Interviews
Interview with Marlene Targ Brill, author of Journey for Peace: The Story of Rigoberta Menchú
Questions:
1. How did Menchú's childhood experiences (in the altiplanos, on the fincas, seeing the poverty her family and community lived in, etc.) contribute to her growth as a leader?
2. How did Menchú develop her political career while she was in exile?
3. How was Menchú a leader within the revolutionary groups such as the CUC (Peasants' Unity Committee)?
4. What actions did Rigoberta Menchú take to publicize the situation in Guatemala and promote basic human rights for the indigenous?
5. What happened as a result of her efforts?
6. What difficulties did Rigoberta Menchú face throughout this process?
Response:
1. How did Menchú's childhood experiences (in the altiplanos, on the fincas, seeing the poverty her family and community lived in, etc.) contribute to her growth as a leader?
I think Menchu's childhood experiences had a huge impact on her desire to make a difference for her people. She saw the unfairness they suffered, both in terms of how they were chased off their land in the altiplanos and how terribly they were treated at work on the fincas. When government got more dangerous, jailing and killing anyone who disagreed with their views on land distribution, including Menchu's family members, that only increased her desire to work for change.
Another factor in her growth as an advocate was the role her father gave her, taking her with him to different villages. She observed how her people could not mobilize because they did not share a language that would allow them to communicate. She learned several native languages, as well as Spanish later, which gave her the tools to talk with villagers and connect them to each other.
2. How did Menchú develop her political career while she was in exile?
Through her father's connections, she became known and had a network of supporters that included people from Guatemala who now escaped elsewhere. Church groups that supported the cause of fairness and opposed G. government's hostility towards native peoples sheltered Rigoberta, found her jobs and lodging, and eventually helped her create a worldwide speaking tour to raise funds and awareness of the situation back home. Eventually, she spoke before the United Nations. Her supporters also started the campaign for her to earn the Nobel Peace Prize that would further raise worldwide awareness of the plight of native peoples everywhere, specifically in Guatemala.
3. How was Menchú a leader within the revolutionary groups such as the CUC (Peasants' Unity Committee)? I believe her father was a leader in the CUC, so she was excepted as a voice, too. She passed out literature and traveled between villages gaining support for protest actions. More about this is in her book I, Rigoberta, which was also considered a way to further the native Guatemalan cause, which it did, becoming a worldwide best seller.
4. What actions did Rigoberta Menchú take to publicize the situation in Guatemala and promote basic human rights for the indigenous?
See earlier questions, although she also had a small part in the movie El Norte, that I remember seeing years ago, which was about immigrants sneaking into America and the rough time they experienced in their homeland and in America. Some things never change, I fear.
5. What happened as a result of her efforts?
She received the Nobel Peace Prize, continued speaking worldwide, which drew attention to the Guatemalan cause, and eventually reduced governement mistreatment of her people. As a result of the peace prize, government was eventually forced to allow her return and that of other immigrants who fled violence in Guatemala. You'd have to check what the situation is today, but I do know Rigoberta ran for office in G.--possibly more than once-- which was a big deal for a former revoluntionary, let alone a woman in a pretty sexist country. She lost the election(s) but continued to speak out on behalf of her people.
6. What difficulties did Rigoberta Menchú face throughout this process?
Besides the constant physical threats against her, she lost family members to violence. Early-on she had decided that her life should be devoted to her people and the peace process, which often left her lonely and longing for love and a traditional family. For someone who loved the land, she was committed to traveling the world to speak out against the dangers in Guatemala. (I remember hearing her speak at Northwestern University after my book was out.) Since she drew crowds of supporters, it seemed to me she was often called on to raise funds for La Causa.
I forget who it was, but there was a reporter who denounced some of the claims reported in I, Rigoberta. You might want to investigate his articles, if you haven't already. I think he had some conservative ax to ginr [sic], but I'm not sure. From my perspective, the few stories that were exaggerated occurred because: 1. the stories might have been embellished to gain the most response and supporters, and 2. stories in the book were as-told-to, meaning Rigoberta told them to the author who was Spanish, not Rigoberta's first language. I believe one of the criticisms involved how Rigoberta couldn't have witnessed her brother's execution. Another discounted that one of her siblings was murdered at all. To me, that was nit-picking, considering she lost her brother, mother, father, and I don't remember who else. The main points are still sound to me: dangerous times and government after er [sic] family and all native people.
Interview with Michael Silverstone, author of Rigoberta Menchú Tum: Defending Human Rights in Guatemala
Questions:
1. How did Menchú's childhood experiences (in the altiplanos, on the fincas, seeing the poverty her family and community lived in, etc.) contribute to her growth as a leader?
2. How did Menchú develop her political career while she was in exile?
3. How was Menchú a leader within the revolutionary groups such as the CUC (Peasants' Unity Committee)?
4. What actions did Rigoberta Menchú take to publicize the situation in Guatemala and promote basic human rights for the indigenous?
5. What happened as a result of her efforts?
6. What difficulties did Rigoberta Menchú face throughout this process?
Response:
One of the main sources I used in answering questions like this was the memoir I, Rigoberta, by Ms. Menchu, there is also a follow up book called Crossing Borders which has additional personal history and detail about these events and her interpretation of them.
In my research for the book (17 years ago). I also looked up articles and had questions I posed to her answered by emailThere [sic] are probably filmed documentaries that have been made since then that you could consult. Your very good questions are difficult for me to answer without research, and I would have to locate my original notes but I would consult the Readers guide to periodical literature and see if there are articles that get right to the point of what you are asking.
But what I can say is that Ms. Menchu became an activist because of the experience she had of seeing the suffering in her community and her family. When her memoir became known internationally she was viewed as being a voice for more than just herself--including those who had no voice because they had been killed or not inclined or able to write speeches or letters or books as she was.
Interview with Professor Juan De Castro, PhD in Comparative Literature
Questions:
1. How would you define the testimonio in Latin American literature?
2. How does the testimonio differ from standard legal testimony?
3. What is the cultural significance of testimonios in indigenous communities?
4. (If you are familiar with Rigoberta Menchú's book) What are your views on the controversy surrounding I, Rigoberta Menchú, An Indian Woman in Guatemala?
Response:
1. Testimonio is a genre that became popular during the turbulent years of the Central American political struggles: 1970s-1980s (approximately). the first example--Juan Pérez Jolote (1952)-is a book by anthropologist Ricardo Pozas that interviews a Native Mexican from Chiapas. But the genre became popular in the 1980s, especially with I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983), which was compiled and edited by Franco-Venezuelan anthropologist Elizabeth Burgos. In all of these testimonios one has a kind of dual authorship. The first author is someone who is unable to write down her story--even if she is literate--and, therefore, tells it to a second author who has the ability to edit and write the story. Frequently the second author asks questions that help guide the first author's narrative. The first author is considered to be representative of a community--whether indigenous or political--that has a story that need to be told.
2. There are some similarities between testimonio and legal testimony. The first is that in both cases one has the participation of an "oral" author, who tells her story, guided by questions given by an interviewer (or more than one). Frequently, in both testimonio and testimony there is a concern with bringing to light important facts. In the case of testimonio, there are often references to legal injustices.
But, the testimonio provides a much more complete biographical narration. One gets the whole background of the testimonial subject rather than the narrative being limited only to the crimes he or she has witnessed. In the case of I, Rigoberta Menchú, one gets a pretty complete picture of her whole life, her cultural and family background.
3. The importance of testimonios is not really for the indigenous communities--who generally are informed about what is narrated in the testimonio--but for the urban communities that often do not know about indigenous cultures and are also often not aware of the injustices that are being committed to them.
4. This is a difficult question. The key to the testimonio is that one is supposed to be able to trust that what is being told happened. That trust is, of course, betrayed by Menchú. However, the changes Menchú made to her story--for instance, regarding when she learned Spanish--did not betray the basic facts she narrated about the genocide being committed against the Guatemalan indigenous peoples. In fact, Menchú basically eliminated the facts that made her story different from that of the average Maya individual. She probably did it for a political purpose: to make her story more effective in telling the abuses against all Guatemalan indigenous people. And she was very successful in doing this.
Questions:
1. How did Menchú's childhood experiences (in the altiplanos, on the fincas, seeing the poverty her family and community lived in, etc.) contribute to her growth as a leader?
2. How did Menchú develop her political career while she was in exile?
3. How was Menchú a leader within the revolutionary groups such as the CUC (Peasants' Unity Committee)?
4. What actions did Rigoberta Menchú take to publicize the situation in Guatemala and promote basic human rights for the indigenous?
5. What happened as a result of her efforts?
6. What difficulties did Rigoberta Menchú face throughout this process?
Response:
1. How did Menchú's childhood experiences (in the altiplanos, on the fincas, seeing the poverty her family and community lived in, etc.) contribute to her growth as a leader?
I think Menchu's childhood experiences had a huge impact on her desire to make a difference for her people. She saw the unfairness they suffered, both in terms of how they were chased off their land in the altiplanos and how terribly they were treated at work on the fincas. When government got more dangerous, jailing and killing anyone who disagreed with their views on land distribution, including Menchu's family members, that only increased her desire to work for change.
Another factor in her growth as an advocate was the role her father gave her, taking her with him to different villages. She observed how her people could not mobilize because they did not share a language that would allow them to communicate. She learned several native languages, as well as Spanish later, which gave her the tools to talk with villagers and connect them to each other.
2. How did Menchú develop her political career while she was in exile?
Through her father's connections, she became known and had a network of supporters that included people from Guatemala who now escaped elsewhere. Church groups that supported the cause of fairness and opposed G. government's hostility towards native peoples sheltered Rigoberta, found her jobs and lodging, and eventually helped her create a worldwide speaking tour to raise funds and awareness of the situation back home. Eventually, she spoke before the United Nations. Her supporters also started the campaign for her to earn the Nobel Peace Prize that would further raise worldwide awareness of the plight of native peoples everywhere, specifically in Guatemala.
3. How was Menchú a leader within the revolutionary groups such as the CUC (Peasants' Unity Committee)? I believe her father was a leader in the CUC, so she was excepted as a voice, too. She passed out literature and traveled between villages gaining support for protest actions. More about this is in her book I, Rigoberta, which was also considered a way to further the native Guatemalan cause, which it did, becoming a worldwide best seller.
4. What actions did Rigoberta Menchú take to publicize the situation in Guatemala and promote basic human rights for the indigenous?
See earlier questions, although she also had a small part in the movie El Norte, that I remember seeing years ago, which was about immigrants sneaking into America and the rough time they experienced in their homeland and in America. Some things never change, I fear.
5. What happened as a result of her efforts?
She received the Nobel Peace Prize, continued speaking worldwide, which drew attention to the Guatemalan cause, and eventually reduced governement mistreatment of her people. As a result of the peace prize, government was eventually forced to allow her return and that of other immigrants who fled violence in Guatemala. You'd have to check what the situation is today, but I do know Rigoberta ran for office in G.--possibly more than once-- which was a big deal for a former revoluntionary, let alone a woman in a pretty sexist country. She lost the election(s) but continued to speak out on behalf of her people.
6. What difficulties did Rigoberta Menchú face throughout this process?
Besides the constant physical threats against her, she lost family members to violence. Early-on she had decided that her life should be devoted to her people and the peace process, which often left her lonely and longing for love and a traditional family. For someone who loved the land, she was committed to traveling the world to speak out against the dangers in Guatemala. (I remember hearing her speak at Northwestern University after my book was out.) Since she drew crowds of supporters, it seemed to me she was often called on to raise funds for La Causa.
I forget who it was, but there was a reporter who denounced some of the claims reported in I, Rigoberta. You might want to investigate his articles, if you haven't already. I think he had some conservative ax to ginr [sic], but I'm not sure. From my perspective, the few stories that were exaggerated occurred because: 1. the stories might have been embellished to gain the most response and supporters, and 2. stories in the book were as-told-to, meaning Rigoberta told them to the author who was Spanish, not Rigoberta's first language. I believe one of the criticisms involved how Rigoberta couldn't have witnessed her brother's execution. Another discounted that one of her siblings was murdered at all. To me, that was nit-picking, considering she lost her brother, mother, father, and I don't remember who else. The main points are still sound to me: dangerous times and government after er [sic] family and all native people.
Interview with Michael Silverstone, author of Rigoberta Menchú Tum: Defending Human Rights in Guatemala
Questions:
1. How did Menchú's childhood experiences (in the altiplanos, on the fincas, seeing the poverty her family and community lived in, etc.) contribute to her growth as a leader?
2. How did Menchú develop her political career while she was in exile?
3. How was Menchú a leader within the revolutionary groups such as the CUC (Peasants' Unity Committee)?
4. What actions did Rigoberta Menchú take to publicize the situation in Guatemala and promote basic human rights for the indigenous?
5. What happened as a result of her efforts?
6. What difficulties did Rigoberta Menchú face throughout this process?
Response:
One of the main sources I used in answering questions like this was the memoir I, Rigoberta, by Ms. Menchu, there is also a follow up book called Crossing Borders which has additional personal history and detail about these events and her interpretation of them.
In my research for the book (17 years ago). I also looked up articles and had questions I posed to her answered by emailThere [sic] are probably filmed documentaries that have been made since then that you could consult. Your very good questions are difficult for me to answer without research, and I would have to locate my original notes but I would consult the Readers guide to periodical literature and see if there are articles that get right to the point of what you are asking.
But what I can say is that Ms. Menchu became an activist because of the experience she had of seeing the suffering in her community and her family. When her memoir became known internationally she was viewed as being a voice for more than just herself--including those who had no voice because they had been killed or not inclined or able to write speeches or letters or books as she was.
Interview with Professor Juan De Castro, PhD in Comparative Literature
Questions:
1. How would you define the testimonio in Latin American literature?
2. How does the testimonio differ from standard legal testimony?
3. What is the cultural significance of testimonios in indigenous communities?
4. (If you are familiar with Rigoberta Menchú's book) What are your views on the controversy surrounding I, Rigoberta Menchú, An Indian Woman in Guatemala?
Response:
1. Testimonio is a genre that became popular during the turbulent years of the Central American political struggles: 1970s-1980s (approximately). the first example--Juan Pérez Jolote (1952)-is a book by anthropologist Ricardo Pozas that interviews a Native Mexican from Chiapas. But the genre became popular in the 1980s, especially with I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983), which was compiled and edited by Franco-Venezuelan anthropologist Elizabeth Burgos. In all of these testimonios one has a kind of dual authorship. The first author is someone who is unable to write down her story--even if she is literate--and, therefore, tells it to a second author who has the ability to edit and write the story. Frequently the second author asks questions that help guide the first author's narrative. The first author is considered to be representative of a community--whether indigenous or political--that has a story that need to be told.
2. There are some similarities between testimonio and legal testimony. The first is that in both cases one has the participation of an "oral" author, who tells her story, guided by questions given by an interviewer (or more than one). Frequently, in both testimonio and testimony there is a concern with bringing to light important facts. In the case of testimonio, there are often references to legal injustices.
But, the testimonio provides a much more complete biographical narration. One gets the whole background of the testimonial subject rather than the narrative being limited only to the crimes he or she has witnessed. In the case of I, Rigoberta Menchú, one gets a pretty complete picture of her whole life, her cultural and family background.
3. The importance of testimonios is not really for the indigenous communities--who generally are informed about what is narrated in the testimonio--but for the urban communities that often do not know about indigenous cultures and are also often not aware of the injustices that are being committed to them.
4. This is a difficult question. The key to the testimonio is that one is supposed to be able to trust that what is being told happened. That trust is, of course, betrayed by Menchú. However, the changes Menchú made to her story--for instance, regarding when she learned Spanish--did not betray the basic facts she narrated about the genocide being committed against the Guatemalan indigenous peoples. In fact, Menchú basically eliminated the facts that made her story different from that of the average Maya individual. She probably did it for a political purpose: to make her story more effective in telling the abuses against all Guatemalan indigenous people. And she was very successful in doing this.