In the Americas with David Yetman: Season 12 Presentation

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Join David Yetman and Dan Duncan at The Loft for a presentation of season 12 of In the Americas! David and Dan will tell us about this season’s thrilling travels, which took them from Alaska to Brazil, with stops in the Redwoods and, Oaxaca, among other places.

We will screen two episodes, followed by a discussion with David and Dan, where they unveil the secrets of filming season 12 and, who knows, maybe something about a 13th season.

Episode 1: THE LACANDONS OF CHIAPAS:  GUARDIANS OF THE ANCIENT MAYAS

Chiapas is Mexico’s southeasternmost state, bordering on Guatemala. A century ago, it was covered mostly with tropical rainforest in the lowlands and coniferous forests in the highlands.  The Lacandon Maya were peoples of the rainforest, tracing their tenancy back thousands of years.  Within their lands lie some of the world’s most intriguing and best-preserved Maya archaeological sites.  One group of Lacandons has dwelt since time immemorial along the shores of a lake they view as sacred.  Working with archaeologists, they have become intimately familiar with the works around the lake of their ancestors of millennia ago.

Episode 2: BRAZIL’S SALVADOR: PRESERVER OF AFRICAN-BRAZILIAN PATRIMONY

For nearly three centuries, slaves were imported into Brazil by the millions. The largest port of entry was the city of Salvador. That city is now center of the nation’s Afro-Brazilian culture, which has become internationally celebrated, especially for its distinctive culinary tradition. The brutality of slavery and the ingenuity of slaves in surviving the terror of the institution are now the objects of keen historical interest in the city and are celebrated in music, dance, and martial arts.

This is a rental of The Loft Cinema, presented by The Southwest Center at the University of Arizona.