In I, Rigoberta Menchu, Menchu does an excellent job drawing to attention the oppression that indigenous people face in the Americas. While other readings we have done go over cultural oppression, Menchu’s writing comes from the voice of the oppressed herself, which, as the professor mentions in his video, stands out from poems and books written by male, less marginalized authors. Additionally, while Menchu’s anecdotal experiences are primarily in Guatemala, her experience can be broadened to other conflicts between American governments and Indigenous rights (to an extent). Even though critics like Stoll find errors within her accounts, I still felt the value of the content and enjoyed the unique perspective Menchu’s writing brings to influence the reader, and the communities she involves herself in in the book itself. Even if the story was embellished, I really felt a stronger impact on myself by reading this book compared to the other texts we have read that also go over similar themes and issues.
My favorite topic was Menchu’s writings on Catholicism, and her personal involvement with it. Even though the religion originates from the colonizing culture, Menchu mentions similarities between catholic beliefs and indigenous beliefs, like their orientation surrounding death, the afterlife, and a godlike figure. The similarities end with just that though, but Menchu understands the importance of using Catholicism to her advantage when she becomes targetted by the Guatemalan government and joins a Catholic church for a short amount of time. Menchu’s optimism through how much atrocity she went through, as well as her understanding and tolerance for the cultural and religious beliefs that the ladinos force on her, were pretty inspiring. Specifically in relation to Catholicism, the indoctrinating nature of christian religions causes ladinos to discriminate and suppress the indigenous people’s practices and rituals. However, Menchu still chooses to learn from the catholic religion rather than just fight against it.
Menchu chooses a similar approach to language and literature, and learns how to speak Spanish as well. Even though she does a lot of her fight against the oppressive Guatemalan government in the Indigenous towns, I liked how she also understands that they wont come to a compromise until someone is willing to view the conflict from (relatively) both sides. That isn’t to say she sides with the Guatemalan government, but compared to many other indigenous supporters of their civil rights, Menchu learns Spanish to reach and communicate with the colonial Guatemalans. She experiences countless situations of discrimination, and the culture she integrates herself into often tries to convert her beliefs and practices to theirs, but still she decides to persevere.
Looking at the involvement and commentary the book has on government, I found that Menchu’s writing has similarities to the criticism and experience of revolutionists, like in The Underdogs and in 100 years of solitude. I saw more parallels between this book and 100 years of solitude as the perspective of Menchu and other Indigenous characters seemed more similar to that of the Buendias’ perspective on the political affairs that impede on the progression of a once-isolated Macondo. While Menchu progressively becomes more involved with the political process of fighting for indigenous civil rights, initially her experience with Guatemalan “politics” was involved with their enforcers, and often violent.
Even though she wasn’t as well known until this book was published, Menchu still found opportunities to voice her opinions to both indigenous and ladino audiences in the book. What was the biggest conflict you felt Menchu overcame to progress the influence of her voice?
Thanks for such a detailed blog post, Felix. “Menchú understands the importance of using Catholicism to her advantage”. There is a passage in the book that is very interesting: while she is taking refuge in the convent, she tells us that a relative of Somoza is there too. The contrast, the counterpoint between the two attitudes of the nuns is very significant, and narratively it is also powerful. Those moments in history are what make this book so memorable.
I also found Menchú’s view and practice of both catholicism and her own indigenous cultures to be very refreshing. It was very interesting to see how she interweaved them together, and how the influenced each others presence in her life. As much as Stoll’s arguments against Menchú are very much present when talking about this book and Menchú’s own life, I think it’s important to point out that Stoll also has his own prerogatives. If you look at his other work and the general way he talks about people in poverty, people in other cultures, and specifically Guatemalan people in poverty, you can very clearly see his stances aren’t one of neutrality. He also consulted a lot of ‘official’ (government) based documents and reports, so it’s understandable to see that those will conflict with Menchú’s account of things.
Hi there,
I think there were a lot of conflicts that Menchu came to live with her action as a public and historical figure. But out of the many conflicts, I think the personal conflicts that she has lived will always push her to try and help her community through internal and external means. That can also backfire sometimes too. If you ask for help and people don’t reciprocate, but also acknowledge you as a special figure, that can turn out to be discouraging to not have that solidarity as a characteristic that wants to be shared. But she also did fight back by not just being vulnerable but by also taking control by shaping a bit of the narrative. With that also comes the conflict of not being completely honest with the world at large and with the people within your community.