Olga Najera-Ramirez
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Olga Najera-Ramírez is an American
anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has published academic works in the field of Mexican culture. Since 1996, she has served as faculty advisor to Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas.


Early life and education

Najera-Ramírez was born in
Davenport, California Davenport is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California. Davenport sits at an elevation of . The 2020 United States census reported Davenport's population was 388. Situation Davenport lies along the coast of the Pacific Ocea ...
to parents who were immigrants to the United States from Mexico.''UCTV's State of Minds interview with Olga Nájera-Ramírez.''
UCTV 2010. Accessed 5 September 2105.
When Najira-Ramirez was eight, her father died and so she worked in the agricultural fields to help support her family. After completing her high school education, Najera-Ramírez enrolled at University of California Santa Cruz and majored in History and Latin American Studies. Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas at University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) was founded in 1972 at Merrill College. At the time, the Mexican population in Santa Cruz were a minority. Students were not permitted to speak in Spanish in school. In the background was the Chicano movement (the Mexican civil rights movement in the United States). Through Los Mejicas, students reached out to the local community in ways that supported the Chicano movement. For example, they performed Folklorico dance during Chicano protests and rallies. Najera-Ramírez joined Los Mejicas in 1974 continued to dance with Los Mejicas until the end of her undergraduate studies. Najera-Ramírez's participation in Grupo Folklorico Los Mejicas sparked her interest in the dance and folklore traditions of Mexico. In 1976, Najera-Ramírez met
Rafael Zamarripa Rafael Zamarripa Castañeda (born February 8, 1942) is a Mexican painter, sculptor, designer, dancer and choreographer. Zamarripa's paintings, sculptures, and choreography have been called distinct and recognizable. He is considered one of Mex ...
, a
Baile Folklorico Baile folklórico, "folkloric dance" in Spanish, also known as ballet folklórico, is a collective term for traditional cultural dances that emphasize local folk culture with ballet characteristics – pointed toes, exaggerated movements, highly ...
master from the Asociacion Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos whose presentation furthered her interest. Najera-Ramírez enrolled at the
University of Guadalajara The University of Guadalajara ( es, Universidad de Guadalajara) is a public higher education institution in the Mexican city of Guadalajara. The university has several high schools as well as graduate and undergraduate campuses, which are distr ...
,
Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
, Mexico to study dance. In 1979, she returned to the United States and took a Master's degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas.''Anthropology.''
Anthro.ucsc.edu Accessed 7 December 2014.
In 1987, Najera-Ramírez received a doctoral degree in Anthropology (Mexican folklore) also from the University of Texas.


Academic career

Najera-Ramirez is a full professor at University of California, Santa Cruz.''Olga Najera-Ramirez.''
Anthropology, UCSC, California, United States. Accessed 5 September 2015.
Her field of anthropological research is trans-national cultural studies, particularly the expressive forms of culture; the formation of
identity Identity may refer to: * Identity document * Identity (philosophy) * Identity (social science) * Identity (mathematics) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film * ''Identity'' (2003 film), ...
, and relationships of power. Najera-Ramirez has focussed on the incorporation of culture making practices (such as dance and rodeo) from Mexico into popular culture in the United States.Njera-Ramirez et al (ed
''Dancing Across Borders: Danzas Y Bailes Mexicanos''
University of Illinois Press, 2009. , 9780252076091


Documentaries

In 1996, Najera-Ramirez produced ''La Charreada: Rodeo a la Mexicana'', a twenty-six-minute documentary examining Mexican rodeo as part of the Chicano movement. in 2011, Najera-Ramírez produced a documentary entitled ''Danza Folklórica Escénica: El Sello Artístico de Rafael Zamarripa.''''Danza Folklorica Escenica: El Sello Artistico de Rafael Zamarripa.''
KCET, Los Angeles, 2015. Accessed 5 September 2015.
It examines the development of folklórico dance through the career of
Rafael Zamarripa Rafael Zamarripa Castañeda (born February 8, 1942) is a Mexican painter, sculptor, designer, dancer and choreographer. Zamarripa's paintings, sculptures, and choreography have been called distinct and recognizable. He is considered one of Mex ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Najera-Ramirez, Olga University of California, Santa Cruz faculty American anthropologists American women anthropologists Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American women