Posted: February 23rd, 2021

Clash of Cultures: A Film Analysis of The Other Conquest

Clash of Cultures Module

Assignment Overview: This film analysis assignment invites you to delve into the complex and often tumultuous encounters between indigenous peoples and European colonizers in the Americas. Through this exploration, you will uncover the layers of historical and cultural dynamics that shaped these interactions. The Other Conquest (Spanish: La Otra Conquista), directed by Salvador Carrasco, presents the aftermath of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, focusing on the spiritual and cultural struggles of the indigenous people. This film and the primary source offers a rich tapestry of themes, including cultural assimilation, resistance, religious conversion, and the clash of cultures covered in our module. These themes provide a lens to examine the profound impacts of colonization on identity and belief systems.

La Otra Conquista (The Other Conquest), 1998:

“The Other Conquest” (original title: “La otra conquista”) is a Mexican film directed by Salvador Carrasco. It was released in 1998. The film is set during the aftermath of the 1520s Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire and explores themes of cultural clash, religious conversion, and the struggle to preserve one’s beliefs in a changing world. The story primarily follows a young Aztec scribe named Topiltzin, who survives the infamous massacre of the Aztecs at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) and witnesses the dawn of a new era in his native land. This narrative highlights the personal and collective resilience of the indigenous people amidst overwhelming change.

Instructions:

Watch The Other Conquest, use (Film) for parenthetical citation, and read the provided Primary Source. Your analysis should address the following aspects:

Cultural Representation and Perspectives:

Analyze how the film represents the indigenous cultures and their responses to European colonization. Consider aspects such as language, rituals, social structures, and spiritual beliefs. This will help you understand the depth of cultural disruption caused by colonial forces.

Evaluate the films’ perspectives: Are the stories told from the colonizers’ point of view, the indigenous peoples’, or a balanced viewpoint? How does this perspective influence the portrayal of cultural encounters? Reflecting on this will reveal the filmmaker’s intent in shaping historical narratives.

Themes of Conquest and Conversion:

Examine the themes of conquest, cultural assimilation, and religious conversion in the film. How are these themes developed, and what are the moral or ethical dilemmas presented? These questions encourage a deeper consideration of power dynamics and human agency.

The following Primary Source is required for the analysis; as is the module lecture, module readings, and module video clips. This ensures a well-rounded analysis grounded in multiple historical perspectives.

With the film The Other Conquest, use PS “The Lords and Holy Men of Tenochtitlan – Reply to the Franciscans” (1524) use (Reply) for the parenthetical citation.

Using The Lords and Holy Men of Tenochtitlan, how does the film reflect the resistance described in the primary source? Exploring this connection will illuminate the continuity of indigenous defiance against imposed ideologies.

Format: Your analysis should be structured as a coherent essay, with a clear introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Support your arguments with specific examples from the film and with course content, like the readings, lecture, video clips and the primary source The Holy Lords and Holy Men of Tenochtitlan. Integrating these elements will strengthen the credibility and depth of your argument.

The paper should be double-spaced, 2-pages in length. Adhering to this format ensures clarity and conciseness in presenting your insights.

✨ Success score for including parenthetical citations, using the provided film and required primary source, and use of materials from course lecture (like the section on Cultural Syncretism – Tonatzin/Virgin de Guadalupe), readings, and video clips.

Title:

“Clashing Worlds: Cultural Resilience and Conversion in The Other Conquest”

References:

Florescano, Enrique. The Myth of Quetzalcoatl: Religion, Rulership, and History in the Nahua World. Translated by Lysa Hochroth, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
This book provides deeper context on Aztec mythology and spirituality, enriching the analysis of Topiltzin’s cultural struggle.
Restall, Matthew. Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. Oxford University Press, 2003.
This source offers a critical perspective on the narratives of conquest, complementing the film’s exploration of colonizer and indigenous viewpoints.

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Tags: Aztec Empire, cultural assimilation, cultural clash, indigenous resistance, religious conversion