OUR ACTIVITIES JULY - AUGUST 2011

31st of August, 2011
Presentation by Students from the Dramatic Literature and Theater College “Seven Seconds. In god we trust”
One more time, students from the Dramatic Literature and Theater College from the Faculty of Philosophy and Language of UNAM, gave a presentation on an interesting view titled “Seven Seconds. In god we trust,” by Falk Richter. It was presented at the “Revolution” stage of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco. The work is about one of the themes that most affects contemporary society: Violence that is present on a global level through the use of videogames, new technology, and communication mediums. “Seven Seconds. In god we trust” is developed as a central theme of war against Irak, headed by the United States government under the leadership of George W. Bush. From this approach, the presented scenes described and criticize ideologies such as the “American dream,” double morals, racism, and the rules under which soldiers are trained. Under the direction of Tania Tzoni Bernal, four actors displayed the ironic world of Brad, a war pilot that has seven seconds before he crashes. The spectacle conforms diverse conventions by means of game scenes, which is evident of our growing dehumanization.

25th of August through the 8th of September, 2011
Video Conference Cycle: 90 years of CEPE
The 25th of August through the 8th of September at the Learning Center for Foreign Students (CEPE), there was a cycle of live transmission of videoconferencing titled “90 Years of Culture,” at CEPE/UNAM – Taxco, located in this city. In the frame of the celebration of its 90th anniversary, CEPE coordinated with CEPE/UNAM – Taxco, a transmission of this videoconference cycle related with the teaching and learning of Spanish as a foreign language. Those in attendance, mostly students and professors from this university campus, heard the exposition of recognized academicians such as Dr. Claudia Parodi, from the University of California in Los Angeles, who spoke about “The Spanish of the United States: its stigma and its teaching,” or from Professor Miguel Ángel Castro, from the Bibliographical Investigations Institute of UNAM, who presented “A Bibliographical Revision Exploration of works dedicated to the teaching of Spanish as L2”. In addition, Dr. Jorge Murillo from the Costa Rica University shared the theme “The Construction of Model Curricular among acquisition and learning: an experience in Costa Rica,” while Dr. Martha Jurado from CEPE, UNAM spoke about “The linguistic variations of Spanish and its teaching as L” or as LD.” Finally, Dr. Concepción Company Company, from the Philosophic Investigations Institute of this learning institution closed with a cycle of themes “The narrow and almost invisible relation between language, culture, and society”.

18th of August, 2011
Presentation of the book “Native Voices of Baja California,” by Luis Ángel Isaías Silva
“Native Voices of Baja California,” essays, stories, and dramatic texts is a book that intends to preserve some of the oral narrations that still persists among the members of the Etnia Pai Pai, descendants of the ancient storytellers of the Kiliwa Nation, which in times past inhabited the territory that is now known as Baja California. This work was presented by its author, Luis Ángel Isaías Silva, in the “Independence” Auditorium of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco, where narration and acting was presented for those in attendance, mostly consisting of children; two stories using theatrical recourses and narratives. Luis Ángel Isaías Silva is a graduate of the Dramatic Literature and Theater department of UNAM. He has participated as an actor and director of more than 25 presentations of theater and has a master’s degree in Latin American Thought and Culture.

18th of August, 2011
UNAM determines the company that wins the Design Project of the restoration of the “La Casona” building at the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo”
Through evaluating diverse propositions and then with a careful process of selection, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) designated the winning company and responsibility of designing the project of rehabilitation and restoration of the “La Casona,” a building located at the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo,” under the loan of this learning center from the year 2010. The company was selected after UNAM had done extensive research of all of the people interested in participating with this process and complied with the requirements established to carry out the project of the rehabilitation and restoration of this important construction located in the city of Taxco de Alarcón, Guerrero. After the General Office of Labor and Conservation applied a solicitation with the Learning Center for Foreign Students (CEPE/UNAM) Taxco campus, to evaluate three economic offers that were presented as a result of the process of investigation to contract the project, the mentioned branch emitted a final suggestion for the selection of the company this past July 26th. In this context, UNAM, through the General Office of Labor and Conservation considered the “Ars Hábitat” company as the best pertinent option to carry out this project with the “La Casona” building, located at the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo,” which is now a part of the Learning Center for Foreign Students – Campus Taxco (CEPE/UNAM – Taxco). The “Ars Hábitat” company has more than 15 years of experience and a solid record related to maintenance, restoration, suitability, amplification, and rehabilitation work of important structures under the restoration of private companies and public institutions such as the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA), the National Council of Culture and Arts (CONACULTA), the Legislative Assembly of the Federal District, the Guerrero Institute of Culture (IGC), the State Government of Zacatecas, the Bank of Mexico, the Central Historic Trust Foundation of Mexico City, the Cultural Support of Banamex, A. C., among others.

10th of August, 2011
Professor Javier Cuétara imparts a conference about Náhuatl Language
As part of the academic activities that are held at CEPE/UNAM – Taxco, Professor Javier Cuétara Priede offered a conference titled “The Influence of Náhuatl in Mexican Spanish” in the “Independence” Auditorium of the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo.” During his presentation, Professor Cuétara gave a brief description about the roots of the Náhuatl Language that is present in Spanish from a lexicon type perspective, morphologic, and phonetics, as well as demonstrating the statistics about the number of native speakers of Náhuatl in our country and he mentioned some of the principal characteristics of this language native to Mexico. The objective of this type of conference is to spread in a clear, brief, and simple way the aspects that are most interesting regarding one of the native languages with the largest number of native speakers in our country and how Náhuatl is. The hopes of presenting such a conference are that the general population values and knows the great linguistic and cultural diversity of Mexico.

9th of August, 2011
The Xinaxtli Theater Group of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presents “The Crazy Queen”
In collaboration with the local government of Taxco de Alarcón and in the frame of the activities planned for “Youth Week”, the Xinaxtli Theater Group from CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presented scenes from “The Crazy Queen” in the Zocalo of this city. As a farce, comedy, and drama, this theatrical play retakes a Little bit of daily life of anyone. However, the people in this work obey the crazy queen, disguised with sanity and vice versa, provoking in the show a reflection of the form in which we relate our daily lives in this world. According to the director of the Xinaxtli Theater Group of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco, Layo Oviedo, “everything in our lives has a touch of craziness to it that entertains us, carries us away, or in more abstract ways, puts us in situations with other people who obey this craziness, and brings us to our limits, and we do this every day, consciously or unconsciously, voluntary or involuntary.

9th of August , 2011
UNAM starts a degree program in visual arts at the Taxco ENAP campus
The president of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, José Narro Robles, started a degree program in Visual Arts the will be offered at the National School of Visual Arts (ENAP) at the Taxco campus located at the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo” of this city. During this act that was held at the “Revolution” stage at the Learning Center for Foreigners – Taxco Campus (CEPE/UNAM – Taxco), the President of UNAM gave welcome to the first generation of this degree program integrated with about thirty students from diverse places in the State of Guerrero and the Federal District. In this way, the President affirmed that the National University will fight to preserve its public and autonomous characteristics; and that it will continue to support all of the areas that are considered fine arts, philosophy, mathematics, and the basic sciences, because all of these studies are essential to the development of our country. The ceremony was also presided by Dr. José Daniel Manzano Äguila, the director of the National School of Visual Arts; Dr. Eduardo Barzana García, the General Secretary of UNAM, Professor René Contreras Osio, the Coordinator of the Visual Arts Degree Program at the Taxco Campus; Älvaro Burgos Barrera, the Municipal President of Taxco de Alarcón, and the student María Inés Gómez Pineda who indicated the importance of having a degree program in Visual arts imparted by the National University in the State of Guerrero.

6th of August, 2011
Regional Latin American Dances with the Xinaxtli Theater Group from CEPE/UNAM – Taxco
In the frame of the diverse cultural activities that are done at the city of Taxco de Alarcón, the Xinaxtli Theater Group from CEPE/UNAM-Taxco gave a presentation at the patio of the Ex Convent of Saint Bernardino in this city. During this cultural event, the participants integrated various dance numbers that are regional to Latin America, while highlighting the Mambo. The Xinaxtli Theater Group of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco was formed in the year 2008 and since then has maintained a constant development and strengthening. All of the members are from Taxco (from origin or residential), and are also the first university theater company of importance, integrated by young people – actors in formation- (students, professionals, employees, men, and women), and they perform in other artistic areas, such as dance, ball room dancing, the use of stilts and puppets.

July 29th, 2011
The Xinaxtli Theater Group of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco Presents Salary According to Ability by Antonio Argundin
As part of the Conference Education and Health with quality and equality for women, youth, and natives of Guerrero, organized by the Civil Association Café, Women, and Community of Taxco de Alarcón’s Municipal government, the Xinaxtli Theater Group of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presented the play Salary According to Ability in the Veracruz Plazuela of this city. The setting of this story narrates the distressing experience of a woman that undergoes a supposed interview to occupy a position as a secretary. The person in charge of the “business” tries to take advantage of her ignorance and tries to convince her that she will earn a lot of money in a little amount of time. All is tried to adjust the salary according to the abilities of the solicitor. The Xinaxtli Theater Group from CEPE/UNAM – Taxco was formed in 2008 from the necessity to create a foundation of theatrical culture in the city of Taxco and from there they have maintained a constant development and strengthening. Xinaxtli is a word that is derived from Náhuatl “SHINASHTLI” and means “a seed selected for planting".

July 25th, 2011
CEPE/UNAM – Taxco organizes a round table discussion about technology and language
With the invaluable collaboration of three recognized specialists in technology and language, CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presented the round table discussion A View of the future: an introduction to the technologies used with language of which students and teachers of media education and higher learning institutions from the state of Guerrero attended. The round table was initiated with a presentation by Juan Manuel Torres Moreno, and the Linguistic Engineering Group from UNAM, of which they titled The automatic summary as a solution to the explosion of documents on line, and talked about the modifications that have been generated in language with the use of new information technologies. In turn, Gerardo Sierra Martinez, also a part of the Linguistic Engineering Group, gave an exposition of the basic principles of forensic linguistics, and highlighted the importance of this material in the confines of justice and public security. Finally, in his report Can we talk with computers?, Joaquim Llisterri, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, discussed the linguistic perspective of changes, and the options that new technologies are offering as mediums of communication.

July 20th through 26th, 2011
CEPE/UNAM – Taxco organizes a course of education update with Dr. Joaquim Llisterri
The Spanish professors from CEPE/UNAM – Taxco, as well as language students and teachers from other institutions attended a course of updating education The teaching of pronunciation and the correction of phonetics in Spanish as a Foreign Language, given by Dr. Joaquim Llisterri from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, imparted in this city. During this course, those in attendance analyzed themes such as contrastive analysis and the study of interlanguage, the hierarchy of errors of production, the strategies of phonetic corrections, the certainties for analysis or the elaboration of materials for the teaching of pronunciation and for the correction of phonetics, such as the evaluation of pronunciation. Also, there was a revision of basic concepts such as teaching oral expression, the teaching of phonetics, and the teaching of pronunciation and correction of phonetics. During their stay, the students also enjoyed a tour of the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo,” as well as an explanation of the processes of extracting silver and the historical context of the colonial period and the origin of this important economic activity from this region of Mexico, imparted by Dr. Rodrigo Espino.

July 20th, 2011
Group from Baldwin Park, California, visits the facilities of CEPE/UNAM - Taxco
As part of the activities that are done with the program Sister Cities, a group from Baldwin Park, California, United States visited the facilities of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco. In the “Maru” patio of the Ex Hacienda “El Chorrillo,” the visitors also attended a meal that is offered through this program. Prior to the tour of the Ex Hacienda, Professor Roberto Cruz, the academic secretary of this learning center, offered the group of foreigners a talk about the educational and cultural offerings of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco and invited them to consider taking one of our study programs in Spanish as a foreign language.

July 20th, 2011
Theater from the Faculty of Philosophy and Language at CEPE/UNAM – Taxco
The College of Dramatic Literature and Theater from the Faculty of Philosophy and Language of UNAM presented scenes from Of Ghosts, Witches, and Deceit, suggested parts from texts from William Shakespeare that reveal the supernatural world from stories such as Macbeth, Hamlet, Midnight Summer’s Dream, King Henry the VI, The Happy Comrades of Windsor, and The Tempest. On the Revolution Stage at CEPE/UNAM – Taxco the participants of this group of young artists performed Of Ghosts, Witches, and Deceit, which was created as a unified theme where fantastic Shakespearian theater is adapted to the context of the contemporary spectator. The intention of this talented group and drama project is to take texts from Shakespeare and make these dramas more accessible and entertaining for a modern public, using the basic elements of theater to bring the actors and scenes closer to the audience.

July 12th, 2011
Tango at CEPE/UNAM – Taxco in collaboration with UPEG
In collaboration with the Polytechnic University of the State of Guerrero (UPEG), CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presented a spectacle of tango on the Revolution stage. Before professors and students from both institutions, a pair of professional dancers performed a magnificent demonstration of this dance considered by UNESCO as a cultural heritage of the Latin American region, especially from Argentina and Uruguay. In addition to the demonstration of dance, the couple offered an explanation to the public in attendance about the origins of this musical genera, its evolution, and about some of the most important dancers in Mexico. The Tango is a musical genera and a purely natural urban and sensual dance, known internationally.

July 10th through 15th, 2011
14th Guitar Competition and International Guitar Festival of Taxco
One more time, the Revolution Stage of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco was a location for the 14th Guitar Competition and International Guitar Festival of Taxco which is held each year in this city with this year giving homage to the Cuban guitarist, composer, and teacher, Eduardo Martín. With the participation and assistance of public institutions, communication mediums, and private companies, for the 14th Guitar Competition and International Guitar Festival of Taxco, there were various performances by prestigious and talented artists that interpreted classical, popular, and contemporary works on this stringed instrument. During this musical event that took place for six days, there were soloist and ensembles that competed, respectively; as well as concerts, master classes, and conferences given by important guitarists and composers from Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, Spain, Italy, and Mexico. The 14th Guitar Competition and International Guitar Festival of Taxco received assistance from institutions, such as the State Government, the Guerrero Institute of Culture, The National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA), the National Council for Culture and the Arts (CONACULTA), the Municipal Government of Taxco de Alarcón, Radio and Television of Guerrero, Channel 11, Radio Education, and of course from UNAM through CEPE/UNAM – Taxco.

July 10th, 2011
The Caves of Cacahuamilpa, the scene of the saxophone quartet concert by Sax Son
The Caves of Cacahuamilpa, located in the state of Guerrero, were the natural scene of the magnificent concert offered by the saxophone quartet Sax Son. Organized by CEPE/UNAM – Taxco and the Municipal Government of Taxco de Alarcón, the concert was an exposition of force and vitality of classical music mixed with the color of popular music. Integrated by Helios Valdez (alto sax), Edgar Revilla (tenor sax), Pavel Loaria (baritone sax), Gino Soriano (soprano sax) and Ignacio Gómez (percussion), this saxophone quartet performed pieces such as “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” by J.S. Bach, “Dios Nunca Muere” by Macedonio Alcalá, “Macondo” by Camilo Diez, “Irish Suite” by Elliot de Borgo, and “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, among others. Sax Son has earned a number of awards, including: honorable mention at the “Quartet Competition for Combined Chamber Music” at the Center of Culture at Ollin Yoliztli in 2008, third place at the “Third Competition of Chamber Music of Fine Arts,” in June of 2007, finalists in the “First Contest for Combined Chamber Music” at the Center of Culture at Ollin Yoliztli in 2006, among others.

July 9th, 2011
The Historic Municipal Archive of Taxco, a documental source of investigation about José Joaquin Fernández de Lizardi
The Life and Work of José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi, a Documented Chronology is the name of the project that Professor María Esther Guzmán Gutiérrez has created at the Center of Literary Studies of the Philosophical Investigative Institute of the National University. As part of the development of this ´project, professor Guzmán Gutiérrez referred to the heritage that the Historical Municipal Archives of Taxco contains, restored by UNAM at CEPE/UNAM .- Taxco with the objective of encountering information to offer a new interpretation of the play The Mexican Thinker. Despite having restored and consulted documents for more than twenty years of investigation in public and private archives about the life and work of this Mexican poet, playwright, novelist, and journalist, this university investigator considered that some aspects should still be investigated, such as the success in Taxco during the months of September of 1810 through January of 1811, of which she encountered with great interest a continuation to explore for her project through this documental heritage. Despite not finding documents directly related to her investigation with this first examination of the Historical Municipal Archives of Taxco, Guzmán Gutiérrez found that the Archive does contain important information about the publication and application of the Barbonic Reforms in Taxco, which are considered by some historians as the origins of the Mexican War of Independence. Guzmán Gutiérrez hopes that with the work of inventory, description, and digitalization of the documents that make up this Archive she will be able to find the information to continue her investigation about the insurgent uprisings of the first hour of the vice royal jurisdiction of Taxco.

July 1st, 2011
The Xinaxtli Theater Group of CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presents a dramatic Reading at eh Vice Royal Art Museum
As part of the activities for the XXIV Jornadas Alarconianas that are celebrated each year in the city of Taxco de Alarcón, the Xinaxtli Theater Group from CEPE/UNAM – Taxco presented a dramatic reading from the “Nothing is Forever” text by Verónica Bujeiro in the Vice Royal Art Museum in the City of Taxco. Under the direction of Layo Oviedo and in the frame of the presentation of the book, the Xinaxtli Theater Group from CEPE/UNAM – Taxco offered a presentation of this material that is a criticism of the Mexican political system, corruption, and our nature and mixed culture. In “Nothing is Forever,” Verónica Bujeiro demonstrates some of the fears, prejudices, and means of Mexican society through characters from three different families and their relationships that show hypocrisy, double standards, fraud, and lying. At the same time, she presents a parody of certain political Mexican classes that refuse to disappear and that pretend to return to power. Verónica Bujeiro graduated with a degree in linguistics from the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH). She received a scholarship from the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE), the National Fund of Culture and Arts (FONCA), and the Foundation for Mexican Language Arts.