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AUTHOR Shilha, Marianne M.TITLE A Curriculum Unit on Human Rights of the Mayas of Guatemala.
Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2000 (Mexicoand Guatemala).
SPONS AGENCY Center for International Education (ED), Washington, DC.PUB DATE 2000-10-31NOTE 137p.; Some sections may not photocopy clearly.PUB TYPE Guides Classroom - Teacher (052)EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Adult Education; Area Studies; *Civil Liberties; *Curriculum
Development; Foreign Countries; High Schools; *Maya(People); *Mayan Languages
IDENTIFIERS Fulbright Hays Seminars Abroad Program; *Guatemala;Historical Background
ABSTRACTThis curriculum unit is intended for upper-level high school
students. The unit aims for students to gain a basic understanding of thehistory of Mayan human rights in Guatemala and of the present situation inGuatemala. The unit uses a variety of media and teaching techniques. It lists30 questions which are to be completed after reading the introductory chapterto "Unfinished Conquest: The Guatemalan Tragedy" by Victor Perera (thechapter is attached). The unit includes information about tourism, Guatemalancustoms, and its arts and crafts. In another activity students view anddiscuss the 1983 film "El Norte." Other activities include translating fromSpanish to English a children's picture book; viewing slides about daily lifein Guatemala; listening to a tape of one of the 21 Maya languages; andreading and discussing two poems by Humberto Ak'abal, an indigenousGuatemalan poet. (Contains several vocabulary sections and cites sevensources.) (BT)
POOR PRINT QUALI
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.
Fulbright Seminar Project:
A Curriculum Unit onHuman Rights
of theMayas of Guatemala
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
Code, glirevt-
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
1
by
Marianne M. ShilhaTomah High School901 Lincoln AvenueTomah, WI 54660
31 October, 2000
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.
/Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.
e-mail: [email protected]
2
Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position cr policy.
Human Rights: the Mayas of Guatemala
Grade: 11 to AdultThis unit would be appropriate for Spanish orsocial studies classes.
Objectives:The student will--gain a basic understanding of the history of Mayan human
rights in Guatemala--understand something about the present situation inGuatemala
--acquire an empathy for immigrants to the U.S. from LatinAmerica and elsewhere.
--realize that people around the world are still fighting anddying for the rights we. often take for granted
--begin to understand that language plays a more importantpart in one's life than people realize.
- -try to relate their newfound understanding of the Maya'ssituation to that of the minority group(s) of their ownlocale.
Strategies and Materials:This unit will be carried out using a variety of media and teach-ing techniques. Students will read and discuss backgroundinformation, they will view a film as well as teacher-generatedslides, they will listen to tapes and view written samples ofMayan languages, they will translate, from Spanish to English,part of a children's book about indigenous human rights
3
Human Rights: The Mayas of Guatemala
I. Students will read the introductory chapter to the bookUnfinished Conquest, The Guatemalan Tragedy by VictorPerera. (copy attached)
Study Questions and Vocabulary: (Answers may be written outor discussed orally, or both)
1. In what specific fields of knowledge did the Mayas have anespecially advanced civilization?
2. What happened to hundreds of Mayan books? Why?
3. What is the Popol Vuh?
4. Where did the Mayas go after they abandoned their earliersites?
5. How many Mayan linguistic communities exist today?
6. Whose name has become "synonymous with the bloodiestchapter in the Conquest of the Americas?" Why?
7. How did Alvarado exploit the Mayan groups to conquerthem?
8. What did the Mayas believe when the saw the Spaniards onhorseback?
9. What group of Mayas mounted the earliest form of guerillawarfare against the Spaniards? What was one of theirtechniques?
10. More Mayas died from disease than from warfare,according to the author and others. What were some of thediseases brought to the New World by the Europeans?
11. What social hierarchy was established in Guatemala thatstill exists today?
12. How have the Mayas maintained many of their ancientbeliefs and customs?
13. In 1541, the Guatemalan capital was moved to what city?
14. What were three characteristics of the colonial era that stillpersist today?
15. How was labor provided once the land was divided intohaciendas?
16. Who was instrumental in the abolition of the encomiendas?What was his attitude toward the indigenous peoples?
17. Describe repartimiento, which replaced the system ofencomiendas.
18. What was the effect of congregaciOn?
19. "The large landowners of Guatemala represent less thanpercent of Guatemala's population but control overpercent of the arable land."
20. What activity "is at the heart of the Maya's conception ofhimself?"
21. What were the results of Justo Rufino Barrios' abolishmentof hundreds of Mayan land titles in the 1870's?
22. What did the vagrancy laws of 1934 require?
23. What are the first, second and potential third chapters of theconquest of Guatemala's indigenous population, accordingto the author?
24. What has been the cost in lives of the war in Guatemala thatbegan in the early 60's?
25. The outcome of the war might have been different if thethree main guerilla organizations had been able to do what?
26. What were the first real signs of peace in Guatemala?
27. What is one result of the war as far as land is concerned?
28. What has been a surprising religious outcome of the war?
6
29. Who is Rigoberta Menchii?
30. What is the proper terminology to refer to indigenouspeople?
Vocabulary - Find the meaning for the following Spanish termsin the reading:
1. altiplano 10. repartimiento
2. criollo 11. congregacion
3. ladino 12. latifundistas
4. caciques . 13. milpas
5. principales 14. desaparecer
6. costumbre
7. cofradia
8. haciendashacendados
9. encomiendasencomendero
7
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XIC
O
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ctia
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adas
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ras
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ns
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iber
tad
San
Fra
ncis
co
EL
PE
TE
N
IXC
AN
San
Mat
eo Ix
tata
n..B
anna
s/
EL
.S
an M
igue
l Aca
tan
Sol
omh
QU
ICH
EC
hap!
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San
Jua
nS
an C
risto
bal
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Cot
zal
Cob
an'C
unen
usp
anta
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anta
iche
Sac
apul
as
Chi
chic
aste
nang
O S
an M
igue
l*S
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pas
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roR
SaA
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AZ
del
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ama
San
ta C
ruz.
il
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EH
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Tod
os S
anto
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Chi
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go"
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RC
OS
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ON
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AN
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OG
RE
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uate
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ol
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A V
ER
AP
AZ
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abon
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ttin
BE
LIZ
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zos
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iiirS
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cia
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zum
algu
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ES
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INT
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e.
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IS
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EQ
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ZC
HIM
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EN
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GO
Cui
lapa
SA
NT
AR
OS
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EA
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CIF
ICO
JUT
IAP
A EL
SA
LVA
DO
R
HO
ND
UR
AS
\ME
XIC
O
EL
SA
LVA
DO
RN
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RA
GU
AC
OS
TA
RIC
A
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BA
BE
LIZ
EJA
M&
GU
AT
EM
ALA
HO
ND
UR
AS
Zon
a de
lC
nal
PA
NA
MA
8B
ES
T C
OP
Y A
VA
ILA
BLE
Intr
oduc
tion
"And
.is
I obs
erve
d th
eir
ill w
ill to
war
d th
e se
rvite
of h
isM
ajes
tyin
d fo
r th
e go
od b
enef
it tr
i thi
s co
untr
y, I
burn
cil
them
and
ord
ered
that
the
city
he
burn
ed to
its
foun
datio
n.-
Ped
ro d
e A
lvar
ado,
lette
r to
Car
los
1. o
f Spa
in
One
mon
th a
fter
the
conq
uist
ador
of G
uate
mal
a, C
orte
s's
blon
d ca
p-ta
in P
edro
de
Alv
arad
o, w
as c
rush
ed u
nder
a h
orse
dur
ing
a ca
mpa
ign
in N
ochi
ztla
n, M
exic
o, r
ainw
ater
spi
lled
over
the
crat
er o
f maj
estic
Agu
a vo
lcan
o an
d flo
oded
the
new
ly fo
unde
d ca
pita
l of S
antia
go d
elo
s C
abal
lero
s de
Gua
tem
ala.
Am
ong
the
hund
reds
of S
pani
ards
bur
-ie
d by
the
mud
slid
es a
nd th
e en
suin
g ea
rthq
Uak
e w
as th
e gr
ievi
ngw
idow
of P
edro
de
Alv
arad
o, w
ho h
ad d
ubbe
d he
rsel
f "D
ona
Bea
triz
the
Unl
ucky
." T
he o
peni
ng c
hapt
er o
f the
Con
ques
t of G
uate
mal
aen
ded
as it
beg
an, i
n a
viol
ent c
onvu
lsio
n.
Fiv
e hu
ndre
d ye
ars
befo
re th
e ar
rival
of t
he S
pani
ards
, the
May
asw
ho b
uilt
the
grea
t tem
ples
at T
ikal
, Pal
enqu
e, a
nd Y
axch
ilan
aban
-do
ned
thei
r ci
ties
for
reas
ons
that
con
tinue
to m
ystif
y sc
hola
rs. T
hey
left
behi
nd th
e m
ajes
tic s
hells
of w
hat w
as p
roba
bly
the
mos
t ad-
vanc
ed c
ivili
zatio
n to
hav
e ev
er fl
ouris
hed
on th
e A
mer
ican
con
tinen
t.O
nly
frag
men
ts o
f the
ir ac
hiev
emen
ts in
mat
hem
atic
s, p
hilo
soph
y,as
tron
omy,
and
cal
endr
ical
sci
ence
sur
vive
d at
the
time
of fi
rst c
onta
ctw
ith th
e E
urop
ean
inva
ders
. Man
y of
thos
e fr
agm
ents
wen
t up
infla
mes
in th
e in
fam
ous
auto
-da-
fe c
eleb
rate
d in
156
2 by
Yuc
atan
'sB
isho
p D
iego
de
Land
a in
the
plaz
a of
Man
i. A
s th
e cl
imax
to h
ispe
rson
al a
nd u
naut
horiz
ed in
quis
itiO
n in
to In
dian
her
esy,
Lan
dabu
rned
pos
sibl
y hu
ndre
ds o
f hie
rogl
yphi
c M
ayan
boo
ks a
nd c
odic
es,
whi
ch h
e de
noun
ced
as "
supe
rstit
ions
and
fals
ehoo
ds o
f the
dev
il."
L9
A r
emna
nt o
f wha
t may
hav
e be
en th
e M
ayas
' equ
ival
ent t
o th
e Ili
adan
d th
e O
dyss
ey s
urfa
ced
in h
ighl
and
Gua
tem
ala
in th
e si
xtee
nth
cent
ury
.as
the
Pop
o/ V
trb,
or
"Boo
k of
Cou
ncil.
" C
ompo
sed
in Q
uich
eM
laya
and
ren
dere
d in
the
Spa
nish
alp
habe
t, th
e P
opo!
Vuh
rec
ount
sth
e m
igra
tions
of t
he Q
uich
es' a
nces
tors
to G
uate
mal
a fr
om th
eir
anci
ent c
apita
l of T
ula
in th
e M
exic
an h
ighl
ands
. Ano
ther
, per
haps
olde
r se
ctio
n of
the
Pop
o! V
uh r
ecou
nts
the
adve
ntur
es o
f the
her
oic
wiz
ard
twin
s, I
Itina
hpfi
and
Xba
lanq
ue, w
ho d
efea
t the
Dea
th l.
ords
of th
e M
aya
unde
rwor
ld, X
ibal
ba, a
nd in
itiat
e th
e pr
esen
t cyc
le o
fcr
eatio
n. A
gro
win
g bo
dy o
f evi
denc
e su
gges
ts th
at th
e tw
ins'
epi
cen
coun
ters
insp
ired
the
sym
bolic
cht
honi
c jo
urne
ys u
nder
take
n by
the
Aha
uob,
the
philo
soph
er k
ings
of t
he c
lass
ical
May
a er
a.A
fter
the
anci
ent M
ayan
site
s w
ere
aban
done
d, m
any
of th
e su
r-vi
vors
dis
pers
ed to
wha
t is
toda
y M
exic
o's
Yuc
atan
Pen
insu
la, w
hile
othe
rs m
ade
thei
r w
ay to
the
high
land
s of
Chi
apas
and
Gua
tem
ala,
divi
ding
into
the
thirt
y or
so
war
ring
king
dom
s of
the
post
-cla
ssic
May
a er
a. T
oday
's tw
enty
-one
May
an li
ngui
stic
com
mun
ities
, hea
ded
by th
e Q
uich
es, t
he C
akch
ique
ls, t
he T
z'ut
ujils
, the
Mai
ns, a
nd th
eQ
uekc
his,
are
des
cend
ed fr
om th
e w
arrin
g ki
ngdo
ms
of th
e po
st-
clas
sic
May
as.
At t
he ti
me
of fi
rst c
onta
ct w
ith th
e E
urop
eans
, the
hig
hlan
ds o
fG
uate
mal
a w
ere
rent
by
inte
rnal
dis
sens
ions
cau
sed
by th
e br
eak-
upof
the
pow
erfu
l Qui
che
empi
re, w
hose
kin
g, Q
uica
b th
e G
reat
, had
rule
d ov
er a
ppro
xim
atel
y 26
,000
squ
are
kilo
met
ers
of h
igh
plai
ns, o
ral
tipla
no, a
nd c
olle
cted
trib
ute
from
mor
e th
an o
ne m
illio
n su
bjec
ts.
Cap
tain
Ped
ro d
e A
lvar
ado
was
com
mis
sion
ed b
y hi
s co
mm
ande
rH
erna
n C
orte
s to
exp
lore
the
terr
itorie
s m
akin
g up
pre
sent
-day
Gua
-te
mal
a an
d to
"en
deav
or w
ith th
e gr
eate
st c
are
to b
ring
the
peop
leto
pea
ce w
ithou
t war
and
to p
reac
h m
atte
rs c
once
rnin
g ou
r ho
lyfa
ith."
In th
e pe
rfor
man
ce o
f his
com
mis
sion
the
mer
curia
l, ra
paci
ous
Alv
arad
o st
raye
d so
far
from
his
com
man
der's
beh
est t
hat h
is In
dian
nam
e, T
onat
iuh,
mea
ning
"su
n"a
refe
renc
e to
his
blo
nd h
air
and
bear
dhas
bec
ome
syno
nym
ous
with
the
bloo
dies
t cha
pter
in th
eC
onqu
est o
f the
Am
eric
as.
In 1
523
Cap
tain
Alv
arad
o cl
imbe
d to
the
altip
lano
from
the
Pac
ific
with
120
hor
sem
en, 3
00 fo
ot s
oldi
ers,
and
sev
eral
hun
dred
Mex
ican
auxi
liarie
s fr
om C
holu
la a
nd T
lasc
ala.
The
y w
ere
acco
mpa
nied
by
two
prie
sts,
Jua
n G
odin
ez a
nd J
uan
Dia
z. A
lvar
ado'
s ,e
xped
ition
met
.10
scan
t res
ista
nce
until
it r
each
ed th
e pl
ains
nea
r pr
esen
t-da
y Q
ueza
l-te
nang
o (X
elah
fi), w
here
it w
as m
et b
y a
larg
e ar
my
of Q
uich
es le
dby
thei
r ki
ng, T
ectin
llin
an, g
rand
son
of Q
uica
b th
e G
reat
. I la
d th
eQ
uich
es p
ersu
aded
thei
r ne
ighb
orin
g C
akch
ique
ls a
nd I'
z'ut
tijils
tojo
in th
em in
rep
ellin
g th
e S
pani
ards
, the
Con
ques
t mig
ht h
ave
had
adi
ffere
nt a
nd m
ore
com
plic
ated
den
ouem
ent.
But
the
Cak
chiq
uels
still
sm
arte
d fr
om d
ecad
es o
f har
sh tr
eatm
ent b
y th
e Q
uich
es, w
hoha
d ex
acte
d ex
orbi
tant
trib
utes
, and
bot
h na
tions
wer
e di
stru
sted
by
the
Tz'
utuj
ils, w
ho h
ad fo
ught
bitt
erly
to d
efen
d th
eir
terr
itorie
s on
-La
ke A
titla
n. A
lvar
ado
clev
erly
exp
loite
d th
ese
anim
ositi
es to
div
ide
and
conq
uer
the
altip
lano
.T
he Q
uich
e w
arrio
rs, w
ho g
reat
ly o
utnu
mbe
red
the
inva
ding
Spa
n-ia
rds,
gav
e a
good
acc
ount
of t
hem
selv
es, f
ight
ing
the
arm
ored
foot
sold
iers
toe-
to-t
oe w
ith o
bsid
ian-
tippe
d ar
row
s, la
nces
, spe
ars,
and
leat
her
shie
lds.
The
May
a w
arrio
rs fe
ared
the
Spa
nish
mas
tiffs
and
the
cava
lry fa
r m
ore
than
thei
r st
eel w
eapo
ns o
r th
eir
light
art
iller
y.In
the
Spa
niar
ds' v
ersi
on, t
he s
ight
of m
an a
nd h
orse
mer
ged
ina
sing
le te
rrify
ing
beas
t per
suad
ed m
any
of th
e Q
uich
esas
it h
ad th
eA
ztec
s be
fore
them
that
they
wer
e lo
cked
in b
attle
with
sup
erhu
man
bein
gs. A
ccor
ding
toa
colo
nial
Qui
che
docu
men
t cite
d by
Vic
toria
Bric
ker
1198
1], T
ectin
Um
anw
as a
gre
at s
orce
rer
who
"fle
w u
p lik
ean
eag
le"
and
vanq
uish
ed A
lvar
ado
whe
n he
...th
rust
his
lanc
e at
his
mou
nt, b
ehea
ding
it in
one
str
oke.
But
the
unsc
athe
d A
lvar
ado
inst
ead
pass
ed h
is o
wn
stee
l lan
ce th
roug
h th
e he
art o
f Tea
m U
man
. With
the
Qui
che
king
lyin
g m
orta
lly w
ound
edon
the
grou
nd, t
he b
attle
was
soo
n de
cide
d in
the
Spa
niar
ds' f
avor
. The
'sig
ht-o
f the
nob
le T
ectin
Um
an c
over
ed in
que
tzal
feat
hers
and
crow
ns o
f gol
d, s
ilver
, and
prec
ious
sto
nes
prof
ound
ly m
oved
Alv
arad
o, a
ccor
ding
to th
e Q
uich
edo
cum
ents
. In
a ge
stur
e of
def
eren
ce. t
owar
d hi
s ad
vers
ary,
Alv
arad
ost
oppe
d hi
s m
astif
fs fr
om te
arin
gap
art t
he fa
llen
mon
arch
and
re-
turn
ed th
e bo
dyto
his
sub
ject
s fo
r bu
rial.
Alv
arad
o na
med
the
site
of b
attle
Que
zalte
nang
oin
hon
or o
f Tec
tin U
man
.A
lvar
ado'
sow
n ch
roni
cle
drily
rep
orts
the
deat
h of
"on
e of
the
four
lord
sof
Uta
tlan
who
was
cap
tain
-gen
eral
of t
his
real
m."
The
conq
uist
ador
's r
uthl
essn
ess
wou
ld 'r
eass
ert i
tsel
f in
his
next
enc
ount
erw
ith th
e Q
uich
es,
whe
n th
ey a
ttem
pted
to lu
re th
e S
pani
ards
into
thei
r fo
rtre
ssca
pita
l of G
umar
caah
(U
tatla
n) a
nd a
mbu
sh th
em. S
ens-
ing
a tr
ap, A
lvar
ado
stop
ped
his
troo
ps a
t the
ent
ranc
e to
the
cita
del.
ii
He
orde
red
the
capt
ure
of th
e Q
uich
e ki
ngs
and
nobl
es, s
trun
g th
emup
to h
igh
post
s, a
nd b
urne
d th
em a
live,
igno
ring
thei
r pl
eas
for
mer
cy.
The
def
eat o
f the
Qui
ches
was
follo
wed
by
Alv
arad
o's
betr
ayal
of
the
Cak
chiq
uels
, who
m h
e fir
st b
efrie
nded
and
rec
ruite
d to
bru
tally
subd
ue th
eir
enem
ies,
the
Tz'
utuj
ils. H
avin
g di
spos
ed o
f the
Cak
-ch
ique
ls' e
nem
ies,
Alv
arad
o fo
unde
d th
e fir
st S
pani
sh c
olon
ial c
apita
lbe
side
the
Cak
chiq
uel's
cita
del a
t lxi
mch
t, ne
ar p
rese
nt-d
ay T
ecpa
n.W
astin
g no
tim
e, h
e or
dere
d th
eir
king
s to
han
d ov
er o
ne th
ousa
ndle
aves
of g
old
wei
ghin
g fif
teen
pes
os e
ach.
Stu
nned
by
the
abru
pt tu
rnin
Ton
ariu
h's
amic
able
dis
posi
tion,
the
Cak
chiq
uels
bal
ked,
ple
adin
gw
ith h
im to
low
er th
e tr
ibut
e. In
furia
ted
by th
eir
dem
urra
l, A
lvar
ado
thre
aten
ed to
han
g an
d bu
rn th
e ki
ngs
if th
ey d
id n
ot m
eet h
is d
e-m
ands
in fu
ll w
ithin
five
day
s. "
Woe
to y
ou if
you
do
not b
ring
it!"
he s
hout
ed. "
I kno
w m
y he
art!"
Alv
arad
o's
exec
utio
n of
Cak
chiq
uel n
oble
s an
d hi
s nu
mer
ous
othe
rab
uses
rec
orde
d in
the
Ann
als
of th
e C
akch
ique
ls p
rovo
ked
the
first
upris
ing
agai
nst S
pani
sh d
omin
atio
n. T
he C
akch
ique
ls fl
ed to
the
mou
ntai
ns, w
here
for
four
yea
rs th
ey e
ngag
ed in
an
early
form
of
.
guer
rilla
war
fare
aga
inst
the
Spa
niar
ds. T
hey
dug
pits
with
poi
nted
stak
es th
at c
ause
d th
e de
ath
of m
any
hors
es. B
ut th
e co
nque
ring
Spa
niar
ds w
ould
not
be
deni
ed. A
lvar
ado
capt
ured
the
rebe
l Cak
-ch
ique
l kin
gs o
ne b
y on
e an
d hu
ng th
em in
the
cent
ral p
laza
. Afte
rqu
ellin
g th
e re
belli
on th
e S
pani
ards
con
clud
ed th
at lx
imch
t was
no
long
er s
afe;
they
set
fire
to th
e m
ajes
tic te
mpl
es, p
alac
es, a
nd c
ourt
-ya
rds
and
relo
cate
d th
eir
ill-f
ated
cap
ital o
f San
tiago
de
los
Cab
alle
ros
to th
e va
lley
of A
lmol
onga
.In
the
follo
win
g ye
ars
Alv
arad
o an
d hi
s lie
uten
ants
sub
dued
eac
hof
the
rem
aini
ng M
ayan
kin
gdom
s of
the
altip
lano
, con
duct
ing
furt
her
mas
sacr
es a
nd s
tiflin
g al
l res
ista
nce
with
thei
r ha
bitu
al b
ruta
lity.
The
last
to b
e br
ough
t und
er S
pani
sh d
omin
atio
n w
as th
e K
ingd
om o
fT
ayas
al, s
ituat
ed in
the
nort
hern
fore
sts
of P
ettn
, whi
ch w
as n
otse
cure
d un
til 1
697.
Est
imat
es o
f the
num
bers
of M
ayas
kill
ed b
y th
e S
pani
ards
var
yw
idel
y. In
his
Ver
y B
rief H
isto
ry o
f the
Des
truc
tion
of th
e In
dies
,pu
blis
hed
shor
tly a
fter
Alv
arad
o's
deat
h, F
riar
Bar
tolo
me
de la
s C
asas
accu
sed
him
of k
illin
g 5
mill
ion
Indi
ans
and
"com
mitt
ing
enor
miti
essu
ffici
ent t
o fil
l a p
artic
ular
vol
ume,
so
man
y w
ere
the
slau
ghte
rs,
viol
ence
s, in
jurie
s, b
utch
erie
s, a
nd b
east
ly d
esol
atio
ns."
Alth
ough
the
12
subs
tanc
e of
las
Cas
as's
den
unci
atio
n is
bey
ond
disp
ute,
mod
ern
scho
lars
cal
cula
te th
at n
o m
ore
than
2 m
illio
n M
ayas
inha
bite
d G
ual
tem
ala
at th
e tim
e of
firs
t con
tact
. As
man
y as
750
,000
may
hav
edi
ed fr
om p
lagu
e, v
iole
nce,
and
oth
er C
onqu
est-
rela
ted
caus
es in
the
first
dec
ades
afte
r th
e S
pani
ards
arr
ived
. Ano
ther
mill
ion
May
asha
d di
ed o
f Eur
opea
n di
seas
es b
y th
e m
iddl
e of
the
seve
ntee
nth
cent
ury.
For
all
the
right
eous
indi
gnat
ion
of th
e sa
intly
Fria
r de
las
Cas
as, t
he tr
uth
is th
at s
mal
lpox
, yel
low
feve
r, in
fluen
za, d
ipht
heriq
,an
d a
host
of o
ther
dis
ease
s un
know
nto
the
New
Wor
ld k
illed
.se
vera
l tim
es m
ore
May
as th
an th
em
ost s
angu
inar
y of
con
quis
ta-
dore
s ev
er in
tend
ed to
.La
s C
asas
live
d lo
ng e
noug
h to
witn
ess
the
esta
blis
hmen
t of t
heso
cial
hie
rarc
hy th
at p
ersi
sts
in G
uate
mal
ato
the
pres
ent d
ay: E
u-ro
pean
(cr
iollo
) la
ndow
ners
and
gen
eral
s do
min
atin
g th
e m
ixed
-blo
od(la
dino
) ad
min
istr
ator
s an
d of
ficer
s, w
ho in
turn
opp
ress
the
low
lyM
ayan
cam
pesi
nos,
ofte
n th
roug
h In
dian
inte
rmed
iarie
s in
the
guis
eof
labo
r co
ntra
ctor
s,pa
stor
s, a
rmy
serg
eant
s, a
nd m
unic
ipal
offi
cers
.T
he S
pani
ards
nam
ed th
eir
Indi
an p
roxi
esm
ost o
fw
hom
wer
efo
rmer
cac
ique
sor
chi
efta
ins
prin
cipa
les,
and
set
them
abo
ve th
eir
fello
ws
by e
xten
ding
them
priv
ilege
s an
d fa
vors
they
den
ied
to th
eir
com
mun
ities
. Thi
s w
as a
n ea
rly e
xam
ple
ofa
cont
inui
ng p
ract
ice
byth
e ru
ling
crio
llo a
nd la
dino
est
ablis
hmen
tto
era
dica
te th
e M
ayas
'id
entit
y by
co-
optin
g an
d "la
dini
cizi
ng"
thei
r le
ader
s.D
espi
te th
e co
ncer
ted
effo
rts
of c
riollo
s an
d la
dino
s,th
e M
ayas
have
saf
egua
rded
man
y of
thei
r an
cien
t cus
tom
s, b
y as
sim
ilatin
gth
em w
ith Ib
eria
nC
atho
licis
m in
to a
sys
tem
of s
yncr
etic
bel
iefs
and
ritua
ls th
ey c
all
cost
umbr
e. T
he m
ain
repo
sito
ry o
f cos
tum
bre
is th
eco
frad
ia,
or b
roth
erho
od, t
hat h
as e
ndur
ed in
man
y hi
ghla
ndM
ayan
com
mun
ities
for
over
450
yea
rs. T
he o
rigin
al c
ofra
dias
im-
port
ed fr
om S
pain
wer
e cr
aft a
nd la
boi g
uild
s, g
over
ned
by a
pat
ron
sain
t or
virg
in.
The
May
as tr
ansf
orm
ed th
em in
to r
elig
ious
sod
aliti
esth
at p
ract
iced
anim
al s
acrif
ices
and
pre
- C
olum
bian
pray
er c
erem
o-ni
es u
nder
the
guis
e of
Cat
holic
sai
nt -
wor
ship
. Cof
radi
as in
the
mor
e re
mot
e co
mm
uniti
esst
ill h
ave
sham
ans
who
obs
erve
the
tra-
ditio
nal
May
a ca
lend
ar. T
hese
"da
y-ke
eper
s" c
all
on th
e po
wer
s in
-he
rent
in e
ach
of th
etw
enty
nam
e-da
ys in
ord
er to
hea
l the
sic
k,in
voke
bene
ficen
t spi
rits,
and
-Lin
extr
eme
case
scas
t spe
lls o
n th
eir
enem
ies.
13
rzif
One
yea
r af
ter
Vul
can
Agu
a de
vast
ated
San
tiago
and
the
Alm
olon
gaV
alle
y in
154
1, th
e S
pani
sh c
apita
l was
mov
ed to
wha
t is
now
Ant
igua
,G
uate
mal
a, in
the
valle
y of
Pan
choy
. The
mov
e in
augu
rate
d th
e th
ree-
hund
red-
year
col
onia
l era
, who
se r
igid
hie
rarc
hica
l str
uctu
res,
feud
alpa
ttern
s of
land
ow
ners
hip,
and
rut
hles
s ex
ploi
tatio
n of
May
an c
om-
mun
ities
per
sist
, in
mod
ified
form
, to
the
pres
ent d
ay.
In th
e te
rrito
ry g
over
ned
by th
e ci
ty o
f San
tiago
, the
six
teen
th-
cent
ury
colo
nial
cap
ital o
f Gua
tem
ala,
the
task
of c
onve
rtin
g th
ehu
ndre
ds o
f tho
usan
ds o
f Ind
ian
subj
ects
was
div
ided
am
ong
the
Fra
ncis
can,
Dom
inic
an, a
nd M
erce
daria
n m
issi
ons,
whi
le th
e co
n-qu
ered
land
s w
ere
carv
ed u
p by
Alv
arad
o's
offic
ers
into
vas
t est
ates
,or
haci
enda
s.In
digo
, coc
hine
al, a
nd c
acao
wer
e cu
ltiva
ted
in th
ehu
mid
low
land
s an
d hi
ghla
nd fo
othi
lls, w
hile
cat
tle r
anch
ing
pre-
dom
inat
ed in
the
tem
pera
te h
ighl
ands
and
the
dry
Orie
nte.
The
labo
rto
wor
k th
ese
esta
tes
was
pro
vide
d by
roy
al g
rant
s or
enco
mie
ndas
,w
hich
gav
e th
eha
cend
ado
full
title
to th
e In
dian
ser
fs li
ving
on
the
esta
te.
The
pra
ctic
e of
enc
omie
nda
date
d fr
om th
eR
econ
quis
tain
Spa
in,
whe
n th
e vi
ctor
ious
Spa
niar
ds r
ecru
ited
vanq
uish
ed M
oors
as
serf
sto
wor
k th
eir
And
alus
ian
haci
enda
s. E
ven
so s
taun
ch a
def
ende
r of
Indi
an r
ight
s as
Fria
r B
arto
lom
e de
las
Cas
as w
as a
nen
com
ende
rofo
r a
rime,
dur
ing
his
sojo
urn
in C
uba.
The
enc
omen
dero
s' p
eons
not
only
had
to w
ork
with
out p
ay b
ut a
lso
had
to r
ende
r tr
ibut
e to
thei
rm
aste
rs in
the
form
of p
rodu
ce, p
oultr
y, a
nd w
oven
goo
ds.
Las
Cas
as w
as in
stru
men
tal i
n th
e ab
oliti
on o
f the
enc
omie
ndas
.In
153
7 he
pre
vaile
d on
Car
los
V to
intr
oduc
e a
mor
e hu
man
e tr
eat-
men
t of h
is In
dian
sub
ject
s by
gat
herin
g th
em a
roun
d m
issi
onch
urch
es, w
here
they
wou
ld r
ecei
ve p
rope
r re
ligio
us in
stru
ctio
n. L
asC
asas
's r
evol
utio
nary
pre
cept
that
Indi
ans
wer
e no
t inf
erio
r by
na-
ture
but
wer
e in
stea
d "in
fant
s of
the
faith
" m
ade
a de
ep im
pres
sion
on C
arlo
s V
. In
1542
the
mon
arch
inco
rpor
ated
las
Cas
as's
idea
s in
toa
mor
e hu
man
e co
de o
f New
Law
s fo
r th
e S
pani
sh c
olon
ies.
Las
Cas
as p
ut h
is p
rece
pts
to w
ork
in th
e fo
rmer
ly w
ar-t
orn
regi
ons
ofth
e ea
ster
n hi
ghla
nds,
whe
re h
e pa
cifie
d th
e Q
uekc
hi M
ayas
with
the
intr
oduc
tion
of D
omin
ican
mis
sion
s. T
heie
eas
tern
hig
hlan
d re
-gi
ons
cam
e to
be
know
n as
Ver
apaz
, lan
ds o
f Tru
e P
eace
. Fou
rhu
ndre
d an
d fif
ty y
ears
late
r th
e m
ilita
ry's
war
of c
ount
erin
surg
ency
caug
ht u
p w
ith B
aja
and
Alta
Ver
apaz
, kill
ing
.sev
eral
thou
sand
of
14
its M
ayan
res
iden
ts a
nd tu
rnin
g te
ns o
f tho
usan
ds o
f oth
ers
into
refu
gees
.
Las
Cas
as's
sw
orn
enem
ies,
the
inte
mpe
rate
con
quis
tado
res
and
thei
r im
med
iate
des
cend
ants
, use
d th
eir
influ
ence
in c
ourt
toen
sure
that
the
New
Law
s w
ould
be
shor
t-liv
ed. A
fter
the
deat
h of
las
Cas
asth
e en
com
iend
as w
ere
repl
aced
by
rcpa
rtim
ient
o,a
syst
em o
f for
ced
labo
r th
at in
clud
ed a
neg
ligib
le w
age.
To
faci
litat
e th
e C
atho
lic m
issi
ons'
labo
r of
con
vert
ing
the
May
as,
as w
ell a
s to
pro
vide
add
ition
al s
erfs
and
trib
ute,
the
scat
tere
d co
mm
u.-
nitie
s ou
tsid
e th
e en
com
iend
as w
ere
conc
entr
ated
toge
ther
thro
ugh
a pr
oces
s ca
lled
cong
rega
ciiin
.A
fter
the
first
upr
isin
gs b
y ab
used
labo
rers
and
trib
ute
slav
es a
sec
ond
cong
rega
cion
was
aim
ed a
t bre
ak-
ing
com
mun
al b
onds
by
gath
erin
g th
e re
bels
from
dis
pers
ed r
egio
nsin
to c
lose
ly s
uper
vise
dpu
eblo
s in
dios
.T
his
stra
tegy
wou
ld s
erve
as
an in
spira
tion
for
the
mod
el v
illag
e pr
ogra
m in
trod
uced
by
the
Gua
-te
mal
an m
ilita
ry in
the
1980
s to
pac
ify in
surg
ent h
ighl
and
May
anco
mm
uniti
es in
the
lxil
Tria
ngle
, the
lxca
n, a
nd o
ther
"Z
ones
of
Con
flict
." In
bot
h ca
ses,
the
forc
ed n
ucle
atio
n of
idio
sync
ratic
May
anco
mm
uniti
es n
ot o
nly
unde
rmin
ed th
eir
cultu
ral i
dent
ity b
ut a
lso
infli
cted
sev
ere
econ
omic
and
env
ironm
enta
l har
dshi
ps.
Sev
ero
Mar
tinez
and
oth
er h
isto
rians
hav
e w
ritte
n of
the
cent
urie
s-lo
ng tu
g of
war
for
polit
ical
influ
ence
and
priv
ilege
bet
wee
n th
epe
n-in
sula
r S
pani
ards
loya
l to
the
thro
ne a
nd th
ecr
iollo
s,or
New
Wor
ldS
pani
ards
, who
se In
dian
mis
tres
ses
birt
hed
the
first
mix
ed-b
reed
ladi
-no
s.B
enea
th th
e la
dino
s in
sta
tus
wer
e th
e In
dian
prin
cipa
les
chos
ento
kee
p or
der
and
colle
ct tr
ibut
e fr
om th
e lo
wly
pea
sant
s, w
how
ere
and
cont
inue
to b
e th
e m
ost c
ruel
ly e
xplo
ited
nativ
e un
derc
lass
inth
e A
mer
icas
. (C
olon
ial M
ayas
acc
epte
d la
s C
asas
'ste
rmna
tura
les
inpl
ace
of th
e cr
iollo
s' d
emea
ning
indi
o, m
ozo,
and
peon
. Nat
ural
esis
still
wid
ely
used
amon
g hi
ghla
nd M
ayas
.)W
ith o
ccas
iona
l alte
ratio
ns, t
his
hier
arch
ical
infr
astr
uctu
rere
-m
aine
d in
pla
ce th
roug
hout
the
colo
nial
era,
and
with
som
e tw
entie
th-
cent
ury
refin
emen
ts it
con
tinue
s to
be
oper
ativ
e. A
bout
thre
e hu
ndre
dla
rge
land
owni
ng fa
mili
es s
till
repr
esen
t the
crio
llo in
tere
sts,
now
ingr
owin
g co
mpe
titio
n w
ith a
n in
fluen
tial b
usin
ess
and
indu
stria
l elit
e.A
long
the
Pac
ific
coas
t, w
here
cof
fee,
rem
aine
d G
uate
mal
a's
chie
fex
port
cro
p fo
r ov
er a
cen
tury
, sug
arca
ne, b
anan
as, c
otto
n, a
nd,
mor
ere
cent
ly, c
arda
mom
hav
e re
plac
ed th
e co
loni
al p
lant
atio
ns o
f ind
igo,
15
coch
inea
l, an
d ca
cao.
The
se la
rge
land
hold
ers
(latif
undi
stas
) re
pres
ent
less
than
2 p
erce
nt o
f Gua
tem
ala'
s po
pula
tion
but c
ontr
ol o
ver
65pe
rcen
t of t
he a
rabl
e la
nd.
The
trad
ition
al la
dino
rol
e is
now
em
bodi
ed b
y th
e ar
my
offic
ercl
ass
and
by th
e ex
pand
ing
mid
dle
clas
s w
hose
bre
adw
inne
rs fi
ll w
hite
-an
d bl
ue-c
olla
r oc
cupa
tions
. Tod
ay's
May
a pr
inci
pale
s te
nd to
be
mor
e in
depe
nden
t tha
n th
eir
colo
nial
fore
bear
s; th
ey a
re o
ften
smal
lla
ndow
ners
, tra
desm
en, m
unic
ipal
offi
cers
, and
mor
e re
cent
ly th
e m
ay-
ors
of s
mal
l tow
ns a
nd v
illag
es th
roug
hout
the
uppe
r hi
ghla
nds.
The
fort
unes
of t
he c
ampe
sino
s w
ho w
orke
d as
tena
nt fa
rmer
san
d m
anua
l lab
orer
s re
mai
ned
rem
arka
bly
unch
ange
d fo
r ov
er th
ree
and
a ha
lf ce
ntur
iesa
s at
test
ed to
in th
e w
ritin
gs o
f tra
vele
rs T
hom
asG
age,
Joh
n Ll
oyd
Ste
phen
s, J
acks
on S
tew
ard
Linc
oln,
am
ong
othe
rs.
The
sys
tem
of e
ncom
iend
a an
d co
ngre
gaci
on w
as p
orou
s en
ough
to a
llow
hun
dred
s of
May
an c
omm
uniti
es to
go
on fa
rmin
g th
eir
milp
as, o
r co
rnfie
lds,
and
to r
etai
n ow
ners
hip
of a
nces
tral
land
s. In
thes
e re
mot
e ou
tpos
ts, t
he c
ultiv
atio
n of
cor
n re
mai
ned
a sa
cram
ent
that
link
ed th
e M
aya
farm
er to
his
god
s. T
he p
repa
ratio
n an
d pl
antin
gof
a m
ilpa,
in ti
mes
of p
lent
y as
wel
l as
in ti
mes
of w
ant,
is a
t the
hear
t of t
he M
aya'
s co
ncep
tion
of h
imse
lf. T
his
situ
atio
n w
ould
chan
ge in
the
seco
nd h
alf o
f the
nin
etee
nth
cent
ury,
afte
r a
sust
aine
dpe
asan
t reb
ellio
n ag
ains
t col
onia
l and
pos
t-in
depe
nden
ce s
truc
ture
san
d in
stitu
tions
. The
upr
isin
g w
as h
eade
d by
the
mes
tizo,
or
mix
ed-
bree
d, c
aciq
ue R
afae
l Car
rera
, who
se in
vasi
ons
of fi
ncas
and
ass
aults
on th
e ca
pita
l with
hor
des
of M
aya
cam
pesi
nos
brou
ght t
he c
riollo
san
d la
dino
s fa
ce to
face
with
thei
r w
orst
fear
s. T
hese
fear
s ap
pear
edto
be
subs
tant
iate
d w
hen
Car
rera
sei
zed
cont
rol o
f the
gov
ernm
ent
in 1
840
and
rule
d th
e co
untr
y di
rect
ly a
nd th
roug
h pu
ppet
pre
side
nts
durin
g th
e ne
xt th
ree
deca
des.
Car
rera
was
tam
ed to
som
e de
gree
by
his
allia
nce
with
the
con-
serv
ativ
e C
atho
lic c
hurc
h, a
nd h
is th
irty-
year
dom
inan
ce le
ft th
e la
nd-
owni
ng e
lites
sha
ken
but u
nmov
ed. T
he m
ost r
adic
al c
hang
e in
May
anco
mm
unal
land
tenu
re c
ame
abou
t a d
ecad
e af
ter
Car
rera
's p
assi
ngw
ith th
e as
cend
ancy
of t
he s
elf-
styl
ed L
iber
al R
efor
mer
, Jus
to R
ufin
oB
arrio
s. B
egin
ning
in th
e la
te 1
870s
, Bar
rios
pass
ed d
ebt-
peon
age
stat
utes
and
abo
lishe
d hu
ndre
ds o
f May
an la
nd ti
tles
in o
rder
to c
reat
ean
arm
y of
sea
sona
l lab
orer
s fo
r th
e hu
ge c
offe
e fin
cas
that
wer
esp
ringi
ng u
p al
ong
Gua
tem
ala'
s P
acifi
c pi
edm
ont.
In 1
884
alon
e, m
ore
16
than
one
hun
dred
thou
sand
acr
es o
f May
a-ow
ned
mun
icip
al la
nds
pass
ed in
to p
rivat
e ha
nds.
Hun
dred
s of
thou
sand
s of
indi
geno
us fa
rm-
ers
who
had
nev
er tr
avel
ed m
ore
than
a fe
w k
ilom
eter
s fr
om th
eir
milp
as w
ere
cons
crip
ted
to w
ork
in th
e co
asta
l fin
cas
as c
offe
e pi
cker
san
d pe
ons.
Gua
tem
ala'
s ag
ricul
tura
l elit
e ha
s go
od r
easo
n to
com
mem
orat
eJu
sto
Ruf
ino
Bar
rios
as th
eir
grea
t ben
efac
tor,
and
Gua
tem
ala'
s M
ayan
com
mun
ities
hav
e eq
ual r
easo
n to
rev
ile th
e m
emor
y of
thei
rgr
eat-
est s
cour
ge a
fter
Ped
ro d
e A
lvar
ado.
The
"Li
bera
l Ref
orm
er's
" la
st=
ing
lega
cy w
as a
thriv
ing
coffe
e-ce
nter
ed e
cono
my
that
con
trol
led
14 p
erce
nt o
f the
wor
ld tr
ade
by 1
905
and
acco
unte
d fo
r 85
perc
ent
of G
uate
mal
a's
annu
al e
xpor
tre
venu
es. B
arrio
s's
unde
rmin
ing
of th
em
ilpa-
base
d M
ayan
cul
ture
pro
ved
just
as e
ndur
ing.
By
the
1920
sth
e gr
owin
g ta
ste
for
coffe
e in
Nor
th A
mer
ica
and
Eur
ope
crea
ted
the
first
mill
iona
ire fo
rtun
es in
Gua
tem
ala
at th
e sa
me
time
that
land
-pov
erty
bec
ame
inst
itutio
naliz
ed in
the
May
an h
ighl
ands
.B
a-rr
ios'
s st
atut
es r
emai
ned
on th
e bo
oks
until
193
4, w
hen
the
"ben
ev-
olen
t dic
tato
r" J
orge
Ubi
co r
epla
ced
them
with
vagr
ancy
law
s th
atob
ligat
ed a
ll ca
mpe
sino
s ow
ning
less
than
thre
em
anza
nas
(tw
ohe
ctar
es)
to d
o m
anua
l lab
or fo
ra
min
imum
of o
ne h
undr
ed d
ays
a ye
ar. T
his
assu
red
plan
tatio
n ow
ners
vas
t res
erve
s of
mig
rant
la-
bore
rs fo
r th
eir
coffe
e an
dsu
gar
harv
ests
. Par
adox
ical
ly, t
he n
ewva
gran
cy s
tatu
tes
also
pla
nted
the
seed
s of
May
an r
esis
tanc
e; in
the
mid
-nin
etee
n-fif
ties,
they
led
to th
e fo
rmat
ion
of th
e fir
st p
easa
ntun
ions
und
er p
resi
dent
s A
reva
lo a
nd A
rben
z.
Man
y hi
stor
ians
now
reg
ard
Bar
rios
2nd
the
rise
of th
e co
ffee
finca
sas
the
seco
nd c
hapt
er o
f the
con
ques
t and
exp
loita
tion
of G
uate
mal
a's
indi
geno
us p
opul
atio
n. T
he th
ird a
ndpo
tent
ially
fina
l cha
pter
may
have
beg
un in
the
late
sev
entie
s w
ithth
e m
assi
ve c
ount
erin
surg
ency
cam
paig
n m
ount
ed b
y th
e fir
st o
f thr
ee m
ilita
ry p
resi
dent
s,R
omeo
Luca
s G
arci
a. T
he to
tal c
ost o
f the
war
that
beg
an in
the
early
six
ties
with
the
rise
of th
e fir
st g
uerr
illa
orga
niza
tions
is n
ow c
alcu
late
d at
120,
000
Gua
tem
alan
s ki
lled,
and
ano
ther
46,0
00 d
isap
pear
ed a
ndun
acco
unte
d fo
r. (
The
tran
sitiv
e- v
erb
"des
apar
ecer
" [to
dis
appe
ar]
orig
inat
ed in
Gua
tem
ala.
)A
lthou
gh th
e le
ftist
gue
rrill
as w
ho in
cite
d th
em
ost b
lood
y m
ilita
ryre
pris
als
in C
entr
al A
mer
ica'
s hi
stor
y pr
obab
lyne
ver
num
bere
d m
ore
17
than
sev
enty
-fiv
e hu
ndre
d tr
aine
d m
ilita
nts,
they
suc
ceed
ed in
re-
crui
ting
clos
e to
hal
f a m
illio
n pe
asan
t sup
port
ers
in th
ew
este
rn a
ndce
ntra
l hig
hlan
ds a
nd in
the
nort
hern
dep
artm
ent o
f El P
earl.
Had
the
thre
e m
ain
guer
rilla
org
aniz
atio
ns, t
he G
uerr
illa
Arm
y of
the
Poo
r(E
GP
), th
e R
evol
utio
nary
Org
aniz
atio
n of
Peo
ple
in A
rms
(OR
PA
),an
d th
e R
ebel
Arm
ed F
orce
s (F
AR
), b
een
able
to c
oord
inat
e an
dar
mth
eir
enor
mou
s fo
llow
ings
, thi
s w
ould
hav
e be
ena
far
diffe
rent
sto
ry.
In 1
982
thes
e th
ree
orga
niza
tions
ban
ded
toge
ther
with
the
mili
tary
arm
of t
he G
uate
mal
an W
orke
rs P
arty
(P
GT
) to
form
the
Gua
tem
alan
Nat
iona
l Rev
olut
iona
ry U
nion
(U
RN
G);
but
by
then
the
guer
rilla
s'be
st o
ppor
tuni
ties
had
alre
ady
pass
ed. E
very
one
unde
rest
imat
ed th
ete
naci
ty a
nd r
uthl
essn
ess
of th
e la
dino
mili
tary
offi
cer
clas
s, w
hich
had
been
tem
pere
d by
five
cen
turie
s of
sub
serv
ienc
eto
crio
llo la
nd-
owni
ng e
lites
.T
he fi
rst r
eal p
rosp
ect o
f an
end
to G
uate
mal
a's
war
aro
se w
ithth
e E
squi
pula
s P
eace
neg
otia
tions
hel
d in
Gua
tem
ala
in 1
986
and
1987
und
er th
e au
spic
es o
f Pre
side
nt C
erez
o. T
he fi
ve C
entr
al A
mer
-ic
an p
resi
dent
s si
gned
agr
eem
ents
that
dis
arm
ed th
e C
ontr
as in
Nic
a-ra
gua
and
prov
ided
the
fram
ewor
k fo
r pe
ace
nego
tiatio
ns b
etw
een
gove
rnm
ent a
nd g
uerr
illa
lead
ers
in E
I Sal
vado
r an
d G
uate
mal
a. (
In19
87 C
osta
Ric
a's
form
er p
resi
dent
Osc
ar A
rias
rece
ived
the
Nob
elP
eace
Priz
e fo
r hi
s sk
illfu
l dip
lom
acy.
) In
199
1 th
e F
arab
undo
Mar
tiN
atio
nal L
iber
atio
n F
ront
and
Pre
side
nt A
lfred
o C
ristia
ni s
igne
da
peac
e ac
cord
in E
l Sal
vado
r th
at is
not
yet
fully
impl
emen
ted.
Gua
-te
mal
a's
mili
tary
and
gov
ernm
ent r
epre
sent
ativ
es h
ave
enga
ged
inon
-go
ing
nego
tiatio
ns w
ith le
ader
s of
the
UR
NG
for
the
past
thre
e ye
ars.
Des
pite
spo
radi
c si
gns
of p
rogr
ess,
neg
otia
tions
hav
e re
peat
edly
sta
lled
over
the
issu
e of
acc
ount
abili
ty fo
r hu
man
rig
hts
viol
atio
ns a
nd th
epr
osec
utio
n of
the
war
.
2
Mor
e th
an a
ny o
ther
cou
ntry
in th
e C
entr
al A
mer
ican
isth
mus
, Gua
-te
mal
a si
ts o
n th
e cu
sp o
f int
erlo
ckin
g co
ntra
dict
ions
. At 9
.5 m
illio
n,G
uate
mal
a is
the
mos
t pop
ulou
s of
the
six
Cen
tral
Am
eric
an r
epub
-lic
s, th
e ric
hest
in n
atur
al r
esou
rces
, and
it a
ttrac
ts th
em
ost i
nves
tmen
tdo
llars
from
the
Uni
ted
Sta
tes
and
the
larg
e m
ultin
atio
nal
corp
ora-
tions
in E
urop
e an
d th
e F
ar E
ast.
And
yet
its
May
a m
ajor
ity o
f nea
rly
5 m
illio
n ha
s th
e lo
wes
t per
cap
ita in
com
e in
the
regi
on. (
A s
tudy
publ
ishe
d in
199
1 by
the
Nat
iona
l Ins
titut
e of
Sta
tistic
s re
veal
ed c
har
90 p
erce
nt o
f hig
hlan
d re
side
nts
live
in c
ondi
tions
of e
xtre
me
pove
rty.
)G
uate
mal
a is
the
Cen
tral
Am
eric
an c
ount
ry c
lose
st to
our
bord
ers,
yet i
t is
by fa
r th
e m
ost n
egle
cted
by
the
U.S
. med
ia. A
fter
the
over
-th
row
of d
emoc
ratic
ally
ele
cted
Jac
obo
Arb
enz
in 1
954,
a c
urta
in o
fsi
lenc
e de
scen
ded
over
Gua
tem
ala.
The
cou
ntry
and
its
war
, whi
chha
s la
sted
mor
e th
an th
irty
year
s, h
ave
rem
aine
d la
rgel
y in
visi
ble,
ever
to N
orth
Am
eric
ans
who
def
y th
e S
tate
Dep
artm
ent's
neg
ativ
e tr
avel
advi
sorie
s an
d fly
to th
e M
ayan
rui
ns o
f Tik
alor
vis
it th
e ar
tisan
s'm
arke
ts o
f Atit
lan
and
Chi
chic
aste
nang
o.
An
impo
rtan
t par
t of t
his
stor
y is
the
role
pla
yed
by Is
rael
, Tai
wan
,A
rgen
tina,
and
oth
er a
rms
deal
ers
who
rep
lace
d th
e U
nite
d S
tate
s fo
rfo
ur c
ruci
al y
ears
as
supp
liers
of
wea
pons
and
tech
nica
l ass
ista
nce
toth
e G
uate
mal
an m
ilita
ry. I
n 19
77 G
uate
mal
a st
oppe
dim
port
ing
arm
sfr
om th
e U
nite
d S
tate
s in
ant
icip
atio
n of
a cr
edit
ban
from
Pre
side
ntJi
mm
y C
arte
r, w
ho d
eplo
red
Gua
tem
ala'
s ab
ysm
al r
ecor
d of
hum
anrig
hts
abus
e. D
irect
U.S
. mili
tary
aid
beg
anag
ain
in th
e ea
rly e
ight
ies,
unde
r R
onal
d R
eaga
n.O
ne m
ajor
res
ult o
f the
war
is a
shi
ft in
the
pow
er b
alan
ce th
atha
s cr
eate
da
new
land
owni
ng e
lite
amon
g m
ilita
ry o
ffice
rs, w
ho a
repr
ocla
imin
g th
emse
lves
the
vict
ors
ofa
war
that
has
by
no m
eans
ende
d.
A r
emar
kabl
e pr
oduc
t of G
uate
mal
a's
war
is th
e ris
e of
a P
rote
stan
tev
ange
lical
mov
emen
t im
port
ed fr
om th
e U
nite
d S
tate
s, w
hich
has
alre
ady
conv
erte
dov
er o
ne-t
hird
of G
uate
mal
a's
nom
inal
ly C
atho
licin
dige
nous
pop
ulat
ion.
The
ear
ly P
rote
stan
t mis
sion
s in
Gua
tem
ala
allie
d th
emse
lves
with
aut
horit
aria
n Li
bera
l gov
ernm
ents
, beg
inni
ngw
ith th
at o
f Jus
to R
ufin
oB
arrio
s. U
ntil
the
rise
of th
e co
mm
unis
tsp
ecte
r in
the
early
195
0s, t
he im
pact
of t
hese
trad
ition
al P
rote
stan
tch
urch
eson
the
Cat
holic
May
an c
omm
uniti
es h
ad b
een
negl
igib
le.
The
cen
tury
-long
influ
x of
mis
sion
arie
s fr
om tr
aditi
onal
Pro
test
ant
chur
ches
as w
ell a
s th
e ne
wer
fund
amen
talis
t and
Pen
teco
stal
sec
tscr
este
d in
to fl
ood
tide
follo
win
g th
e de
vast
atin
g ea
rthq
uake
of F
eb-
ruar
y 19
76, w
hich
left
over
27,
000
dead
and
hun
dred
s of
thou
sand
sin
jure
d an
dho
mel
ess.
The
larg
e m
ajor
ity o
f the
qua
ke v
ictim
s liv
ed
BE
STC
OPY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
19
tile
hign
iand
May
an d
ep'a
rtm
ents
'or-
ehim
liena
ngo
and
Qui
che,
whi
ch h
ad b
orne
the
brun
t of A
lvar
ado'
s cr
uelty
. Beg
inni
ngin
the
late
197
0s, t
hese
two
depa
rtm
ents
wou
ld a
lso
beco
me
the
prim
e ta
r-ge
ts o
f Alv
arad
o's
desc
enda
nts,
the
crio
llo a
nd m
estiz
o ge
nera
ls w
hopl
anne
d G
uate
mal
a's
coun
terin
surg
ency
stra
tegy
inth
e M
ayan
high
land
s.
The
eva
ngel
ical
s w
ho c
ame
to G
uate
mal
ato
com
fort
and
reh
a-bi
litat
e th
e su
rviv
ors
of th
e ea
rthq
uake
rem
aine
d be
hind
to c
onve
rtth
em. H
undr
eds
of te
mpl
es a
ssoc
iate
d w
ith c
hurc
hes
like
the
Cen
tral
Am
eric
an M
issi
on, E
lim, A
ssem
blie
s of
God
, and
the
Naz
aren
esro
sefr
om th
e ru
bble
of C
atho
lic c
hurc
hes
leve
led
by th
e bi
g qu
ake.
May
anco
mm
uniti
es d
isill
usio
ned
with
thei
r pr
iest
s' o
ffers
of h
eave
nly
re-
war
ds fl
ocke
d to
the
new
sec
ts, d
raw
n by
pro
mis
es o
f red
empt
ion
thro
ugh
pray
er, p
urita
nica
l tem
pera
nce,
and
indi
vidu
alen
terp
rise.
Inth
e ar
eas
the
arm
y ca
lls Z
ones
of C
onfli
ct, t
hous
ands
of
surv
ivor
sw
ere
draw
n to
the
exor
cist
ic r
itual
s an
d m
illen
nial
ist p
roph
ecie
s of
the
Pen
teco
stal
s, w
hose
his
trio
nic
serv
ices
pla
cate
d th
eir
fear
san
dhe
lped
them
forg
et th
e lo
ss o
f the
ir re
lativ
es.
As
the
war
wid
ened
und
er e
vang
elic
al G
ener
al E
frai
n R
ios
Mon
tt,w
ho s
eize
d th
e pr
esid
ency
ina
bloo
dles
s pa
lace
cou
p in
Mar
ch 1
982,
the
agen
das
of m
any
evan
gelic
al m
issi
ons
expa
nded
to in
clud
e w
ider
geop
oliti
cal o
bjec
tives
. Rio
s M
ontt'
sow
n C
hurc
h of
the
Wor
d, a
nof
fsho
ot o
f the
Cal
iforn
ia-b
ased
Gos
pel O
utre
ach,
plan
ned
to s
e-cu
re th
e co
untr
ysid
e fo
r a
mili
tary
occ
upat
ion
frie
ndly
to th
e U
nite
dS
tate
s. E
vang
elic
al g
roup
s lik
e F
ull G
ospe
l Bus
ines
smen
's F
ello
wsh
ipbe
cam
e bu
lwar
ks o
f the
Rea
gan
Doc
trin
e an
d w
aged
hol
yw
ar a
gain
stth
e "d
iabo
lical
" te
nets
of M
arxi
sm-L
enin
ism
and
Lib
erat
ion
The
-ol
ogy.
Man
y ev
ange
lical
s op
enly
boa
sted
that
Gua
tem
ala
was
to b
eth
e br
idge
head
for
a P
rote
stan
t tak
eove
r of
Lat
in A
mer
ica,
to b
eco
mpl
eted
in ti
me
for
Chr
ist's
Sec
ond
Com
ing
at th
e en
d of
the
mill
enni
um.
Onc
e ag
ain,
as
in th
e ea
rly y
ears
of t
he S
pani
sh C
onqu
est,
whe
nth
ree
mis
sion
ary
Cat
holic
ord
ers
com
pete
d fo
r th
e sa
lvat
ion
ofIn
dian
soul
s, w
ar a
nd r
elig
ious
con
vers
ion
wor
ked
hand
in g
love
to e
ffect
apr
ofou
nd tr
ansf
orm
atio
n of
the
nativ
e M
ayan
cul
ture
. The
dev
ilof
idol
wor
ship
had
bee
n re
plac
ed b
y th
e de
vil o
f com
mun
ism
and
Mar
x-is
t the
olog
y. T
o th
e lo
ng-s
uffe
ring
desc
enda
nts
of th
e M
ayas
,w
hobe
lieve
d in
inte
rrel
ated
tim
e se
gmen
ts o
f tun
s an
d ka
tuns
that
recu
r
20
L
in -
pred
eter
min
ed c
ycl'e
s, tn
e w
hiel
-11
-ad
turn
ed fu
ll ci
rcle
, and
onl
yth
e m
asks
on
the
whi
te fa
ces
had
chan
ged.
Onc
e ea
ch y
ear
over
the
past
four
and
a h
alf c
entu
ries,
hig
hlan
dre
side
nts
have
cel
ebra
ted
thei
r pa
tron
sai
nt fe
ast d
ays
with
a D
ance
of th
e C
onqu
est.
Han
d-pi
cked
vill
ager
s st
oke
them
selv
es w
ith c
heap
rum
and
dec
k th
emse
lves
out
in th
e bu
rgun
dy a
nd g
reen
vel
vet f
iner
yof
six
teen
th-c
entu
ry S
pani
ards
. In
som
e ve
rsio
ns o
f the
dan
ce,
a pa
r-tic
ipan
t will
wea
r a
brow
n or
bla
ck-t
inte
d m
ask
of T
ecan
Um
an. T
hech
arad
e is
topp
ed o
ff by
sub
tly c
rafte
d ro
se-a
nd-c
ream
woo
den
mas
ks.
with
blo
nd b
eard
s an
d m
usta
ches
. For
hou
rson
end
, the
mas
ked
vil-
lage
rs m
ove
back
and
fort
h, s
haki
ng g
ourd
rat
tles
as th
ey h
igh-
step
and
gyra
te in
ran
dom
con
figur
atio
n to
the
stra
ins
of a
mar
imba
, tire
less
lyre
enac
ting
thei
r an
cest
ors'
and
thei
r ow
ndef
eat a
nd h
umili
atio
n.
In th
is b
ook,
I w
ill fo
cus
on fo
ur h
ighl
and
regi
ons
whe
re g
uerr
illa
insu
rgen
cy, m
ilita
ry c
ount
erin
surg
ency
, and
eva
ngel
ical
con
vers
ion
had
the
mos
t dra
mat
ic im
pact
on tr
aditi
onal
May
an p
atte
rns
of s
ub-
sist
ence
the
Nil
Tria
ngle
, Atit
lan,
Hue
huet
enan
go, a
nd C
him
alte
-na
ngo.
A s
epar
ate
sect
ion
deal
s w
ith th
e no
rthe
rn lo
wla
nd r
egio
n of
Pea
rl, w
here
the
Reb
el A
rmed
For
ces
have
bee
nco
ncen
trat
ed. T
hera
dica
l tra
nsfo
rmat
ion
of th
ese
com
mun
ities
has
take
n on
the
char
-ac
ter
of a
third
con
ques
t, w
hose
full
para
met
ers
are
only
now
be-
com
ing
appa
rent
. Bec
ause
the
tran
sfor
Mat
ion
of th
ese
area
sand
of
Gua
tem
ala
itsel
fby
the
mos
t und
erre
port
ed w
ar o
f rec
ent t
imes
ism
ultif
acet
ed, i
tsst
ory
will
be
told
in a
laye
red
form
at o
f jou
rnal
is-
tic r
epor
tage
, per
sona
l nar
rativ
e, o
ral
test
imon
y, a
nd e
thno
grap
hic
inve
stig
atio
n.
With
the
resu
rgen
ce o
fa
nativ
e M
aya
mov
emen
t in
Gua
tem
ala,
mar
ked
by c
ongr
essi
onal
app
rova
l of
a st
anda
rdiz
ed M
aya
alph
abet
and
the
mor
e re
cent
rat
ifica
tion
of th
e A
cade
my
of M
ayan
Lan
guag
es,
the
colo
nial
pejo
rativ
e In
dio
(Ind
ian)
has
, jus
tifia
bly,
falle
n in
to d
is-
repu
te. T
he a
war
d of
the
1992
Nob
el P
eace
Priz
e to
the
Qui
che-
May
a hu
man
rig
hts
activ
ist R
igob
erta
Men
chil
has
cast
furt
her
op-
prob
rium
on c
olon
ial t
erm
inol
ogy
and
on th
e te
rm In
dio,
in p
artic
ular
.A
s a
gene
ral
rule
, Ind
ian
will
ref
er. o
nly
to n
ewly
Chr
istia
nize
d an
dco
loni
al M
ayas
, and
May
a or
May
an w
ill r
efer
to th
at p
re-C
olum
bian
civi
lizat
ion
as w
ell a
s to
the
rena
issa
nt in
dige
nous
com
mun
ities
that
are
its d
irect
des
cend
ants
.
21
II. Students will read and discuss the Introduction (pages x-xvii)and Chapters IV and VII of I Rigoberta Menchu. (copyattached)
Discussion Questions:
Introduction (pp. x-xvii1. What does the author mean when she says that Rigoberta
Mench6 "speaks for all the Indians of the Americancontinent"?
2. Discuss the importance of language to Rigoberta's peopleand to Rigoberta herself
3. What is Rigoberta Menchta fighting for?
4. What are the staple foods of Guatemala? How did food forma bond between the author and Rigoberta?
5. Discuss the irony of the following statements: "The ladinoshave adopted many features of the indigenous culture . . .
They inevitably use the native cultures of Latin America toproclaim their otherness and have aways tended to adopt thegreat monuments of the Aztec, Mayan and Incan pre-col umbian civilizations as their own, without everestablishing any connection between the splendors of thepast and the poor exploited Indians they despise and treat asslaves."(View travel brochures and ads to illustrate the point)(copies attached)
22
h er IV "F inc Li e in the Fin a"(pp. 21-27)
1. Describe Rigoberta's first memories of traveling to the finca.
2. Who are the caporales? What is their position?
3. Describe how the workers are fed.
4. How does the cantina operate?
5. How do the overseers cheat the workers to make moremoney?
6. Explain how Rigoberta and her people "voted."
e
Chapter VII "Death of Her Little Brother in the Finca.Difficulty of Communicating with Other Indians"(pp. 38-42)
1. What problems did Rigoberta's mother encounter in buryingher brother's body? What was the result?
2. How did the community help them?
3. How did language compound the problems the workersfaced?
4. How do the overseers rob the workers of their rightful pay?
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
23
HONDURAS
PA
CIF
ICO
CE
AN
ft.
BE
ST C
OPY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
24
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
Thi
s bo
ok te
lls th
e lif
e st
ory
of R
igob
erta
Men
chti,
a Q
uich
e In
dian
wom
an a
nd a
mem
ber
of o
ne o
f th
e la
rges
t of
the
twen
ty-t
wo
ethn
icgr
oups
in G
uate
mal
a. S
he w
as b
orn
in th
e ha
mle
t of
Chi
me!
, nea
rSa
n M
igue
l de
Usp
anta
n, w
hich
is th
e ca
pita
l of
the
nort
h-w
este
rnpr
ovin
ce o
f E
l Qui
che.
Rig
ober
ta M
ench
ti is
twen
ty -
thre
e ye
ars
old.
She
tells
her
sto
ry in
Span
ish,
a la
ngua
ge w
hich
she
has
spo
ken
for
only
thre
e ye
ars.
Her
life
stor
y is
.an
acco
unt o
f co
ntem
pora
ry h
isto
ry r
athe
r th
an o
fG
uate
mal
a its
elf.
It i
s in
that
'sen
se th
at it
is e
xem
plar
y: s
he s
peak
s fo
ral
l the
Ind
ians
of
the
Am
eric
an c
ontin
ent.
Wha
t she
tells
us
of h
erre
latio
nshi
p w
ith n
atur
e, li
fe, d
eath
and
her
com
mun
ity h
as a
lrea
dybe
en s
aid
by th
e In
dian
s of
Nor
th A
mer
ica,
thos
e of
Cen
tral
Am
eric
aan
d th
ose
of S
outh
Am
eric
a. T
he c
ultu
ral d
iscr
imin
atio
n sh
e ha
ssu
ffer
ed is
som
ethi
ng th
at a
ll th
e co
ntin
ent's
Ind
ians
hav
e be
ensu
ffer
ing
ever
sin
ce th
e Sp
anis
h co
nque
st. T
he v
oice
,of
Rig
ober
taM
ench
ti al
low
s th
e de
feat
ed to
spe
ak. S
he is
a p
rivi
lege
d w
itnes
s: s
heha
s su
rviv
ed th
e ge
noci
de th
at d
estr
oyed
her
fam
ily a
nd c
omm
unity
and
is s
tubb
ornl
y de
term
ined
to b
reak
the
sile
nce
and
to c
onfr
ont t
hesy
stem
atic
ext
erm
inat
ion
of h
er p
eopl
e. S
he r
efus
es to
let u
s fo
rget
.W
ords
are
her
onl
y w
eapo
ns. T
hat i
s w
hy s
he r
esol
ved
to le
arn
Span
ish
and
brea
k ou
t. of
the
lingu
istic
isol
atio
n in
to w
hich
the
X11 Indi
ans
retr
eate
d in
ord
er to
pre
serv
e th
eir
cultu
re.
Rig
ober
ta le
arne
d th
e la
ngua
ge o
f her
opp
resm
irs in
ord
er to
US
C it
agai
nst t
hem
. For
her
, app
ropr
iatin
g th
e S
pani
sh la
ngua
ge is
an
act
whi
ch c
an c
hang
e th
e co
urse
of h
isto
ry b
ecau
se it
is th
e re
sult
of a
deci
sion
: Spa
nish
was
a la
ngua
ge w
hich
was
forc
ed u
pon
her,
but
itha
s be
com
e a
wea
pon
in h
er s
trug
gle.
She
(..
Iec.
(..e
(..to
spe
ak in
ord
erto
tell
of th
e op
pres
sion
her
peo
ple
have
bee
n su
fferin
g fo
r al
mos
tfiv
e hu
ndre
d ye
ars,
so
that
the
sacr
ifice
s m
ade
by h
er c
omm
unity
- an
dhe
r fa
mily
will
not
hav
e be
en m
ade
in v
ain.
She
will
not
let u
s fo
rget
and
insi
sts
on s
how
ing
us w
hat w
e ha
veal
way
s re
fuse
d to
see
. We
Latin
Am
eric
ans
are
only
too
read
y to
deno
unce
the
uneq
ual r
elat
ions
that
exi
st b
etw
een
ours
elve
s an
dN
orth
Am
eric
a, b
ut w
e te
nd to
forg
et th
at w
e to
o ar
e op
pres
sors
and
that
we
too
are
invo
lved
in r
elat
ions
that
can
onl
y be
des
crib
ed a
sco
loni
al.
With
out a
ny fe
ar o
f exa
gger
atio
n, it
cou
ld b
e sa
id th
at,
espe
cial
ly in
cou
ntrie
s w
ith a
larg
e In
dian
pop
ulat
ion,
ther
e is
an
inte
rnal
col
onia
lism
whi
ch w
orks
to th
e de
trim
ent o
f the
indi
geno
uspo
pula
tion.
The
eas
e w
ith w
hich
Nor
th A
mer
ica
dom
inat
es s
o-ca
lled
'Lat
in' A
mer
ica
is to
a la
rge
exte
nt a
res
ult o
f the
col
lusi
onaf
ford
ed it
by
this
inte
rnal
col
onia
lism
. So
long
as
thes
e re
latio
nspe
rsis
t, th
e co
untr
ies
of L
atin
Am
eric
a w
ill n
ot b
e co
untr
ies
in a
nyre
al s
ense
of t
he w
ord,
and
they
will
ther
efor
e re
mai
n vu
lner
able
.T
hat i
s w
hy w
e ha
ve to
list
en to
Rig
ober
ta M
ench
it's
appe
al a
ndal
low
our
selv
es to
be
guid
ed b
y a
voic
e w
hose
inne
r ca
denc
es a
re s
opr
egna
nt w
ith m
eani
ng th
at w
e ac
tual
ly s
eem
to h
ear
her
spea
king
and
can
alm
ost h
ear
her
brea
thin
g. H
er v
oice
is s
o he
art-
rend
ingl
ybe
autif
ul b
ecau
se it
spe
aks
to u
s of
eve
ry fa
cet o
f the
life
of a
peo
ple
and
thei
r op
pres
sed
cultu
re. R
ut R
igob
erta
Men
chils
sto
ry d
oes
not
cons
ist s
olel
y of
hea
rt-r
endi
ng m
omen
ts. Q
uiet
ly, b
ut p
roud
ly, s
hele
ads
us in
to h
er o
wn
cultu
ral w
orld
, a w
orld
in w
hich
the
sacr
ed a
ndth
e pr
ofan
e co
nsta
ntly
min
gle,
in w
hich
wor
ship
and
dom
estic
life
are
one
and
the
sam
e, in
whi
ch e
very
ges
ture
has
a p
re-e
stab
lishe
dpu
rpos
e an
d in
whi
ch e
very
thin
g ha
s a
mea
ning
. With
in th
at c
ultu
re,
ever
ythi
ng is
det
erm
ined
in a
dvan
ce; e
very
thin
g th
at o
ccur
s in
the
pres
ent c
an b
e ex
plai
ned
in te
rms
of th
e pa
st a
nd h
as to
be
ritua
lized
so a
s to
be
inte
grat
ed in
to e
very
day
life,
whi
ch is
itse
lf a
ritua
l. A
s w
elis
ten
to h
er v
oice
, we
have
to lo
ok d
eep
into
our
ow
n so
uls
for
itaw
aken
s se
nsat
ions
and
feel
ings
whi
ch w
e, c
augh
t up
as w
e ar
e in
an
inhu
man
and
art
ifici
al w
orld
, tho
ught
wer
e lo
st fo
r ev
er. H
er s
tory
is
26
over
whe
lmin
g be
caus
e w
hat s
he h
as to
say
is s
impl
e an
d tr
ue. A
s sh
esp
eaks
, we
ente
r a
strik
ingl
y di
ffere
nt w
orld
whi
ch is
poe
tic a
n(of
ten
trag
ic, a
wor
ld w
hich
has
forg
ed th
e th
ough
t of a
gre
at p
opul
arle
ader
. In
telli
ng th
e st
ory
of h
er h
ie, 1
(;01
A:r
t.' N
ienc
hn is
als
issu
ing
a m
anife
sto
on b
ehal
f of a
n et
hnic
gro
up. S
he p
rocl
aim
s he
tal
legi
ance
to th
at g
roup
, but
she
als
o as
sert
s he
r de
term
inat
ion
Itsu
bord
inat
e he
r lif
e to
one
thin
g. A
s a
popu
lar
le;t4
er, h
er o
neam
bitio
n is
to d
evot
e he
r lif
e to
ove
rthr
owin
g th
e re
latio
ns o
f Joi
nt,
natio
n an
d ex
clus
ion
whi
ch c
hara
cter
ize
inte
rnal
col
onia
lism
. She
and
her
peop
le a
re ta
ken
into
acc
ount
onl
y w
hen
thei
r la
bour
pow
eris
nee
ded;
cul
tura
lly, t
hey
are
disc
rimin
ated
aga
inst
and
rej
ecte
dR
igob
erta
Men
chu'
s st
rugg
le is
a s
trug
gle
to m
odify
and
bre
ak th
ebo
nds
that
link
her
and
her
peo
ple
to th
eL
atin
's,a
nd th
at in
evita
bly
impl
ies
chan
ging
the
wor
ld. S
he is
in n
o se
nse
advo
catin
g a
raci
ast
rugg
le, m
uch
less
ref
usin
g to
acc
ept t
he ir
reve
rsib
le fa
ct o
f the
exis
tenc
e of
the
Lad
inos
.S
he is
figh
ting
for
the
reco
gniti
on o
f he
cultu
re, f
or a
ccep
tanc
e of
the
fact
that
it is
diff
eren
t and
for
hepe
ople
's r
ight
ful s
hare
of p
ower
.In
Gua
tem
ala
and
cert
ain
othe
r co
untr
ies
of L
atin
Am
eric
a, th
eIn
dian
s ar
e in
the
maj
ority
. The
situ
atio
n th
ere
is,'
,naa
fis
mut
ant!
,co
mpa
rabl
e to
that
in S
outh
Afr
ica,
whe
re a
whi
te m
inor
ity h
aab
solu
te p
ower
ove
r th
e bl
ack
maj
ority
. In
othe
r La
tin A
mer
ica!
coun
trie
s, w
here
the
Indi
ans
are
in a
min
ority
, the
y do
not
eve
n ha
y.th
e m
ost e
lem
enta
ry r
ight
s w
hich
eve
ry h
uman
bei
ng s
hoid
enj
oyIn
deed
, the
so-
calle
d fo
rest
Indi
ans
are
bein
g sy
stem
atic
ally
ext
erin
itiat
ed in
the
nam
e of
pro
gres
s. li
ut u
nlik
e th
e In
dian
reb
els
of th
.,pa
st, w
ho w
ante
d to
go
hack
to p
reco
lum
bian
tim
es, R
igob
ert;
Men
chii
is n
ot fi
ghtin
g in
the
nam
e of
an
idea
lized
or
myt
hica
l pas
tO
n th
e co
ntra
ry, s
he o
bvio
usly
wan
ts to
pla
y an
act
ive
part
in h
isto
r:an
d it
is th
at w
hich
mak
es h
er th
ough
t so
mod
ern.
She
and
he
com
rade
s ha
ve g
iven
thei
r hi
stor
ical
am
bitio
ns a
n or
gani
c e;
.pre
ssi
on in
the
shap
e of
the
Pea
sant
Uni
ty C
omm
ittee
(C
ut)
and
thei
deci
sion
to jo
in th
e '3
I Ja
nuar
y P
opul
ar F
ront
', w
hich
was
foun
der
in J
anua
ry 1
981
to c
omm
emor
ate
the
mas
sacr
e of
a g
roup
of Q
uick
Indi
ans
who
occ
upie
d th
e S
pani
sh e
mba
ssy
in C
iuda
d-G
uate
mal
;in
ord
er to
dra
w a
ttent
ion
to th
eir
plig
ht. T
he g
roup
whi
ch o
ccup
ie(
the
emba
ssy
was
led
by R
igob
erta
's fa
ther
, Vic
ente
Men
chti,
who
ha'
sinc
e be
com
e a
natio
nal h
ero
for
the
Indi
ans
of G
uate
mal
a. T
hlP
opul
ar F
ront
, whi
ch c
onsi
sts
of s
ix m
ass
orga
niza
tions
, too
k th
,
BE
ST
CO
PY
AV
AIL
AB
LEL
27
XII
'X
I'na
me
31
Janu
ary'
to c
omm
emor
ate
the
date
of t
he m
assa
cre.
Ear
ly in
Jan
uary
198
2, R
igob
erta
Men
clui
was
invi
ted
to E
urop
eby
a n
umbe
r of
sol
idar
itygr
oups
as
a re
pres
enta
tive
of th
e3I
Janu
ary
Pop
ular
Fro
nt. I
tw
as th
en th
at I
met
her
ill P
aris
.T
he id
ea o
ftu
rnin
g he
r lif
e st
ory
into
a h
ook
cam
e fr
om a
Can
adia
n w
oman
frie
nd w
ho is
very
- sy
mpa
thet
ic to
the
caus
e of
the
Gua
tem
alan
hlia
s. N
ever
hav
ing
met
Rig
ober
ta, I
was
at f
irst s
omew
hat r
eluc
-ta
nt, a
s I r
ealiz
ed th
at s
uch
proj
ects
dep
end
to a
larg
e ex
tent
on
the
qual
ity o
f the
rel
atio
nshi
p be
twee
n in
terv
iew
eran
d in
terv
iew
ee.
Suc
h w
ork
has
far-
reac
hing
psy
chol
ogic
alim
plic
atio
ns, a
nd th
ere
viva
l of t
he p
ast c
an r
esus
cita
te a
ffect
s an
dzo
nes
of th
e m
emor
yw
hich
had
app
aren
tly b
een
forg
otte
n fo
rev
er a
nd c
an le
ad to
anx
iety
and
stre
ss s
ituat
ions
.A
s so
on a
s w
e m
et, h
owev
er, I
kne
w th
atw
e w
ere
goin
g to
get
alon
g to
eget
her.
The
adm
iratio
n he
r-co
urag
e an
ddi
gnity
aro
used
inm
e di
d m
uch
to e
ase
our
rela
tions
hip.
She
cam
e to
my
hom
eon
e ev
enin
g in
Jan
uary
198
2. S
he w
asw
earin
g tr
aditi
onal
cost
ume,
incl
udin
g a
mul
ticol
oure
d hu
ipil
with
rich
and
varie
d em
broi
dery
; the
patte
rns
wer
e no
t sym
met
rical
and
one
coul
d ha
ve b
een
forg
iven
for
assu
min
g th
at th
eyw
ere
rand
om.
She
was
als
o w
earin
gan
ank
le-le
ngth
ski
rt; t
his
too
was
mul
ti-co
lour
ed a
nd th
e th
ick
mat
eria
lw
as o
bvio
usly
han
d-w
oven
. I la
ter
lear
ned
that
it w
as c
alle
da
cart
e. S
he h
ad a
bro
ad, b
right
ly-c
olou
red
sash
aro
und
her
wai
st. O
n he
r he
ad, s
hew
ore
a fu
schi
a an
d re
d sc
arf
knot
ted
behi
nd h
er n
eck.
Whe
n sh
e le
ftP
aris
, she
gav
e it
to m
e,te
lling
me
that
it h
ad ta
ken
her
thre
em
onth
s to
wea
ve th
e cl
oth.
Aro
und
her
neck
she
had
an e
norm
ous
neck
lace
of r
ed b
eads
and
old
silv
er c
oins
with
a he
avy
solid
silv
er c
ross
dan
glin
g fr
om it
.I
rem
embe
r it
as b
eing
a pa
rtic
ular
ly c
old
nigh
t; in
fact
I th
ink
itw
assn
owin
g. R
igob
erta
was
wea
ring
no s
tock
ings
and
no
coat
. Ben
eath
her
buip
il, h
er a
rms
wer
e ba
re. H
er o
nly
prot
ectio
n ag
ains
t the
col
dw
as a
sho
rt c
ape
mad
e fr
om im
itatio
n tr
aditi
onal
fabr
ic;
it ba
rely
cam
e to
her
wai
st. T
he fi
rst t
hing
that
str
uck
me
abou
t her
was
her
open
, alm
ost c
hild
like
smile
. Her
face
was
rou
nd a
nd m
oon-
shap
ed.
Her
exp
ress
ion
was
as g
uile
less
as
that
of a
chi
ld a
nd a
sm
ile h
over
edpe
rman
ently
on
her
lips.
She
look
ed a
ston
ishi
ngly
youn
g. 1
late
rdi
scov
ered
that
her
you
thfu
l air
soon
fade
d w
hen
she
had
to ta
lkab
out t
he d
ram
atic
even
ts th
at h
ad o
vert
aken
her
fam
ily. W
hen
she
talk
ed a
bout
that
, yoU
cou
ldse
e th
e su
fferin
g in
her
eye
s, th
ey.lo
st
28
thei
r yo
uthf
ul s
park
le a
nd b
ecam
e th
eey
es o
f a m
atur
e w
oman
who
has
know
n w
hat i
t mea
ns to
suf
fer.
Wha
tat
firs
t loo
ked
like
shyn
ess
was
in fa
ct a
pol
itene
ss b
ased
upo
n re
serv
e an
d ge
ntle
ness
. Her
gest
ures
wer
e gr
acef
ul a
nd d
elic
ate.
Acc
ordi
ng to
Rig
ober
ta, I
ndia
nch
ildre
n le
arn
that
del
icac
y fr
oma
very
ear
ly a
ge; t
hey
begi
n to
pic
kco
ffee
whe
n th
ey a
re s
till v
ery
youn
g an
d th
e be
rrie
s ha
ve to
he
pluc
ked
with
gre
at d
elic
acy
if th
e br
anch
esar
e no
t to
be d
amag
ed.
I ver
y so
on b
ecam
e aw
are
of h
er d
esire
to ta
lk a
nd o
f her
abi
lity
toex
pres
s he
rsel
f ver
bally
.R
igob
erta
spe
nt a
wee
k in
Par
is..I
n or
der
to m
ake
thin
gs e
asie
r an
dto
mak
e th
e be
st p
ossi
ble
use
of h
er ti
me,
she
cam
e to
sta
y w
ithm
e.E
very
day
for
a w
eek,
we
bega
n to
rec
ord
her
stor
y at
nin
e in
the
mor
ning
, bro
ke fo
r lu
nch
at a
bout
one
, and
then
con
tinue
d un
til s
ixin
the
even
ing.
We
ofte
n w
orke
d af
ter
dinn
erto
o, e
ither
mak
ing
mor
e re
cord
ings
or
prep
arin
g qu
estio
ns fo
r th
e ne
xt d
ay. A
t the
end
of th
e w
eek
I had
twen
ty -
four
hou
rs o
f con
vers
atio
non
tape
. For
the
who
le o
f tha
t wee
k, I
lived
in R
igob
erta
's w
orld
. We
prac
tical
lycu
tou
rsel
ves
off f
rom
the
outs
ide
wor
ld. W
e es
tabl
ishe
dan
exc
elle
ntra
ppor
t im
med
iate
ly a
nd, a
s th
e da
ys p
asse
d an
d as
she
con
fided
inm
e an
d to
ld m
e th
e st
ory
of h
er li
fe, h
er fa
mily
and
her
com
mun
ity,
our
rela
tions
hip
grad
ually
bec
ame
mor
e in
tens
e. A
s tim
e w
ent b
y,sh
e be
cam
e m
ore
self-
assu
red
and
even
beg
an to
see
m c
onte
nted
.O
ne d
ay s
he to
ld m
e th
at u
ntil
then
she
had
neve
r be
en a
ble
to s
leep
all n
ight
with
out w
akin
g up
in a
pan
ic b
ecau
se s
he h
ad d
ream
ed th
atth
e ar
my
was
com
ing
to a
rres
t her
.B
ut 1
thin
k it
was
mai
nly
the
fact
of l
ivin
g to
geth
er u
nder
the
sam
ero
of fo
r a
wee
k th
atw
on m
e he
r tr
ust;
it ce
rtai
nly
brou
ght u
s cl
oser
toge
ther
. I h
ave
to a
dmit
that
this
was
par
tly a
n ac
cide
nt. A
wom
anfr
iend
had
bro
ught
me
som
e m
aize
flou
r an
d bl
ack
bean
s ba
ck fr
omV
enez
uela
. Mai
ze a
nd b
eans
are
the
stap
le d
iet i
n bo
th V
enez
uela
and
Gua
tem
ala.
I ca
nnot
des
crib
e ho
w h
appy
that
mad
e R
igob
erta
.It
mad
e m
e ha
ppy
too,
as
the
smel
l of t
ortil
las
and
refr
ied
bean
sbr
ough
t bac
k m
y ch
ildho
od in
Ven
ezue
la, w
here
the
wom
en g
et u
pea
rly to
coo
k ar
epas
' for
bre
akfa
st. A
repa
sar
e m
uch
thic
ker
than
Gua
tem
alan
tort
illas
, but
the
ingr
edie
nts
are
the
sam
e, a
s ar
e th
em
etho
ds o
f coo
king
and
pre
parin
g th
em. T
he fi
rst t
hing
Rig
ober
tadi
d w
hen
she
got u
p in
the
mor
ning
was
mak
e do
ugh
and
cook
1. A
kin
d of
bre
ad m
ade
fron
i mai
ze in
Ven
ezue
la, n
orm
ally
eat
en h
ot.
BE
STC
OPY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
29
xvi
tort
illas
for
brea
kfas
t; it
was
a r
efle
x th
atw
as th
ousa
nds
of y
ears
old
.Sh
e di
d th
e sa
me
at n
oon
and
in th
e ev
enin
g. I
tw
as a
ple
asur
e to
wat
ch h
er. W
ithin
sec
onds
, per
fect
ly r
ound
, pap
er-t
hin
tort
illas
wou
ld m
ater
ializ
e in
her
han
ds, a
s th
ough
by
mir
acle
. The
wom
en I
had
.wat
ched
in m
y ch
ildho
od m
ade
arep
asby
pat
ting
the
doug
h fl
atbe
twee
n th
e pa
lths
of th
eir
hand
s, b
ut R
igob
erta
mad
e he
rto
rtill
asby
pat
ting
it be
twee
n he
r fi
nger
s, h
oldi
ng th
em s
trai
ght a
nd to
geth
eran
d co
nsta
ntly
pas
sing
the
doug
h fr
om o
ne h
and
to th
e ot
her.
It i
sm
uch
mor
e di
ffic
ult t
o m
ake
perf
ectly
sha
ped
tort
illas
like
that
. The
pot o
f bl
ack
bean
s la
sted
us
for
seve
ral d
ays
and
mad
e up
the
rest
of
our
daily
men
u. B
y ch
ance
, I h
ad p
ickl
ed s
ome
hot p
eppe
rs in
oil
shor
tly b
efor
e R
igob
erta
's a
rriv
al. S
he s
prin
kled
her
bea
ns w
ith th
eoi
l, w
hich
alm
ost s
et o
ne's
mou
th o
h fi
re. '
We
only
trus
t peo
ple
who
eat w
hat w
e ea
t', s
he to
ld m
e on
e da
y as
she
trie
d to
exp
lain
the
rela
tions
hip
betw
een
the
guer
illas
and
the
Indi
an c
omm
uniti
es. I
sudd
enly
rea
lized
that
she
had
beg
un to
trus
t me.
A r
elat
ions
hip
base
d up
on f
ood
prov
es th
at th
ere
are
area
s w
here
Ind
ians
and
non-
Indi
ans
can
mee
t and
sha
re th
ings
: the
tort
illas
and
blac
k be
ans
brou
ght u
s to
geth
er b
ecau
se th
eyga
ve u
s th
e sa
me
plea
sure
and
awak
ened
the
sam
e dr
ives
in b
oth
ofus
. In
term
s of
Lad
ino-
Indi
anre
latio
ns, i
t wou
ld b
e fo
olis
h to
den
y th
at th
e L
adin
os h
ave
bor-
row
ed c
erta
in c
ultu
ral t
raits
fro
m th
e In
dian
s. A
s L
into
poin
ts o
ut,
som
e fe
atur
es o
f th
e cu
lture
of
the
defe
ated
alw
ays
tend
to b
ein
corp
orat
ed in
to th
e cu
lture
of
the
conq
uero
r, u
sual
ly v
ia th
eec
onom
ic-b
ased
sla
very
and
con
cubi
nage
that
res
ult f
rom
the
ex-
ploi
tatio
n of
the
defe
ated
. The
ladi
nos
have
ado
pted
man
y fe
atur
esof
the
indi
geno
us c
ultu
re a
nd th
ose
feat
ures
hav
ebe
com
e w
hat
Geo
rges
Dev
ereu
x ca
lls th
e 'e
thni
c un
cons
ciou
s'. T
hela
dino
sof
Lat
in A
mer
ica
mak
e a
poin
t of
exag
gera
ting
such
fea
ture
s in
ord
erto
set t
hem
selv
es a
part
fro
m th
eir
orig
inal
Eur
opea
n cu
lture
: it i
s th
eon
ly w
ay th
ey c
an p
rocl
aim
thei
r et
hnic
indi
vidu
ality
. The
yto
o fe
elth
e ne
ed to
be
diff
eren
t and
ther
efor
e ha
veto
dif
fere
ntia
te th
emse
lves
from
the
Eur
ope
that
gave
them
thei
r w
orld
-vis
ion,
thei
r la
ngua
gean
d th
eir
relig
ion.
The
y in
evita
bly
use
the
nativ
e cu
lture
s of
Lat
inA
mer
ica
to p
rocl
aim
thei
r ot
hern
ess
and
have
alw
ays
tend
ed to
adop
t the
gre
at m
onum
ents
of
the
Azt
ec, M
ayan
and
!man
pre
-co
lum
bian
civ
iliza
tions
as th
eir
own,
with
out e
ver
esta
blis
hing
any
conn
ectio
n be
twee
n th
e sp
lend
ours
of
the
past
and
the
poor
ex-
ploi
ted
Indi
ans
they
des
pise
and
trea
t as
slav
es. T
hen
ther
e ar
e th
e
30
xvii
'indi
geni
sts'
who
wan
t to
reco
ver
the
lost
wor
ld o
f th
eir
ance
stor
san
d cu
t the
mse
lves
off
com
plet
ely
from
Eur
opea
n cu
lture
. In
orde
r to
do s
o, h
owev
er, t
hey
use
notio
ns a
nd te
chni
ques
bor
row
ed f
rom
that
very
cul
ture
. Thu
s, th
ey p
rom
ote
the
notio
n of
an
Indi
an n
atio
n.In
dige
nism
is, t
hen,
itse
lf a
pro
duct
of
wha
t Dev
ereu
x ca
lls 'd
is-
asso
ciat
ive
accu
ltura
tion'
: an
atte
mpt
to r
eviv
e th
e pa
st b
y us
ing
tech
niqu
es b
orro
wed
fro
m th
e ve
ry c
ultu
re o
ne w
ishe
s to
rej
ect a
ndfr
ee o
nese
lf f
rom
.' T
he in
dige
nist
mee
tings
hel
d in
Par
isw
ithIn
dian
par
ticip
atio
nar
e a
perf
ect e
xam
ple
of w
hat h
e m
eans
. Jus
tlik
e th
e av
ant g
arde
gro
ups
whi
ch s
till t
ake
up a
rms
in v
ario
us L
atin
Am
eric
an c
ount
ries
and
thes
e gr
oups
sho
uld
not b
e co
nfus
ed w
ithre
sist
ance
gro
ups
figh
ting
mili
tary
dic
tato
rshi
ps, l
ike
the
Gua
te-
mal
an g
ueri
llas,
the
asso
ciat
ions
of
the
fam
ilies
of
the
'dis
appe
ared
ones
', th
e co
untle
ss tr
ade
unio
n an
d ot
her
oppo
sitio
nal g
roup
sw
hich
are
spr
ingi
ng u
p in
Chi
le a
nd o
ther
cou
ntri
es, o
r th
e 'P
laza
de
May
o M
othe
rs' M
ovem
ent i
n A
rgen
tina
the
indi
geni
st g
roup
s al
sow
ant t
o pu
blic
ize
thei
r st
rugg
les
in P
aris
. Par
is is
thei
r so
und.
box
.W
hate
ver
happ
ens
in P
aris
has
rep
ercu
ssio
ns th
roug
h th
e w
orld
,ev
en in
Lat
inA
mer
ica.
Just
as
the
grou
ps w
hich
are
or
wer
e en
gage
din
arm
ed s
trug
gle
in A
mer
ica
have
sup
port
ers
who
ado
pt th
eir
polit
ical
line
, the
Ind
ians
too
have
thei
r E
urop
ean
supp
orte
rs, m
any
of w
hom
are
ant
hrop
olog
ists
. I d
o no
t wan
t to
star
t a p
olem
ic a
nd I
do n
ot w
ant t
o de
valu
e an
y on
e fo
rm o
f ac
tion;
I a
m s
impl
y st
atin
gth
e fa
cts.
The
mec
hani
sm o
f ac
cultu
ratio
n is
bas
ic to
any
cul
ture
; all
cultu
res
live
in a
sta
te o
f pe
rman
ent a
ccul
tura
tion.
. But
ther
e is
aw
orld
of
diff
eren
ce b
etw
een
accu
ltura
tion
and
an a
ttem
pt to
impo
seon
e cu
lture
in o
rder
to d
estr
oy a
noth
er. I
wou
ld s
ay th
at R
igob
erta
.M
ench
ti is
a s
ucce
ssfu
l pro
duct
of
accu
ltura
tion
in th
at h
er r
esis
tanc
eto
Lad
ina
cultu
re p
rovi
des
the
basi
s fo
r an
ant
agon
istic
for
m o
fac
cultu
ratio
n. B
y re
sist
ing
Lad
ina
cultu
re, s
he is
sim
ply
asse
rtin
g he
rde
sire
for
eth
nic
indi
vidu
ality
and
cul
tura
l aut
onom
y. R
esis
tanc
eca
n, f
or in
stan
ce, t
ake
the
form
of
reje
ctin
g th
e ad
vant
ages
that
cou
ldre
sult
from
ado
ptin
g te
chni
ques
fro
m a
noth
er c
ultu
re. R
igob
erta
'sre
fusa
l to
use
a m
ill to
gri
nd h
er m
aize
is o
ne e
xam
ple.
Ind
ian
wom
enha
ve to
get
up
very
ear
ly to
gri
nd th
e pr
e-co
oked
mai
ze w
ith a
sto
ne if
the
tort
illas
are
to b
e re
ady
whe
n th
ey le
ave
for
wor
k in
the
fiel
ds.
1. G
eorg
es D
ever
eux,
Ess
ais
d'et
hrop
sych
anal
yse
com
plem
enta
riste
, Par
is 1
972.
31
SOUTH
AM
ER
ICA
BE
ST
CO
PY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
32
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
Thi
s ho
ok te
lls th
e lif
e st
ory
of R
igoh
erta
Men
chU
,a
Qui
che
Indi
anw
oman
and
a m
embe
r of
one
of t
he la
rges
t of t
he tw
enty
-tw
o et
hnic
grou
ps in
Gua
tem
ala.
She
was
hor
n in
the
ham
let o
f Chi
me!
,ne
arS
an M
igue
l de
Usp
anta
n, w
hich
is th
e ca
pita
l of t
he n
orth
-wes
tern
prov
ince
of E
l Qui
che.
Rig
ober
ta M
ench
o is
twen
ty -
thre
eye
ars
old.
She
tells
her
sto
ry in
Spa
nish
, a la
ngua
ge w
hich
she
has
spo
ken
for
only
thre
eye
ars.
Her
life
stor
y is
an
acco
unt o
fco
ntem
pora
ry h
isto
ry r
athe
r th
an o
fG
uate
mal
a its
elf.
It is
in th
at s
ense
that
it is
exe
mpl
ary:
she
spe
aks
for
all t
he In
dian
s of
the
Am
eric
an c
ontin
ent.
Wha
tsh
e te
lls u
s of
her
rela
tions
hip
with
nat
ure,
life
, dea
th a
nd h
er c
omm
unity
has
alre
ady
been
sai
d by
the
Indi
ans
of N
orth
Am
eric
a, th
ose
of C
entr
al A
mer
ica
and
thos
e of
Sou
th A
mer
ica.
The
cul
tura
l dis
crim
inat
ion
she
has
suffe
red
is s
omet
hing
that
all
the
cont
inen
t's In
dian
sha
ve b
een
suffe
ring
ever
sin
ce th
e S
pani
sh c
onqu
est.
The
voi
ce o
fR
igoh
erta
Men
chti
allo
ws
the
defe
ated
to s
peak
. She
isa
priv
ilege
d w
itnes
s: s
heha
s su
rviv
ed th
e ge
noci
de th
at d
estr
oyed
her
fam
ilyan
d co
mm
unity
and
is s
tubb
ornl
y de
term
ined
to b
reak
the
sile
nce
and
to c
onfr
ont t
hesy
stem
atic
ext
erm
inat
ion
of h
et' p
eopl
e. S
he r
efus
esto
let u
s fo
rget
.W
ords
are
her
onl
yw
eapo
ns..
Tha
t is
why
she
res
olve
d to
lear
nS
pani
sh a
nd b
reak
out
of t
he li
ngui
stic
isol
atio
n in
to w
hich
the
33
Indi
ans
retr
eate
d in
ord
er to
pre
serv
e th
eir
cultu
re.
Rig
ober
ta le
arne
d th
e la
ngua
ge o
f he
r op
pres
sors
inor
der
to u
se it
agai
nst t
hem
. For
her
, app
ropr
iatin
g th
e Sp
anis
hla
ngua
ge is
an
act
whi
ch c
an c
hang
e th
e co
urse
of
hist
ory
beca
use
it is
the
resu
lt of
ade
cisi
on: S
pani
sh w
as a
lang
uage
whi
ch w
as f
orce
d up
onhe
r, b
ut it
has
beco
me
a w
eapo
n in
her
str
uggl
e. S
he d
ecid
ed to
spea
k in
ord
er
to te
ll of
the
oppr
essi
on h
erpe
ople
hav
e be
en s
uffe
ring
for
alm
ost
five
hun
dred
yea
rs, s
o th
at th
e sa
crif
ices
mad
e by
her
com
mun
ityan
d
her
fam
ily w
ill n
ot h
ave
been
mad
e in
vai
n.Sh
e w
ill n
ot le
t us
forg
et a
nd in
sist
s on
sho
win
g us
wha
t.we
have
alw
ays
refu
sed
to s
ee. W
e L
atin
Am
eric
ans
are
only
too
read
y to
deno
unce
the
uneq
ual r
elat
ions
that
exi
st b
etw
een
ours
elve
s an
dN
orth
Am
eric
a, b
ut w
e te
nd to
for
get t
hat w
e to
o ar
e op
pres
sors
and
that
we
too
are
invo
lved
in r
elat
ions
that
can
onl
y be
desc
ribe
d as
colo
nial
.W
ithou
t any
fea
r of
exa
gger
atio
n, it
cou
ld b
e sa
idth
at,
espe
cial
ly in
cou
ntri
es w
ith a
larg
e In
dian
pop
ulat
ion,
ther
e is
an
inte
rnal
col
onia
lism
whi
ch w
orks
to th
e de
trim
ent o
f th
ein
dige
nous
popu
latio
n. T
he c
ase
with
whi
ch N
orth
Am
eric
a do
min
ates
so-
calle
d 'L
atin
' Am
eric
a is
to a
larg
e ex
tent
a r
esul
tof
the
collu
sion
affo
rded
it b
y th
is in
tern
al c
olon
ialis
m. S
o ki
ng a
s th
ese
rela
tions
pers
ist,
the
coun
trie
s of
Lat
in A
mer
ica
will
not
be
coun
trie
sin
any
real
sen
se o
f th
e w
ord,
and
they
will
ther
efor
e re
mai
nvu
lner
able
.
Tha
t is
why
we
have
to li
sten
to R
igob
erta
Men
chti'
sap
peal
and
allo
w o
urse
lves
to b
e gu
ided
by
a vo
ice
who
se in
ner
cade
nces
are
so
preg
nant
with
mea
ning
that
we
actu
ally
see
m to
hea
r he
r sp
eaki
ngan
d ca
n al
mos
t hea
r he
r br
eath
ing,
Her
voi
ce is
so
hear
t-re
ndin
gly.
beau
tiful
bec
ause
it s
peak
s to
us
of e
very
fac
et o
f th
e lif
e of
ape
ople
'and
thei
r op
pres
sed
cultu
re. B
ut R
igob
erta
Men
clas
sto
rydo
es n
ot
cons
ist s
olel
y of
hea
rt-r
endi
ng m
omen
ts. Q
uiet
ly,
but p
roud
ly, s
hele
ads
us in
to h
er o
wn
cultu
ral w
orld
, a w
orld
in w
hich
the
sacr
ed a
ndth
e pr
ofan
e co
nsta
ntly
min
gle,
in w
hich
wor
ship
and
dom
estic
life
are
one
and
the
sam
e, in
whi
ch e
very
ges
ture
has
a p
re-e
stab
lishe
dpu
rpos
e an
d in
whi
ch e
very
thin
gha
s a
mea
ning
. With
in th
at c
ultu
re,
ever
ythi
ng-i
s de
term
ined
in a
dvan
ce; e
very
thin
g th
at o
ccur
sin
the
pres
ent c
an b
e ex
plai
ned
in te
rms
of th
e pa
st a
nd h
as to
be
ritu
aliz
edso
as
to b
e in
tegr
ated
into
ever
yday
life
, whi
ch is
itse
lf a
ritu
al. A
s w
elis
ten
to h
er v
oice
, we
have
to lo
ok d
eep
into
our
ow
nso
uls
for
itaw
aken
s se
nsat
ions
and
fee
lings
whi
ch w
e, c
augh
t up
as w
e ar
e in
an
inhu
man
and
art
ific
ial w
orld
, tho
ught
wer
e lo
st f
or e
ver.
Her
sto
ryis
34
over
whe
lmin
g be
caus
e w
hat s
he h
as to
say
issi
mpl
e an
d tr
ue. A
s sh
e
spea
ks, w
e en
ter
a st
riki
ngly
dif
fere
ntw
orld
whi
ch is
poe
tic a
ndof
ten
trag
ici w
orld
whi
ch h
as f
orge
d th
eth
ough
t of
a gr
eat p
opul
arle
ader
. In
telli
ng th
e st
ory
of h
er h
ie,
Rig
ober
ta N
lenc
lui i
s al
sois
suin
g a
man
ifes
to o
n be
half
of
an e
thni
c gr
oup.
She
proc
laim
s he
ral
legi
ance
to th
at g
roup
, but
she
als
o as
sert
she
r de
term
inat
ion
to .
subo
rdin
ate
her
life
to o
ne th
ing.
As
apo
pula
r le
ader
, her
one
ambi
tion
is to
dev
ote
her
life
to o
vert
hrow
ing
the
rela
tions
of
dom
i-
natio
n an
d ex
clus
ion
whi
ch c
hara
cter
ize
inte
rnal
col
onia
lism
. She
and
her
peop
le a
re ta
ken
into
acc
ount
onl
y w
hen
thei
r la
bour
pow
eris
nee
ded;
cul
tura
lly, t
hey
are
disc
rim
inat
edag
ains
t and
rej
ecte
d.R
igob
erta
Men
chti'
s st
rugg
le is
a s
trug
gle
to m
odif
yan
d br
eak
the
bond
s th
at li
nk h
er a
nd h
er p
eopl
e to
the
Ladi
nos,
and
that
inev
itabl
yim
plie
s ch
angi
ng th
e w
orld
. She
is in
no
sens
e ad
voca
ting
ara
cial
stru
ggle
, muc
h le
ss r
efus
ing
to a
ccep
t the
irre
vers
ible
fact
of
the
exis
tenc
e of
the
Ladi
nos.
She
is f
ight
ing
for
the
reco
gniti
on o
f he
rcu
lture
, for
acc
epta
nce
of th
e fa
ct th
at it
isdi
ffer
ent a
nd f
or h
etpe
ople
's r
ight
ful s
hare
of
pow
er.
In G
uate
mal
a an
d ce
rtai
n ot
her
coun
trie
s of
Lat
inA
mer
ica,
tht
Indi
ans
are
in th
e m
ajor
ity. T
he s
ituat
ion
ther
e is
,mut
atis
mut
andi
com
para
ble
to th
at in
Sou
th A
fric
a, w
here
a w
hite
min
ority
ha!
abso
lute
pow
er o
ver
the
blac
k m
ajor
ity. I
n ot
her
Lat
inA
mer
ican
coun
trie
s, w
here
the
Indi
ans
arc
in a
min
ority
, the
ydo
not
eve
n ha
ve
the
mos
t ele
men
tary
rig
hts
whi
ch e
very
hum
an b
eing
shou
ld e
njoy
Inde
ed, t
he s
o-ca
lled
fore
st I
ndia
ns a
re b
eing
syst
emat
ical
ly c
xter
Initi
ated
in th
e na
me
of p
rogr
ess.
But
unl
ike
the
Indi
an r
ebel
s of
th.
past
, who
wan
ted
to g
oha
ck to
pre
colu
mbi
an ti
mes
, Rig
oher
t;M
ench
ti is
not
fig
htin
g in
the
nam
e of
an
idea
lized
or
myt
hica
l pas
t
On
the
cont
rary
, she
obv
ious
ly w
ants
to p
lay
anac
tive
part
in h
isto
r
and
it is
that
whi
ch m
akes
her
thou
ght s
om
oder
n. S
he a
nd h
eco
mra
des
have
giv
en th
eir
hist
oric
al a
mbi
tions
an
orga
nic
expr
osi
on in
the
shap
e of
the
Peas
ant U
nity
Com
mitt
ee(C
UC
) an
d th
ei
deci
sion
to jo
in th
e `3
1 Ja
nuar
y Po
pula
r Fr
ont',
whi
ch w
as I
ciun
de,
in J
anua
ry 1
981
to c
omm
emor
ate
the
mas
sacr
eof
a g
roup
of
Qui
chIn
dian
s w
ho o
ccup
ied
the
Span
ish
emba
ssy
inC
iuda
d-G
uate
rnal
in o
rder
to d
raw
atte
ntio
n to
thei
r pl
ight
.The
gro
up w
hich
occ
upie
the
emba
ssy
was
led
by R
igob
erta
's f
athe
r, V
icen
teM
ench
ti, w
ho h
a
sinc
e be
com
e a
natio
nal h
ero
for
the
Indi
ans
of G
uate
mal
a. T
hPd
pula
r Fr
ont,
whi
ch. C
onsi
sts
'of
six
mas
sor
gani
zatio
ns, t
ook
th
35B
EST
CO
PYA
VA
ILA
BL
ES.
xiv
nam
e '3
1Ja
nuar
y' to
com
mem
orat
e th
e da
te o
f th
em
assa
cre.
Ear
ly in
Jan
uary
198
2, R
igob
erta
Men
chn
was
invi
ted
to E
urop
eby
a n
umbe
r of
sol
idar
itygr
oups
as
a re
pres
enta
tive
of th
e 31
Janu
ary
Popu
lar
Fron
t. It
was
then
that
Im
et h
er in
Par
is. T
he id
ea o
ftu
rnin
g he
r lif
e st
ory
into
a bo
ok c
ame
from
a C
anad
ian
wom
anfr
iend
who
is v
ery
sym
path
etic
to th
e ca
use
of th
e G
uate
mal
anIn
dian
s. N
ever
hav
ing
met
Rig
ober
ta, I
was
at f
irst
som
ewha
t rel
uc-
tant
, as
I rea
lized
that
suc
h pr
ojec
ts d
epen
dto
a la
rge
exte
nt o
n th
equ
ality
of t
he r
elat
ions
hip
betW
een
inte
rvie
wer
and
inte
rvie
wee
.S
uch
wor
k ha
s fa
r-re
achi
ng p
sych
olog
ical
impl
icat
ions
, and
the
revi
val o
f the
pas
tca
n re
susc
itate
affe
cts
and
zone
s of
the
mem
ory
whi
ch h
ad a
ppar
ently
bee
n fo
rgot
ten
for
ever
and
can
lead
to a
nxie
tyan
d st
ress
situ
atio
ns.
As
soon
as
we
met
, how
ever
, I k
new
that
we
wer
e go
ing
to g
etal
ong
toeg
ethe
r. T
he a
dmira
tion
her
cour
age
and
dign
ity a
rous
ed in
me
did
muc
h to
eas
e ou
r re
latio
nshi
p.S
he c
ame
tom
y ho
me
one
even
ing
in J
anua
ry 1
982.
She
was
wea
ring
trad
ition
al c
ostu
me,
incl
udin
ga
mul
ticol
oure
d hu
ipil
with
rich
and
varie
d.em
broi
dery
; the
patte
rns
wer
e no
t sym
met
rical
and
one
coul
d ha
ve b
een
forg
iven
for
assu
min
g th
at th
eyw
ere
rand
om.
She
was
als
o w
earin
gan
ank
le-le
ngth
ski
rt; t
his
too
was
mul
ti-co
lour
ed a
nd th
e th
ick
mat
eria
l was
obv
ious
ly h
and-
wov
en. I
late
rle
arne
d th
at it
was
cal
led
a to
rte.
She
had
a b
road
, brig
htly
-col
oure
dsa
sh a
roun
d he
r w
aist
. On
her
head
, she
wor
e a
fusc
hia
and
red
scar
fkn
otte
d be
hind
her
nec
k. W
hen
she
left
Par
is,.
she
gave
it to
me,
telli
ng m
e th
at it
had
take
n he
r th
ree
mon
ths
to w
eave
the
clot
h.A
roun
d he
r ne
ck s
he h
adan
eno
rmou
s ne
ckla
ce o
f red
bea
ds a
nd o
ldsi
lver
coi
ns w
itha
heav
y so
lid s
ilver
cro
ss d
angl
ing
from
it.
Ire
mem
ber
it as
bei
nga
part
icul
arly
col
d ni
ght;
in fa
ct I
thin
k it
was
snow
ing.
Rig
ober
ta w
as w
earin
gno
sto
ckin
gs a
nd n
o co
at. B
enea
thhe
r hu
ipil,
her
arm
sw
ere
bare
..Her
onl
y pr
otec
tion
agai
nst t
he c
old
was
a s
hort
cap
e m
ade
from
imita
tion
trad
ition
al fa
bric
;it
bare
lyca
me
to h
er w
aist
. The
firs
t thi
ng th
at s
truc
km
e ab
out h
er w
as h
erop
en, a
lmos
t chi
ldlik
e sm
ile. H
er fa
ce w
as r
ound
and
moo
n-sh
aped
.H
er e
xpre
ssio
n w
as a
s gu
ilele
ssas
that
of a
chi
ld a
nd a
sm
ile h
over
edpe
rman
ently
on
her
lips.
She
look
edas
toni
shin
gly
youn
g. I
late
rdi
scov
ered
that
her
you
thfu
l air
soon
fade
d w
hen
she
had
to ta
lkab
out t
he d
ram
atic
even
ts th
at h
ad o
vert
aken
her
fam
ily. W
hen
she
talk
ed a
bout
that
,yo
u co
uld
see
the
suffe
ring.
in h
er e
yes,
they
lost
36
xi,
thei
r yo
uthf
ul s
park
le a
nd b
ecam
e th
eey
es o
f a m
atur
e w
oman
who
has
know
n w
hat i
t mea
ns to
suf
fer.
Wha
t at f
irst l
ooke
d lik
e sh
ynes
sw
as in
fact
a p
olite
ness
bas
ed u
pon
rese
rve
and
gent
lene
ss. H
erge
stur
es w
ere
grac
eful
and
del
icat
e. A
ccor
ding
to R
igob
erta
, Ind
ian
child
ren
lear
n th
at d
elic
acy
from
a ve
ry e
arly
age
; the
y be
gin
to p
ick
coffe
e w
hen
they
are
stil
lve
ry y
oung
and
the
berr
ies
have
to b
epl
ucke
d w
ith g
reat
del
icac
y if
the
bran
ches
are
not t
o be
dam
aged
.I v
ery
soon
bec
ame
awar
e of
her
des
ireto
talk
and
of h
er a
bilit
y to
expr
ess
hers
elf v
erba
lly.
Rig
ober
ta s
pent
a w
eek
in P
aris
. In
orde
rto
mak
e th
ings
eas
ier
and
to m
ake
the
best
pos
sibl
e us
e of
her
tim
e, s
he c
ame
tost
ay w
ith m
e.E
very
day
for
a w
eek,
we
bega
n to
rec
ord
her
stor
y at
nin
e in
the
mor
ning
, bro
ke fo
r lu
nch
at a
bout
one,
and
then
con
tinue
d un
til s
ixin
the
even
ing.
We
ofte
n w
orke
d af
ter
dinn
erto
o, e
ither
mak
ing
mor
e re
cord
ings
or
prep
arin
g qu
estio
ns fo
r th
e ne
xt d
ay. A
t the
end
of th
e w
eek
I had
twen
ty-f
our
hour
s of
con
vers
atio
non
tape
. For
the
who
le o
f tha
t wee
k, I
lived
in R
igob
erta
's w
orld
.W
e pr
actic
ally
cut
ours
elve
s of
f fro
m th
e ou
tsid
e w
orld
. We
esta
blis
hed
an e
xcel
lent
rapp
ort i
mm
edia
tely
and
, as
the
days
pas
sed
and
as s
he c
onfid
ed in
me
and
told
me
the
stor
y of
her
life
, her
fam
ily a
nd h
er c
omm
unity
,ou
r re
latio
nshi
p gr
adua
lly b
ecam
e m
ore
inte
nse.
As
time
wen
t by,
she
beca
me
mor
e se
lf-as
sure
d an
dev
en b
egan
to s
eem
con
tent
ed.
One
day
she
told
me
that
unt
il th
en s
he h
adne
ver
been
abl
e to
sle
epal
l nig
ht w
ithou
t wak
ing
up in
apa
nic
beca
use
she
had
drea
med
that
the
arm
y w
as c
omin
g to
arr
est h
er.
But
I th
ink
it w
as m
ainl
y. th
e fa
ct o
f liv
ing
toge
ther
und
erth
e sa
me
roof
for
a w
eek
that
won
me
her
trus
t; it
cert
ainl
y br
ough
t us
clos
erto
geth
er. I
hav
e to
adm
it th
at th
isw
as p
artly
an
acci
dent
. A w
oman
frie
nd h
ad b
roug
ht m
eso
me
mai
ze fl
our
and
blac
k be
ans
back
from
Ven
ezue
la. M
aize
and
bea
nsar
e th
e st
aple
die
t in
both
Ven
ezue
laan
d G
uate
mal
a. I
cann
ot d
esC
ribe
how
hap
py th
atm
ade
Rig
ober
ta.
It m
ade
me
happ
y to
o,as
the,
sm
ell o
f tor
tilla
s an
d re
frie
d be
ans
brou
ght b
ack
my
child
hood
in V
enez
uela
, whe
re th
ew
omen
get
up
early
to c
ook
arep
as' f
or b
reak
fast
. Are
pas
are
muc
h th
icke
r th
anG
uate
mal
an to
rtill
as, b
ut th
e in
gred
ient
sar
e th
e sa
me,
as
are
the
met
hods
of c
ooki
ng a
nd p
repa
ring
them
. The
firs
t thi
ng R
igob
erta
did
whe
n sh
e go
tup
in th
e m
orni
ng w
as m
ake
doug
h an
d co
ok
I. A
kin
d of
bre
ad m
ade
from
mai
ze in
Ven
ezue
li, n
orm
ally
eate
n ho
t.
37
X1'
1.
tort
illas
fur
brea
kfas
t; it
was
a r
efle
x th
at w
as th
ousa
nds
of y
ears
old
.S
he d
id th
e sa
ute
at n
oun
and
in th
e ev
enin
g. It
was
a p
leas
ure
tow
atch
her
. With
in s
econ
ds, p
erfe
ctly
rou
nd, p
aper
-thi
n to
rtill
asw
ould
mat
eria
lize
in h
er h
ands
, as
thou
gh b
y m
iracl
e. "
I he
wom
en I
had
wat
ched
in m
y ch
ildho
od m
ade
arep
as b
y pa
tting
the
doug
h fla
tbe
twee
n th
e pa
lms
of th
eir
hand
s, b
ut R
igob
erta
mad
e he
r to
rtill
asby
pat
ting
it be
twee
n he
r fin
gers
, hol
ding
them
str
aigh
t and
toge
ther
and
cons
tant
ly p
assi
ng th
e do
ugh
from
one
han
d to
the
othe
r. It
ism
uch
mor
e di
fficu
lt to
mak
e pe
rfec
tly s
hape
d to
rtill
as li
ke th
at. T
hepo
t of b
lack
bea
ns la
sted
us
for
seve
ral d
ays
and
mad
e up
the
rest
of
our
daily
men
u. B
y ch
ance
, I h
ad p
ickl
ed s
ome
hot p
eppe
rs in
oil
shor
tly b
efor
e R
igob
erta
's a
rriv
al. S
he s
prin
kled
her
bea
ns w
ith th
eoi
l, w
hich
alm
ost s
et o
ne's
mou
th o
n fir
e. 'W
e on
ly tr
ust p
eopl
e w
hoea
t wha
t we
eat',
she
told
me
one
day
as s
he tr
ied
to e
xpla
in th
ere
latio
nshi
p be
twee
n th
e gu
erill
as a
nd th
e In
dian
com
mun
ities
. Isu
dden
ly r
ealiz
ed th
at s
he h
ad b
egun
to tr
ust m
e. A
rel
atio
nshi
pba
sed
upon
food
pro
ves
that
ther
e ar
e ar
eas
whe
re In
dian
s an
dno
n-In
dian
s ca
n m
eet a
nd s
hare
thin
gs: t
he to
rtill
as a
nd b
lack
bea
nsbr
ough
t us
toge
ther
bec
ause
they
gav
e us
the
sam
e pl
easu
re a
ndaw
aken
ed th
e sa
me
driv
es in
bot
h of
us.
In te
rms
of L
adin
o-In
dian
rela
tions
, it w
ould
be
fool
ish
to d
eny
that
the
Ladi
nos
have
bor
-ro
wed
cer
tain
cul
tura
l tra
its fr
om th
e In
dian
s. A
s (in
to p
oint
sou
t,so
me
feat
ures
of t
he c
ultu
re o
f the
def
eate
d al
way
s te
nd to
he
inco
rpor
ated
into
the
cultu
re o
f the
con
quer
or, u
sual
ly v
ia th
eec
onom
ic-b
ased
sla
very
and
con
cubi
nage
that
res
ult f
rom
the
ex-
ploi
tatio
n of
the
defe
ated
. The
ladi
nos
have
ado
pted
man
y fe
atur
esof
the
indi
geno
us c
ultu
re a
nd th
ose
feat
ures
hav
e be
com
e w
hat
Geo
rges
Dev
ereu
x ca
lls th
e 'e
thni
c un
cons
ciou
s'. T
he la
dino
s of
Latin
Am
eric
a m
ake
a po
int o
f exa
gger
atin
g su
ch fe
atur
es in
ord
erto
set t
hem
selv
es a
part
from
thei
r or
igin
al E
urop
ean
cultu
re: i
t is
the
only
way
they
can
pro
clai
m th
eir
ethn
ic in
divi
dual
ity. T
hey
too
feel
the
need
to b
e di
ffere
nt a
nd th
eref
ore
have
to d
iffer
entia
te th
emse
lves
from
the
Eur
ope
that
gav
e th
em th
eir
wor
ld-v
isio
n, th
eir
lang
uage
and
thei
r re
ligio
n. T
hey
inev
itabl
yus
e th
e na
tive
cultu
res
of L
atin
Am
eric
a to
pro
clai
m th
eir
othe
rnes
s an
d ha
ve a
lway
s te
nded
toad
opt t
he g
reat
mon
umen
ts o
f the
Azt
ec, M
ayan
and
Inca
npr
e-co
lum
bian
civ
iliza
tions
as th
eir
own,
with
out e
ver
esta
blis
hing
any
conn
ectio
n be
twee
n th
e sp
lend
ours
of t
he p
ast a
nd th
epo
or e
x-,pl
oite
d In
dian
s th
ey d
espi
se a
ndtr
eat a
s sl
aves
. The
n th
ere
are
the
38
'indi
geni
sts'
who
wan
t to
reco
ver
the
lost
wor
ld o
f the
ir an
cest
ors
and
cut t
hem
selv
es o
ff co
mpl
etel
y fr
ont E
urop
ean
cultu
re. I
n or
der
todo
so,
how
ever
, the
y us
e no
tions
and
tech
niqu
es b
orro
wed
from
that
very
cul
ture
. Thu
s,th
ey p
rom
ote
the
notio
n of
an
Indi
an n
atio
n.In
digc
nisi
n is
, the
n, it
self
a pr
oduc
t of w
hat D
ever
eux
calls
'dis
-as
soci
ativ
e ac
cultu
ratio
n': a
n at
tem
pt to
rev
ive
the
past
by'
usi
ngte
chni
ques
bor
row
ed fr
om th
e ve
ry c
ultu
re o
ne w
ishe
s to
rej
ect a
ndfr
ee o
nese
lf fr
om.'
The
indi
geni
st m
eetin
gs h
eld
in P
aris
with
Indi
an p
artic
ipat
ion
arc
a pe
rfec
t exa
mpl
e of
wha
t he
mea
ns. J
ust
like
the
avan
t gar
de g
roup
s w
hich
stil
l tak
e up
arm
s in
var
ious
Lat
inA
mer
ican
cou
ntrie
san
d th
ese
grou
ps s
houl
d no
t he
conf
used
with
resi
stan
ce g
roup
s fig
htin
g m
ilita
ry d
icta
tors
hips
, lik
e th
e G
uate
-m
alan
gue
rilla
s, th
e as
soci
atio
ns o
f the
fam
ilies
of t
he 'd
isap
pear
edon
es',
the
coun
tless
trad
e un
ion
and
othe
r op
posi
tiona
l gro
ups
whi
ch a
re s
prin
ging
up
in C
hile
and
oth
er c
ount
ries,
or
the
'Pla
za d
eM
ayo
Mot
hers
' Mov
emen
t in
Arg
entin
ath
e in
dige
nist
gro
ups
also
wan
t to
publ
iciz
e th
eir
stru
ggle
s in
Par
is. P
aris
is th
eir
soun
d bo
x.W
hate
ver
happ
ens
in P
aris
has
rep
ercu
ssio
ns th
roug
h th
e w
orld
,ev
en in
Lat
in A
mer
ica.
Jus
t as
the
grou
ps w
hich
are
or
wer
e en
gage
ein
arm
ed s
trug
gle
in A
mer
ica
have
sup
port
ers
who
ado
pt th
eir
polit
ical
line
, the
Indi
ans
too
have
thei
r E
urop
ean
supp
orte
rs, m
any
of w
hom
are
ant
hrop
olog
ists
. I d
o no
t wan
t to
star
t a p
olem
ic a
nd I
do n
ot w
ant t
o de
valu
e an
y on
e fo
rm o
f act
ion;
Iam
sim
ply
stat
ing
the
fact
s.T
he m
echa
nism
of a
ccul
tura
tion
isba
sic
to a
ny c
ultu
re; a
llcu
lture
s liv
e in
a s
tate
of p
erm
anen
t acc
ultu
ratio
n. B
ut th
ere
isa
wor
ld o
f diff
eren
ce b
etw
een
accu
ltura
tion
and
an a
ttem
pt to
impo
seon
e cu
lture
in o
rder
to d
estr
oy a
noth
er. I
wou
ld s
ay th
at R
igob
erta
Nle
nchn
is a
suc
cess
ful p
rodu
ct if
acc
ultu
ratio
n in
that
her
resi
stan
ceto
Lad
ina
cultu
re p
rovi
des
the
basi
s fo
r an
ant
agon
istic
lorm
of
accu
ltura
tion.
By
resi
stin
g La
dina
cul
ture
, she
is s
impl
y as
sert
ing
her
desi
re fo
r et
hnic
indi
vidu
ality
and
cul
tura
lau
tono
my.
Res
is' m
ceca
n, fo
r in
stan
ce, t
ake
the
form
of r
ejec
ting
the
adva
ntag
es th
at c
ould
resu
lt fr
om a
dopt
ing
tech
niqu
es fr
om a
noth
er c
ultu
re.
Rig
ober
ta's
refu
sal t
o us
ea
mill
to g
rind
her
mai
ze is
one
exa
mpl
e. In
dian
wom
enha
ve to
get
up v
ery
early
to g
rind
the
pre-
cook
ed m
aize
.vith
a s
tone
ifth
e to
rtill
asar
e to
be
read
y w
hen
they
leav
e fo
r w
ork
in th
e fie
lds.
I. G
eorg
es D
ever
eux,
Ess
ais
d'et
hrop
sych
anal
yse
com
pliim
eota
riste
, Par
is 1
972.
BE
STC
OPY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
39
Som
e pe
ople
mig
ht a
rgue
that
this
is n
othi
ng m
ore
than
con
ser-
vatis
m, a
nd th
at in
deed
is w
hat i
tis
:it
is a
way
of p
rese
rvin
g th
epr
actic
es c
onne
cted
with
pre
parin
g tu
rtill
as a
nd th
eref
ore
a w
ay to
prev
ent a
who
le s
ocia
l str
uctu
re fr
om c
olla
psin
g.T
he p
ract
ices
sur
-ro
undi
ng th
e cu
ltiva
tion,
har
vest
ing
and
cook
ing
of m
aize
are
the
very
bas
is o
f the
soc
ial s
truc
ture
of th
e co
mm
unity
. But
whe
nR
igob
erta
ado
pts
polit
ical
form
s of
act
ion
(the
ctic
, the
.3I J
anua
ry
Pop
ular
Fro
nt a
nd th
e V
icen
te M
ench
ti O
rgan
izat
ion
of C
hris
tian
Rev
olut
iona
ries)
she
isad
optin
g te
chni
ques
fro
m a
noth
er c
ultu
re in
orde
r to
str
engt
hen
her
own
tech
niqu
es a
nd in
ord
er to
res
ist a
ndpr
otec
t her
ow
n cu
lture
mor
e ef
feC
tivel
y. D
ever
eaux
desc
ribe
s su
ch
prac
tices
as
adop
ting
new
mea
ns in
ord
er to
sup
port
exi
stin
g m
eans
.R
igob
erta
bor
row
s su
ch th
ings
as
the
Bib
le, t
rade
uni
on o
rgan
izat
ion
and
the
Spa
nish
lang
uage
in o
rder
to u
se th
em a
gain
st th
e or
igin
alow
ner.
For
her
the
Bib
le is
a s
ort o
f ers
atz
whi
ch s
he u
ses
prec
isel
ybe
caus
e th
ere
is n
othi
ng li
ke it
in h
er c
ultu
re. S
he s
ays
that
, 'T
he B
ible
is w
ritte
n, a
nd th
at g
ives
us
one
mor
e w
eapo
n.' H
er p
eopl
e ne
ed to
base
thei
r ac
tions
on
a pr
ophe
cy, o
n a
law
that
com
es d
own
to th
emfr
om th
e pa
st. W
hen
I poi
nted
out
the
cont
radi
ctio
n be
twee
n he
rde
fenc
e of
her
ow
n cu
lture
and
her
use
of t
he B
ible
, whi
ch w
as a
fter
all o
ne o
f the
wea
pons
of c
olon
ialis
m, s
he r
eplie
d w
ithou
t any
hesi
tatio
nw
hats
oeve
r: 'T
he B
ible
say
s th
at th
ere
ison
e G
od a
nd w
e
too
have
one
God
:th
e su
n, th
e he
art o
fth
e sk
y.' B
ut th
e B
ible
als
o
teac
hes
us th
at v
iole
nce
can
be ju
stif
ied,
as
inth
e st
ory
of J
udith
, who
cut o
ff th
e he
ad o
f a
king
to s
ave
her
peop
le.T
hat c
onfi
rms
the
need
for
a pr
ophe
cy to
just
ify.
.act
ion.
Sim
ilarl
y, M
oses
led
his
peop
le o
utof
Egy
pt a
nd h
is e
xam
ple
just
ifie
s th
e de
cisi
onto
tran
sgre
ss th
e la
w
and
leav
e th
eco
mm
unity
. The
exa
mpl
e of
Dav
id s
how
s th
at c
hild
ren
too
can
take
par
t in
the
stru
ggle
. Men
, wom
enan
d ch
ildre
n ca
n al
lju
stif
y th
eir
actio
ns b
y id
entif
ying
with
Bib
lical
cha
ract
ers.
The
nativ
e pe
ople
s of
Lat
in A
mer
ica
have
gon
e be
yond
the
stag
e of
intr
ospe
ctio
n. I
t is
true
that
thei
r ad
vanc
es h
ave
som
etim
es b
een
bloc
ked,
that
thei
r re
belli
ons
have
bee
n dr
oWne
d in
blo
od a
nd th
atth
ey h
ave
som
etim
es lo
st th
e w
ill to
go
on. B
ut th
ey a
re n
ow f
indi
ngne
w w
eapo
ns a
nd n
ew w
ays
to a
dapt
toth
eir
soci
o-ec
onom
icsi
tuat
ion.
Rig
ober
ta h
as c
hose
n w
ords
as
her
wea
pon
and
I ha
ve tr
ied
to g
ive
her
wor
ds th
e pe
rman
ency
of
prin
t.I
mus
t fir
st w
arn
the
read
er th
at, a
lthou
ghI
did
trai
n as
an
cliI
fl
XIX
ethn
ogra
pher
, I h
ave
neve
rst
udie
d M
aya-
Qui
che
cultu
re a
nd h
ave
neve
r do
nefie
ldw
ork
in G
uate
mal
a. In
itial
ly, I
thou
ght t
hat k
now
ing
noth
ing
abou
t Itig
ober
ta's
cultu
re w
ould
he a
han
dica
p, b
ut it
soo
npr
oved
to b
e a
posi
tive
adva
ntag
e.I w
as a
ble
to a
dopt
the
posi
tion
of
som
eone
who
is le
arni
ng. R
igob
erta
soo
n re
aliz
ed th
is: t
hat i
s w
hy
her
desc
riptio
nsof
cer
emon
ies
and
ritu
als
are
so d
etai
led.
Sim
ilarl
y,if
we
had
been
inhe
r ho
me
in E
l Qui
che,
her
des
crip
tions
of
the
land
scap
e w
ould
not
hav
e be
en s
o re
alis
tic.
Whe
n w
e be
gan
to u
se th
e ta
pe r
ecor
der,
Iin
itial
ly g
ave
her
asc
hem
atic
out
line,
a c
hron
olog
y: c
hild
hood
, ado
lesc
ence
, fam
ily,
invo
lvem
ent i
n th
e st
rugg
le .
..
.A
s w
e co
ntin
ued,
Rig
ober
ta m
ade
mor
e an
d m
ore
digr
essi
ons,
intr
oduc
ed d
escr
iptio
ns o
f cu
ltura
l pra
c-tic
es in
to h
er s
tory
and
gen
eral
ly u
pset
my
chro
nolo
gy. I
ther
efor
e le
the
r ta
lk f
reel
y an
d tr
ied
to a
sk a
s fe
w q
uest
ions
as
poss
ible
. If
anyt
hing
rem
aine
d un
clea
r, I
mad
e a
note
of
it an
d w
e w
ould
spe
ndth
e la
st p
art o
f th
e w
orki
ng d
ay g
oing
ove
r an
ythi
ng I
was
unc
erta
inab
out.
Rig
ober
ta to
okan
obv
ious
ple
asur
e in
exp
lain
ing
thin
gs,
help
ing
me
unde
rsta
nd a
nd in
trod
ucin
g m
e to
her
wor
ld. A
s sh
e to
ldm
e he
r lif
e st
ory,
she
trav
elle
d ba
ck in
tim
e, r
eliv
ing
drea
dful
mom
ents
like
the
day
the
arm
y bu
rned
her
twel
ve-y
ear
old
brot
her
aliv
e in
fro
nt o
f th
e fa
mily
and
the
wee
ks o
f m
arty
rdom
her
mot
her
unde
rwen
t at t
he h
ands
of
the
arm
y be
fore
they
fin
ally
let h
er d
ie. A
sI
liste
ned
to h
er d
etai
led
acco
unt o
f th
e cu
stom
s an
d ri
tual
s of
her
cultu
re,
I m
ade
a lis
t whi
ch in
clud
ed c
usto
ms
rela
ting
to d
eath
.R
igob
erta
rea
d m
y lis
t. I
had
deci
ded
to le
ave
the
them
e of
dea
th u
ntil
last
, but
whe
n w
e ne
t for
the
last
tim
e, s
omet
hing
sto
pped
me
from
aski
ng h
er a
bout
the
ritua
ls a
ssoc
iate
d w
ith d
eath
. I h
ad th
e fe
elin
gth
at if
I as
ked
abou
t the
m m
y qu
estio
ns w
ould
bec
ome
a pr
ophe
cy,
so d
eepl
y m
arke
d by
dea
th w
as h
er li
fe. T
he d
ay a
fter
she
left,
am
utua
lfr
iend
bro
ught
me
a ca
sset
te o
n w
hich
Rig
ober
ta h
adre
cord
ed a
des
crip
tion
of f
uner
al c
erem
onie
s, 'b
ecau
sew
e fo
rgot
tore
cord
this
.' T
hat g
estu
re w
as th
e fi
nal p
roof
that
Rig
ober
ta is
a tr
uly
exce
ptio
nal w
oman
; cul
tura
lly,,
it al
so p
rove
d th
at s
he is
a w
oman
of
com
plet
e in
tegr
ity a
nd w
as le
tting
ine
know
that
she
had
not b
een
take
n in
. In
her
cultu
re, d
eath
is'a
n in
tegr
al p
art o
f lif
e an
d is
acc
epte
das
suc
h.
follo
ws.or
der
to tr
ansf
orm
the
spok
en w
ord
into
a bo
ok, I
wor
ked
as
I be
gan
by tr
ansc
ribi
ng a
ll th
eta
pes.
By
that
I m
ean
that
not
hing
1B
EST
CO
PYA
VA
ILA
BL
EL
:4
xx was
left
out,
not a
wor
d, e
ven
if it
was
use
d in
corr
ectly
or
was
late
rch
ange
d. I
alte
red
neith
er th
e st
yle
nor
the
sent
ence
str
uctu
re. T
heS
pani
sh o
rigin
al c
over
s al
mos
t fiv
e hu
ndre
d pa
ges
of ty
pesc
ript.
1th
en r
ead
thro
ugh
the
tran
scrip
t car
eful
ly. D
urin
g a
seco
ndre
adin
g,I e
stab
lishe
d a
them
atic
.car
d in
dex,
firs
t ide
ntify
ing
the
maj
or th
emes
(fa
ther
, mot
her,
chi
ldho
od, e
duca
tion)
and
then
thos
ew
hich
occ
urre
d m
ost f
requ
ently
(w
ork,
rel
atio
ns w
ith la
dino
s, li
n-gu
istic
pro
blem
s). T
his
was
to p
rovi
de th
e ba
sis
of th
e di
visi
on o
f the
mat
eria
l int
o ch
apte
rs. I
soo
n re
ache
d th
e de
cisi
on to
giv
e th
e m
anu-
scrip
t the
form
of a
mon
olog
ue: t
hat w
as h
ow it
cam
e ba
ck to
me
as I
re-r
ead
it. I
ther
efor
e de
cide
d to
del
ete
all m
y qu
estio
ns. B
y do
ing
so I
beca
me
wha
t I r
eally
was
: Rig
ober
ta's
_lis
tene
r. I
allo
wed
her
to s
peak
and
then
bec
ame
her
inst
rum
ent,
her
doub
le b
y al
low
ing
her
to m
ake
the
tran
sitio
n fr
om th
e sp
oken
to th
e w
ritte
n w
ord.
I ha
ve to
adm
itth
at th
is d
ecis
ion
mad
e m
y ta
sk m
ore
diffi
cult,
as
l had
to in
sert
linki
ng p
assa
ges
if th
e m
anus
crip
t was
to r
ead
like
a m
onol
ogue
, lik
eon
e co
ntin
uous
nar
rativ
e. I
then
div
ided
it in
to c
hapt
ers
orga
nize
dar
ound
the
them
es 1
had
alre
ady
iden
tifie
d. I
follo
wed
my
orig
inal
chro
nolo
gica
l out
line,
eve
n th
ough
our
con
vers
atio
ns h
ad n
ot d
one
so, s
o as
to m
ake
the
text
mor
e ac
cess
ible
to th
e re
ader
. The
cha
pter
sde
scrib
ing
cere
mon
ies
rela
ting
to b
irth,
mar
riage
and
har
vest
s di
dca
use
som
e pr
oble
ms,
as
I som
ehow
had
to in
tegr
ate
them
into
the
narr
ativ
e. 1
inse
rted
them
at a
num
ber
of d
iffer
ent p
oint
s, b
ut e
ven-
tual
ly w
ent b
ack
to m
y or
igin
al tr
ansc
ript a
nd fo
llow
ed th
e or
der
ofR
igob
erta
's s
pont
aneo
us a
ssoc
iatio
ns. I
t was
poi
nted
out
to m
e th
atpl
acin
g th
e ch
apte
r de
alin
g w
ith b
irth
cere
mon
ies
at th
e be
ginn
ing
ofth
e bo
ok m
ight
bor
e th
e re
ader
. I w
as a
lso
advi
sed
sim
ply
to c
ut it
or
incl
ude
it in
an
appe
ndix
. 1 ig
nore
d al
l the
se s
ugge
stio
ns. P
erha
ps I
was
wro
ng, i
n th
at th
e re
ader
mig
ht fi
nd it
som
ewha
t off-
putti
ng.
But
I co
uld
not l
eave
it o
ut, s
impl
y ou
t of r
espe
ct fo
r R
igob
erta
. She
talk
ed to
me
not o
nly
beca
use
she
wan
ted
to te
ll us
abo
ut h
ersu
fferin
gs b
ut a
lso
or p
erha
ps m
ainl
ybe
caus
e sh
e w
ante
d us
tohe
ar a
bout
a c
ultu
re o
f whi
ch s
he is
ext
rem
ely.
pro
ud a
nd w
hich
she
wan
ts to
hav
e re
cogn
ized
. Onc
e th
e m
anus
crip
t was
in it
s fin
al fo
rm,
I was
abl
e to
cut
a n
umbe
r of
poi
nts
that
are
rep
eate
d in
mor
e th
anon
e ch
apte
r. S
ome
of th
e re
petit
ions
hav
e be
en le
ft as
they
sta
nd a
sth
ey le
ad in
to o
ther
them
es. T
hat i
s si
mpl
y R
igob
erta
's w
ay o
fta
lkin
g. I
also
dec
ided
to c
orre
ct th
e ge
nder
mis
take
s w
hich
inev
it-ab
ly o
ccur
whe
n so
meo
ne h
ad ju
st le
arne
d to
spe
ak a
fore
ign
lan-
page
. It w
ould
have
bee
n ar
tific
ial t
o le
ave
them
unc
orre
cted
and
itw
ould
hav
e m
ade
Rig
ober
ta lo
ok 'p
ictu
resq
ue',
whi
ch is
the
last
thin
g I w
ante
d.It
rem
ains
for
me
to th
ank
Rig
ober
ta fo
r ha
ving
gra
nted
me
the
priv
ilege
of m
eetin
g he
r an
d sh
arin
g he
r lif
e w
ith m
e. S
he a
llow
ed m
e
to d
isco
ver
anot
her
self.
Tha
nks
to h
er, m
y A
mer
ican
sel
f is
no lo
nger
som
ethi
ng 'u
ncan
ny'.
To
conc
lude
, I w
ould
like
to d
edic
ate
thes
elin
es fr
om M
igue
l Ang
el A
stur
ias'
s B
aref
oot M
edita
tions
toR
igob
erta
Men
chn:
Ris
e an
d de
man
d; y
ou a
re a
bur
ning
flam
e.Y
ou a
re s
ure
to c
onqu
er th
ere
whe
re th
e fin
al h
oriz
onB
ecom
es a
dro
p of
blo
od, a
dro
p of
life
,W
here
you
will
car
ry th
e un
iver
se o
n yo
ur s
houl
ders
,W
here
the
univ
erse
will
bea
r yo
ur h
ope.
Mon
treu
x-P
aris
, Dec
embe
r 19
82.
43
?(1 W
e In
dian
s ha
ve a
lway
s hi
dden
our
iden
tity
and
kept
our
sec
rets
to o
urse
lves
. Thi
s is
why
we
are
disc
rimin
ated
aga
inst
. We
ofte
n fin
dit
hard
to ta
lk a
bout
our
selv
es b
ecau
se w
e kn
ow w
e m
ust h
ide
som
uch
in o
rder
to p
rese
rve
our
Indi
an c
ultu
re a
nd p
reve
nt it
bei
ngta
ken
away
from
us.
So)
can
onl
y te
ll yo
u ve
ry g
ener
al th
ings
abo
utth
e na
hua/
. I c
an't
tell
you
wha
t my
nahu
al is
bec
ause
that
ison
e of
our
secr
ets.
BE
ST
CO
PY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
441
IV FIR
ST V
ISIT
TO
TH
E F
INC
A: L
IFE
IN
TH
E F
INC
A 'Thi
s is
why
ther
e is
no
hope
of w
inni
ng th
e he
arts
of o
ur p
eopl
e'
Rig
ober
ta M
ench
ti
Afte
r fo
rty
days
, whe
n th
e ch
ild is
fully
inte
grat
ed in
to th
e co
m-
unity
, the
rou
tine
of g
oing
dow
n to
the
Pic
as b
egin
s.F
rom
whe
n I w
as v
ery
tiny,
my
mot
her
used
to ta
ke m
e do
wn
toth
e fin
ca, w
rapp
ed in
a s
haw
l on
her
back
. She
told
me
that
whe
n I
was
abo
ut tw
o, I
had
to b
e ca
rrie
d sc
ream
ing
onto
the
lorr
y be
caus
e I
didn
't w
ant t
o go
. I w
as s
o fr
ight
ened
I di
dn't
stop
cry
ing
until
we
wer
e ab
out h
alf-
way
ther
e. I
rem
embe
r th
e jo
urne
y by
lorr
y ve
ry w
ell.
I did
n't e
ven
know
wha
t it w
as,.
but I
kne
w I
hate
d it
beca
use
I hat
eth
ings
that
sm
ell h
orrib
le. T
he lo
rry
hold
s ab
out l
orry
peo
ple.
But
inw
ith th
e pe
ople
, go
the
anim
als
(dog
s, c
ats,
chi
cken
s) w
hich
the
peop
le fr
om th
e A
ltipl
ano
take
with
them
whi
le th
ey a
re in
the
finca
.W
e ha
ve to
take
our
ani
mal
s. It
som
etim
es to
ok tw
o ni
ghts
and
a d
ayfr
om m
y vi
llage
to th
e co
ast.
Dur
ing
the
trip
the
anim
als
and
the
smal
l chi
ldre
n us
ed to
dirt
y th
e lo
rry
and
you'
dge
t peo
ple
vom
iting
and
wet
ting
them
selv
es. B
y th
e en
d of
the
jour
ney,
the
smel
lth
efil
th o
f peo
ple
and
anim
als
was
unb
eara
ble.
The
lorr
y is
cov
ered
with
a ta
rpau
lin s
o yo
u ca
n't s
ee th
e co
untr
y-si
de y
ou're
pas
sing
thro
ugh.
Mos
t of t
he jo
urne
yis
spe
nt s
leep
ing
beca
use
it's
so te
diou
s. T
he s
tuffi
ness
insi
de th
e lo
rry
with
the
cove
ron
, and
the
smel
l of u
rine
and
vom
it, m
ake
you
wan
t to
be s
ick
your
self
just
from
bei
ng in
ther
e. B
y th
e tim
ew
e go
t to
the
finca
, we
45
) )
wer
e to
tally
stu
pefie
d;w
e w
ere
like
chic
kens
com
ing
out o
f a p
ot. W
ew
ere
in s
uch
a st
ate,
we
coul
d ha
rdly
wal
kto
the
/Inca
. I m
ade
man
ytr
ips
from
the
Alti
plan
oto
the
coas
t, bu
t Ine
ver
saw
the
coun
trys
ide
we
pass
ed th
roug
h. W
e he
ard
othe
r lo
rrie
s an
dca
rs, b
ut w
e di
dn't
ever
see
them
. We
neve
r sa
w a
ny o
ther
vill
ages
on th
e w
ay. I
saw
the
won
derf
ulsc
ener
y an
d pl
aces
for
the
first
nine
whe
n w
e w
ere
thro
wn
Out
of t
he /i
nca
and
had
to p
ay o
ur o
wn
way
bac
kon
the
bus.
I rem
embe
r th
at fr
omw
hen
I was
abo
ut e
ight
to w
hen
I was
abo
utte
n, w
e w
orke
d in
the
coffe
ecr
op. A
nd a
fter
that
I wor
ked
on th
eco
tton
plan
tatio
ns fu
rthe
r do
wn
the
coas
t whe
re it
was
. ver
y, v
ery
hot.
Afte
r my
first
day
pic
king
cotto
n, I
wok
e up
at m
idni
ght a
nd li
t aca
ndle
.I s
aw th
e fa
ces
ofm
y br
othe
rs a
nd s
iste
rs c
over
edw
ithm
osqu
itos.
I to
uche
dm
y ow
n fa
ce, a
nd I
was
cov
ered
too.
The
y w
ere
ever
ywhe
re; i
n pe
ople
'sm
outh
s an
d ev
eryw
here
.Ju
st lo
okin
gat
thes
e in
sect
s an
dth
inki
ng a
bout
bei
ngbi
tten
set m
e sc
ratc
hing
. Tha
tw
as o
ur w
orld
. I fe
lt th
atit
wou
ld a
lway
s be
the
sam
e, a
lway
s th
esa
me.
It h
adn'
t eve
r ch
ange
d.N
one
of th
e dr
iver
slik
ed ta
king
us b
ecau
se, n
atur
ally
,w
e w
ere
filth
y an
d bu
rned
from
the
sun.
No-
one
wan
ted
to d
rive
us. T
helo
rrie
s be
long
edto
the
finca
s, b
ut th
eyw
ere
driv
en b
y th
e re
crui
ting
agen
ts, t
he c
apor
ales
. The
seca
pora
les
are
in c
harg
eof
abo
ut fo
rty
peop
le, o
rm
ore
or le
ss w
hat t
he lo
rry
hold
s.W
hen
they
get t
o th
efin
ca, t
he c
apor
albe
com
es th
eov
erse
er o
f thi
s gr
oup.
The
yar
eus
ually
nun
from
our
villa
ges
too,
but
they
've
been
in th
e ar
my
orha
ve le
ft th
eco
mm
unity
. The
yst
art b
ehav
ing
like
the
land
owne
rs,
and
trea
t the
irow
n pe
ople
bad
ly. T
hey
shou
tat
them
and
insu
ltth
em. T
he fi
nca
offe
rsth
em o
ppor
tuni
ties
to g
et o
n, if
they
do
wha
tth
e la
ndow
ners
wan
t. T
hey
get b
ette
r wag
es a
nd th
ey h
ave
a st
eady
job.
It's
thei
r jo
bto
ord
er u
s ar
ound
and
kee
pus
in li
ne, I
'd s
ay.
The
y've
lear
ned
Spa
nish
so
they
can
act a
s go
-bet
wee
ns fo
r th
ela
ndow
ner
and
his
wor
kers
, bec
ause
our
peop
le d
on't
spea
k S
pani
sh.
The
y of
ten
take
adva
ntag
e of
us b
ecau
se o
f thi
s, b
utw
e ca
n't
com
plai
n be
caus
ew
e ne
ver
see
the
land
owne
r an
ddo
n't k
now
whe
rehe
live
s. W
ese
e on
ly th
e co
ntra
ctin
gag
ents
and
the
over
seer
s. T
heco
ntra
ctin
g ag
ents
fetc
han
d ca
rry
the
peop
lefr
om th
e A
ltipl
ano.
The
ove
rsee
rsst
ay o
n th
e fin
cas.
One
grou
p of
wor
kers
arr
ives
,an
othe
r le
aves
and
the
over
seer
car
ries
on g
ivin
g or
ders
. The
y ar
e in
char
ge. W
hen
you'
rew
orki
ng, f
or e
xam
ple,
and
you
take
a lit
tle r
est,
he c
omes
and
insu
ltsyo
u. 'K
eep
wor
king
, tha
t's w
hat
you'
re p
aid
46B
EST
CO
PYA
VA
ILA
BI
P
for,
' he
says
. The
y al
so p
unis
h th
e sl
ow w
orke
rs. S
omet
imes
we'
repa
id b
y th
e da
y, a
nd s
omet
imes
tor
the
amou
nt o
f wor
k do
ne. I
t'sw
hen
we
wor
k by
the
day
that
we
get t
he w
orst
trea
tmen
t. T
heca
pora
l sta
nds
over
you
eve
ry m
inut
e to
see
how
har
d yo
u're
wor
king
. At o
ther
tim
es, y
ou're
pai
d fo
r w
hat y
ou p
ick.
If y
ou d
on't
man
age
to fi
nish
the
amou
nt s
et in
a d
ay, y
ou h
ave
toic
ontin
ue th
ene
xt d
ay, b
ut a
t lea
st y
ou c
an r
est a
bit
with
out t
he o
vers
eer
com
ing
dow
n on
you
. But
the
wor
k is
stil
l har
d w
heth
er y
ou w
ork
by th
e da
yor
by
the
amou
nt.
Bef
ore
we
get i
nto
the
lorr
y in
our
. vill
age,
the
labo
urco
ntra
ctor
tells
us
to b
ring
with
us
ever
ythi
ng w
e'll
need
for
the
mon
thon
the
Pic
a; th
at is
, pla
tes
and
cups
, for
exa
mpl
e. E
very
wor
ker
carr
ies
his
plat
e, h
is c
up, a
nd h
is w
ater
bot
tle in
a b
ag o
n hi
s ba
ckso
he
can
goan
d ge
t his
tort
illa
at m
ealti
mes
. Chi
ldre
n w
ho d
on't
wor
k do
n't
earn
, and
so
are
not f
ed. T
hey
don'
t nee
d pl
ates
. The
y sh
are
with
thei
r pa
rent
s. T
he li
ttle
ones
who
do
earn
als
o ha
ve p
late
s fo
r th
eir
ratio
n of
tort
illa.
Whe
n I w
asn'
t ear
ning
any
thin
g,m
y m
othe
r. u
sed
to g
ive
me
half
her
ratio
n. A
ll th
e m
othe
rs d
id th
e sa
me.
We
get
tort
illa
and
bean
s fr
ee, b
ut th
eyar
e of
ten
rotte
n. If
the
food
var
ies
abi
t and
we
get a
n eg
g ab
out e
very
two
mon
ths,
then
it is
ded
ucte
dfr
om o
ur p
ay. A
ny c
hang
e in
the
food
is d
educ
ted.
The
sam
e go
es fo
r an
ythi
ngw
e ge
t fro
m th
e ca
ntin
a. A
s w
ell a
sal
coho
l, th
e ca
ntin
a in
the
linca
als
o se
lls th
ings
that
chi
ldre
n lik
e:sw
eets
, cak
es a
nd s
oft d
rinks
. les
all
in th
e sh
op. T
he c
hild
ren,
who
are
hot a
nd ti
red
and
hung
ry, a
re a
lway
s as
king
thei
r pa
rent
s fo
rtr
eats
and
it m
akes
par
ents
sad
to s
ec th
eir
child
ren
aski
ng fo
r th
ings
they
can
't gi
ve. B
ut e
very
thin
g th
ey b
uy is
mar
ked
up o
n an
acc
ount
,an
d at
the
end
whe
nyo
u ge
t you
r pa
y, y
ou a
lway
s ow
e so
muc
h fo
rfo
od, s
o m
uch
at th
e sh
op,
so m
uch
at th
e ph
arm
acy.
You
end
up
owin
g a
lot.
For
exa
mpl
e, if
a ch
ild u
nint
entio
nally
bre
aks
a br
anch
of a
cof
fee
bush
, you
hav
e to
wor
kto
mak
e it
up. T
hey
dedu
ct fo
rev
eryt
hing
and
you
end
up h
avin
g to
pay
deb
ts b
efor
e yo
u ca
n le
ave.
Eve
ry fi
nca
in G
uate
mal
a ha
sa
cant
ina,
ow
ned
by th
e la
ndow
ner,
whe
re th
e w
orke
rs g
et d
runk
on a
lcoh
ol a
nd a
ll ki
nds
of g
uard
, and
pile
up
debt
s. T
hey
ofte
n sp
end
mos
t of t
heir
wag
es. T
hey
drin
k to
get h
appy
and
to fo
rget
the
bitte
rnes
s th
ey fe
el a
t hav
ing
to le
ave
thei
rvi
llage
s in
the
Alti
plan
o an
dco
me
and
wor
k so
bru
tally
har
d on
the
finca
s fo
r so
littl
e. I
rem
embe
rm
y fa
ther
and
mot
her
goin
g to
the
cant
ina
out o
f des
pair.
It w
as s
omet
imes
terr
ible
for
tis. M
y
47
)4 mot
her
and
my
brot
hers
and
sis
ters
ofte
n ha
dto
hea
r al
l our
hou
se-
hold
cos
ts w
hen
the
mon
thon
the
finc
aw
as o
ver
beca
use
my
fath
erow
ed a
ll hi
s w
ages
to th
eca
ntin
a.H
e w
as a
ver
y se
nsiti
ve m
an. W
hen
anyt
hing
wen
t wro
ngor
whe
n tim
es w
ere
very
har
d fo
r us
, he
used
todr
ink
to fo
rget
. But
he
hurt
him
self
twic
e ov
er b
ecau
se h
is m
oney
wen
t bac
k to
the
land
owne
r. T
hat's
. why
the
land
owne
rse
t up
the
cant
ina
anyw
ay. O
nce
I rem
embe
r m
y fa
ther
wor
king
the
who
le d
aypi
ckin
g co
tton
but s
omeh
ow d
idn'
t pic
kth
e re
quire
d am
ount
. He
was
so
angr
y th
at h
e ju
st w
ante
d to
forg
et e
very
thin
g an
dsp
ent t
hew
hole
nig
ht in
the
cant
ina.
Whe
n th
e m
onth
was
up, h
e ow
ed n
early
all h
is w
age
to th
eca
ntin
a.W
e ho
nest
ly d
on't
know
if h
e re
ally
dra
nkal
l tha
t rum
or
not,
but i
t was
aw
ful t
o se
e su
ch a
hug
e de
bt c
halk
edup
aga
inst
him
afte
r a
who
le m
onth
's w
ork.
You
get i
nto
debt
for
ever
y lit
tle th
ing.
Thi
s ta
ught
us
to b
eve
ry c
aref
ul. M
y m
othe
r us
edto
say
: 'D
on't
touc
h an
ythi
ng o
r w
e'll
have
to p
ay fo
r it.
' My
mot
her
used
to s
ee th
at w
e al
l beh
aved
our
selv
esan
d di
dn't
get h
er in
to d
ebt.
Thi
s is
wha
t hap
pene
d th
at ti
me
we
wer
e th
row
n ou
t of t
he fi
nca.
(We
wer
e to
ld b
y on
e of
our
neig
hbou
rs w
ho s
taye
d on
ther
e). W
hen
they
cam
e to
get
pai
dat
the
end
of th
e m
onth
, the
ove
rsee
r in
clud
edm
y m
othe
r an
d m
y br
othe
r an
d m
e, a
nda
neig
hbou
r w
ho w
asth
row
n ou
t with
us, i
n th
e lis
t of w
orke
rs to
be
paid
, jus
t as
if w
e w
ere
finis
hing
the
mon
th a
nd c
olle
ctin
gou
r w
ages
. Of c
ours
e, h
e co
llect
edth
e pa
y du
e to
us
him
self.
Tha
t's w
hat t
hey
do. W
ith w
hat t
hey
earn
and
whd
t the
y st
eal f
rom
our
peop
le, t
he o
vers
eers
buy
love
ly h
ouse
sin
the
Alti
plan
o an
d ha
ve h
ouse
s in
oth
erpl
aces
too.
The
y ca
n liv
ew
here
ver
they
wan
t to,
in th
e pl
aces
they
like
bes
t.M
any
of th
em a
re la
dino
s fr
om O
rient
e*.
But
ther
e ar
e al
so m
any
of o
ur p
eopl
e fr
om th
e A
ltipl
ano
amon
g th
em. M
y fa
ther
use
d to
cal
lth
em `
ladi
nize
d In
dian
s'. W
hen
we
say
`ladi
nize
d' w
e m
ean
they
act
like
ladi
nos,
bad
ladi
nos,
bec
ause
afte
rwar
dsw
e re
aliz
ed th
at n
ot a
llla
dino
sar
e ba
d; A
bad
ladi
nois
one
who
kno
ws
how
to ta
lk a
nd s
teal
from
the
peop
le. H
e is
a sm
all-s
cale
pic
ture
of t
he la
ndow
ner.
I rem
embe
r go
ing
alon
g in
the
lorr
y an
dw
antin
g to
set
it o
n fir
e so
that
we
wou
ld b
e al
low
edto
res
t. W
hat b
othe
red
me
mos
t,w
astr
avel
ling
on a
ndon
and
on,
wan
ting
to u
rinat
e, a
nd n
ot b
eing
abl
eto
bec
ause
the
lorr
y w
ould
n't s
top.
The
driv
ers
wer
e so
met
imes
drun
k, b
ooze
d. T
hey
stop
ped
a lo
t on
the
way
but
they
did
n't l
et u
sge
t out
. Thi
s en
rage
d us
; we
hate
d th
e dr
iver
s be
caus
eth
ey w
ould
n't
let u
s ge
t out
alth
ough
they
used
to d
rink
on th
e w
ay. I
t mad
em
e ve
ry
25
angr
y an
d 1
used
to a
sk m
y m
othe
r; 'W
hy d
o w
e go
to th
efi
nca?
'.
And
my
mot
her
used
to s
ay;
'Bec
ause
we
have
to. W
hen
you'
re o
lder
you'
ll un
ders
tand
why
we
need
to c
ome'
.I d
id u
nder
stan
d, b
ut th
eth
ing
was
I w
asfe
d up
with
it a
ll. W
hen
I was
old
er, I
did
n't f
ind
itst
rang
e an
y m
ore.
Slo
wly
1 b
egan
to s
ee w
hat w
e ha
d to
do
and
why
thin
gs w
ere
like
that
. 1re
alis
ed w
e w
eren
't al
one
in o
ur s
oerp
w a
ndsu
fferin
g bu
t a lo
t of p
eopl
e, in
man
ydi
ffere
nt r
egio
ns, s
hare
d it
with
us. W
hen
we
wor
ked
dow
n on
the
cotto
n pl
anta
tion
(I th
ink
I was
abou
t tw
elve
) I w
as a
lread
y bi
gan
d di
d th
e w
ork
of a
gro
wn
wom
an.
I rem
embe
r th
e fir
st ti
me
I saw
afi
nca
land
owne
r, I
was
frig
hten
ed o
fhi
m b
ecau
se h
e w
as v
ery
fat.
I'd n
ever
see
n a
ladi
no li
ke th
at. H
e w
as
very
fat,
wel
ldre
ssed
and
eve
n ha
d a
wat
ch. W
e di
dn't
know
abo
utw
atch
es th
en. I
did
n't h
ave
any
shoe
s al
thou
gh m
any
of o
urpe
ople
wor
e ca
itos;
but n
othi
ng w
hich
com
pare
d to
the
shoe
s th
is la
nd-
owne
r ha
d. A
tda
wn
the
over
seer
told
us;
'Lis
ten,
you
're g
oing
tow
ork
one
mor
e da
y at
the
end
of th
e m
onth
'. W
hene
ver
anyt
hing
like
this
hap
pene
d, th
ey'd
just
ann
ounc
e th
ey w
ere
addi
ngan
othe
r da
y
on to
the
mon
th. I
f the
mon
thha
d th
irty
one
days
, we
had
to w
ork
the
first
day
of t
he n
ext m
onth
, or
if th
ere
wer
e re
st d
ays
for
any
reas
on, w
e'd
have
to m
ake
up th
eda
y. S
o th
e ov
erse
er to
ld u
s, 'T
heow
ner
is c
omin
g to
day
to th
ank
you
for
your
wor
k an
d w
ants
tosp
end
som
e tim
e ta
lkin
g to
you
, so
nobo
dy le
ave
beca
use
we
have
tow
ait f
or h
im.'
So
we
stay
ed in
our
cam
p, in
the
wor
kers
'ba
rrac
ksw
here
we
lived
and
they
div
ided
us
into
gro
ups.
The
n, w
hen
the
grea
tla
ndow
ner
arriv
ed, w
e sa
w h
e w
as a
ccom
pani
ed b
y ab
out f
iftee
nso
ldie
rs. T
his
seem
ed r
eally
stu
pid
to m
e, b
ecau
se I
thou
ght t
hey
wer
e po
intin
g th
eir
rifle
s at
the
land
owne
r, s
oI a
sked
my
mot
her:
`Why
are
they
forc
ing
the
land
owne
r to
com
e an
d se
e us
?' B
ut it
was
real
ly to
pro
tect
him
. The
re w
ere
abou
t fift
een
sold
iers
and
they
foun
d a
suita
ble
plac
e fo
r th
e ow
ner
to s
it. T
he o
vers
eer
said
, 'S
ome
of y
ou h
ave
to d
ance
for
the
owne
r.' M
y m
othe
r sa
id n
o, a
nd h
id u
s.T
hey
wan
ted
the
child
ren
to p
repa
re a
sor
t of w
elco
me
for
the
owne
r.B
ut n
one
of u
s da
red
even
go
near
him
bec
ause
he
had
so m
any
body
guar
ds w
ith g
uns.
Whe
n th
e ow
ner
bega
n to
spe
ak, h
e sp
oke
inS
pani
sh. M
y m
othe
r un
ders
tood
a li
ttle
Spa
nish
and
afte
rwar
ds s
heto
ld u
s he
was
talk
ing
abou
t the
ele
ctio
ns. B
ut w
e di
dn't
even
unde
rsta
nd w
hat o
ur p
aren
tS to
ld u
sth
at th
e la
dino
s ha
d a
gove
rnm
ent.
Tha
t is,
the
Pre
side
nt w
ho h
ad b
een
in p
ower
all t
his
time,
was
, for
my.
par
ents
, for
all
ofus
, Pre
side
nt o
f the
lagl
inos
'go
vern
men
t. It
was
n't t
he g
over
nmen
t of o
ur c
ount
ry. T
hat's
wha
tw
e al
way
s th
ough
t. S
o m
y m
othe
r sa
id th
at h
ew
as ta
lkin
g ab
out t
hego
vern
men
t of t
he /a
ditto
s. W
hat
was
it h
e w
as s
ayin
g? T
he la
nd-
owne
r w
as s
peak
ing,
and
the
over
seer
sta
rted
tran
slat
ing
wha
t he
was
say
ing.
The
y to
ld u
s he
sai
d w
e al
l had
to g
o an
d m
ake
a m
ark
ona
piec
e of
pap
er. T
hat w
ould
be
a. v
ote,
I im
agin
e th
at it
was
a v
ote.
We
all w
ent t
o m
ake
our
mar
k on
the
pape
r. T
hey
gave
my
fath
er o
nean
d m
y m
othe
r an
d sh
owed
them
the
plac
e to
put t
heir
mar
k. I
rem
embe
r th
at th
epa
per
had
som
e sq
uare
s w
ith th
ree
or fo
urdr
awin
gs o
n it.
So
my
pare
nts
and
my
olde
r br
othe
rs a
nd s
iste
rsm
arke
d th
epa
per
in th
e pl
ace
the
owne
r to
ld th
em. H
ew
arne
d us
that
any
one
who
did
n't
mar
k th
e pa
per
wou
ld b
eth
row
n ou
t of
wor
k at
the
end
of th
e m
onth
.A
nyon
e w
ho w
as th
row
nou
t wou
ldno
t be
paid
. The
wor
kers
wer
e fo
rced
to m
ark
the
pape
r. S
o th
atw
asan
othe
r da
y of
res
t, an
d it
mea
nt w
e w
ould
hav
e to
wor
k th
e se
cond
day
of th
e ne
xt m
onth
as w
ell.
The
land
owne
r le
ft, b
ut a
fterw
ards
..
I dre
amed
abo
ut h
imov
er a
nd o
ver
agai
n.
..
it m
ust h
ave
been
the
fear
, the
impr
essi
on m
ade
on m
e by
that
man
's fa
ce. I
rem
embe
rte
lling
mot
her:
drea
med
abo
ut th
at o
ld la
dino
who
cam
e he
re.'
And
mot
her
said
: 'D
on't
besi
lly, h
e's
only
am
an, d
on't
be a
frai
d.'
.Tha
t's w
hat s
he s
aid.
But
all t
he c
hild
ren
ther
era
n aw
ay fr
om th
eir
pare
nts
and
crie
d w
hen
they
saw
that
ladi
no, a
nd e
ven
mor
e at
the
sold
iers
and
thei
rw
eapo
ns. T
hey
thou
ght t
hey
wer
e go
ing
to k
illth
eir
pare
nts.
I th
ough
tso
, too
. I th
ough
t the
y w
ere
goin
gto
kill
ever
ybod
y, b
ecau
se th
eyw
ere
carr
ying
gun
s.W
e di
dn't
even
kno
w w
hat t
he n
ame
on T
hepa
per
was
. My
fath
erso
met
imes
use
d to
tell
us n
ames
bec
ause
of t
he th
ings
he
rem
em-
bere
d. In
the
defe
at o
f19
54, h
e sa
id th
ey c
aptu
red
men
from
our
regi
on, a
nd fr
om o
ther
regi
ons.
The
y to
okou
r m
en o
ff to
the
barr
acks
. My
fath
erw
as o
ne o
f tho
se c
augh
t. H
e ha
sve
ry b
lack
mem
orie
s of
thos
e da
ys. H
esa
ys m
any,
man
y of
our
peo
ple
died
and
we
only
esc
aped
bec
ause
of
our
own
quic
k w
its. T
hat's
how
we
surv
ived
, my
fath
er s
aid.
His
mem
orie
s of
this
per
iod
are
very
bad
.H
e al
way
s ta
lked
abo
ut th
eP
resi
dent
ther
ew
as th
en, b
ut w
e di
dn't
know
any
of t
he o
ther
s.W
e di
dn't
know
the
rest
, not
thei
r na
mes
or
wha
t the
yw
ere
like.
We
knew
not
hing
abo
ut th
em. T
hen
the
land
-ow
ner
cam
e to
con
grat
ulat
eus
. We
saw
him
a s
econ
d tim
e. H
eca
me
with
his
wife
and
one
of h
is s
ons.
The
y w
ere
near
lyas
fat a
s he
was
.
The
y ca
me
to th
e fin
ca a
nd to
ld u
s th
at o
ur P
resi
dent
had
won
, ton
e w
e ha
d vo
ted
for.
We
didn
't ev
en k
now
that
they
wer
e vo
lth
ey'd
take
n aw
ay. M
y pa
rent
s la
ughe
d w
hen
they
hea
rd th
ems;
'Our
Pre
side
nt',
beca
use.
for
us h
e w
as th
e l'r
esid
ent o
f the
ladi
ngno
t our
s at
all.
Thi
s w
as m
y im
pres
sion
as
a sm
all g
irl a
nd l
thou
ghlo
t abo
ut w
hat t
he P
resi
dent
wou
ld h
e lik
e. I
thou
ght h
ew
as a
n ew
bigg
er m
an th
an th
e la
ndow
ner.
The
land
owne
r w
asve
ry b
ig a
lta
ll, a
nd w
e di
dn't
have
big
men
like
that
inou
r vi
llage
. So
I tho
ugth
at th
e P
resi
dent
was
eve
n ta
ller
than
the
land
owne
r.W
hen
I wol
der,
I m
et th
e la
ndow
ner
agai
n an
d he
ask
edm
y pa
rent
s fo
r n
Tha
t was
whe
n I w
as s
ent t
o th
e ca
pita
l. T
hat's
anot
her
stag
e in
nlife.
BE
ST
CO
PY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
51
VII
DE
AT
H O
F H
ER
LIT
TL
E B
RO
TH
ER
IN T
HE
FIN
CA
. DIF
FIC
UL
TY
OF
CO
MM
UN
ICA
TIN
G W
ITH
OT
HE
RIN
DIA
NS
.th
ose
who
sow
mai
ze fo
r pr
ofit
leav
e th
e ea
rth
empt
y of
bone
s, b
ecau
se it
is th
e bo
nes
of th
e fo
refa
ther
s th
at g
ive
the
mai
ze, a
nd th
en th
e ea
rth
dem
ands
bon
es, a
nd th
e so
ftest
one
s,th
ose
of c
hild
ren,
pile
up
on to
p of
her
and
ben
eath
her
bla
ckcr
ust,
to fe
ed h
er.*
'Men
of M
aize
' Mig
uel A
ngel
Ast
uria
s
We'
d be
en in
the
finc
a fo
r fi
ftee
n da
ys, w
hen
one
of m
y br
othe
rs d
ied
from
mal
nutr
ition
. My
mot
her
had
to m
iss
som
e da
ys' w
ork
to b
ury
him
. Tw
o of
my
brot
hers
die
d in
the
finc
a. T
he f
irst
, he
was
the
elde
st, w
as c
alle
d Fe
lipe.
I n
ever
kne
w h
im. H
e di
ed w
hen
my
mot
her
star
ted
wor
king
. The
y'd
spra
yed
the
coff
ee w
ith p
estic
ide
by p
lane
whi
le w
e w
ere
wor
king
, as
they
usu
ally
did
, and
my
brot
her
coul
dn't
stan
d th
e fu
mes
and
die
d of
into
xica
tion.
The
sec
ond
one,
I d
id s
eedi
e. H
is'n
ame
was
Nic
olas
. He
died
whe
n I
was
eig
ht. H
e w
as th
eyo
unge
st o
f al
l of
us, t
he o
ne m
y m
othe
r us
ed to
car
ry a
bout
. He
was
two
then
. Whe
n m
y lit
tle b
roth
er s
tart
ed c
ryin
g, c
ryin
g, c
ryin
g, m
ym
othe
r di
dn't
know
wha
t to
do w
ith h
im b
ecau
se h
is b
elly
was
swol
len
by m
alnu
triti
on to
o. H
is b
elly
was
eno
rmou
s an
d m
y m
othe
rdi
dn't
know
wha
t to
do a
bout
it. T
he ti
me
cam
e w
hen
my
mot
her
coul
dn't
spen
d an
ymor
e tim
e w
ith h
im o
r th
ey'd
take
her
job
away
from
her
. My
brot
her
had
been
ill f
rom
the
day
we
arri
ved
in th
efi
nca,
ver
y ill
. My
mot
her
kept
on
wor
king
and
so d
id w
e. H
e la
sted
fift
een
days
and
then
wen
t int
o hi
s de
ath
thro
es, a
ndw
e di
dn't
know
wha
t to
do. O
ur n
eigh
bour
s fr
om o
ur v
illag
e ha
d go
ne to
dif
fere
ntfi
ncas
, the
re w
ere
only
two
with
us.
We
wer
en't
all t
oget
her.
We
didn
't kn
ow w
hat t
o do
bec
ause
in o
ur g
roup
we
wer
e w
ith p
eopl
efr
om o
ther
com
mun
ities
who
spo
ke d
iffe
rent
lang
uage
s. W
e co
uldn
't
52
3
talk
to th
em. W
e co
uldn
't sp
eak
Span
ish
eith
er. W
e co
uldn
't un
cle
stan
d ea
ch o
ther
and
we
need
ed h
elp.
Who
was
ther
e to
turn
t(T
here
was
no-
one
we
coul
d co
unt o
n, le
ast o
f al
l the
over
seer
,m
ight
eve
n th
row
us
out o
f th
e fi
nca.
We
coul
dn't
coun
t on
thow
ner,
we
didn
't ev
en k
now
who
he
was
sin
ce h
e al
way
s di
d ev
er)
thin
g th
roug
h in
term
edia
ries
: the
ove
rsee
rs, t
he c
ontr
actin
gag
ent
etc.
So
that
's h
ow it
was
. Whe
n m
y m
othe
r ne
eded
hel
p to
bur
y in
brot
her,
we
coul
dn't
talk
to a
nyon
e, w
e co
uldn
't co
mm
unic
ate,
ansh
e w
as d
esol
ate
at th
e si
ght o
f m
y br
othe
r's b
ody.
I r
emem
ber
oni
bein
g ab
le to
com
mun
icat
e w
ith th
e ot
hers
thro
ugh
sign
s. M
ost
(
them
hav
e ha
d th
e sa
me
expe
rien
ces;
ever
y da
y th
ey're
stu
ck i
situ
atio
ns in
whi
ch th
ey c
an't
call
on h
elp
from
out
side
and
hav
et
help
eac
h ot
her.
But
it w
asve
ry d
iffi
cult.
I r
emem
ber
also
wan
ting
tm
ake
frie
nds
with
the
child
ren
who
live
d in
our
shed
with
us
ww
ere
thre
e hu
ndre
d .
..
four
hun
dred
peo
ple
wor
king
in th
e fi
nca
but w
e co
uldn
't ge
t to
know
eac
h ot
her.
A g
aler
a is
a h
ouse
, a la
rge
shac
k, w
here
all
the
wor
kers
live
. It'
calle
d a
gale
ra b
ecau
se it
has
onl
y pa
lm le
aves
or b
anan
a le
aves
for
roof
, and
the
side
s ar
e op
en, i
t has
no w
alls
. All
the
wor
kers
live
they
toge
ther
, with
thei
r do
gs a
nd c
ats,
eve
ryth
ing
they
bri
ng w
ith th
enfr
om th
e A
ltipl
ano.
The
re a
re n
o di
visi
ons,
they
put u
s in
any
ol.
how
, and
with
any
body
. Tha
t's w
hat l
ife
is li
keon
the
coas
t. Ju
st o
nho
use
to h
old
four
, fiv
e hu
ndre
d pe
ople
.It
was
dif
ficu
lt to
get
to k
now
eac
h ot
her
anyw
ay, b
utou
r w
orm
ade
it ev
en m
ore
diff
icul
t bec
ause
we
had
to g
et u
p at
thre
e in
thm
orni
ng a
nd s
tart
wor
k st
raig
ht a
way
. It's
wor
st w
hen
we'
re p
icki
nco
tton
beca
use
it is
n't t
he w
eigh
t tha
t cou
nts,
it's
the
quan
tity.
In
thea
rly
mor
ning
it's
nic
e an
d co
ol b
ut b
y m
idda
y it'
s lik
e be
ing
inat
oven
; it's
ver
y, v
ery
hot.
Tha
t's w
hy th
ey m
ake
us s
tart
wor
k so
ear
lyW
e st
op w
ork
at m
idda
y to
eat
but
go o
n w
orki
ng s
trai
ghta
wa
afte
rwar
ds u
ntil
nigh
t -tim
e. S
o,w
e di
dn't
have
muc
h tim
e to
get
t(kn
ow a
ny o
f th
e ot
hers
, in
spite
of o
ur a
ll be
ing
one
peop
le. T
hat'
wha
t is
real
ly d
istr
essi
ng f
or u
s In
dian
s, b
ecau
se w
hen
we'
r,to
geth
er, w
ell,
we'
re a
com
mun
ity, w
e're
all
from
the
sam
e pl
ace,
bu
dow
n in
the
finc
a w
e're
toge
ther
with
oth
er I
ndia
nsw
e do
n't k
now
All
the
wor
kers
on
the
coas
tal e
stat
es, i
n co
ffee
or in
oth
er th
ings
, an
Indi
ans
who
eith
er li
ve th
ere
at th
e fi
ncas
or e
mig
rate
ther
e to
wor
kT
hey'
re a
ll In
dian
s hu
t fro
m d
iffe
rent
eth
nic
grou
ps w
ho s
peal
diff
eren
t lan
guag
es. T
his,
mak
es it
ver
y di
ffic
ult f
orus
bec
ause
th(
BE
STC
OPY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
53
i11.
1==
a1 1
4(1
lingu
istic
har
riers
pre
vent
any
dia
logu
e be
twee
n us
Indi
ans,
bet
wee
nou
rsel
ves.
We
can
only
und
erst
and
thep
eopl
e fr
om o
ur o
wn
ethn
icgr
oup,
bec
ause
we
can'
t spe
ak S
pani
sh a
nd w
e ca
n't s
peak
the
othe
rla
ngua
ges.
So
alth
ough
we
wan
t to
get c
lose
r to
oth
er g
roup
s,w
eca
n't.
And
so
wha
t we
used
to d
o in
the
finca
was
to g
o on
cel
ebra
ting
our
cust
oms
and
ever
ythi
ng, b
ut w
ithou
t und
erst
andi
ng e
ach
othe
r.It
was
as
if w
e'd
been
talk
ing
to fo
reig
ners
.T
he li
ttle
boy
died
ear
ly in
the
mor
ning
. We
didn
't kn
ow w
hat t
odo
. Our
two
neig
hbou
rs w
ere
anxi
ous
to h
elp
my
mot
her
but t
hey
didn
't kn
ow w
hat t
o do
eith
erno
t how
to b
ury
him
or
anyt
hing
.T
hen
the
capo
ral t
old
my
mot
her
she
coul
d bu
rym
y br
othe
r in
the
finca
but
she
had
topa
y a
tax
to k
eep
hiin
bur
ied
ther
e. M
y m
othe
rsa
id: '
I hav
e no
mon
ey a
t all'
He
told
her
: 'Y
es, a
ndyo
u al
read
y ow
ea
lot o
f mon
ey fo
r m
edic
ine
and
othe
r th
ings
, so
take
his
bod
y an
dle
ave.
' We
didn
't kn
ow w
hat t
o do
. It
was
impo
ssib
le to
take
his
bod
yba
ck to
the
Alti
plan
o. It
was
alre
ady
star
ting
to s
mel
l bec
ause
of t
hehu
mid
ity, t
he h
eat,
on th
eco
ast.
Non
e of
the
peop
le li
ving
in o
urga
lera
wan
ted
my
brot
her's
bod
yto
sta
y th
ere,
of c
ours
e, b
ecau
se it
was
ups
ettin
g. S
o m
y m
othe
r de
cide
d th
at, e
ven
if sh
e ha
d to
wor
kfo
r a
mon
th w
ithou
t ear
ning
, she
wou
ldpa
y th
e ta
x to
the
land
-ow
ner,
or
the
over
seer
, to
bury
my
brot
her
in th
e fin
ca. O
ut o
f rea
lki
ndne
ss a
nd a
des
ire to
hel
p on
e of
the
men
bro
ught
a li
ttle
box,
a b
itlik
e a
suitc
ase.
We
put m
y br
othe
r in
it a
nd to
ok h
im to
be
burie
d. W
elo
st p
ract
ical
ly a
who
le d
ay's
wor
kov
er m
ourn
ing
my
brot
her.
We
wer
e al
l so
very
sad
for
him
. Tha
t nig
ht th
e ov
erse
er to
ldus
: 'Le
ave
here
tom
orro
w.'
Why
?' a
sked
my
mot
her.
'Bec
ause
you
mis
sed
ada
y's
wor
k. Y
ou're
to le
ave
aton
ce a
nd y
ou w
on't
get a
ny p
ay. S
oto
mor
row
I do
n't w
ant t
o se
e yo
u ro
und
here
.' It
was
terr
ible
for
my
mot
her,
she
did
n't k
now
wha
t to
do. S
he d
idn'
t kno
w h
owto
find
my
fath
er b
ecau
se h
ew
as w
orki
ng s
omew
here
els
e. W
hen
they
thro
wpe
ople
out
of t
he fi
nca,
they
don
't ta
ke th
em b
ack
hom
e as
they
usua
lly d
o. U
sual
ly w
hen
the
time
com
es to
go
back
to th
e A
ltipl
ano,
the
sam
e co
ntra
ctin
g ag
ents
take
us b
aCk
to o
ur v
illag
e, s
o w
e do
n't
have
to w
orry
abo
ut h
ow w
e're
get
ting
back
, or
abou
t any
tran
spor
t,or
eve
n w
here
we
are.
We
didn
't kn
ow o
ur w
here
abou
ts,
we
didn
'tkn
ow w
here
we
wer
e or
any
thin
g. M
y m
othe
r di
dn't
even
kno
w th
ena
me
of th
e to
wn
we
wer
e in
. But
we
knew
we
had
to le
ave
so m
ym
othe
r be
gan
getti
ngou
r th
ings
toge
ther
. So
our
neig
hbou
rs s
aid:
'We'
ll go
with
you
even
thou
gh it
mea
ns lo
sing
eve
ryth
ing
we
54
41
wor
ked
for
too.
'One
of t
hem
lent
my
mot
her
som
e m
oney
to p
ay fo
r
the
buria
lsinc
e sh
e'd
been
in th
e fin
ca fo
r ab
out f
our
mon
ths
and
had
save
d a
little
mon
ey.
The
fifte
en d
ays
we
had
wor
ked
we
wer
en't
paid
. Not
onl
y m
ym
othe
r an
d I;
but m
y br
othe
r ha
d w
orke
d fif
teen
days
and
was
n't p
aid
eith
er. T
he o
vers
eer
said
: 'N
o, it
's b
ecau
se y
ouow
e a
lot t
oth
e ph
arm
acy.
So,
go
on, o
ut o
f her
e. l
don'
t wai
n to
see
you
arou
ndhe
re a
gain
.' B
ut m
y m
othe
r kn
ew th
at s
he h
adn'
t bee
nab
le to
buy
med
icin
efo
r he
r so
n an
d th
at's
why
he'
d di
ed. T
hetr
oubl
e is
that
we
coul
dn't
spea
k S
pani
sh a
nd th
e ov
erse
er s
poke
our
lang
uage
bec
ause
he
cam
e fr
om o
ur r
egio
n. H
e th
rew
us
out a
nd s
aid
he d
idn'
t wan
t to
see
us r
ound
ther
e ag
ain.
The
bos
s's
orde
rs. S
o w
eha
d to
leav
e.W
e ar
rived
bac
k at
our
hou
se in
the
Alti
plan
o. M
y m
othe
r w
asve
ry s
ad, s
o w
as m
ybr
othe
r w
ho w
as w
ith u
s. M
y fa
ther
did
n't k
now
his
son
had
died
, nor
did
my
othe
r br
othe
rs a
nd s
iste
rs b
ecau
se th
eyw
ere
wor
king
on
othe
r fin
cas.
Fift
een
days
late
r, th
ey a
ll ar
rived
hom
e to
be
gree
ted
by th
e ne
ws
that
the
little
boy
had
die
d an
d th
atw
e ow
ed a
lot o
f mon
ey. M
y fa
ther
and
my
brot
hers
and
sis
ters
had
been
ear
ning
in th
e ot
her
finca
s an
d ha
d en
ough
mon
ey to
set
tle u
pw
ith o
ur n
eigh
bour
. The
nei
ghbo
ur a
lso
gave
wha
t he
felt
he s
houl
dto
the
dead
chi
ld. T
hat's
how
they
hel
ped
usth
e co
mm
unity
,ev
eryo
neon
ce w
e'd
got h
ome.
Fro
m th
at m
omen
t, I w
as b
oth
angr
y w
ith li
fe a
nd a
frai
d of
it,
beca
use
I tol
d m
ysel
f: 'T
his
is th
e lif
e I w
ill le
ad to
o; h
avin
gm
any
child
ren,
and
hav
ing
them
die
.' It'
s no
t eas
y fo
r a
mot
her
to w
atch
her
child
die
, and
hav
e no
thin
g to
cur
e hi
m w
ithor
hel
p hi
m li
ve.
Tho
se fi
fteen
day
s w
orki
ng in
the
finca
was
one
of m
y ea
rlies
tex
perie
nces
and
I re
mem
ber
it w
ith e
norm
ous
hatr
ed. T
hat h
atre
dha
s st
ayed
with
me
until
toda
y.W
e w
ent d
own
to th
e fin
ca a
gain
. Chr
istm
as is
the
last
mon
thw
esp
end
in th
e fin
ca. I
n Ja
nuar
yw
e st
art w
orki
ng o
ur la
nd in
the
Alti
plan
o. J
anua
ry a
nd F
ebru
ary'
are
the
mon
ths
we
sow
our
cro
ps.
In M
arch
we
go b
ack
dow
nto
the
coas
t to
earn
mon
ey to
spe
nd o
nth
e m
aize
fiel
ds, a
nd w
hen
the
first
wor
kon
the
mai
ze is
ove
r, w
ere
turn
to th
e fin
ca to
car
ry o
n ea
rnin
g fo
r fo
od.
Whe
n I w
as te
n, th
ey r
aise
dm
y pa
y be
caus
e by
then
I w
as p
icki
ngfo
rty
poun
ds o
f cof
fee.
.For
,pi
ckin
g co
tton
Ist
ill g
ot v
ery
little
beca
use
itw
as a
lot i
n qu
antit
l.but
not
in w
eigh
t. T
here
's a
n of
fice
inev
ery
finca
whe
re a
ll th
e w
ork
you
deliv
er is
take
n. It
's w
eigh
ed a
nd
55
42 note
d do
wn
for
thei
r ac
coun
ts. T
owar
ds th
e en
d, m
y br
othe
rs (
who
are
not s
tupi
d) m
anag
ed to
figu
re o
ut th
e w
ays
in w
hich
they
fidd
led
the
amou
nts
wei
ghed
. The
y ha
ve.tr
icks
to m
ake
it w
eigh
less
, whe
nth
e re
al a
mou
nt is
muc
h m
ore.
Tha
t hap
pens
eve
ryw
here
. It's
asp
ecia
l tric
k of
the
men
in c
harg
e of
wei
ghin
g th
e w
orke
rs lo
ads;
that
's w
hen
they
ste
al m
any
poun
ds o
f cof
fee.
The
y pu
t lar
geam
ount
s on
one
sid
e so
that
they
can
del
iver
mor
e an
d ge
t pai
d m
ore.
It's
part
of a
long
pro
cess
whi
ch s
tart
s th
e m
omen
t the
age
nts
cont
ract
the
wor
kers
in th
eir
villa
ges
and
load
them
into
the
lorr
ies
like
anim
als.
It's
one
long
pro
cess
. of r
obbi
ng th
em o
f the
ir pa
y.T
hey'
re c
harg
ed fo
r ab
solu
tely
eve
ryth
ing,
eve
n fo
r th
e lo
adin
g of
the
lorr
y. T
hen,
in th
e fin
ca, t
he o
vers
eers
ste
al fr
om th
e w
orke
rs fr
omth
e ve
ry fi
rst d
ay. T
he c
antin
a st
eals
from
them
too.
It c
ontin
ues
until
the
last
day
. It's
so
bad
that
we
have
had
the
bad
expe
rienc
e of
get
ting
hom
e ag
ain
with
out a
cen
tavo
. Cof
fee
is m
easu
red
by th
e w
orkl
oad
set b
ut c
otto
n is
mea
sure
d by
a d
iffer
ent m
etho
d. If
you
pic
k 65
poun
ds o
f cot
ton
per,
day
, you
're p
aid
acco
rdin
g to
the
wei
ght.
But
with
cof
fee,
you
hav
e to
pic
k a
quin
tal p
er d
ay a
nd if
you
don
't it'
sad
ded
on a
nd th
e ne
xt d
ay y
ou h
ave
to fi
nish
that
qui
ntal
bef
ore
star
ting
anot
her
one.
In m
y ca
se, w
hen
I sta
rted
wor
k I h
ad to
do
ath
ird o
f wha
t an
adul
t's ta
sk w
ould
be.
Tha
t was
35
poun
ds. B
utso
me
days
I co
uld
only
do
28 p
ound
s so
the
next
day
I ha
d to
car
ry o
nw
ith th
e sa
me
one.
Thi
s w
ay. y
ou fa
ll fu
rthe
r an
d fu
rthe
r be
hind
unt
ilyo
u ha
ve to
' spe
nd tw
o da
ys ju
st m
akin
g up
the
amou
nt y
ou're
mis
sing
. With
cot
ton,
the
situ
atio
n is
diff
eren
t but
it's
ver
y di
fficu
ltto
o. T
he w
orst
wor
k is
whe
n it'
s se
cond
'han
d'. F
irst '
hand
' is
whe
nth
e flo
wer
s ar
e ni
cely
gro
uped
toge
ther
, but
sec
ond
hand
is w
hen
you
have
to p
ick
betw
een
the
bran
ches
the
cotto
n w
hich
has
bee
n le
ftbe
hind
the
first
tim
e. T
hat's
muc
h ha
rder
wor
k bu
t the
pay
is th
esa
me.
5 6
VII
I
LIF
E I
N T
HE
AL
TIP
LA
NO
.R
IGO
BE
RT
A'S
TE
NT
H B
IRT
HD
AY
'We
Indi
ans
neve
r do
any
thin
g w
hich
goe
s ag
ains
t the
law
s of
our
ance
stor
?
Rig
ober
ta M
ench
ti
Bac
k in
the
Alti
plan
o, w
e al
l set
to w
ork
with
our
hoe
s. I
rem
embe
rfr
om th
e ag
e of
nin
e go
ing
off t
o th
e fie
lds
with
my
hoe
to h
elp
my
fath
er. I
was
like
a b
oy, c
hopp
ing
woo
d w
ith a
n ax
e, o
r w
ith a
mac
hete
. The
re w
as v
ery
little
wat
er n
ear
our
villa
ge. W
e ha
d to
wal
kab
out f
our
kilo
met
res
to fe
tch
our
wat
er, a
nd th
at a
dded
to o
ur w
ork
a lo
t. B
ut w
e w
ere
happ
y be
caus
e th
at w
as th
e tim
e of
yea
r w
e so
wed
our
bit o
f mai
ze a
nd it
was
som
etim
es e
noug
h fo
r us
to li
ve o
n. A
ttim
es, w
e m
anag
ed to
scr
ape
a liv
ing
in th
e A
ltipl
ano
and
didn
't go
dow
n to
the
finca
s. W
hen
the
field
s w
ere
full
of p
lant
s an
d w
e ha
d a
bit o
f mai
ze a
nd a
few
tort
illas
, we
wer
e ve
ry h
appy
up
ther
e. T
hela
nd w
as fe
rtile
and
I re
mem
ber
my
mot
her
givi
ng u
s di
ffere
nt ty
pes
of b
eans
like
ayo
te, c
hila
cayo
te, a
nd o
ther
s th
at g
rew
up
ther
e. B
utw
e di
dn't
eat a
lot o
f bea
ns b
ecau
se m
ost o
f wha
t my
mot
her
grew
was
take
n to
mar
ket t
o bu
y so
ap, o
r so
me
chile
. Tha
t's w
hat w
e at
ech
ile. A
nd if
we
wan
ted
to, w
e co
uld
pick
pla
nts
in th
e fie
lds.
So,
with
chile
, pla
nts,
and
tort
illas
; we
ate
very
wel
l. T
hat w
as o
ur m
enu
mos
tof
the
time.
It's
not t
he c
usto
m a
mon
g ou
r pe
ople
to u
se a
mill
to g
rind
the
mai
ze to
mak
e do
ugh.
We
use
a gr
indi
ng s
tone
; tha
t is,
an
anci
ent
ston
e pa
ssed
dow
n fr
om o
ur a
nces
tors
. We
don'
t use
ove
ns e
ither
.W
e on
ly u
se w
ood
fires
to c
ook
our
tort
illas
. Firs
t we
get u
p at
thre
e
57
GU
AT
EM
ALA
: Hum
an r
ight
s re
port
...
Bis
hop'
s de
ath
show
s'n
ever
aga
in.'
is s
till
elus
ive
hope
By
MA
RIE
DE
S J
AR
LAIS
La
Cro
sse
As
Bis
hop
Ger
ardi
pul
led
into
his
gara
ge in
Gua
tem
ala
City
on
aSu
nday
eve
ning
, a m
an w
asw
aitin
g. H
e bl
udge
oned
the
bish
op's
fac
ebe
yond
rec
ogni
tion
with
a ja
gged
pie
ce o
fco
ncre
te b
lock
. Not
hing
was
take
nth
ism
urde
r w
as u
sed
to s
end
a m
essa
ge.
Just
two
nigh
ts b
efor
e hi
s de
ath,
hund
reds
of
peop
le g
athe
red
in th
eca
thed
ral i
n G
uate
mal
a C
ityas
the
Hum
an R
ight
s O
ffic
e of
the
Cat
holic
Chu
rch,
hea
ded
by B
isho
p G
erar
di,
pres
ente
d its
fin
al r
epor
t on
the
man
yde
cade
s of
vio
lenc
e. A
fter
sev
eral
pres
enta
tions
by
bish
ops
and
othe
rs,
10 p
eopl
e, n
ine
of th
em in
dige
nous
, sim
ply
appr
oach
ed o
ne b
y on
e to
rec
eive
apo
rtio
n of
the
four
-vol
ume
repo
rt ti
tled
"Gua
tem
ala,
Nev
er A
gain
," in
the
nam
e:of
the
thou
sand
s of
peo
ple
kille
d an
d th
eir
fam
ilies
.U
nder
chu
rch
spen
sOrs
hip,
600
peo
ple,
mai
nly
indi
geno
us, c
arri
ed o
ut 6
,500
indi
vidu
al a
nd jo
int i
nter
view
s to
gat
her
firs
t-pe
rson
test
imon
y of
wha
t hap
pene
d.T
hey
inte
rvie
wed
peo
ple
in K
ekch
i, Ix
il,Q
uich
e an
d a
num
ber
of o
ther
nat
ive
lang
uage
s. M
oiit
inte
rvie
wee
s w
ere
fam
ilym
embe
rs o
f th
ose
who
had
bee
n ki
lled
or"d
isap
pear
ed,"
but
som
e w
ere
thos
e w
hoad
mitt
ed to
hav
ing
perp
etua
ted
viol
ence
.T
he te
stim
ony
was
rec
orde
d, s
umm
ariz
ed,
port
ions
tran
scri
bed
and
tran
slat
ed, a
ndau
gmen
ted
with
spe
cial
stu
dies
. The
fin
alre
port
is th
is f
our-
volu
me
publ
icat
ion
58
desc
ribi
ng th
e im
pact
of
the
viol
ence
, the
met
hods
of
terr
or, a
his
tori
cal a
ccou
nt o
fho
w it
cam
e ab
out,
and
very
impo
rtan
tlyth
e na
mes
of
thos
e w
how
ere
mur
dere
d, to
rtur
ed, r
aped
and
"dis
appe
ared
." O
ne o
f th
e m
ost i
mpo
rtan
tre
sults
of
this
pro
cess
will
be
a si
mpl
e_m
emor
ial i
n th
e fo
rm o
f co
lum
ns in
the
cath
edra
l pla
za b
eari
ng th
e na
mes
of
thos
e ki
lled.
Com
ing
to te
rms
with
this
pas
t his
tory
is e
spec
ially
dif
ficu
lt fo
r G
uate
mal
a.G
uate
mal
a ha
s ne
ver
had
polit
ical
pris
oner
s be
caus
e af
ter
bein
g to
rtur
ed,
peop
le h
ave
sim
ply
been
kill
ed o
r of
ten
"dis
appe
ared
" w
ith n
o bu
rial
site
.T
he r
epor
t doc
umen
ts th
e ki
lling
of
25,1
23 p
eopl
e, o
nly
a po
rtio
n of
the
150,
000
vict
ims
of p
oliti
cal v
iole
nce
for
the
past
40
year
s. T
he a
rmy
was
dir
ectly
res
pons
ible
for
60 p
erce
nt a
nd in
dire
ctly
res
pons
ible
for
20 p
erce
nt (
carr
ied
out w
ith th
e he
lpof
arm
y-re
crui
ted
and
trai
ned
oblig
ator
yci
vil p
atro
ls).
Lef
tist g
uerr
illas
wer
ere
spon
sibl
e fo
r fe
wer
than
10
perc
ent o
fth
e ki
lling
s. A
sta
gger
ing
92 p
erce
nt o
fth
ose
kille
d w
ere
civi
lians
(th
at is
, not
invo
lved
with
gne
rtill
as);
hal
f be
long
ed to
chur
ch-s
pons
ored
org
aniz
atio
ns. T
here
port
doc
umen
ts 4
22 m
ass
killi
ngs
orm
assa
cres
, pri
mar
ily in
the
1980
s, a
ndal
mos
t all
in in
dige
nous
vill
ages
.C
onsi
deri
ng th
e m
agni
tude
of
the
viol
ence
, vir
tual
ly n
o on
e ha
s be
enbr
ough
t to
just
ice.
Thi
s is
bec
ause
the
Gua
tem
alan
mili
tary
has
not
rea
lly lo
stits
pow
er. U
nlik
e E
l Sal
vado
r, w
here
the
guer
rilla
s he
ld th
e ar
med
for
ces
to a
.
stan
dstil
l thr
ough
the
1980
s, G
uate
mal
's
mili
tary
ass
iste
d a
slow
ret
urn
toa
civi
lian
pres
iden
cy w
hile
kee
ping
thei
rpo
wer
and
rem
aini
ng p
ract
ical
lyun
touc
habl
e. V
iole
nce
in G
uate
mal
a ha
sbe
com
e a
busi
ness
, as
som
e ac
tive
and
retir
ed m
ilita
ry o
ffic
ers
enga
ge in
kidn
appi
ng f
or r
anso
m; c
ar th
eft,
drug
runn
ing
and
prot
ectio
n no
t unl
ike
the
Maf
ia.
Unf
ortu
nate
ly, p
oliti
cal k
illin
gs h
ave
not c
ease
d si
nce
the
sign
ing
of th
e"p
eace
." T
here
are
cas
es o
fm
assa
cres
of
indi
geno
us r
etur
ning
to th
eir
hom
elan
dfr
om th
eir
exile
in M
exic
o.N
ow th
ey h
ave
kille
d B
isho
pG
erar
di. I
have
vis
ited
the
Dep
artm
ent o
fQ
uich
e,th
e ar
ea w
here
he
serv
ed d
urin
gth
ete
rror
yea
rs o
f th
e 19
80s.
As
bish
op, h
em
ade
the
deci
sion
to w
ithdr
aw a
llth
epr
iest
s be
caus
e of
the
num
ber
who
wer
ebe
ing
kille
d. H
e al
so r
ecei
ved
deat
hth
reat
s at
that
tim
e. H
e kn
ew f
irst
hand
wha
t rea
lity
was
for
the
peop
le o
fth
eQ
uich
e. G
erar
di s
pent
mor
e th
antw
oye
ars
in e
xile
as
a re
sult
of h
is s
tanc
efo
rth
e pe
ople
.W
ho o
rder
ed th
e ki
lling
of
Bis
hop
Ger
ardi
? W
e m
ay n
ever
kno
w, b
utit
Issa
fe to
sur
mis
e th
at it
is s
omeo
ne w
hose
cure
ly k
now
s th
at d
espi
te c
omm
issi
ons
form
ed a
nd in
form
atio
n so
ught
, who
ever
gets
clo
se e
noug
h to
the
trut
h m
ay s
uffe
rth
e sa
me
fate
.N
or is
the
Uni
ted
Stat
eibl
amel
ess.
Itw
as a
195
4 C
IA-o
rgan
ized
cou
p th
atov
erth
rew
the
dem
ocra
tical
ly e
lect
edPr
esid
ent A
rben
z an
d pu
t the
arm
y in
pow
er. I
t was
the
U.S
.-en
cour
aged
Vie
tnam
-sty
le ta
ctic
s th
at le
d to
BE
ST
CO
PY
AV
AIL
AB
LE
thou
sand
s of
dea
ths
in th
e 19
60s.
In
1982
,Pr
esid
ent R
eaga
n vi
site
d G
ener
al E
frai
nR
ios
Mon
tt (w
ho w
as p
resi
deht
thro
ugh
am
ilita
ry c
oup)
and
sai
d R
ios
Mon
ttw
asre
ceiv
ing
a "b
um r
ap"
at th
eve
ry h
eigh
tof
mas
sacr
es f
rom
the
arm
y he
com
man
ded.
The
RE
MH
I re
port
docu
men
ts th
ese
mas
sacr
es. O
ur S
tate
Dep
artm
ent e
vent
ually
kep
t a lo
wer
prof
ile in
its
appr
oach
to G
uate
mal
a, b
utth
e Pe
ntag
on m
aint
aine
d its
ties
with
trai
ning
and
dis
cree
t aid
. How
man
y of
the
sold
iers
and
thei
r co
mm
ande
rsst
udie
d at
the
Scho
ol o
f th
e A
mer
icas
atFo
rt B
eim
ing,
Ga.
?In
rec
ent y
ears
, our
pre
side
nts
have
open
ly w
elco
med
Gua
tem
ala
into
the
circ
le o
f "d
emoc
ratic
" co
untr
ies
inou
rhe
mis
pher
e, w
hile
igno
ring
the
publ
icfa
ctth
at p
oliti
cal m
urde
rsca
n be
com
mitt
edw
ith im
puni
ty. I
f al
l cou
ntri
es w
ithre
cord
s of
hum
an r
ight
s vi
olat
ions
wer
eju
dged
equ
ally
, Gua
tem
ala
wou
ldne
ver
be a
ccep
ted
as a
cou
ntry
of
dem
ocra
cy.
I am
ret
urni
ng to
Gua
tem
ala
inA
ugus
tan
d lo
ok f
orw
ard
to m
eetin
g w
ith th
ehe
roic
peo
ple
who
for
m th
eA
rchd
ioce
san
Hum
an R
ight
s C
omm
issi
on a
nd o
ther
hum
an r
ight
s gr
oups
. The
yar
e a
test
imon
y th
at, d
espi
te th
eco
st, p
eopl
ew
ill s
tand
up
and
spea
kth
e tr
uth.
It i
sIm
port
ant t
hat o
ur U
.S g
over
nmen
tde
clas
sify
all
docu
men
tsfr
om th
e 19
54co
up to
the
pres
ent s
o th
at w
e as
aco
untr
y do
not
sta
ndas
an
obst
acle
to th
etr
uth
bein
g kn
own.
Mar
ie D
es J
arla
isis
a s
iste
r w
ith th
e Fr
anci
scan
Sist
ers
of P
erpe
tual
Ado
ratio
n ba
sed
in L
a C
ross
e.
59
, ,riff j,r,"7-1a.et:J
-36
1F0 CIO GE EC LO
VE TUL. 60
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
lir- 44114w,---or I-
cokchiquel, mam y kekchi, son hablados parvorias comunidodes indigenas. En casi todasas areas turisticas, Ia mayorio de hoteles yalgunos restaurantes se habla ingles.
Demo raffia
Guatemala cuenta aproximadamente con 10' millones de habitantes. Un alto porcentajepertenece a los 21 grupos mayas que °On
Iconservan el patrimonio cultural 'egad° por susancestros. mientras que los habitantes de la costaCaribe recuerdan sus raices afrocaribeas.
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La Republica de Guatemala es unaaemocracia cuyo gobierno se encuentra
vidido en tres organismos: el Legislativo,e' Eiecutivo y el Judicial. Esta dividida en22 subdivisiones administrativas Ilamadasceoartamentos. los cuales. a su vez, eston,L;cciividicios en municipios.
_CA2101116
c; care es el principal product° de la economic,per° ei turismo. en los Ultimos arias, se ha.cc-,r;venido en el recurs() con el segundo lugarc:e importancia roam captor divisas extranieras.
De cuciquier manera, la agricultura es uncomponente importante de la economic. El
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Los buses urbanos y rurales le Ilevaran acualquier lugar que desee ir. Para necesidadesespecioles, existe alquiler de automoviles,buses, taxis, aviones y barcos.
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Guatemala es un buen lugar parocomprar textiles, madera talladaplata, joyeria de jade y muchas otrasartesanias. Los productos de mayo-demand° son las coloridas telastejidas a mono. Muchos poblados.como Chinautla, Son Luis Jilotepequey Rabinal, producen bellos y baratosobjetos ceramicos. El MercadoCentral en la ciudad de Guatemaicy el Mercado de Artesanias, cercodel aeropuerto, ofrecen una ampliaselection de artesanias. Algunasboutiques ofrecen row con diserios.contemporaneos, 'aclOrnada .conmotivos indigenas tradicionales.Mercaderia producido localmente.de alto calidad y marcas derenombre internacional puedenconseguirse en muchas tiendas.
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ercados coloridos. la pompa y el esplendore bs procesiones de Semona Santa, las
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III. Students will view and discuss the film "El Norte." Thisfilm was recently re-released for general viewing. (See attachedinformation)
Things to consider as students watch the film:
1. Where does the story begin?
2. When Enrique follows his father, his father speaks to himabout the native people's situation in Guatemala. His wordsare very important. What does he say?
3. Why are the workers killed?
4. Notice the use of the family's native language.
5. Notice that there are some differences in the Spanish youhear in the film vs. the Spanish you have learned in class(i.e. the use of yai instead of, as well as a difference in theinformal command forms).
6. Notice the symbolism in the film:a. round things (make a list)b. spider caught in webc. mother's necklaced. doorse. native flute musicf. Rosa changing clothes before the journeyg. fish in the basketh. father's hat
73
What others can you find?How do these symbols add meaning to the story?
7 What compromises do Rosa and Enrique make to survivein the outside world? (Rosa resorts to stealing, they selltheir mother's necklace, Enrique works as a waiter andbecomes "Ricky," Enrique considers leaving Rosa to workin Chicago.)
8. Define: coyoteLa Migrapisto - lanapochochicano
9. Contrast expectations vs. reality in the film.
10. Contrast Rosa and Enrique's life in Guatemala vs. thatin "El Norte," both positive and negative aspects of each.
11 Rosa and Enrique do encounter kindness in some of thepeople they meet. What are some examples? (their coyote,Nacha, Mrs. Rogers, the doctor, even Moctezuma to someextent)
Notice the importance of language in the film.(Rosa and Enrique are bilingual, they escape from theborder patrol by using a language ploy, Enrique getspromoted because he learns English quickly, Rosa needsNacha to communicate for her at the hospital.)
13. Nacha tells Enrique, "Rosa se puede morir, pero tu, yaestas muerto." (Rosa may die, but you are already dead!"What does she mean?
14. Discuss what Rosa means when she says "No hay lugar paranosotros." (There's no place for us.)
15. What is the significance of Enrique's situation at the endof the film.? (Recall his father's speech at the beginning ofthe film about "strong arms." And notice that he puts onhis father's hat.)
16. Discuss the meaning of all the circular symbols in the filmafter viewing the ending.
17. Have your attitudes toward minorities and/or immigrantschanged as a result of seeing this film? In what way?
75
executive profiles
.-ARTISAN ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES DOMESTICRIGHTS TO CLASSIC AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FILM,
EL NORTE.
Landmark Film To Be Screened at Stindance With Plans for Fall '99 Re-Release
Sundance Festival: Park Cit). UT (January 24.1999) -- Artisan Entertainment has acquiredall donicstic rights to the 1984 Oscar-nominated American independent classic El Norte.The film. which Artisan plans to release this Fall. was written by Gregory Nava and AnnaThomas and was produced by Thomas and directed by Nava. The movie -- which receivedenormous critical acclaim when first released -- w.as originally distributed by CinecomIni,:rnational. and the acquisition of El None reunites the film with Artisan EntertainmentPresident .Astir Malin. who was the President and CEO of Cinecom during the film'soriginal release. A special screening of El None will be presented at this year's SundanccFilm Fcsii al on Sunday. January 24.
\\ itii ;1,:colacles that ranged from being hailed as a masterpiece to being called "the first epicthe histor of .American independents." El None played for over one year in New York
and Los Angeles during its initial theatrical run. The film depicts the heroic talc of Rosaand Enrique. a brother and sister whose parents were killed in a war. as they endure atrca,:herotis journe to reach the American border and begin a new life in "El None."theI 'lined Suites. Notably. El None's gripping story led to it being the first the Americaninci,:pciident film to receive an Oscar nomination (for Best Original Screenplay). More'.
The Artisan theatrical re-release will be earmarked primarily toward a Latino audience. ad,:mographic large]) untapped during the original release of the film. In addition. Artisan;)i:hi re- release a state-of-the-an version of El Norte for the home video and MOmarkets The company's dedication to Latino audiences had been illustrated earlier with the,:onipan's acquisition of Alejandro Amcnabar's psychological thriller Open Your Eyes.starring Pent lope City and Eduardo Noriega 11. as well as:Wim Wenders' upcoming concertdo,:unwniar. The Buena Vista Social Club. Wenders! film.chroniclesi.the4friendship of theome of the greatest names in the history of Cuban music music from the 30's and 40's andtheir recent celebrated sell-out concerts in Amsterdam and New York's Carnegie Hall in theSpring of 199x.
"The life that El Norte has had. and the way the film has continued to move people over the;:an is xer gratif ing to me and Anna." said Nava. "Unfortunately the situation depictedin El None has only gotten worse over the years and so in a way the story of Rosa andEnrique is more topical today then when it was first released. Anna and I are excited that ae,11J1c. new generation of filmgoers will have a chance to see El Norte on the big screen." "Inan era ;\ here the Latino population and language are so much a part of U.S. culture. ElNone is more relevant than ever." said Malin. "We are proud to have acquired these rightsand believe that the triumph and hope that is portrayed in the film will resonate to audiencesof ;Ill ethnic backgrounds. Personally. I am happy to be in business again with Greg andAnna."
In addition to its Oscar nomination. El None was named to the U.S. Library of Congress
htto://www.artisanent.com/html/com/pre/pr012499b.html 2/21/00BEST COPY AVAILABLE
76
National Registry of Culturally Significant Films in 1995.
Other top honors include:Winner of the 19S4 Grand Prix des Ameriques Award at the Montreal Film FestivalWriters Guild of America nomination. Best Original Sereenpla
;nut's Film Festival. Official Selection1111:1'2.C11 Foundation. Imagen Award for Best Feature Film
Film Festival. Colon dc Oro
[lie El None a;:quisition was brokered on behalf of Gregor \ Nava and Anna Tboina,Ken Kaffillic of IC\l and by Amir Malin and Jerem Barber on behalf of AnisanUntenamment
Emenainment Inc.. is a diversified entertainment compan that specialties nt the.2lopment. production. acquisition. marketing and \\ orld-\\ ide distribution of qualit
featiire-length motion pictures. The company is comprised of four key groups: ArtisanPictures Inc.. Artisan Home Entertainment Inc.. Artisan Television and ArtisanInternational Artisan Entertainment Inc. controls a librar of more than 6.300 titles \\ Inchntclnic the res:entl added the Spelling Entertainment Group catalogue of films antiTerminator 2. Judgment Day. Reservoir Dogs. Dim Dancing. Total Recall. The Piano andthe Nuc,:::ssful Rambo series of films. as well as a library of widely recognized children'sprogramming under the Family Home Entertainment brand. The company 'minimills officestit t.o, Angeles. New York and Dallas.
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El Norte (1983)
Directed byGreitory Nava
Writing creditsGreizory.NayaAnna Thomas .(1)
Page 1 of 16 -
Mrsaalukuil.....a..ct.Buy Related:
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Genre: Drama (more)User Rating: y,, -11 T. 1«, 11k T., 7.5/10 (191 votes)(vote Here) -
Plot Summary: Mayan Indian peasants, tired of being thought of asnothing more than ... (more)
User Comments: THE BEST MOVIE MADE (more)
Cast overview:
Zaide SilyiaGutierrezDavid VillalpandoErnesto GOmez Cruz ..
Lupe OntiverosTrinidad SilvaAlicia del Lag°Abel FrancoEnrique CastilloTony PlanaDiane Civita\like Gomez (1)
Rosa Xuncax
.. Enrique Xuncax
.. Arturo Xuncax... Nacha
MocteLupe XuncaxRaimundo
JorgeCarlos
.. Alice HarperJaime
rest of cast listed alphabetically
Sergi Dagliana Olinto
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0085482
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Stand OutCritical and popularfavorite American Beautystood out at this year'sGolden Globes as theonly film to win in mutiplecategories. Be sure tocheck out the OfficialAmerican Beauty WebSite, where you'll find alarge library of photos,complete cast info,including interviews, andeven e-cards with imagesfrom the film.
Giuseppe Furia
Palo. Hende
Christina Kokubo
Georile O'Hanlon
Sabina Vannucchi .... RosaEraclip Zepeda .... Pedro
(how More
.... RequiemDilvo
.... English teacher
Runtime: USA 139Country: t..,!$,N -
Language: Spanish / EnglishColor: ColorCertification: USA:R / UK: 1
User Comments:
Paul_ ( I ikpablito.com)Long Beach, California
Date: 11 December 1998Summary: THE BEST MOVIE MADE
This film portrays the plight of 2 illegal immigrants, asthey flee to the U.S. from Guatemala. But this movie ismuch, MUCH more than that. It cuts through all thestereotypes and attitudes the socially and economicallyprivileged harbor against the foreigner. You need notknow English or Spanish to understand this movie,because you feel everything so completely through the twomain characters.
Anyone with any heart at all will enjoy this movie. Withtypical latin fatalism, this movie illustrates how peoplemust sometimes bear the unbearable, because they have noother choice.
Check for other user comments.
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Message BoardsDiscuss this movie with other users onIM.iDb inessaue board for El Norte t I Q83)
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IV. Students will divide up into pairs or small groups totranslate, from Spanish to English, short passages from thechildren's picture book entitled "Nosotros y Nosotras TambienTenemos Derechos." ( "We Have Ri2hts, Too") (copy attached)Then. students will reunite as a class to share what they havetranslated in the order presented in the book. If there is time,they might want to color the pages they translated. (Even highschool students still like to color!)
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
81
Nosotros y nosotras tambientenemos derechos
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Universidad Rafael Landivar Autor: Luis Javier CrisostomoInstitute de Linguistica y Educa ci4n Ilustradora: Mayra Fong Rodriguez
82
Titulo original:
EX ITE" QOKLENA AWOYA Q'A EX AWOYA TXIN
© 1998, Universidad Rafael Landivar, instituro de UngUistica.
Coleccion:Serie:Area:Director de !a coleccion:Autor:Troductor a: casrellano:ilustradcroDiacramoc:)r:Correa lora cc orrografia y revisora de estilo:
Universiocci Rafael Landivar, Institute de Linabistica
Materiales Educativos, No. 128Castellano, No. 34Estudios Sociales, No. 2Manuel Salazar TetzagUicLuis Javier CrisostomoLuis Javier Crisostomotvlayra Fong RodriguezCarlos Rafael Figueroar-Iclrici L. Estrada C.
Eaucc.,cion, 1999.
83 BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Presentacion
En el ambiente guatemalteco de hoy, mucho se habla de .
as derechos humanos, especialmente de los derechosclelos ninos y ninas.
Nosotros y nosotras tambien tenemos derechos, es unpequeno libro de lectura dirigido a estudiantes de la escuelaprimaria bilingue, cuyo objetivo es lograr que el nino y la ninase vayan enterando de sus derechos a traves de lecturassencillas y faciles de comprender y, al mismo tiempo,despertar el interes por la lectura y la escritura en su Ienguamaterna,
Este libro se caracteriza por presentar textos sencillos, lOxicoconocido y un contenido que se refiere a coda uno de losderechos y algunos de los deberes de los ninos y las ninas.
Se sugiere que el use de este libro se complemente .conlecturas individuales, lecturas en grupo, que sirvan comoreferencia para dialogos y reuniones con padres de familiay maestros.
Tambien puede estar este libro de lectura en la bibliotecadel aula para que los ninos y ninas lo utilicen de manera libre.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
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Tenemos derecho a la vida.Por eso, la vida de nosotros y nosotras
debe ser protegida.
86
Tenemos derecho a tener un nombre.Cuando papc5 y mama seleccionen nuestro nombre,
deben inscribirnos en el Registro Civil.Puede ser un nombre maya o cualauier otro.
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-Tenemos derecho a tener una nacionalidad.Nadi en la comunidad lingOistica Mom;
por eso, soy parte del pueblo maya.Los mayas son parte de Guatemala;
por eso soy guatemalteco.
9
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. Tenemos derecho a vivir en un lugar sano,donde haya &boles,
donde todo sea alegria.
90
No podemos vivirdonde haya mucha basura ni
donde haya mucho ruido.
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Tenemos derecho a ser iguales:Los ninos y ninas garifunas,
los ninos y ninas ladinos,los ninos y ninas mayas,los ninos y ninas xinkas.
Tenemos derecho a la salud.No debemos permitir que la enfermedad nos invada.
Y si nos enfermamos,que nos lleven at Centro de Salud.
'
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
. Tenemos derecho a alimentarnos bien, ysi estamos desnutridos, nos deben alimentar.Debemos corner varias clases de verduras.Debemos corner granos: frijol, arroz, maiz...
buen maiz para hacer ricas tortillas.Tambien debemos corner frutas: duraznos, manzanas, naranjas, etc.
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Podemos jugar en la casa con nUestros hermanosy en la escuela con nuestros companeros.
A troves del juego, aprendemos a compartiry a respetarnos unos a otros.
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Tenemos derecho a conocer nuestra cornunidad MaM:6CuOntos hablan Mam?
,Cual es su territorio?,Que cites tiene?
tCuales son sus costumbres?
Tenemos derecho a conocer Guatemala:su territorio,
su flora y su fauna,su produccion,
sus pueblos y sus habitantes.
Tenemos derecho a conocer la historia,tanto Ia de Ia comunidad Mom comoIa de los ladinos, los garifunas y los xinkas.
Tcrrnbien nosotros, los ninos y las ninas especiales,
tenemos nuestros derechos.Somos especiales los ninos y las ninas
que no podemos ver,que no podemos hablar,
que no podemos caminar.Somos especiales, pero podemos
it a la escuela y ayudara nuestros padres en muchas tareas del hogar.
Nos deben proteger contra las drogas y Ia violencia:el cigarro nos afecta Ia salud;
si nos pegan, nos entristecemos;si nos discriminan, no participamos;
si hay pleitos en casa, no crecemos felices ni sanos.
Tenemos derecho a que nos atiendanantes que a todos lOs demos
cuando hay terremotos,cuando hay huracanes,
y cuando hay inundaciones.
1
Muchos ninos y ninas trabajamosy ayudamos a nuestras familias
a ganar un poco de dinero.Pero nos deben dar solo el trabajo que podamos hacer para
que asi tambien tengamos tiempo' para jugar y estudiar.
Hay leyes que nos protegen.El gobierno debe dar a conocer nuestros derechos
a las familias, a los patronos y a las institucionespara que entre todos se construya el ambiente
que necesitamos los ninos y.las
rNinos y ninas tenemos derecho a participar
en Ia escuela,en Ia comunidad
y durante los juegos.
Tenemos derecho a conocer y practicar los valores
y la cultura de nuestros padres.
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Tenemos derecho a vivir en paz:queremos un pueblo
donde no haya discriminacion,donde no hayan guerras,donde no haya pobreza,
donde no haya ignorancia.
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V. Students will view teacher-generated slides from Guatemalaand discuss such topics as daily life, housing, education,subsistence farming, religion, markets, textiles, and language.
VI. Students will listen to part of a tape of one of the twenty-one Maya languages just to get a feel for the sound of it.The tape is titled "Junp'iit Maaya" ( "A Little Bit of Maya"),and it includes the alphabet, common phrases, and a few songs.(copy of accompanying booklet attached)
They will also have the opportunity to see and compare theSpanish version and the Kaqchikel version of a children's storycalled "Ixkab, the Little Girl who Reached the Stars andHappiness."
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A LITTLE BIT Of MAYA
This audio and accompanying written textfor beginners of the Yucatec Maya language
was produced, copyrightedand made available
(with funds provided by theUnited States Department of Education)
byThe Outreach Office of
The Duke-University of North CarolinaProgram in Latin American Studies
Chapel Hill, North Carolina1995
11.5
PREFACE
Jun P'iit Maaya - A little bit of Maya has been an ongoing project of the OutreathOffice of the Duke-University of North Carolina Program in Latin American StudieS for overtwo years. It was created because of an actual demand on the part of that large publicengaged in all things Mayan. Many students, and community members, who are not ableto take the Duke-UNC Program's Summer Intensive Introductory Course in Yucatec Mayanor able to enroll in a Maya language course in a nearby college or university, call ouroffices asking for a beginner's language tape. These people travel to the Yucatanpeninsula, entertain Maya visitors in their US communities, or just want to know what Mayasounds like. This tape is for those and others who may find that "a little bit of Maya" takesthem a long way or who, perhaps fascinated by the language, decide to pursue it further.
I would like to thank everyone who worked hard at various stages of this project.First of all my thanks to the four "voices" - Barbara MacLeod, Refugio Vermont Salas,Gretchen Whalen and Robert Howren who spent hours helping to write the material usedand more hours inside a studio recording it. Thanks to Miguel Gtliemez for editing thematerial and checking and rechecking the Maya, to Todd Marshall for typing the text, toSilvia Gonzalez for her layout and design and to Jerry Markatos for his endless hours ofrecording, editing, and looking for the perfect nuances to make this educational cassettethe best we could collectively produce.
Sharon S. MujicaChapel Hill, North CarolinaSeptember, 1995
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
MAYA ALPHABET
The alphabet used in this text is as follows:
CONSONANTS:
Undlottalized: Glottalized:
bch ch'
k k'
mn
P'
t t'ts ts'wxy
(d, f, g, and r are borrowed from Spanish, in other words, we use theseconsonants to write Spanish words introduced into Maya).
VOWELS:
V (Neutral) a e i o u
V' (Glottalized) a' e' o' u'W (High long) ea" ee ii 6o Ciu
W (Low long) as ee ii oo uuV'V (Rearticulated) a'a e'e o'o u'u
117
The following are some expressions and words which will be useful to
students and travelers to the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize. (The Maya
expression will be given _first, then the English, then the Maya again.)
1. Bix a beet?How are you?
2. Cheen beya' // chan ma'alob // tooj in wool.So-so // okay // I'm feeling good.
3. Bix a klaaba'?What's your name?
4. Tene' Refugio in k'aaba'.As for me, my name is Refugio.
5. Kux teech?And you?
6. Jach ki'imak in wool in wilikech.I'm very happy to see you.
7. Beyxan teen.Me too.
8. Ba'ax ka beetik?What are you doing?
9. Cheen taan in xook // p'o' // janal // paak // je'elel.I'm just reading 11 washing // eating //weeding // resting.
10. Tu'ux a taal /1 tu'ui a kaajal?Where do you come from? // Where is yourhometown?
11. Tene' Jo' in taal // Tene' Jo' in kaajal.As for me, I'm from Merida // As for me, Merida is my hometown.
12. Naach wa Jo' waye'?Is Merida far from here?
11.8
PR
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13. Ma' seen naachr // chan naach.Not very far// quite far.
14. Tu'ux yaan junpieel restaurant?Where is a restaurant?
15. Bix u ya'ala'aI casa ich Maya?How is "house" said in Maya?
16. Tu'ux ka bin?Where are you going?
17. Taut in bin xiinbal // maan II lawik // tin wotoch.I'm going walking // shopping // to the square // to my house.
18. Bix u k'aaba' le maako'?What is that person's name?
19. Lelo' Juan u k'aaba'.His name is Juan.
20. Ko'ox janal // uk'ul // meyaj // baaxal // Ook'ot // Yucatan.Let's eat /I have breakfast /I work / /play // dance // go to Yucatan.
21. Ko'oten waye' Julio.Come here, Julio.
22. Jayp'eel ja'ab yaan tech?How old are you?
23. Tene' 20 ja'ab yaan ten.Me, I'm 20 years old.
24. Tsiaaten junp'iit ja' // janal // ts'aak // uk'ul // sa'.Give me a little water // food /I medicine // to drink (or breakfast) // atole.
MORE VOCABULARY
1 bak' meat 41. nikte' may flower2. ba'ax what 42. no'oj right/correct3. ba'al thing 43. nojoch big4. ja' water 44. nook' clothing5. jats'uts nice 45. p'ook hat6. k'aaba' name 46. bcioch' shawl7. k'ab hand/arm 47. k'uchul to arrive8. maan shopping 48. bin to go9. maan pass by 49. taal to come
10. ma' no 50. maak person11. naj house 51. xiib male12. waye' here 52. xch'uup female13. xanab shoe 53. xch'uupal girl14. bej road 54. ko'olel , woman15. beya' this way 55. xaman north16. beyo' that way 56. nojol south17. lela' this one 57. lak'in east18. leti' he/she/it 58. chik'in west19. letio'ob they20. peek' dog NUMBERS:21. miis cat 1 jun one22. teen /// am 2. ka'a two23. teech you/you are 3. oox three24. te'ex y`a///ysall are 4. kan four25. beetik to do 5. jo'o five26. meentik to do 6. wak six27. te'ela' in this place 7. uk seven28. te'eio' in that place 8. waxak eight29. k'iiwik square/plaza 9. bolon nine30. chital to lie down 10. lajun ten31. chilen lie down 11. buluk eleven32. ko'oj expensive 12. ka'alajun twelve33. koonol selling 13. ooxlajun thirteen34. ko'ox let's go 14. kanlajun fourteen35. ko'oten come 15. jo'olajun fifteen36. to'on welwe are 16. waklajun sixteen37. k'oja'anen I'm sick 17. uklajun seventeen38. k'oja'anech you're sick 18. waxaklajun eighteen39. k'oja'anil sickness 19. bolonlajun nineteen40. lool flower 20. k'aal twenty
This is the correct Mayan Equivalent of 1-20. However, today the Maya use the Spanish numbers
beginning with four.
INVENTIONS
These represent translations in the Maya of the names of modern or introducedinventions. They are not in wide usage except as humorous expressioni.
tsiimin k'dak'(horse) (fire)locomotive literally "fire-horse"
kiis buuts'(fart) (smoke)automobile literally "smoke-fart"
balak' t'iinchak ookbicycle literally "roll, kick, pedal"
xt'in k'danil paaxguitar literally "stretched -string instrument"
u nu'ukul ch'a' oochelcamera literally "instrument for taking images"
naachil e'esaj oocheltelevision literally "faraway display of images"
TON6UE TWISHRS
Ts'o'ok wa a ts'aik u ts'ook u ts'aak le ts'uulo'?Have you given the master his last medicine?
J xiik ts'onta'ab u sak bak'el u tseem ch'oom yciold u igleesiail Dzan.The vulture was shot in the chest over the church of Dzan.
1521
Prophecies
These prophecies are part of the Maya oral tradition and have been passeddown through many generations.
Ba'ax kun uuchul ti' ukaajil Maayapaan?
Le jajal k'uj ku taal te' ka'ano'cheen tu yo'IaI k'eban bin t'aanak.Cheen k'eban ken u ka'ansej.Jach k'asa'an wiinik u ajk'atuno'ob.Jach k'asa'an u ajts'its'ik peek'o'ob.
Nu'ukbesabae'ex a muk'yajte'ex ukuuchil ootsilil, ku taal ta kaajale'ex.Tumen le k'atuna' u k'atunil ootsilil.U k'atunil ba'ate'eI yeetel k'aas.
Biin k'uchuk u k'iinil u yu'uba'aI u t'aanjuntuul maak kex tu piktanil naachil yaan.Teche' ki' kulukbalech ta wotoch thana wu'uyik u t'aan ba'ale' ma' thanu paajtal a wilik tumen jach naach yaan.
What is going to happen to Mayapan?
That true God who comes from heavenonly about sins he will speak.He will only teach about sin.His warriors are very bad people.His mean dogs are very bad.
Be prepared to suffer thatpoverty which comes to your town.Because this next twenty year period,it will be twenty years of poverty.Twenty years of fighting evil.
There will be a day when you will beable to hearsomebody speaking even.though he's thousands of miles away.You'll be pleasantly sitting in your househearing him speak but you won't be
ableto see him because he is far away.
6
122
ri
rill
rlri Dialogue
1. Ola Barbara.Hi, Barbara.
2. Ola Refugio, ki'imak in wool in wilikech.Hello Refugio, I'm happy to see you.
3. Beyxan teen. Tu'ux ka cheen bin?Me too. Where are you going?
4. Tam in bin xiimbal.I'm going walking.
5. Tene' taan in bin ts'a xook.As for me, I'm going to teach.
6. Than a bin ts'a xook? Ba'ax ka ka'ansik?You are going to teach? What do you teach?
7. Maaya kin ka'ansik.I teach Maya.
8. A wojel wa tu'ux ku ko'onol iipilo'ob ye'etel p'Ook?Do you know where huipiles and hats are sold?
9. Ma' in jach ojeli'. Ba'ale', in tuklike' te' to noj najil ku koonolo'obyani'.I don't really know. The thing is, I think they're at that big store; they mighthave them.
10. Uuchak wa a tsolik ten bix je'el u paajtal in bine'e'?Could you explain to me how I can go there.
11. Je'ele'. Ya'ab wa ken a mani'?Sure: Will you buy many of them?
12. Ma' jach ya'abi'. Kex ooxp'eel.Not very many. About three.
13. Utia'al a buukint wa teech?Are they for you?
I 2 3
14. Junp'eele' intia'al teen. Junp'ee le' utia'aI in kiik yeetel junp'eele'utia'aI u kiik u yiicham.One is for me. One is for my sister and one is for her husband's sister.
15. Kux hiun p'ook?How about hats then?
16. Lelo' miin cheen junpseei ken in mani'.I-think 1'11 just buy one of them.
17. Je'elo' ma'alob. Xeen te' juntoja'.O.K. then. Go this way straight ahead.
18. Jach junto] kin bin?I just go straight ahead?
19. Le ken k'uchukech te' tu'ux ku tu'uxta'al ts'iibbil ju'uno', ka tse'elel toxno'oj.When you arrive there at the post office, you turn to your right.
20. Naach wa te' tu'ux ku tu'uxta'al ju'uno'?Is it far from the post office?
21. Ma' naachi. Le ken k'uchukeche', chika'an.Not far. When you arrive there, you will see it.
22. Wa bixe', kin k'datik ti' wa ma'ax te'elo'.In case, I'll ask somebody there.
23. Lelo' beyxan, pero in tuklike' ma' than a sa'atal.Oh yes, but I think you won't get lost.
24. Ma'alob ttiun Refugio. Dios bo'otik teech.Fine then, Refugio. Thank you.
25. Mixba'aI Barbara, ka xi'ik tech utsil.You're welcome, Barbara. Good luck to you.
26. Beyxan teech.To you also.
End of Side I
8X24
a
PARTS OF THE BODY:
pool, jo'olu tso'otsel poolchi'ni'k'abpu'uchookichin wichplixxikin
C
ANIMALS:
HERE ARE SOME USEFUL WORDS:
headhair (of the head)mouthnosehand or armbackfooteye or facemy eye or my facekneeear
kaax chickent'eel roostermils catpeek' dogtsiimin horsewakax cowkseek'en piguulum turkeyti ul rabbit
chiichsuku'uniits'inkiikaabililibja'anpaalchaanpalchaanbalxch'uupxch'Oupalxlook'bayanko'olelxiibxi'ipaltaankelem
maak
wiinik
b
COLORS:
sakchakboox, eekl*k'aank'anya'axch'ooj
whiteredblackyellowgreenblue
*boox is the modem word for"black." eek' is archaic for "black,"but its modern meaning is "dark,"or "dirty."
d
FAMILY:
grandmotherolder brotheryounger siblingolder sistergrandchilddaughter in lawson in lawchildbabybabyfemalegirl, unmarried womanolder girl, young womanwoman, married womanmaleboyyoung boy, young man,
teenagerman, person of eithergender (people)
man or person
25
Her
e is
a s
ampl
e of
iam
"phr
ases
:H
ere
are
som
e m
ore
phra
ses:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11.
uk'a
jen
wi'i
jen
klilk
aben
ke'e
len
k'oj
a'an
en
ka'a
na'a
nen
saat
alen
chili
kbal
en
kulu
kbal
en
6ots
ilen
ayik
'ale
n
I am
thirs
ty
I am
hun
gry
I am
sw
eatin
g
I am
col
d
I am
sic
k
I am
tire
d
I am
lost
I am
lyin
g do
wn
I am
sitt
ing
I am
poo
r
I am
ric
h
Md
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
126
In k
'aat
bin
Uxm
al.
I wan
t to
go to
Uxm
al.
See
n ja
ts'u
ts le
way
a'.
Thi
s pl
ace
here
is v
ery
nice
.
Bix
ma'
il, s
een
uts
tin w
ich.
Of c
ours
e, I
like
it ve
ry m
uch.
Baj
ux le
ja'a
so'?
How
muc
h is
that
ban
ana?
Ko'
ox x
linba
l k'li
wik
.Le
t's ta
ke a
wal
k to
the
plaz
a.
In le
aat i
n m
an ts
'e'e
ts'e
k ba
'alo
'ob.
I wan
t to
buy
som
e th
ings
.
Ba'
ax a
leaa
t a m
anej
?W
hat w
ould
you
like
to b
uy?
Ma'
alob
tuun
, ko'
ox.
O.K
. the
n, le
t's g
o.
amar
yllis
I' N
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1.27
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ola xunian.Hello lady.
Ola, bix a beef?Hello, how are you?
Cheen beya', kux teech?So so, and you?
Beyxan teen. Bix a k'aaba'?Me, too. What's your name?
Tene' Refugio in k'aaba', kuxteech?As for me, my name is Refugio,and you?
6. Tene' Barbara in k'aaba'.As for me, Barbara is my name.
7. Jach ki'imak in wool ink'ajooltikech.I'm very happy to know you.
8. Beyxan teen. Tu'ux ka bin?Me too. Where are you going?
9. Than in bin jmaan.I'm going shopping.
10. Beyxan teen. Tin bin jmaan.Me too. I'm going shopping.
11. Yaan in manik ja'as, ch'ujukpak'fial, chakalja'as yeeteljunpleel oon.I have to buy bananas, sweetoranges, mamey and anavocado.
12. Tene' leabeet ten p'aak, bu'ul,iik, yeetel ixi'im.
As for me, I need tomatoes,beans, squash, chile and corn.
13. Bajux a tuklilc le ba'ax leabeetin maniko'? .
How much do you think it wouldcost, what I need to buy?
14. Ma' seen ko'oji'. Kex $20.00tilumben pesos wale'.Not very expensive. Around 20new pesos perhaps.
15. Teche' maas chan ya'ab ba'alken a manej?As for you, will you buy a fewmore things?
16. Chan ya'ab, ba'ale' ma' jachko'oj xa.A few more, the thing is not veryexpensive.
17. Tu'ux a thal teech, Barbara?Where are you from, Barbara?
18. Tene' Estados Unidos in taal.As for me, I'm from the UnitedStates.
19. Ma'alob tOun pfialik in bin. Kaxi'ik tech utsil.Well then I guess I'll go. Goodluck to you.
20. Beyxan teech. Tu laak'To you also. Until another day.
21. Tak to Mak' klin.Until another day.
1.28
TOWNS
The names of the towns in Yucatan are related with the history of eachplace, and they are very descriptive. Here we have some of them:
O Jo': Five, the Maya name of Merida.
Tixkokob: Place of snakes called xleooksob very common
in Yucatan; nonpoisonous
0 Dzilbilchaltan: Written-on rock.
0 Chichen Itza: The edge of the well of the ltza.
0 Uxmal: Ooxmaal, three times.
0 Tekax: Into the jungle.
0 Saki': The white falcon (Maya name of Valladolid)
0 Acanceh: Moaning deer.
0 Oxkutzcab: Three, tobacco plant, and honey.
O Tzucacab: A portion of good soil.
soNGs
Mayabil - El Caminante del Mayab
These lyrics are the inspiration of Antonio Mediz Bolio and the music of oneof the greatest guitar players of the Trova Yucateca, Guty Cardenas (AugustoCardenas Pinelo).
Yuum Ajxiinbal, Yuum AjxiinbalKa bin ti' le bejo'obo'Ti' le Ouchben bejo'obo°U bejil Mayab...
Chilunktin ka wilik u k'aak'ilU xiik' juntOul XtakayKa wilik yeetel aaksab,U leetsebal yich Xkookay.
Yuum Ajxiinbal, Yuum AjxiinbalKa wu'uyik ok'om k'aayU k'aay chan ch'ooj TsuutsuyKa wu'uyik yel u yawatJunt6u1 Pu'ujuy.
) 0 )
Lyrics: Antonio Mediz BolioMusic: Guty Cardenas PineloTrans.: Refugio Vermont Salas
Yuum Ajxiinbal, Yuum AjxiinbalKa bin ti' le bejo'obo'A'al ten wa to wilajU chikpajal...
Bey junp'eel sasak mtiuyalJtaale' ka jka'a binijWA xan ta wusuy junp'ael k'aayJe'ebix u k'aay ko'olel.
Yuum Ajxiinbal, Yuum AjxiinbalTe' yOoksol xan in beelo'Sak muuyal tin wilajTin wu'uyaj xan le k'aayo'Juntilul ootsil maaken.
Yuum Ajxiinbal, Yuum Ajxiinbal.
Y30
sollgs
Kin wa'alik ti' tech - Te vengo a decir
)
This song is a translation in Maya of the song "Te Vengo a Decir," "I'm coming
to Tell You" in Spanish. It is sung in the evangelical churches of Spanish
speaking countries.
Kin wa'alik ti' techKin wa'alik ti' techKili'ich ajlojilJach in yaamaechJach in yaamaechTu jaajil in wool.
Kin wa'alik ti' techKin wa'alik ti' techJach u jaajililIn yaamaech yuntsilIn yaamaech yuntsilTu jaajil in wool.
Tene' tak in k'aayTene' tak in k'aayTy6olal ki' 6olalTak xan in wok'olTak xan in wok'olTyOolal ki'imak 6ol.
Kin wa'alik ti' techKin wa'alik ti' techJach u jaajililIn yaamaech yuntsilIn yaamaech yuntsilTu jaajil in wool
14 131
=t.T
I) 4 4 4 I) 4Ootsil chichan chillchi - The Poor Little Bird
This song speaks about a little bird who wants to get married but he was.very poor
and when he said this, different kinds of animals came to help him. The little fish
that was at the edge of the ocean answered that he would give him money for the
wedding. The cow that was in the field said he would give the bread or the cake.
The caterpillar on the leaf of the plant would make adress. The cardinal that was in
a branch of the ramon tree answered that he would give the ornament for the
bride's hair. The armadillo, who was under the ground, told him that he would give
the music.
Ootsil chichan ch'iich'U k'aat ts'o'ok(o)I u beelBa'ale' ba'ax u'usikMina'an u taak'nilKu miukik chan kayYanil tu jfial ja'Uuchuk .ts'o'okol bee!Teen ts'aik u
Ootsil chichan ch'iich'U k'aat ts'o'ok(o)I u beelBa'ale' ba'ax u'usikMina'an u waajilKu nuukik xnuk wakaxXaklik ti' chak'anUuchuk ts'o'okol beelTeen ts'aik u waajil
Ootsil chichan ch'iich'U k'aat ts'o'ok(o)I u beetBa'ale' ba'ax u'usikMina'an u nook'iIKu nuukik chan xnook'olTak'lik tu le' xiiwUuchuk ts'o'okol beelTeen ts'aik u nook'il.
Ootsil chichan ch'iich'U k'aat ts'o'ok(o)I u beetBa'ale' ba'ax u'usikMina'an u siintailKu miukik xchakTuchlik tu k'ab boxUuchuk ts'o'okol beelTeen ts'aik u siintail
Ootsil chichan ch'iich'U k'aat ts'o'ok(o)I u beelBa'ale' ba'ax u'usikMina'an u paaxilKu miuklk chan weechYanil yfianal lu'umUuchuk ts'o'okol bee!Teen ts'aik u paaxil
Ootsil chichan chinch'U k'aat ts'o'ok(o)I u beetBa'ale' ba'ax u'usikJach mixba'al yaan ti'Ku naukik ba'alche'o'obYaanil ti' yiax klaxTo'one' ki'imak k oolTo'on ts'aik tulaakal.
151 3 2
VII. Students will read and discuss two poems by HumbertoAk'abal, an indigenous Guatemalan poet. The two poems are"And Nobody Sees Us" and "The Mecapal."
Y NADIE NOS VE
La llama de nuestra sangre arde,inapagable
a pesar del viento de los siglos.
Callados,
canto ahogado,
miseria con alma,tristeza acorralada.
iAy, quiero llorar a gritos!
Las tierras que nos dejanson las laderas,
las pendientes:los aguaceros poco a poco las lavan
y las arrastran a las planadasque ya no son de nosotros.
Aqui estamosparados a la orilla de los caminoscon la mirada rota por una lagrima...
Y nadie nos ye.
AND NOBODY SEES US
The flame of our blood burnsinextinguishablein spite of the wind of centuries.
We do not speak,
our songs caught in our throats,misery with spirit,sadness inside fences.
Ay, I want to cry screaming!
The lands they leave for usare the mountain slopes,the steep hills:little by little the rains wash themand drag them to the valleysthat are .no -longer ours.
Here we are
standing on roadsideswith our sight broken by a tear. ...
And nobody sees us.
"And Nobody Sees Us"Discussion Questions1. What is the effect of using the terms "flame" and "blood" in
the first line?
2. Explain "We do not speak . . " Why not?
3. What reality about the Maya's land does Ak'abal refer to?
4. What is the effect of the last line?
El Mecapal
Paranosotroslos indios
el cielo terminadonde comienzael mecapal.
The Mecapal
Forusindians
the sky endswhere the headstrapbegins.
1. What is a mecapal?
2. For what is it used?
3. What does it symbolize in this poem?
4. What is the double meaning of cielo in the Spanish
version? How does that add to the poignancy of the poem?
5. These poems were originally written in the Maya language ofK'iche'. Compare the Spanish and the English versions ofthe poems. How do they differ? Why isn't the Englishversion a word-for-word translation?
;
Sources
Ak'abal, Humberto, Poems I Brought Down from the Mountain,Nineties Press, Minneapolis MN, 1999
Crisostomo, Luis Javier, Nosotros y Nosotras Tambien TenemosDerechos, Universidad Rafael Landivar, 1999.
"El Norte," Artisan Entertainment, a film directed by GregoryNava, 1983.
"Junp'iit Maya (A Little Bit of Maya)," an educational cassettetape, Outreach Office, Duke-University of North Carolina,1995.
Lima, Ricardo, bckab, la Nifia que Alcamo las Estrellas y laFelicidad, Spanish and Kaqchikel Versions, UniversidadRafael Landivar, 1993.
Perera, Victor, Unfinished Conquest, The Guatemalan Tragedy,University of California Press, 1993.
Various travel brochures from the Guatemalan Chamber ofTourism and the Guatemalan Tourist Commission.
i37
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