An Example of Peruvian Peasant Democracy that Apparently Shames Our Own — Rodrigo Vazquez’ Short Documentary Captures the Early 21st Century’s Most Important Themes — Poverty, Habitat Destruction, and Partial Solutions in the Form of Democracy and the Empowerment of Women

© 2011 Peter Free

 

17 August 2011

 

 

A “people power” experiment that started with Peruvian Andean women playing soccer

 

According to documentary film-maker, Rodrigo Vazquez, a woman in Peru decided to organize a soccer club for peasant women who worked the fields as she did.

 

These games resulted in after-play discussions of local problems.  The chats escalated to national political involvement, after drought combined with heavy rains swept the peasants’ mountain cropland (and its previously reliable water resources) away.

 

 

Citation

 

Rodrigo Vazquez, Peru: A league of their own — Football is helping the women of the Andes find a political voice and fight the effects of climate change, Bethnal Films for Aljazeera (17 August 2011)

 

 

The documentary is an effective introduction to ideas about empowering women as a solution to poverty

 

Only 25-minutes long, Vazquez’ video efficiently blends themes regarding poverty, habitat-destruction, climate change, and the empowerment of women.

 

If accurately portrayed, his example of Peruvian peasant democracy shames our interests-dominated one.

 

For people unconcerned with political messages, the documentary is a gently human one.  Art in an unassuming package.