Brainstorm #6 - Sadie Van den Bogaerde

I really enjoyed reading “Ceremony of Memory: The Call and Response” in tandem with “‘Girl in a Coma’ Tweets Chicanafuturism: Decolonial Visionaries” because there were very interesting parallels and juxtapositions between the pieces. For example, I saw the stark contrast between the groups that held power in each piece. In “Ceremony of Memory” there’s the description of the Spaniards completely disrupting the natives’ way of life by criminalizing every aspect of their established way of life, even down to their system of time. There’s also the description of the colonizers demonstrating their power through public displays of punishment for those who continued practicing their customs. In the paper describing Girl in a Coma, though, the all-female ensemble is shown to be displaying their power through the use of technology and wider-reaching platforms. Instead of existing in a position of oppression, they are using the resources they have to firmly establish their power as musicians and Chicanas. Additionally contrasting the colonizer’s methods of oppressing the indigenous populations of Mexico and Central America, Girl in a Coma is shown in their music video taking back control of time. They are setting the tempo, literally, and their audience is following them. This taking back of power over time and tempo is an act of decolonial resistance and establishes convivencia.

A similarity between the two pieces is the discussion of technology. The technology of indigenous practices was preserved mainly through spoken word as a way to attempt to avoid prosecution for continuing to honor the established traditions and practices. I would argue that Girl in a Coma’s use of technology seeks to achieve the same goal- of preserving their truth and practices forever, no matter how others interpret their music, especially those who don’t understand the nuances of el mestizaje.