Recasting Commodity and Spectacle in the Indigenous Americas

Indigenous artists frequently voice concerns over the commodification of their cultures, a process acutely felt by those living with the consequences of colonialism. This timely volume, which features colour illustrations throughout, excavates the history of indigenous performance in different parts of the Americas and invites us to re-examine indigeneity’s distinctive relationship to economies of display and circulation. Making reference to aesthetic forms, intellectual property and political empowerment, each chapter addresses the creative ways in which performance practices are mobilized by indigenous artists and communities to resist imposed stereotypes and shape their own complex identities. Leading academics and practitioners register the vibrancy of a wide array of indigenous arts and cultural events in the USA, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Canada, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Belize and trace the circulation of creative products and practices as commodities, as cultural capital and/or as heritage. Offering insightful analyses of performance idioms in the fields of music, festivities, film, photography, theatre and museum installations, the volume also gauges how spectacles of cultural difference are remodelled in the hands of Indigenous practitioners and impress upon diverse audiences.