From rising gas prices to terrorism, Chicano theater group Indigenous Chaos will discuss controversial topics using comedic poetry, songs and skits in Philips Hall on Friday.
The group — comprised of three generations of the same family — formed in 1999 after its members spent years working with El Teatro Campesino, the acclaimed theatrical segment of United Farm Workers of America.
Indigenous Chaos is led by Graciela Serna-Nutter, whose father, Guadalupe Serna, protested alongside Cesar Chavez in support of civil rights for farm workers in the 1970s. Serna is known for his political songwriting and acting, which paved the way for Indigenous Chaos’ socially-conscious attitude.
Serna-Nutter said although Indigenous Chaos’ show is politically charged, it is not meant to advocate a specific cause or agenda. The group, which is made up of Serna-Nutter’s two sons and three grandchildren, does spoofs and parodies regarding all kinds of issues, such as budget cuts and business ethics.
“It’s very hard-hitting and comical,” Serna-Nutter said. “No one is safe. We’re not leaning toward any one direction. We go for it all.”
She said she has even seen offended audience members get up and leave during past performances.
“We welcome that,” Serna-Nutter said. “We just want people to come out and to listen to a different perspective (and) to walk away with nothing or something.”
Although some of the issues Indigenous Chaos presents are controversial, academic adviser Maria Arvizu-Rodriguez said a comedic approach makes them more manageable.
“A lot of times, we say those things we fear or don’t understand are good to bring laughter to,” Arvizu-Rodriguez said. “It kind of makes the topic a little bit lighter.”
Arvizu-Rodriguez helped found Cal Poly’s Chicana Latino Faculty Staff Association, which is sponsoring the event along with the modern languages and literatures department, the ethnic studies department and other campus organizations.
She said the performance will benefit the campus population by offering a perspective students cannot only learn from but relate to as well.
“Students that are from diverse backgrounds can really feel like their culture is being honored, validated, acknowledged,” Arvizu-Rodriguez said. “It gives — especially the Latino students — a certain sense of belonging and validation above and beyond what they would receive if they would constantly be seeing presenters that are from a different ethnic background from them.”
Indigenous Chaos’ Chicano background is part of what prompted modern languages and literatures professor Gloria Velasquez to organize Friday’s event.
Velasquez said she wanted to bring a well-known Chicano theatre group to Cal Poly that could address diversity and Latino issues in the United States, which Indigenous Chaos does in a fun and exciting way.
“What impresses me the most about them is that they use satire a lot,” Velasquez said. “They use a lot of political satire, like ‘The Daily Show.’”
This is the second time Velasquez has invited Indigenous Chaos to perform at Cal Poly. She said the group’s first visit two years ago was a success.
“They were phenomenal, and I wanted to bring them back again,” Velasquez said.
The free event is Friday from 6:30 to 10 p.m. in the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center, room 124.