José María Arguedas’ “The Pongo’s Dream” is striking in its portrayal of feudal power dynamics between lords and indigenous serfs shockingly present in Peru until the middle of the 20th century. After reading the short tale, I found myself struck by the dehumanizing ways in which the Pongo was treated by the lord. The words used to describe him- “meek”, “little”, “feeble” and “pitiful”, convey both physical and intellectual discrimination, and powerfully reflect Euro-Indigenous colonial relations. The lord’s incessant orders for the Pongo to act like an animal exposed the ugly and humiliating nature of the treatment he, and other serfs like himself received from these estates, and further revealed Arguedas’ passionate anti-colonial sentiments.
Knowing that Arguedas heard the story from a Cuzco peasant offers a valuable perspective to the message that runs through it- one that comes from a place of experience and offers insight to life at the bottom of such a rigid, racist and disparate class system. I wonder what role such a story would have played in the peasant movements of the 1950’s, and whether it ever circulated beyond the lower classes?
I suppose what I am most intrigued by, is how these stories play into popular culture. Of course, undoubtedly, “The Pongo’s Dream” can be considered a vehicle for anticolonial protest and anger, but I am curious as to what extent Latin American folklore permeates culture and society today. If anyone has more experience or knowledge with folklore than I do, I wonder in what ways does it influence life in Latin America, whether that be in music, traditions, beliefs or customs?