The Tortilla Eucharist: A theological interpretation of food sovereignty

The TortillaThe Tortilla

Eucharist: Eucharist:

A theological A theological interpretation of interpretation of food sovereigntyfood sovereignty

Lutero, Lutero, Tishreden:Tishreden:“Uno no debe usar “Uno no debe usar

algo diferente al algo diferente al vino, omítase todo vino, omítase todo el sacramento a fin el sacramento a fin

de que no se de que no se introduzca ninguna introduzca ninguna

innovación.”innovación.”

Última Cena. Marcos Zapata (XVIII)Última Cena. Marcos Zapata (XVIII)Catedral de CuzcoCatedral de Cuzco

6-7 años comiendo6-7 años comiendo3 años des-comiendo3 años des-comiendo

4-5 días sin beber agua 4-5 días sin beber agua 2-3 semanas sin comer2-3 semanas sin comer

Genesis 47Genesis 47

Exodus 16.18 manna communismExodus 16.18 manna communism

Revelation 6.5-6Revelation 6.5-6Third Rider: FamineThird Rider: Famine

La pareja de EmaúsLa pareja de Emaús

Feed the hungry:Feed the hungry:the absolute criterion of the Last the absolute criterion of the Last Judgement. Matthew 25.31-46Judgement. Matthew 25.31-46

5.7 “Dichosos los misericordiosos 5.7 “Dichosos los misericordiosos porque ellos recibirán misericordia”.porque ellos recibirán misericordia”.

““eres un glotón y borracho”eres un glotón y borracho”

““lord”lord”the keeperthe keeper

of theof theloafloaf

With whomWith whom

WhatWhat

HowHow

WhenWhen

WhereWhere

The Tortured The Tortured ChristChrist

Guido RochaGuido Rocha

hunger as a hunger as a theological dogmatheological dogma

El Cristo ApacheEl Cristo Apache

““You, give them something to eat”You, give them something to eat”Mark 6.1-15Mark 6.1-15

The feeding of the crowdThe feeding of the crowd

Piscis assus, Piscis assus, Cristus estCristus est passuspassus

Cuando se frie el pescado Cuando se frie el pescado Cristo se sacrificaCristo se sacrifica

La Última Cena, La Última Cena, Salvador Dalí 1955Salvador Dalí 1955

Primum vivere, deinde philosophariPrimum vivere, deinde philosophari

Primum est edere, deinde philosophariPrimum est edere, deinde philosophari

Erst kommt das Fressen, dann die MoralErst kommt das Fressen, dann die Moral

Dis-encounter of three kitchens.Dis-encounter of three kitchens. Shifting their agriculture economy into a gold-Shifting their agriculture economy into a gold-

oriented economy.oriented economy. Shifting small farms agriculture for a one crop Shifting small farms agriculture for a one crop

agriculture: sugar cane, cotton, coffee, bananaagriculture: sugar cane, cotton, coffee, banana

Capitalist SystemCapitalist System

““Capitalism is the more Capitalism is the more perfect digestive system perfect digestive system known in history, it known in history, it digest everything that digest everything that crosses its path” crosses its path”

Tomas Maldonado Tomas Maldonado

Thomas Thomas Robert Robert MalthusMalthus

Ensayo sobre Ensayo sobre el principio de el principio de la población la población

17981798

Otto von Otto von BismarkBismark

(1815-98)(1815-98)“German rye “German rye

bread” to bread” to avoid avoid

dependence dependence on wheat from on wheat from rival nations.rival nations.

““Do you want to Do you want to improve improve people? Then, people? Then, instead of instead of preaching preaching against sin, give against sin, give them better them better food.”food.”

Ludwig FeuerbachLudwig Feuerbach(1804-72)(1804-72)

From a totally From a totally different perspective, different perspective, I’m more interested in I’m more interested in a more pressing a more pressing issue than any issue than any theologian subtleties, theologian subtleties, the problem around the problem around which depends the which depends the salvation of salvation of humankind: the humankind: the problem of foodproblem of food

Nazi Nazi organized organized hunger:hunger:

“a lower race “a lower race needs less needs less room, less room, less

clothing, less clothing, less food.”food.”

““There is today one state There is today one state in which at least weak in which at least weak beginnings toward a beginnings toward a better conception of better conception of immigration are immigration are noticeable.”noticeable.”

Porfirio Díaz Porfirio Díaz (Mexican dictator from 1870-1910)(Mexican dictator from 1870-1910)

Of course, it is not our Of course, it is not our model German model German Republic, but the Republic, but the United States.”United States.”

Adolf Hitler, Mein KampfAdolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

The The Amnesia WallAmnesia Wall

““The South also exists”The South also exists”Mario BenedettiMario Benedetti

El vino, de plátano; y si sale agrio, El vino, de plátano; y si sale agrio, ¡es nuestro vino!¡es nuestro vino!

José MartíJosé Martí

El Velorio (1893) Fco. ManuelEl Velorio (1893) Fco. ManuelOller CesteroOller Cestero

““Porto Ricans are beyond Porto Ricans are beyond doubt the dirtiest, laziest, most doubt the dirtiest, laziest, most degenerate and thievish race degenerate and thievish race of men ever inhabiting this of men ever inhabiting this sphere. What the island needs sphere. What the island needs is not public health work but a is not public health work but a tidal wave or somenting to tidal wave or somenting to totally externinate the totally externinate the population. population.

I have done my best to further I have done my best to further the process of extermination the process of extermination by killing off 8...”by killing off 8...”

Cornelius Rhoads, 1931.Cornelius Rhoads, 1931.

““Poor Mexico,Poor Mexico,too far from God, and too far from God, and

too close to USA.”too close to USA.” Porfirio Díaz Porfirio Díaz (Mexican dictator from 1870-1910)(Mexican dictator from 1870-1910)

““. . . we must march from . . . we must march from ocean to ocean, We must ocean to ocean, We must march from Texas straight to march from Texas straight to the Pacific ocean. . .It is the the Pacific ocean. . .It is the destiny of the white race, it is destiny of the white race, it is the destiny of the Anglo-the destiny of the Anglo-Saxon race.”Saxon race.”

(The “Congretional Globe” February 11, 1847)(The “Congretional Globe” February 11, 1847)

““the universal Yankee the universal Yankee Nation can regenerate Nation can regenerate and disenthrall the people and disenthrall the people of Mexico in a few years; of Mexico in a few years; and we believe it is a part and we believe it is a part of our destiny to civilize of our destiny to civilize that beautiful country.” that beautiful country.”

(“The New York Herald”) (“The New York Herald”)

The II World WarThe II World War

WallWall

La Cena chicanaLa Cena chicana

““We have about 50% of the We have about 50% of the world´s wealth but only 6.3% world´s wealth but only 6.3% of its population…In this of its population…In this situation, we cannot fail to be situation, we cannot fail to be the object of envy and the object of envy and resentment….resentment….

We need not deceive We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism today the luxury of altruism and world-benefaction….”and world-benefaction….”

George <kennan,George <kennan,US State Department senior planning offcial, 1948.US State Department senior planning offcial, 1948.

““He who controls the food He who controls the food chain controls the people;chain controls the people;

he who controls energy, will be he who controls energy, will be able to control entire able to control entire

continents;continents; he who controls money can he who controls money can

control the world.”control the world.”Alfred Heinz (Henry) KissingerAlfred Heinz (Henry) Kissinger

Jew-German-USA citizen.Jew-German-USA citizen.

El Banquete de Wall Street El Banquete de Wall Street Diego RiveraDiego Rivera

If you’re looking for the If you’re looking for the best way to make best way to make people dependent, it people dependent, it seems to me that food seems to me that food dependence is dependence is excellent.excellent.

H. Humphrey, USA Vice-president. H. Humphrey, USA Vice-president.

“ “the effort of some developing the effort of some developing countries to become self-countries to become self-sufficient in terms of food sufficient in terms of food production should be a production should be a memory of old times. Those memory of old times. Those countries must save money countries must save money importing food from the importing food from the United States.”United States.”

John Block, USA Secretary of Agriculture 1981-85.John Block, USA Secretary of Agriculture 1981-85.

““Food is power! We use Food is power! We use it to change behavior. it to change behavior. Some may call that Some may call that bribery. bribery.

We do not apologize.” We do not apologize.” Catherine Bertini, Executive Director, Catherine Bertini, Executive Director,

UN World Food Program, former US UN World Food Program, former US Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, 19951995..

The NAFTA WallThe NAFTA Wall Agriculture is important to our nation, to feed Agriculture is important to our nation, to feed

our people. Can you imagine a country our people. Can you imagine a country incapable of producing enough food to feed incapable of producing enough food to feed its population? It would be a nation exposed its population? It would be a nation exposed to international pressures. It would be a to international pressures. It would be a vulnerable nation. That’s why when we talk vulnerable nation. That’s why when we talk about American agriculture, actually we’re about American agriculture, actually we’re talking about national security.talking about national security.

George Bush Jr. July 27, 2001, Washington.George Bush Jr. July 27, 2001, Washington.

NAFTANAFTA

USA, USA, 1.20 hrs. = 1.20 hrs. = 1 ton of corn1 ton of cornMexicoMexico18 days = 18 days = 1 ton of corn1 ton of corn

El último desayuno El último desayuno Aubrey Hallis 1996Aubrey Hallis 1996

The Genetic WallThe Genetic Wall

““Give us today our daily Give us today our daily bread is a pledge to bread is a pledge to Monsanto and not to Monsanto and not to God.” God.”

Vandana Shiva Vandana Shiva

Soybeans for Me Soybeans for Me Argentina.” Argentina.”

““I have the impression that I have the impression that finally Argentina has a finally Argentina has a regime which understands regime which understands the private enterprise the private enterprise system.”system.”

David RockefellerDavid Rockefeller

The Corn Tortilla WallThe Corn Tortilla Wall

““And Mexico endsAnd Mexico endsWhere theWhere theCorn fields ends.”Corn fields ends.”

Gabriela Mistral, Chilean Nobel PrizeGabriela Mistral, Chilean Nobel Prize

““If all undocumented people in the If all undocumented people in the USA were expelled, the effect on USA were expelled, the effect on the Northamerica economy…would the Northamerica economy…would be less than dessaster…Fruits and be less than dessaster…Fruits and legumes in Florida, Texas and legumes in Florida, Texas and California wouldn’t be harvested. California wouldn’t be harvested. Food would spectacularly raised its Food would spectacularly raised its prices. Mexicans want to come to prices. Mexicans want to come to the US, they are needed and add the US, they are needed and add visible to our wellbeing.” visible to our wellbeing.”

John Kenneth Gilbraith, “The Nature of John Kenneth Gilbraith, “The Nature of Mass Poverty” 1977. Mass Poverty” 1977.

The Ideological WallThe Ideological WallThe reason we are in Irak The reason we are in Irak is to plant the seeds of is to plant the seeds of democracy so they democracy so they flourish there and spread flourish there and spread to the entire region of to the entire region of authoritarianismauthoritarianism.” .”

George Bush. George Bush.

““The party of the Iraq war and The party of the Iraq war and family values desperately needs family values desperately needs you to forget about dead soldiers you to forget about dead soldiers and randy congressmen, and to and randy congressmen, and to think instead about the bad think instead about the bad things immigrants will do to us if things immigrants will do to us if we don’t wall them out. Hence we don’t wall them out. Hence the fence, and the vast the fence, and the vast campaigns against it.”campaigns against it.”

(The New York Times, Editorial, Oct. 30-2006)(The New York Times, Editorial, Oct. 30-2006)

““the most important step Americans the most important step Americans [sic] can take to end hunger is to [sic] can take to end hunger is to remove U.S. support —financial, remove U.S. support —financial, diplomatic, and military— from diplomatic, and military— from regimes determined to resist the regimes determined to resist the changes necessary to end hunger.”changes necessary to end hunger.”

Frances Moore LappéFrances Moore Lappé

The Calories WallThe Calories Wall

The Kingdom of GodThe Kingdom of Goddoesn’t have wallsdoesn’t have walls

““There are people who observe There are people who observe reality and ask, why? reality and ask, why?

And there are people who And there are people who imagine reality as never has imagine reality as never has existed and ask, existed and ask,

why not?” why not?” George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw

Fractio PanisFractio Panisfresco del 3er siglo. Capilla griega en la catacumba de Santa Priscilafresco del 3er siglo. Capilla griega en la catacumba de Santa Priscila

BohdanBohdanPiaseckiPiasecki

19981998

La Primera CenaLa Primera CenaDafne Elvira, 2001Dafne Elvira, 2001

The Last Supper, The Last Supper, Cornell BarnessCornell Barness

La Cena Campesina (1978)La Cena Campesina (1978)

ManuelManuel

GarcíaGarcía

(Nicaragua)(Nicaragua)

No wall will stop hungerNo wall will stop hunger

Gutten Gutten

Appetit!Appetit!