine view of cultural production is for the most part ignored.

   Postmodernism, if it is going to be an effective theory to describe Latin America, needs to appropriate theory as it provides a space for contradictions ‘equal components of modernization’, where as modernisation is very restrictive. Then again, one must not forget that both labels are an imposition, a construction. Postmodernism allows for a more open space being able to conceptualize Latin American culture; understanding the economy with the inqualiets culture (popular/ elite); politisation of culture and the calamity of culture becoming an industry run by private corporations. Despite all, hybridization, might once again be a creation of the elite to legitimize oppression, nevertheless it remains people that they are the owners of culture, it is for them that it exits and who must keep it alive. Garcнa Canclini, has not written his book to confuse or legitimise a certain order buy to enlighten possible approached that are more inclusive and less black and white.

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[1] He was president from 1877 to 1910 stepping down from power for only one period until his coup.
[2] The Paseo de la Reforma made in the image of the Champs Elisйe is a good example.
[3] Anne Rubenstein “ Bodies, Cities, Cimema: Pedro Infante’s Death as Political Spectacle” in Fragments of a Golden Age (ed) Gilbert Joseph ( Duke University Press: Durham, 2001 ) p. 221
[4] PRI, Institutional Revolutionary Party.
[5] Jeffrey Pilcher “Food and the Making of Mexican Identity” (University of New Mexico Press: Albuquerque, 1998) p. 7
[6] Mark Wasserman “Everyday Life and Politics in Nineteenth Century Mexico” (University of New Mexico Press: Albuquerque, 2000) p. 164
[7]Mary Kay Vaughan “Transnational Process and the Rise and Fall of the Mexican Cultural State: Notes from the Past” in Fragments of a Golden Age (ed) Joseph p. 476
[8] Ibid. p. 16
[9] Gilbert Joseph “Assembling the Fragments: Writing a Cultural History of Mexico Since 1940” p.6

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