En toma. Spray-painted across the biochemistry building. Spelled with post-it notes from the windows of the philosophy building. Lucho, (I fight) Written in faded chalk on the sidewalks. Marcha, Oct 11, 12 horas, todas invitadas (march, October 11th at 12 o’clock, all invited) scrawled across the side of an overpass. And educación gratuita (free education) written everywhere.
At la Universidad de Concepción in the city of Concepción, I saw the cries of students attempting to fight for something that is possibly one of the largest internal conflicts that Chile suffers: the fight for free education. I honestly know little about the subject. I've asked questions, and it seems to be something that people don't like to think about. But everyday on the news, video footage can be found of protests, often violent, plaguing Chile's capital city, Santiago. Schools 'en toma' (literally meaning in taking) are often destroyed inside-out, student protesters living on the school grounds and blocking others from entering.
I did not see anything to that extent when I was in Concepción, but I did see the graffiti. The vacant buildings, coated in posters. It intrigued me. Perhaps what was most intriguing was the way the few people on campus didn't seem to notice any of it. Like they were used to it. Outside there were five pillars, and one letter of the word lucho had been spray painted on each of them. A girl sat on one and smiled for a picture.
Some friends of my host family that live in Concepción took me through the campus, and as we walked passed the buildings, all they said was, "That building is en toma,” and moved on. The next day I asked if I could go back to take pictures. We returned, and my friend said, "There's a garden and pond over here to take pictures of.” They hadn't understood. "No," I said. “I want to take pictures of the buildings that are en toma."
I think graffiti tells a lot about a country and it's conflicts. In addition to the education struggle, los Mapuches, native to Chile, are fighting for rights. I watched los Mapuches protest in Concepción. I saw the graffiti written on walls.
Past political conflicts can be seen spray-painted at random as well. An obscene comment about the past dictator Pinochet. An ‘Alessandri lives’. All of these things jump out at me, while the people walk past. Silent screams and opinions without owners. To me it feels that individuality is less of a value here, and the collectiveness of the people is strong. Maybe they're caught between living their collective culture and speaking their individual opinions. So they write it. Where it can be seen but unidentified. Where only a foreigner would stop to read that la lucha continúa-- the fight continues.
At la Universidad de Concepción in the city of Concepción, I saw the cries of students attempting to fight for something that is possibly one of the largest internal conflicts that Chile suffers: the fight for free education. I honestly know little about the subject. I've asked questions, and it seems to be something that people don't like to think about. But everyday on the news, video footage can be found of protests, often violent, plaguing Chile's capital city, Santiago. Schools 'en toma' (literally meaning in taking) are often destroyed inside-out, student protesters living on the school grounds and blocking others from entering.
I did not see anything to that extent when I was in Concepción, but I did see the graffiti. The vacant buildings, coated in posters. It intrigued me. Perhaps what was most intriguing was the way the few people on campus didn't seem to notice any of it. Like they were used to it. Outside there were five pillars, and one letter of the word lucho had been spray painted on each of them. A girl sat on one and smiled for a picture.
Some friends of my host family that live in Concepción took me through the campus, and as we walked passed the buildings, all they said was, "That building is en toma,” and moved on. The next day I asked if I could go back to take pictures. We returned, and my friend said, "There's a garden and pond over here to take pictures of.” They hadn't understood. "No," I said. “I want to take pictures of the buildings that are en toma."
I think graffiti tells a lot about a country and it's conflicts. In addition to the education struggle, los Mapuches, native to Chile, are fighting for rights. I watched los Mapuches protest in Concepción. I saw the graffiti written on walls.
Past political conflicts can be seen spray-painted at random as well. An obscene comment about the past dictator Pinochet. An ‘Alessandri lives’. All of these things jump out at me, while the people walk past. Silent screams and opinions without owners. To me it feels that individuality is less of a value here, and the collectiveness of the people is strong. Maybe they're caught between living their collective culture and speaking their individual opinions. So they write it. Where it can be seen but unidentified. Where only a foreigner would stop to read that la lucha continúa-- the fight continues.
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