Speaking out about a diminishing culture is what the Chiapas Media Project (CMP) members do best.

On their trip to Wells College, assistant professor of sociology Laura McClusky and a representative from CMP will screen two films produced by the activist group and will follow up the productions with a discussion forum.

According to its press release, since 1998 the CMP has facilitated the production of media by indigenous and campensino peoples in Mexico in an effort to help them represent their lives to the rest of the world.

Many of the films deal with the Zapatista movement, an armed group founded in 1983 of modern Mexico which takes the name Zapatista from the Mexican Revolution and Emilano Zapata.

The films being shown at Wells were made by Maya in Chiapas. They are “Caracoles: New Paths of Resistance” (2003) and “The Sacred Land” (2000). Both films are Spanish with English subtitles.

“Caracoles” is a celebration of the death of the Aguascalientes and the birth of the Caracoles and the Good Government Assemblies. Various members of the Zapatista leadership discuss how these changes will affect internal political and economic processes, gender relations and their relationship to international civil society.

“The Sacred Land” plot is an endeavor to regain ownership of indigenous lands. The film explains what life was like on plantations and includes stories across four generations of slavery-like conditions.

This event is sponsored by the Sociology/Anthropology major, the Social Sciences Division, the International Studies major and the Symposium Club.

If you go

What: Chiapas Media Project

When: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Wells College Cleveland Auditorium, Aurora

Cost: Free

For details: Call 364-3260