Rigoberta Mechú, The Sequel

I, Rigoberta Menchú at first seems like an autobiography, but that is not what it is meant to be. Menchú wrote the book as a testimony of her people's lives to be a voice for her people and show the world what is going on. There was a lot of controversy about whether Rigoberta deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, and if this book should be taught to students. There are allegations that she fabricated a lot of the story. People say that the book is not an accurate portrayal of her life. Considering that Menchú said, "I'd like to stress that it's not only my life, it's also the testimony of my people", the reader should know that this book was not meant to be an autobiography. Menchú powerfully explains the

The author of this book is Juan Jose Arevalo and he was a professor of philosophy who became Guatemala’s first democratically elected president in 1944. He was elected after a popular uprising against the United States, backed by Dictator Jorge Ubico, which began the Guatemalan Revolution. He stayed in office until 1951 and had survived 15 coup attempts. During his presidency he had passed several social reform policies that included an increase in minimum wage and a series of literacy programs. He also directed and ministered the drafting of a new constitution in 1945. Arevalo focused much on the need of advancement with individuals and communities. After he was exiled as being a university professor he went back to Guatemala to help the new post-Ubico government, focusing on the areas of social security and drafting of a new constitution. He developed the term “spiritual socialism”, in which he defined his political philosophy as. The philosophy was pointed towards the moral development of Guatemalans with the intent to liberate man psychologically. Arevalo strongly believed that this theoretical doctrine was vital to the making of a progressive and peaceful Guatemalan society. He felt in order to create an ideal society it was necessary to allow the citizens the freedom to pursue their own opinions, property, and way of life. He proclaimed that protecting the freewill of the citizens creates more support for governmental institutions, which in turn ensures the security of

All they wanted was an answer to one question “Where were their children? Their sons and daughters were “missing” and all they were told was” We don’t have any answers! The citizens were afraid, even high authorities of religious groups turned a blind eye. In 1977, with Argentina under a violent military dictatorship, a group of mostly house wives living in a fear oppressed state made a stand and found their voice. They demanded to be heard and while the regime was enforcing their control and power over Argentinians political views through torture and disappearance; a mother’s devotion to her child and the political resistance transformed these mothers into a political force. They are the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, who effectively mounted a civil rights movement that forced the top military officials to be charged for their crimes and have sustained an

People in Central America especially, long to have their basic necessities met. Visiting Guatemala and Mexico at the age of ten was a hard site to see. Kids walking on the street barefoot not because they wanted to, but they had no money to buy shoes. Making their dirty feet ache at night. Wearing the same clothes full of filth because they could not afford to buy clothes and soap. Parents struggling to provide for their family. They would often sent their child to school without lunch, making it hard for the student to concentrate at school. Any little money counts and they would make it last. Yet they were so welcoming and loving to guest. They had nothing to offer but the little they had they would offer. Family’s full of frustration and no hope turn to the journey of going to “el Norte”. Hoping to have a better life and help their family improve their social status.

In 1964, Guatemala was being run by a military junta, violence was a part of every day life, the economy was in shambles, and jobs were scare (Cuevas, 2011). It was in this setting that a young man, my future father-in-law, took a chance at a better life for he and his family. Enticed by rumors of prosperity in the United States, Alex and his brother Rene saved their money to journey to Chicago, leaving their families behind in a search for hope that was borne of desperation. Alex left his wife Ruth with 20 Guatemalan Quetzal, the equivalent of $20 dollars, and their three children, Vivien, 5, Ingrid, 3, and Marvin, a newborn baby. What experience lay in store for he and his family? How would they fare in an unknown country, without

Guatemala is a beautiful country that is known for its many Mayan cites, rich culture and its wide rainforest. The country has volcanos, delicious foods and a wonderful atmosphere that make for a rich tourist attraction. But the country has a history that isn’t as wonderful as I have made it sound. This country has endured a very tragic Civil War that started in 1960 and ended in 1996. This 36 year war was devastating to this country because of the many deaths that had happened and because of all of the tragic moments that happened within the span of the war. The Guatemalan Civil War was one of the many acts of genocide that have happened all around the world but even though there were many tragedies this country has developed past it and become the beautiful

During Enrique’s home life he has dealt with many obstacles that shape his decision of setting forth into the United States. The average American will need to get an insight about the struggles and difficulties migrants like Enrique must face in their journeys north and what they endure in the United States after they arrive. Enrique’s hand of justice has been quite different than the average American because of the strong economic disadvantages, his childhood and family struggles, and his journey north to be reunited with his mom. In this essay I will begin to tell you about Enrique’s pre-birth/childhood, his neighborhood, and his journey in Honduras and the United States.

People come to America in order to seek the freedom to life, speech, education, jobs, and free will. Back in Guatemala, Estevan and Esperanza’s daughter Ismene was “taken in a raid on their neighborhood”(183). This unjust treatment causes Estevan and Esperanza to strengthen their will to escape out of the country. So after many difficulties, they are able to escape out of Guatemala and enter America. However, soon after the entrance into America, they face the American discriminated society.. The Americans negative attitude towards Indians causes them to live in fear and discomfort everyday. But, even after all those hardships, they are still willing to stay in America. Their will to remain in America is so strong that they “sacrifice their

Living in a nation rocked to its core by dictatorial repression and civil war has taught the Guatemalan the importance of silence. It is an unspoken rule to detach oneself from certain memories, to forget the horrifying tragedies and the pain. Silence on the Mountain author Daniel Wilkinson, however, is an outsider, a stranger to the Guatemalan people both in his appearance and his tendency to ask questions about sensitive topics. Yet, his status as an outsider frees him from certain societal expectations, such as the maintenance of the Guatemalan culture of silence. For this reason, Wilkinson is able to investigate a crucial, yet mostly unaddressed, part of Guatemalan history—the Agrarian Reform of 1952. Through the course of his research,

I attended the Common Reader Event El Otro Lado: Central American Perspectives on Immigration. Throughout the duration of this event two immigrants (Gloria from Guatemala and Christian from Honduras) shared the stories of their journeys, what the immigration process was like for them, and their reasonings behind coming to America.

In Guatemala, whose population is 60% indigenous, schools teach that the Spanish colonialists, when they arrived in Mayan territory, found the native peoples ‘naked and soulless.’ And it was only thanks to the civilizing force of these white men that led to the current way of dress of the Mayan people. Yet, the Mayan textiles reproduced and worn today date back to around 1000 B.C.E., and as before, the textiles continue being the fabric of Mayan cosmology. This rhetoric embodies Guatemala’s colonial past and present, where racism, discrimination, and systematic erasure abound. As indigenous women are the rightful creators and artists, the state in particular oppresses and hinders their knowledge and livelihoods. These women, to counteract this

Rigoberta Menchu, a Quiche Indian woman native to Guatemala, is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for politically reaching out to her country and her people. In her personal testimony tittled “I, Rigoberta Menchu” we can see how she blossomed into the Nobel Prize winner she is today. Following a great deal in her father’s footsteps, Rigoberta’s mobilization work, both within and outside of Guatemala, led to negotiations between the guerillas and the government and reduced the army power within Guatemala. Her work has helped bring light to the strength of individuals and citizen organization in advocacy and policy dialogue on the world scale. In a brief summary of the book I will explore why Rigoberta Menchu is important to

Since 1993, over 500 young, unfortunate, brown women have been found brutally abuse and murdered in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, across the border from El Paso, Texas, not including hundreds of others who have been missing and still have not been found. Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders (2005) by Alicia Gaspar de Alba, is a mystery novel about this 17-year crime-wave. When returns to her hometown El Paso to adopt a baby. She and her partner Brigit are ready to start a family and there are many young girls along the border who have children they cannot take care of. Coming home is difficult for Ivon because of troubled family relations, but her cousin is a social worker who can rush the process, so it seems ideal. While flying in, she reads a

Additionally, She Investigated the World by analyze, integrates, and evaluates sources of evidence to develop a coherent, well supported response to a global question in this case Menchu analyze how she was going to give rights to Indigenous people. Also, she communicates her Ideas by sharing her thoughts about discrimination and oppression on Guatemala. She usually, “Demonstrated her understanding of diverse audiences by communicating and collaborating using verbal and nonverbal behavior, language, and strategies appropriate to specific audiences”.

“I, Rigoberta Menchu” by Menchu is an autobiography that details the genocide of the Mayan people in Guatemala. The book has earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for publishing the truth about the trials and tribulations that the indigenous people of Guatemala faced. The problem is that the autobiography has been found to be untrue. The details of the book were fabricated by Menchu, in an attempt to send her message about the indigenous Guatemalan people 's struggles. This has created a controversy amongst Latin American scholars, as well as amongst the education system that requires the autobiography as reading material. The entirety of the situation has even called into question whether or not the content of the book could be taken seriously as material because of this fabrication.