Haus der Kulturen der Welt

This month’s episode is a conversation with Juan, Selfies and Sandro from Radio Tropiezo, that is part of the collective Cráter Invertido [Instagram] in Mexico City. Radio Tropiezo is involved in the lumbung radio/Station of Commons network and we met recently in Berlin during the Miss Read Berlin Art Book Festival & Fair, 22–24 September at Haus der Kulturen der Welt. Selfies and Sandro, who are also part of the DJ collective Chakanais [Soundcloud], and Juan DJ’d the opening party of the 3-day event in HKW’s restaurant and bar.

Our conversation touches on the post-apocalyptic party culture of Mexico city and features excerpts of their sets — Selfies and Sandro spinning cumbia and Juan playing high energy Italo disco and house. Many thanks to Eddie from Station of Commons for these recordings.

This episode is an audio portrait of Alanis Obomsawin, an Indigenous Abenaki filmmaker, singer, activist and “national treasure” from Turtle Island/Canada. We spoke online late in February 2021 with reference to a major survey exhibition of Alanis’ life and work, ‘The Children Have to Hear Another Story’, 12 February – 18 April 2021, Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin.

Many thanks to Lilli Heinemann from HKW and Michael Shu from the National Film Board of Canada for making this episode possible.

Media

Bush Lady (2018)
<a href="https://alanisobomsawin.bandcamp.com/album/bush-lady">Bush Lady by Alanis Obomsawin</a>

Vignettes: June in Povungnituk – Quebec Arctic (1980)

Canada Vignettes: June in Povungnituk – Quebec Arctic , Alanis Obomsawin, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises (2006)

Waban-Aki: People from Where the Sun Rises, Alanis Obomsawin, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Alanis Obomsawin the activist, Telescope CBC (1966)

Amisk (1977)

Amisk, Alanis Obomsawin, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Alanis Obomsawin – Bush Lady, live at Le Guess Who? 2017