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TOTEM LATAMAT: DUMFRIES EVENTS

28 October 2021

Experience an Indigenous Mexican response to Climate Change

The Crichton is to be part of a 9,000km journey which brings TOTEM LATAMAT from Mexico to the UK where it will be hosted by iconic locations across the country. The totem will arrive in Glasgow for the COP26 Climate Summit in November before being ceremonially returned to earth here at The Crichton.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS IN DUMFRIES:

15 November: Totem Latamat to arrive at The Crichton following COP26
16 – 19 November: Open access to visit us and see Totem Latamat on the grounds of The Crichton
19 November, 6.30pm-8.30pm, Crichton Central: A reflection on the journey and COP26 – Panel Discussion – free and all welcome, but booking required (More info on What’s On listing for 19 November)
20 November, 11am-12noon, Crichton Memorial Church and Grounds: Totem Latamat ‘Return to Earth’ ceremony – free and all welcome. Please meet in The Crichton Memorial Church.

For specific details of these events please refer to our What’s On Guide.

ABOUT TOTEM LATAMAT

Carved by Indigenous Totonac artist Jun Tiburcio, the totem is a messenger from the Totonac people, calling attention to the damage being done to the seas, the land and the air.

In Chumatlán, Veracruz, México a 4.5m high totem is carved from a single tree during a ceremony to thank it for giving its life. The head of a man and the wings of an eagle are sculpted into the cedar wood, the chiselled lines imprinting a message that will stretch 9000km from Mexico to London.

“Latamat” means “life” in Tutunakú, and the totem is expressive of Totonac spiritual ideas as they relate to the environment. It emphasises how deeply our existence is interwoven with nature, calls attention to the damage being done to the seas, the land and the air, and insists that we cannot ignore this destruction any longer.

TOTEM LATAMAT is part of Border Crossings 2021-22 Origins Festival and is co-presented by Centro de las Artes Indígenas and supported by The Open University and the Embassy of Mexico.

Follow the totem: https://bit.ly/TotemLatamat and keep an eye on our platforms for further details of events happening here at The Crichton as part of the tour.

#ORIGINSFESTIVAL #ORIGINSTOTEM #FOLLOWTHETOTEM #COP26 #THECRICHTON