You are invited to the next F&T Spring Research Seminar Series: Dressing “Mexican”: A Balancing Act between Indigenous Cultural Expression and Fashion, Dr Birgitta Huse.

Date & time: Wednesday 20^th March, 14:00 – 15:15
Speakers: Dr Birgitta Husew
Venue: Hybrid Event: In person Harvard Lecture Theatre, East Building, Winchester School of Art OR Online via Teams

Abstract
Dr Birgitta Huse, Social Anthropologist and independent researcher

What comes to your mind when thinking about Mexican dress? What do you know about Mexican dress culture and textiles? In her guest lecture Birgitta tackles widespread ideas about Mexican dress and deals with the question why Indigenous textiles and clothes are attractive for non-Indigenous people. She uses the example of the Maya Indigenous community of San Juan Chamula in Southern Mexico where she conducted her first fieldwork in 1989/90 to demonstrate how textile production and textile use is embedded in Indigenous culture. Changes in Chamula living traditions which occurred during the last few decades will be highlighted. How do Indigenous women as textile specialists and businesswomen act in face of a growing interest of a non-Indigenous clientele in “authentic” Indigenous dress and textiles? Birgitta shines a light on Chamula-women’s creativity when it comes to developing sufficient supply of Indigenous products for regional, national and international markets. A look at the dynamics of Indigenous Cultural Expression and fashion serves to illuminate the interplay of old and new traditions – second hand Indigenous clothes being one of the protagonists in this process. This guest lecture will end with a glimpse into Mexican fashion design.

Speaker Biography
Dr Birgitta Huse is a Social Anthropologist, independent researcher, lecturer, and writer. She has studied at the Universities of London (SOAS), Tübingen and Freiburg (PhD) in Germany. Her research focuses on Indigenous textile culture, fashion, and tourism since her first fieldwork in the Maya village of San Juan Chamula in Southern Mexico in 1989/90 as part of her PhD degree. For her continuous research in Mexico Birgitta has received grants from the Mexican Foreign Office (SRE), the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). She has lectured at universities in Germany and Mexico. Her freelance work for institutions of culture and education includes commissions by the UNESCO and the German National Organisation of Adult Education DVV (International Centre). Birgitta has published four books and her writing is featured internationally in professional journals, books, and magazines. She writes for Bloomsbury Publishing in London and Kulturaustausch – Magazine for International Perspectives in Berlin.