Piraq Causa, meaning “who is to blame,” is a feature of the “Arts of Resistance” exhibition at the UBC Museum of Anthropology. This series of 5 paintings depicts Peru's Shining Path conflicts, events that resulted in the deaths of 69,000 people, largely made up of innocent indigenous villagers. It is the story of the villagers of Ayacucho that these paintings illustrate. The traditional style in which these works are painted, called tablas pintadas, was originally used to represent family genealogy, but is used in the context of these paintings to illustrate the collective history of the culture during this period. Their aim is to denounce the horrors committed against them and rebel against the erasure of their culture by the Peruvian government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The initial goal of these paintings was to condemn the atrocities committed against the Ayacuchano people. As one of the poorest indigenous communities in Peru, Ayacucho was easily infiltrated by Sendero Luminoso insurgents. Although the public perception was that the villagers supported the movement, the paintings tell a different story. In fact, they refer to Shining Path leaders as onqoy, a plague or disease of the community. This is significant because it goes against the official position of Peru, which has labeled Ayacuchanos a terrorist in an attempt to justify the massacres. Perhaps the most horrific scene depicted depicts military helicopters shooting down anyone in sight, guerrillas and civilians alike. The government was so focused on eradicating the Shining Path that it completely ignored the innocents who were unable to defend themselves from the attack. As demonstrated by the government's callous indifference to indigenous life, it is clear that they did not care if the Ayacuchan culture survived. The Ayacuchanos, however, care. The use of the tablas pintadas method is the artist's way of demonstrating that no matter what, their culture perseveres. More than the killing of the Ayacuchano people, the conflicts (which disproportionately affected indigenous populations) were a form of cultural genocide. One specific example from the paintings shows the Peruvian army destroying the community center of Ayacucho as a way to target the Shining Path. However, the insurgents had no interest in the community, and so the only people affected were the villagers whose cultural history had just been wiped out. After the conflicts, the remaining Ayacuchanos spread across Peru, resulting in the loss of their customs. Through the use of traditional techniques, artists preserve a part of their culture and rebel against a government that has marginalized and attacked them. Even as recently as 2017, the Lima Museum was criticized for displaying these pieces, as they were considered pro-terrorist. As Schaffer and Smith note, life narratives are “often banned in their country of origin” (16) because they typically reflect negatively on the country itself. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The Piraq Causa paintings on display in the UBC Museum of Anthropology depict atrocities committed against indigenous groups during the Sendero Luminoso conflicts. They challenge the official rhetoric of the Peruvian government that portrays indigenous people as rebels, supporters of the cause that needed to be stopped. These paintings not only testify to the extreme actions taken by the government and Sendero Luminoso, but they are..