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Discovering Antarctica
By Judy Newel
Talk and presentation
Antartica—(M)The Last Frontier
Tues, Aug 14, 5pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
Free
Attend an information session to discover the remote and pristine natural wonders of Antarctica in Antarctica—(M)The Last Frontier.
Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres while you learn about this incredible destination and a breathtaking December 2007 journey to the white continent with other adventurous San Miguel travelers. Robert Baines will narrate a brief program on the landscapes and wildlife encountered in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Judy Newell will describe the enthralling 15-night tour featuring Christmas in Buenos Aires.
A portion of the Dec. 12–(N)26 tour price will go to the Biblioteca Scholarship Fund for those making reservations at the event.
Christopher Columbus revealed
Lecture
Christopher Columbus
With Guillermo Mendez
Wed, Aug 15, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos
Everybody knows all about Christopher Columbus, right? Here’s a short Columbus quiz just to prove it.
1) True or False? Columbus made four voyages to the New World.
2) True or False? In 1492 all educated people thought the world was a globe.
3) True or False? Columbus fathered a child with a woman he never married.
The answer to all three questions is “True.”
The first historic voyage was followed by three more in 1493, 1498 and 1502. On the fourth voyage Columbus arrived at Española (today’s Haiti/ Dominican Republic) to find a fleet of about 30 ships preparing to leave for Spain. He sensed that a hurricane was brewing and so informed the governor of the island, Nicolás de Ovando. The governor chose to ignore Columbus’ warning and the fleet departed. The hurricane soon struck and 25 ships and their crews were lost.
After the storm passed, Columbus’ four ships left Española and spent the rest of the voyage exploring the coast of Central America from Honduras to Panama. At the northern end of their route they encountered what was probably a Maya trading canoe coming from the north, perhaps from the Yucatán peninsula which was, and still is, Maya territory.
It was the largest canoe ever seen by Europeans. Carved from a single tree trunk like other native canoes, it was eight feet wide, with 25 paddlers, and as “long as a galley.” The canoe had a central roofed pavilion which contained women, children, baggage and trade goods. They must have gotten a good look at the canoe. One of the crew members, Hernando Colón, Columbus’ natural son, would later describe its contents in detail in his father’s biography which he authored.
In late 15th century Europe there was no dispute over the shape of the earth. It had been known since the time of the ancient Greeks that the Earth was a globe. However, there was disagreement over the size of the globe. Of course, no one knew that two continents lay between Europe and Asia to the west.
After his Portuguese wife died, Columbus went to Spain with his young son Diego. For the next several years he devoted himself to petitioning the Spanish Crown for financing for his “Enterprise of the Indies.” It was during this period that he met Beatriz Enríquez de Arana in the city of Córdoba. They had a relationship that resulted in the birth of a boy, Hernando, who Columbus acknowledged as his own.
More than one historian has suggested that Christopher Columbus changed the world more than any other single historical figure. Columbus’ adventures are the subject of a “Columbus Day” lecture (in English) by Guillermo Mendez, retired professor of Humanities and San Miguel resident.
Mexico’s history with a theatrical flair
Lecture/Performance
The History of Mexico
Mon–(N)Tues, Aug 13–(N)14, 3pm
Fri, Aug 17, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos
The program, The History of Mexico, was developed over a 16 month period of writing and rewriting, shooting, selecting and collecting 330 slides that show the places and people, their art and anguish, and finally the selection of four voices that tell the story of the people of Mexico. This program, in spoken cantata, was created due to the need to go beyond the places and dates of Mexican history, to go to the pain and the blood of tyranny and the cry for justice and liberty and to the art and creativity of its people. This program has been presented in San Miguel for ten years with the voices of four trained and professional actors, during the seasons of winter and summer, and each time the audience has given it positive feedback; we invite you to add yours.
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