Mural Campesino August 2004

Participants in Visions of Community worked in tandem during the week leading up to the  fiesta. In preparation for our theme, "Examining HIV/AIDS internationally, nationally and locally," Un Mundo volunteers Hilde Susan Jaegtnes, Rachel McIntire, and Kate Venner had studied current field research as well as worked with Bay Area medical organizations to gather more than 3000 condoms, hundreds of vaginal speculums for the local health center, and pamphlets on STDs and female reproductive health.

With just five days before the fiesta, while the Goal soccer teams practiced, Mural Campesino and TheatreCampesino participants worked feverishly to accomplish our goals surrounding the topic of HIV/AIDS.  For the mural project, the week was filled with research, design and installation of a mural at the Colegio (high school) of El Pital.

On our first day of class, after acquainting everyone, we introduced the program and research theme.  The group participated in drama and art activities while examining HIV/AIDS on an international, national and local level.

The second day, we organized an interview with a gringo nurse working in Las Mangas.  This was the group's first experience with primary research.  They sat poised around a table, while Pablo, a local volunteer, took the lead on asking the questions the group had selected.  Some members took notes, while others looked curiously around the room.  The interview provided some useful information about the local situation of HIV/AIDS and helped to reinforce urgency of the issue.

After the interview students created a piece of art to share their insight and ideas surrounding the theme.  Miria Hernandez, the local Mural Campesino facilitator, collected these drawings, and we worked through the evening to synthesize the ideas in to a cohesive mural design.

Early the next day, we presented the design to the school official and students for their approval.  Everyone was excited about the design, giving us the Go to begin installation.

Wednesday through Friday were dedicated to production.  From early to late, students, residents and volunteers contributed to the completion of the mural. Layer by layer, the mural initiated a dialogue with passers-by from the community, who were often curious, interested in helping, or impressed by the mural design and color palette.

Saturday's event arrived all too quickly.  The mural was still drying and the Theatre Campesino participants were rehearsing their final scenes.  The soccer tournament drew a multitude of fresh faces to El Pital; all would soon attend the mural inauguration and theatre.

At noon the field cleared and all participants and spectators were summoned to the Colegio field.  The event commenced as Mirian eloquently introduced Mural Campesino and described the mural design.  Erlinda, her sister and co-facilitator, indicated with a long stick to the respective points of interest in the actual mural.

Next, Mirian introduced Theatre Campesino.  Hilde and her theatre troupe took the field, with the mural as their backdrop.  The tragic plot of an unfaithful husband who contracts HIV and later dies of AIDS stunned the audience.  Laughs and sighs were made on cue as the drama unfolded.

After a brief dialogue following the play, the spots of shade that protected our audience were vacant, and the soccer field again shouted with yellow, red, teal and orange jerseys.  Participants walked away with pride and a bit more knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS.  The community explored options of how they could protect their community from HIV/AIDS and the mural is left as a constant reminder, a point of continual dialogue, awareness and acceptance.

Mural Campesino facilitators were left with little time to rest.  They immediately began preparing for the next three murals, sponsored by a grant by New England Biolabs and coordinated by on-site facilitator Kate Veneer.  In September, Mural Campesino will begin offering classes that incorporate arts into environmental education.  Classes will run in conjunction with each mural project.

Con Respecto,
Rachel McIntire
Mural Campesino Liaison