Hi all,
This week I discuss the book I, Rigoberta Menchu, and mainly focus on her struggle between Christianity/Catholicism and Maya-Quiche spirituality. I draw on Inca Garcilaso de la Vega for inspiration! Also, we discuss the theatrics in the story of ‘explicit not-sharing’.
*THE WORD IS TESTIMONIO! Of course… haha
Question: How does one separate Christian doctrine from the heinous colonial acts done in the name of Christianity? Is this possible? Why or why not?
I’m interested in your comparison with the Inca Garcilaso. (Way to connect different courses, yay! Though the original text is indeed quite long…) But Garcilaso, who takes on his father’s name, is sometimes seen as the “first mestizo.” And I think Menchú would reject that appellation. She very much sees herself as Indigenous first and foremost, despite having taken on some attributes that come with colonialism… both religion and also the Spanish language, for instance. And perhaps the notion of “secrets” are part of that maintenance of Indigenous identity over mestizaje.
I quite liked the reference to the Inca Garcilaso, because it gives us a broader point of reference in time to understand some issues. As you know, not even Catholic Christianity is a homogeneous block. For Menchú, for example, the Bible is not about sin and punishment, but about stories of liberation… and this word will become very relevant in the context of Latin American politics, even linked to guerrilla movements. A whole doctrinal proposal (Christian and Catholic) is created precisely to justify this type of reading.