Educational Media Reviews Online

The film Pasajeugo: The Oaxacan Indigenous Game of Pelota Mixteca' shows a widely unknown sport played by the people of southern Mexico. While the game is shown being played throughout, the film is more interested in the community than the mechanics of the sport. Instead, the cultural importance of this indigenous sport is depicted through interviews with people who are actively competing or have competed in the past. The essence of tradition and legend is fully fleshed out by the stories told by people close to the sport. The power of tradition in ancient game has endured but on a precarious level but director Daniel Oliveras de Ita shows that the joy of playing is a unifying experience that endures despite the hardships that threaten it.

The film is very well shot around the various places in which Pelota Mixteca fields are located. Mountainous regions of southern Mexico are shown with breathtaking vistas. Fields in Oxnard, California and Dallas, Texas are more utilitarian but evocative of the fields from their home. It just goes to show that no matter where there are players, there will be a field to play on. As the film title suggests, the game is a pastime for the Oaxacan people, it is also an important aspect of the culture and is something that connects them together regardless of distance.

The community mindedness of the film makes it perfect for courses in the Anthropology and Latin American and Indigenous studies fields.

Awards:
RAI Film Festival; Official Selection Latin American Studies Film Festival; Fresno State CineCulture Special Screening

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