This co-organized event between Rutgers and Princeton University marks the inaugural meeting of scholars from both institutions. It centres on Abiayala, the Kuna term meaning “land in its full maturity”, and encompasses the indigenous territory of what is known as the Americas, including Latin America. This is a viewpoint that seeks to reinterpret indigenous worlds through their epistemologies, languages, religions, and geographic references.
Taking up the notion of “trans-Indigenous” methodologies as proposed by Chadwick Allen –that is, thinking about the indigenous beyond the imposition of colonial borders–, our gathering explores connections across indigenous communities throughout the Americas, and invites scholars from across the region to participate in this conversation.
With an interdisciplinary focus, the event brings together topics such as indigenous literature, film, ancestral medicinal practices, and oral testimony to examine how indigenous knowledge systems and traditions circulate and resonate across borders, languages, and communities. We will be joined by guest keynote speaker, poet and professor Odi González (NYU), who will address the complex process of translating oral Quechua literature into written languages, such as Spanish and English. The event will conclude with a film screening of Javier Corcuera's Sigo siendo (2013), a documentary that explores the heterogeneous musical expressions of Peru, influenced by local cultures and repertoires rooted in indigenous and Afro-Peruvian traditions. With a focus on migrant subjects in the industrial capital, the film highlights the impossibility of conceiving contemporary indigenous societies in isolation, celebrating the diverse community ties they create as they work to maintain their cultural vibrancy.
Registration link: https://forms.gle/SUBGrzWXuxjmoRMt6