Looking back to the start of the term I had no idea what I would be exactly learning in the course because I was unfamiliar with all the texts and haven’t done any courses that analyzed texts since my first year. Now that the term is over I can happily say that I know a little more about indigenous cultures in Latin America and how to analyze texts in a different perspective. It was interesting to learn more about the backstory of the book I, Rigoberta Menchu and Our world is our Weapon, and I am also happy we got to read Falling sky as our last book of the term.

I think the main take aways from this course I got was:

1. Understanding the voice of the writer and understanding their thinking process causes much controversy. Critically analyzing Guoma Poma’s letter to the king really lead to a lot of  “why” questions. Why did he write this, why did he draw this, and why did he want to write to the king…etc. In Falling Sky, the provided context about the author bluntly admitting that his own voice may intertwined with Davi’s in the text also shows that interpretation and presentation in the text is never accurate. I honestly respect that he included this in the book because most translational authors would not like to admit that their own voice was incorporated into the text, fearing this would taint their writing quality.
2. Corn and connection with nature and gods are important to the indigenous in Latin America. It is not only a part of their culture but history and way of life. I really liked reading about the history about corn in the Population Vuh and learning more of its importance in I, Rigoberta Menchu.
3. Oral stories are more valuable than text. Of course text is important because it serves as a record of what is once said and is another way of passing on information to generations to come, but it cannot capture what emotions were truly felt in the voice of the author or “speaker”.
4. As humans we are always striving to make the most of our lives and do our best to survive and understand the strange world we live in. This point is kinda just me overthinking, but we are always trying to advance our way of life and better our changes of survival to the point of almost becoming immortal. This point came to me after reading Falling Sky. Everyone lives their lives differently, and societies vary around the world. The majority of the world that is striving for modernization is so fast paced and stressful we don’t often have the time to enjoy the world around us, often causing those who can’t advance fast enough to suffer and eventually parish. This makes me wonder what will happen to indigenous groups in the future. How many of the tribes will be left and what kind of modern society will we be living in?

Hope everyone has a good rest of the term and have a good summer!

In the rest of the book we learn more about Davi’s spirits and his traveling experiences. He explains that the people have forgotten about the spirits that exist around them and cannot feel them. I found his perspective of the world outside the forest similar to a description of the industrial revolution. In this way we see how modernization has changed the world and makes it difficult for people who aren’t use to living in such a society to adapt and are able to clearly see how much damage our innovation to become a better species has damaged the environment. He claims that we have become attracted to materials, I would have to agree with him. Similar to 80’s Madonna song “Living in a material world”,  many of us have become obsessed over owning a lot of stuff or things to make our lives easier. This also relates to how not everyone can survive in our society because of the value that objects are given. You can’t survive the city unless you accept the hustle and bustle of people working to keep our modernized civilization going. Furthermore he mentions how nothing in the forest lasts forever while in the city products are made to last forever, in relation to this humans are striving to live longer.  

Davi agrees that he himself has tried to adapt to “white people” customs and foods, but in turn harmed his body. This reminds me of how some people cannot adjust to other foods so easily because their digestive system isn’t use to absorbing certain foods and the minerals, elements and bacteria. Davi is not afraid to speak out about his opinions or feelings about the “white people” do, especially after his day at the museum in France. This makes me wonder how Albert felt when writing out these parts of Davi’s life, and if he left any other of Davi’s strong opinions that he felt were too much for the audience. 

I found it sad that through his efforts of travelling around to communicate his concerns with different people,  he lost his ability to obtain and retain the healing spirit of the cacique bird. This spirit is described as very sensitive and connected to the forest, yet in a way this cacique bird spirit is like the forest itself. A forest is sensitive and can easily be destroyed by humans with chemicals and greed. A forest also provides humans a “healing” space, where many people go out to the forest to connect with nature, meditate and breath in the fresh air away from the city smog. Although Davi wants to protect the forest and heal his people, he is unable to gain the healing spirit because ironically he cannot stay in the forest to protect it.

I found this weeks reading rather unique, as solely focused on the traditions of the Yanomami tribe and Davi Kopenawa’s journey to become a shaman. Each chapter is very detailed, describing how Davi first decided he would become a shaman to the how be became a shaman when first drinking yãkoana powder to become an “other”.  His first time inhaling the yãkoana powder was a little hard to read, as imaging how much pain his body went though for not eating for about a week as the hallucinogenic was slowly taking its effect. 

I found this book rather interesting to read since I have never read anything to political before with such a call for action. It was also a little difficult for me to analyze since I’m unfamiliar with these sorts of texts.

While reading the first part of the book, I found it  a little similar to Guoman Poma text, when addressing certain issues they are laid out not quite in numeric form but start  with “First” and “Second”. The story is also comprised of multiple letters that Marcos has written addressing to certain people, similar to Guman Poma’s multiple chapters that compliment and are individual from another. He also argue strongly about why they fight and reasons for it, listing them (on page 79) about the what their fight is about. Most of the reasons are followed by the “bad government”.  Each of the fights lead to having better government and having a balance for the people in Mexico so they all can thrive as a country. A country in which the citizens and especially those of indigenous background can survive in without suffering and enduring the pain bestowed upon them by the political powers the govern them. He emphasizes Jan 1994 as a time when the people of Mexico’s voices will be heard, the day in which he and the Zapatistas revolted against the government.

I found it particularly interesting that he mentions specific countries that are in exporting relations with Mexico. “From there they are sent to different parts of the world the United States, Canada, Holland, Germany, Italy, Japan but all to fulfill one same destiny: to feed imperialism.”  He points out how these relations are exploring the country and in turn the people suffer. Aside from mentioning their tension with the US government, there are a few mentions of Italian influence and relations. This is first introduced with the conversation with Durito who mentions he dined with Italian playwriter/actor Dario Fo. Earlier in the editors note it also mentions that Marcos writing was falls into three writing styles, one of them being similar to Italo Calvino’s Italian Folktales. I am currently learning about Italian culture in another course, so with Italy having such an impression on him makes me wonder what exact aspect of the Italian perspective or opinions towards political power does Marcos find attractive?

I also I thought his points regarding “INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO BE NAMED MAN OF THE YEAR”,  was an interesting way of bringing up  these characteristics that make up the perfect candidate. He does this by using satire, in which the obvious points are what he does not believe in and mention in such a mocking way such as point 5, “Now open a store and hang a huge sign that says,”Mexico1994-2000:Huge End-of-the-Century Sale.”

In this week’s reading of the book I, Rigoberta Menchú, I could feel sorrow and pain that Rigoberta had endured in her childhood. It feels as if she is telling her story in person because her detailed memories that not only describe the events she experienced but her emotions that had developed at the time makes her writing more engaging. This allows the reader to understand how she felt. Additionally the each event in her life flow nicely to a new chapter.

I feel that the organization of the events are well written and the added quotes at the beginning of each chapter add more meaning and insight into the chapters content. I found it rather interesting that quotes from Popol Vuh and the from Roberta herself were used. The book was co-authored by Elisabeth Burgos-Debray, who may have decided to include other sources to support the Chapter. By choosing the Popol Vuh there is a connection that she shares with what the Popol Vuh mentions about Quechua culture and by putting specific quotes from Rigoberta were possibly Rigoberta’s main thoughts when discussing that chapter.

One of the community dynamics that stood out to me was Rigoberta’s explanation of the ladino’s. “However this ladino minority thinks its blood is superior, a higher quality, and they think of Indians as a sort of animal.” Within the ladino’s the are separated between the poor and the rich, and even though the poor are living in conditions similar to the Indians they still do not see themselves as equals. This distinction shows that within her community ones blood plays an important role in their status and perhaps the ladino choose not to follow Indian or Spanish culture or traditions because they feel outcasted.  Rigoberta states that “…because even though the ladino is poor, even though he’s exploited as we are, he tries to be something better than an Indian”. The ladino’s are already individuals who are shamed because they represent the sin inflicted on by the Spanish. Perhaps the ladinos see to use their Spanish heritage as an advantage or to spite against the Indians who would not accept them in the community. Whatever the case, the Indians are still placed at the bottom to which Rigoberta argues that it is not the Indians fault for being dirty but because of the circumstances that they were forced into. This also makes me wonder what are Rigoberta’s true feelings towards the ladino’s? Based on her previous experiences with the ladino’s so far she may see them trouble making or arrogant just like Guoma Poma.

José María Arguedas novel Yawar Fiesta focuses on a bullfighting event that happens in the festival. He shows the conflict between the landowners and the communities through his characters, and how the mistis and the mesitzo appear to learn closer towards Spanish influence and disregard the Indians. What I liked about this novel is that the characters descriptions and and certain comments makes them feel real, in the sense that José María Arguedas based his characters off of real people he knew or encountered. His ability to understand different languages must have also allowed him to gather more inspiration in writing the book, take bits of his own life and placing it into the story. The question is though, what parts did he actually experience and does his input himself at all into any of the characters?

In the ending of Part 2, I feel that there is a foreshadowing of the importance of the bull. I believe that the children crying as their bulls are being taken away represents how the Indians had something they loved dearly taken away and used  by the Spanish to which they are never seen again. In the novel there is no mention if they bulls are returned to their owners after they breed. The calves of the bulls are then shipped to a foreign land (Spain?). In a sense this could also represent how the the Indians are loosing their children. The symbolism of the bull is further shown in depth near the end of the story. The people of the town carefully chose a strong bull to fight and scare the matador away, allowing them to carryout out their traditional bullfight. The bull may not only represent their resilience (in which the bull lived till the end), but their style of bullfighting. The major remarks with pride of how this somewhat violent bull fight is what the people of the town are proud of, symbolizing that they will not bow down to Spanish influence. I was curious to see if the town of Puquio still has bullfighting, and they do. Bullfighting was banned in the surrounding countries but not Peru. Apparently some places in Peru have bullfights where an Andean Condor is strapped to the back of the bull to “pluck its eyes out”. I read in an article that the condor represent the Indians while the bull represent Spanish control.

I found one particular comment rather interesting, “That’s true, Senior Subprefect! The Yankees did well to exterminate the redskins.” This shows that José María Arguedas was aware of Americans (but to what extent?), and by using this particular comment also presents us with the idea that “extermination” would refer to how there was still a desire to rid the Indians in the Peru despite their dwindling numbers and already suppressed culture. 

After finishing the rest of Guaman Poma de Ayala’s letter, I noticed there was a shift in his arguments for change, using more “evidence” about the people around him in the present and directing his claims to the king by his “consider…” and “your royal catholic majesty”. In the first part he started off mostly describing the history to the king, perhaps to give the king some background information of Peru and how the people have always been loyal to god in their ways. Then in the second part he directed how an increase of sin came upon the community from the conquest, providing examples from different status and race which he “imagines” would be what they say to him in an interview.

I felt that he was very repetitive about the certain actions that the Spaniards were doing, and he held a strong opinion towards the mestizos. His explanation of the mixed race children/people sounds as though they are also a problem to the community, and the Incan bloodlines will come to a stop. He strongly emphasizes this as a serious problem through the rest of the letter, correlating it with the women’s decisions to not get married. He makes it almost sound like the Spaniards are like the devils (due to their sins) and the children that they created will become demons. The reason for the mestizos “bad behaviour” probably has to do with them not being accepted by Incan community in the first place as he states that they should “never be allowed to stay in the Indian pueblos; they should live in the [Spanish] cities, towns, and hamlets of this kingdom”. The divide among the people and the status which their Spanish side holds appears to me that the mixed raced children are unable to relate to either race, perhaps triggering them to go against the Inca’s because they don’t accept them and resort to mimic or claim the Spanish since they could only remain within their social relations. I found it interesting that he even went into depth about the African individuals who were brought by the Spaniards as slaves and how they impact the community and how they relate to being good or bad Christians. Despite this incorporation of information of different people of status and race, it makes me wonder how much of this is actually true? Could he have adjusted their actually opinions in the letter? On the most part I think that the information about the various people should be taken with a grain of salt, in which we don’t know for sure if this is all factual. Would the people actually agree with his opinions or want what he has written sent to the king to represent them?

Taking a look at page 345 and onwards, Guaman Poma de Ayala starts to refer to himself as the “author” and tells a story about himself and what his journey as a poor man. I found it interesting that he started off saying that he would finish “walking through the when he was eighty years of age”. Of course this wasn’t the first age he had written down (according to the anecdote), however this makes me wonder why did he choose 80 years old and why talk about this in the as if its the future then revert back to making it appear as though it would be the present in the end?

Overall, I feel that Guaman Poma de Ayala put a lot of thought into his letter to the king, however he did include a lot of emotion and dramatization in some parts of the text, direct accusations and orders to what he believes people should be aware of, along with strong emphasis and correlation to what makes a good Christian. Certain parts felt more like a formal letter that one could write to the king, such as his list of decrees in the first part, along with some mention of what is currently happening in the present in his community. Yet this immense amount of information he provides seems almost little over the top, especially near the end in which he incorporates himself in a story.

Guaman Poma’s letter to the king is very detailed in explaining the history and the life of the Inca people, defining roles and the differences among the race and status of the people. The author of Guaman Poma de Ayala provides a lot of anecdotes to help the reader have a better understanding of Guaman Poma’s thoughts with their own perspective and understanding. I personally found it helpful though it made the text seem extra heavy and harder to take in at times. 

In “Ordinances of the Inca” Poma lists decrees that he states in first person using either “I” or “We” meant to help better the lives of the people while still conserving some Inca culture yet obeying catholic views. In some of the decrees we can clearly see that the women have much restriction in their lives, yet a reoccurring theme that later continues to be mentioned is the issue of rape and the penalty. This is clearly an issue to which he brings up the consequences and how it is tied with the arrival of the Spaniards. 

His opinions towards the Spaniards are very strong, in one text stating “See here, you poor, foolish, and incompetent Spaniards, who are as proud as Lucifer…” indicating how their behaviour is to that of a fallen angel, in which their behaviours is not close with god or Christian religion anymore. Most of his arguments are of how greed from the Spaniards essentially poisoned the Incas and brought the downfall of the kingdom. He even argues, “All the bad things—adultery and other mortal sins—were brought in by those Christians, who, under the cover of  teaching catechism, deflowered“all the maidens; because of this, many mestizos are born in this kingdom.” Guaman Poma describes all this to the king in a manner to help the king visualize how and why the Incas are the way are “presently”, and need for more order to be in place for the people. He describes the creation of mestizo children and relationship of different raced couples causing a division to occur within the communities and a decrease in pure Inca bloodlines. He even mentions how some mestizo become to be a part of tearing the community because of their actions, possibly because of how they were kept ostracized from the rest of the Inca community. This makes me wonder if Guaman Poma didn’t see himself as a mestizo since he never clearly stated if he was. Perhaps because of his higher status he believes there is no need for the king to define who he is only that of his power and that he follows the catholic religion. 

Guaman Poma integrates much of catholic religion into the text, ending or starting some parts of his text with a prayer, relating biblical events to events in Incan culture, and having a strong emphasis on how there are many things the Incas do that make them naturally Christian despite the few times that almost veered from the path. In some parts it feels as though he is trying to make the reader aware of even convince them that certain events that had happened in the Inca history timeline were in line with what was stated in the bible, and their worships were inline with praising god but in a different perspective. His direct messages to “Christians” were rather critical, in which most felt like they should be warned and realize the terrible events that have occurred in Peru because of them. This makes me  wonder if the is trying to create a define line between the king and a Christian individual, for if the king were reading this and saw himself as the Christian reader he may be offended. 

He goes into so much depth about the life of the Incas and their expected role throughout their life, along with the history that he knows of makes me wonder why he felt this was appropriate for a “letter”. In all respect I feel like it is more of a book, where it is even titled as Chronicles. However as a reader I can tell he is determined for this to make to to the king, so he proves plenty explanations for why Peru needs help and a change with the rulings. Aside from this however, I feel that this is something to long that the king would find “boring” (if the king didn’t care that much for feedback coming back from one of his colonies), to long to finish reading or even listen to in that manner (if he had someone read the letter out to him).

One interesting that I noticed when reading the decrees was that he had two decrees about how people should not bury their dead within their homes. In one decree he states that they should be buried in vaults and with the deceased belongings, while the other mentions how the person who buried them should be banished. Were people burying their dead in there homes as a tradition, was it because people were poor and could not afford a vault, was this action seen as sin in Inca culture, or was this stated so that people have “proper” burials that were similar to that of Christians?