Dear Renate,
difficult given AIW's decades-long track record focused on North America. On the other hand, from an ethnological perspective, a geographic restriction is not really meaningful for some subject areas. And in Jenny Vicaldo's email, the irritations or questions are indeed aptly addressed. The reference to NA (i.e. Canada, USA) artificially restricts the cultural areas, factually we see this in her example from the south of the USA, but of course also e.g. in the polar region. And the name AIW indeed points to „America“. And in ethnological terms, the indigenous population is native to the place where it lives autochthonously or has established itself through migratory movements, and/or where it mixes with other societies. This is definitely not to be seen within the boundaries of national states although they create a specific framing, of course.
An exclusion of topics that are pursued across regions is at least questionable from an ethnological point of view.
Frankfurt (as far as I know) and Munich have lecture series on the "Americas". The AIW could follow this example and still retain its conventional focus. It depends not least on the capacity and competence of the organizing institute. But I would at least open up the possibility.
best, Sonja
Von: AIW - Bartl Gesendet: Dienstag, 20. Juni 2023 09:46 An: AIW Committee Betreff: [Committee] Topics of discussion
Dear Committee Members,
for the agenda I have got the following new topics up to now (see also attachment). Deborah Madsen will suggest organizing the AIW 2026 in Geneva/Switzerland.
The email below is from a first-time participant who is not on our mailing list and she asks a question we have discussed during several business meetings in the past. In London (2017) we decided to stay focused on North America (for workload reasons and because we are quite unique with our conference focusing on Indigenous North America only). We also decided that local organizers have the option to include Middle and South America into their workshop topic and CFP if they want.
My question is: shall I put that topic on the agenda for discussion once again, or shall I explain to her what we decided in London?
Best, Renate
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Jenny Vicaldo jvicaldo@yahoo.com Gesendet: Montag, 19. Juni 2023 22:28 An: bartl@american-indian-workshop.org Betreff: Topics of discussion
Hello,
My name is Jenny Vicaldo, also known as Shween. I am Indigenous Mayan from Guatemala. I speak my language, Q’anjo’bal /Kanjobal. I was born and raised in San Diego California.
I am wondering if The American Indian workshop is only about North American Indians (United States of America) or is this subject inclusive to Central American Indigenous peoples? There are indigenous people in South America too. Their stories are similar to the northern part of the America’s.
I am attending your event with Dr. Stan Rodriguez and Dr. Elena Hood. I look forward to meeting and networking to learn more with others.
Sincerely Shween / Jenny Vicaldo