This text was, i don’t want to say refreshing, but a real shakeup from what we’ve covered so far in the course. The way Marcos writes to different audiences is equally exciting and difficult to read, the unfortunate reality that their very existence as humans deprecated by their government is not enough to warrant attention.
I found the way the text starts really overwhelming, but it almost feels like that’s the point. The way the injustices and constant denigration of the Indigenous people of Chiapas keep coming without time to process the last brings the audience into a tiny glimpse of their lived reality. I found this especially powerful when Marcos gives us a sort of ‘tour’ through Chiapas highlighting the ways in which its people and resources are plundered to the benefit of the wealthy, those of ‘penthouse mexico’
Subcomandante Marcos also makes repeated mention of the role of voice and silence. Given our repeated turn to the question of what an Indigenous voice is, I thought this text did a good job of offering us a possibility. His suggestion of the healing power of the word on page 77, was really interesting. The way he positioned voice and silence as mere tools, counterposing the ways in which it can be used to both harm and heal, give and take life. Also, at the end of the text, unlike Rigoberto, who told her story as the story “of all poor Guatemalans,” Marcos positions his voice as just one of many, part of an echo that grants dignity and respect. He importantly makes clear the multiplicity and sonorous nature of Indigenous voice.
I also liked how the text wasn’t all doom and gloom. While sure, the text deals mainly with the dispossession of Indigenous Chiapenses under neoliberalism, Marcos also finds time to poke fun at the beast. To make a mockery of those deadest on his destruction. I found the list “How to be named man of the year” quite fun. Where it naturally pokes fun at the ways neoliberalism promotes and rewards Indigenous dispossession, it also feels like a ‘I see you’ moment. Where he sort of tells those in power, we’re not oblivious to what you’re doing. You dont operate on a level we don’t understand, you just operate at a level we are unwilling to descend to. It’s a proverbial ‘fuck you’ to those who praise these leaders as men of the year. To the unmarked violence deemed a requisite for succeeding in a neoliberal world. This text was overall very engaging, and I can’t wait to see what part 2 has in store for us.
I completely agree!! It’s a super fun text so far that while politically inclined and very heartbreaking at the injustices done, it maintains a sense of hope and humor, and I think that a lot of that comes from how well Marcos uses poetic tools to his advantage. Obviously, I would guess any experienced political speaker would be good at this, but things like anaphora, metaphor, and irony are abound and it makes it super fun to read!!
I like your point about Marcos’s discussion about the power of words and silence. It’s true that both can be very powerful, which the Zapatistas prove. With his words Marcos can spread his story and shed light on what is happening in Mexico which the government is trying to hide. With his silence Marcos can control the flow of information from him to others like the media. The impact that words and silence has seems to have been forgotten in places like North America where the internet has made people feel like they can say anything they like and others keep quiet about things they witness.
This blog post was really interesting! I thought you did a good job of speaking on a couple key points to a deep enough extent while still commenting on multiple topics. I especially enjoyed your section about voice. I hadn’t thought too much about how Marcos writes about voice as a tool, and what the effects of that are. I think this way of framing gives agency to both the Zapatistas and the oppressors, which is good in the sense that it keeps the responsibility for their actions on imperialists but also provides that sense of agency for those that resist.
– Erika Peterson