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  “You don’t believe they sky is falling until a chunk of it falls on you - Margaret Atwood The transition from Marcos to Davi Kopenawa and Bruce Albert continues the trend of composed assaults on entities that do not understand the significance of where they are. Only in “The Falling Sky” however, does the author explicitly reiterate the consequences of what those actions will do to the aggressor. Giving a historical account in a form resembling Japanese anime, in which the story carries the periods of “before white people” and “the arrival of white people”. A negative connotation on these unwelcome visitors throughout the text with a particular instance, although it may not be intended for comedic purposes, showed what Kopenawa thinks of the invaders. When he left his region to rectify the injustices caused and fill his fascination with the “material power” of these people, the author sought to try something that would possibly lead to tangible solutions. He thought to, without ...

  My reactions to the second half of “Our word is our weapon” shared similarities from the initial pages read. We got a continuation of Marcos projecting himself amongst the greatest writers of Latin America, narcissism to the highest degree, and a splash of propaganda for the resistance. The only difference is whereas the introduction to this dilemma and Marcos raised eyebrows about what his true intentions are, the second half almost exposes his intentional form of writing to coerce others . “Do words know to fall silent when they can’t find the time or place for which they’re called…And the mouth does it know how to die?” (pg.258). This is a quote used by Marcos from Eduardo Galeano’s book “Las Palabras Andantes” which really made me think about the psychology of Marcos and his Zapatista efforts. In his letter to Eduardo and some tales, the form of his writing produces consequences, some of which we discussed in class.  First, his introduction to Galeano is a means to asse...

  As a political and revolutionary piece, the title matches what Subcomandante Marcos plausibly intends. It informs the reader of the struggles endured by the Indigenous in Mexico, using his personal and informed accounts to weaponize the book against the regime. Whether it is intended by Marcos to specifically  galvanize Mexicans across the country and/or bring International discourse on the situation. He highlights the capitalist system as a means to reduce Indigenous value and prolong despicable actions, detailing accounts against the Mayan population in Chiapas. This bodes well in Marcos effectively positioning himself as an indigenous voice to bring all concerns into a collective front. The Mexican government viewed Chiapas as very profitable due to the resources within it. Uranium, oil reserves, and lumber were in their eyes blocked by merely Indigenous will. He presents this information on the Zapatista National Liberation Army as the primary solution for all within Mex...

This story serves as a crucial representation and example to draw from on the historical treatment of the Indigenous. Menchú’s work experiences and loss of those closest showed the dynamic of the Quiché being positioned as second class citizens . Mother’s would work harsh conditions and minimal pay. Children would become malnourished due to the lack of nutrition available to them. It is disgusting to realize soldiers not raping “women of [their] races finest sons” was considered an act of nobility. Imagine expecting gratitude because you chose to limit those you would rape, it is appalling.  After reading the experiences of those working on the fincas and the abuse of women young and old, I wanted to bring back a discussion we had on when it is okay to feel uncomfortable in the classroom. We previously discussed content so I wanted to revisit this area as it was something I thought about while reading this story. Only in this case it pertains to one’s comfort level with the reading...

  My initial thoughts on the subsequent parts of the First New Chronicle and Good Government are that it seems to be more chronologically organized. It details key moments of conquest and the eventual demise of Inca rule. Whereas I do still have questions, I felt more confusion in the first half due to the amount of introductions involved.  The language used by Guaman Poma in an attempt to either generate sympathy for the Indigenous or outline incompetent rule by the Spaniards carried two central themes. After each section that I read, the first thing I noticed was an effort to persuade the religious conscience of the King in his reports. The Corregidores, which are Spanish officials acting as “both judge and executive authority” (p.167) in a given province, are a great example of Guaman Poma’s language. They are first described as a governing authority harbouring “little fear of justice or of God” (p.167). He uses this exact phrase twice to almost portray characters that hav...

  As a text filled with intricate imagery, a balance of position, and religious promotion, the Poma De Ayala is a very interesting piece of literature that tells a tale of conquest and history. From initial interpretation, the book contains origin stories and brings forth a certain dynamic from one that shares a link with both Indigenous and European by blood. The author asserts an opposing view to the occupation initiated by the Spaniards over the Inca in Peru, while (maybe unintentionally) pushing the narrative of Christianity in the account of history.  What caught my attention was the story of the Wari Wiracocha Runa. It depicts this first generation of the Indies population, identifying them as Spaniards and “the ones who left Noah’s ark following the flood” (p.25). From these people who were unable to increase the population for more than 800 years, came the Wari Wiracocha Runa. These are the Indigenous that stem from Spaniards and were able to as the text says forever m...