WHEN THE WORLD IS BODY. PRACTICES, PERCEPTION AND FORMS OF REPRESENTATION IN AMERINDIAN CONTEXTS
HOW DO EXPERIENCES OF THE WORLD ACQUIRE FORM? IMAGES, OBJECTS, NARRATIVES, ARCHITECTURES AND OTHER REPRESENTATIONS PRODUCED IN DIFFERENT AMERINDIAN CONTEXTS HAVE BEEN STUDIED AS EXPRESSIONS OF PARTICULAR WAYS OF THINKING, CONCEIVING AND STRUCTURING THE WORLD. HOWEVER, LESS FREQUENTLY HAVE QUESTIONS BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE BODILY PRACTICES, MODES OF PERCEPTION AND SENSORY EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE THEM POSSIBLE. THIS SYMPOSIUM PROPOSES TO ANALYZE TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF PRACTICES, PERCEPTUAL EXPERIENCES AND FORMS OF REPRESENTATION THROUGH WHICH RELATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THEIR CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS ARE CONFIGURED: MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, STONES, PLANTS, ANIMALS, CELESTIAL BODIES AND OTHER BEINGS THAT INHABIT THE BODY OF THE WORLD.
FOLLOWING THE NAHUA DISTINCTION OF THE TLAIXIMATINIMEH–TRANSLATED AS “THOSE WHO KNOW THINGS THROUGH EXPERIENCE,” THROUGH THE EYES, THROUGH THE FACE–WE ARE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN RESEARCH THAT EXPLORES HOW DIFFERENT PRACTICES CONSTRUCT PARTICULAR WAYS OF PERCEIVING, KNOWING AND EXPERIENCING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HOW THESE ACQUIRE EXPRESSION IN IMAGES, OBJECTS, ARCHITECTURES, CARTOGRAPHIES OR NARRATIVES. CULTIVATING, WEAVING, QUARRYING STONE, HEALING, MAKING PILGRIMAGE, MAKING OFFERINGS, DANCING OR ENTERING CAVES NOT ONLY IMPLY SPECIFIC WAYS OF DOING, BUT ALSO FORMS OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE ENTITIES OF THE LANDSCAPE. RATHER THAN UNDERSTANDING REPRESENTATIONS SOLELY AS THE REFLECTION OF A COSMOLOGY, WE PROPOSE TO INTERROGATE THEM AS DIALOGIC SPACES WHERE BOTH SENSORY EXPERIENCES (HAPTIC, OLFACTORY, GUSTATORY, VISUAL, AUDITORY) AND THE BONDS THAT SHAPE THEM BECOME VISIBLE AND TAKE FORM.
WE INVITE THE PRESENTATION OF PAPERS FROM ART HISTORY, ANTHROPOLOGY, ARCHAEOLOGY, ETHNOHISTORY, HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND OTHER DISCIPLINES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DISCUSSION FROM DIFFERENT AMERINDIAN CONTEXTS.
