Exploring Cultural Identity and Heritage
Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum Day of the Dead/ Día de los Muertos
By Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Exploring Cultural Identity and Heritage in Real and Virtual Spaces.
"Our interaction is real, our engagement is genuine, and our fascination with exploring our identities through avatars is an ongoing project that has created a life-long learning environment." –Maria Miranda Maloney
Exploring Cultural Identity through Avatars and Hashtags
Macuilxochtzin, La China Poblana and La Llorona, represent the oral traditions of Latin American oral histories. They are part of the history of ancestral and indigenous communities.
La Llorona and China Poblana (2014/2014) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
The immersion and sensory-rich experiences, such as writing, reading poetry, performing music in a world outside of our real world is transformative.
The Mesoamerican ballgame and ball court and the significance of the rubber ball (the discovery of rubber substance by the Olmec): The ball game played on a court with a rubber ball and two opposing teams; although the game was found in islands of the Caribbean, as far south as the Amazon and as far north as the American Southwest. Different games had religious significance and involved human sacrifice. – Dr. Jane MacLaren Walsh, Ph.D. , Curator, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
Day of the Dead Virtual Pet Cemetery (2014/2014) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Since pets are also considered part of our lives, we also honor them at the LVM Pet Virtual Cemetery.
Day of the Dead Latino Virtual Museum Altar (2015/2015) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Dead Poets Open Mic Series
Dead Poets Open Mic is a community outreach program presented annually during Day of the Dead. It is a space that inspires poems and narratives around life and death. Writers, artists and scholars gather around in the LVM Sin Fronteras Café to honor life and the return of departed loved ones and ancestral spirits.
Dead Poets Open Mic: Viva Flores (2014) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Guest poet Viva Flores, embodies the virtual body politic with engaging live poetic performance.
Dead Poets Open Mic: Rosa Esperanza Barajas (2014) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Dead Poets Open Mic: Nancy Green (2014)Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Dead Poets Open Mic: Katherine Hoerth (2014) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Dead Poets Open Mic: Celina Villagarcia (2014)Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Day of the Dead Placita (2014/2014) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
"The Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum is perhaps one of the best spaces where artistic expression has thrived since its conception. The space has played a role in “expanding our experience of other lives, other spaces, and other ways of being.” (Biocca). Upon entering this space, the user whether artist, writer, musician or visitor, becomes a participant." –Maria Miranda Maloney-Mouthfeel Press
Day of the Dead Cultural Identity Workshop (2013/2013) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Students from The University of Texas at El Paso joined students from Howard University in a series of exercises in identity construction via avatar and hashtag creation.
Day of the Dead Cultural Identity Workshop with Howard University students-1 (2013/2013) by LVMSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Howard University students shared their process and ideas on how identity is represented and interpreted in various cultural contexts.
