Get ready to learn, dance, eat and be a part of a culturally enriching experience – and you won’t even have to book a flight to a foreign country.
On Friday, Sept. 23, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztl?n (MEChA) and the Wisconsin Union Directorate Music Committee will put on their 4th annual cultural and educational music event called El Reventonazo.
The event will start at 12 p.m. on Friday with workshops with the performing bands titled “Music, Resistance and Community” in the Multipurpose Room at the Student Activity Center. From 2 to 3:30 pm there with be conversations and food with the performing bands. The event will continue with concerts starting at 7 p.m. at the Terrace. In the case of bad weather, the event will be moved into the Rathskeller in the Memorial Union.
Jorge F. Rodriguez, a graduate student and member of MEChA, works on El Reventonazo organizing committee. He explained that cultural activists are coming from all over the country, Mexico and South America to lead these dialogues about music, resistance and community.
Caroline Wilson, a junior at the University of Wisconsin and the assistant director of grants and co-sponsorships for the WUD Music Committee helped coordinate the event as well. In an interview with The Badger Herald, she explained the value of the event. “Whether or not students know about Mexican cultures, they can learn a lot more from these workshops,” she said.
The featured musicians this year are Cumbia Tokeson, Bompleneras and La Otrabanda.
Cumbia Tokeson, a California-based band, presents Colombian cumbia music, with a Peruvian, chicha influence combining pop, funk and reggae. From Chicago comes Bompleneras, with Puerto Rican bomba and plena. La Otrabanda originates from Madison and plays Venezuelan-folk music.
“All these bands have special projects in their own communities to develop the well-being and self-determination of their community members,” said Rodriguez. “Not only are they community organizers, but their music is also fun and powerful; it’s going to be a blast.”
MEChA is a student organization with a goal of educating students about Chicano culture, history and struggles.
“We consider ourselves cultural and political activists. We focus a lot on education and the cultural arts,” explained Rodriguez. MEChA began in 1968 with roots in the Civil Rights movement for Mexican-Americans and came to UW in 1973.
The Wisconsin Union Directorate Music Committee is an organization devoted to bringing live shows to the University of Wisconsin Madison Community. The committee is made up of students and union members.
Molly Lloyd, director of the WUD Music Committee and UW senior explained the committee’s involvement with El Reventonazo. “The Rathskeller, the Sett in Union South and the Terrace are our venues and we voted on the show and granted them to use these spaces,” she said.
Wilson noted MEChA booked the bands, and that they help coordinate technical details like where to put chairs, and the sound for the show.
“We always like collaborating with other student orgs, we’ve worked with MEChA in the past, and they are great to work with. It’s a win-win situation,” Lloyd said.
Rodriguez explained that El Reventonazo is a unique event. “This is one of the rare events on campus where undergraduate and graduate students of color get to be a part of stimulating discussions regarding the roles of music, community and resistance, and participate at a concert with great and holistic music,” Rodriguez said. “All students and all of the Madison community is welcome at this event.”
“Madison is all about embracing different cultures, but uniting as well. It’s really cool how here we have so many different cultural groups, and everyone is so excepting and wants to educate each other,” added Wilson.
It seems like El Reventonazo is the perfect place to do just this.
For more information on this event, check out the Union’s website or search Facebook for “El Reventonazo”.
