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1932, Scars of Memory
"1932, Cicatriz de la Memoria", (1932, Scars of Memory) by Carlos Henriquez Consalvi, Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen (the Museum of the Word and Image in El Salvador).
In 1932 there was a mainly indigenous uprising in El Salvador that was brutally put down, with more than 10,000 indigenous people massacred. Information on the events of the time have been suppressed. There are a few remaining survivors and until now they haven't dared speak out, they are very old at this stage and there was a great danger that the history would die with them if their witness to t he events of 1932 weren’t recorded.
'1932...' is an important historical document which gathers witness reports from survivors, old footage, photographs and documents. It tells the story of the massacres of insurgents against the military dictatorship and ladino oligarchy, and the indiscriminate nature of the massacres.
This film records people's recollection of the time and explores the events of 1932 and, uniquely, it looks at the influence of the massacre on Salvadorean development, Salvadorean culture, Salvadorean psychology, politics and the civil war.
Nahuatl, the indigenous language hasn't been spoken in El Salvador since 1932, indigenous clothing hasn't been worn either. This is a story that has been supressed and denied for decades by those responsible for the massacres. The Museo is promoting memory for reconciliation and has brought this crucial part of Salvadorean history, one of terrible injustice, to the surface.
The film is being used by many organisations and educational establishments. A couple of weeks ago the Museo ran a workshop for 200 youths during which they showed and debated the film, as part of an ongoing programme of presentations.
See the Museum's website here:
http://www.museo.com.sv/
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