All posts by jose torres-torija cubillas

Conclusion

When thinking about a conclusion and ways to wrap up the class, I felt that the concept of a conclusion is very similar to our definition of a revolution. Throughout the class, we have discussed how to classify a revolution on whether or not it was successful the list goes on. But what I have come to realize is that our understanding of what revolutions are and how they function remain the same, although now we understand the different type of revolutions and whether or not something can be classified as one. Even our understanding of what could be a revolutionary text has changed, we have examples like Guerrilla Warfare which is a direct example of how revolutions can start and then we have Cartuchos which in itself is not a revolutionary text but depicts the Mexican Revolution like no other text does. Even though our definition hasn’t changed since the first day that we had class, the way that we look at texts and revolution has.

Even though our understanding of revolutions hasn’t changed our view is constantly changing as we learn more about each individual revolution throughout the class. Although we haven’t changed much throughout the class I still feel that we have grown in understanding how revolutions can work and how they can also fail. This concept of succeeding and failing is one which we initially discussed at the start of class was something that we all had a great amount of debate on, yet even now our understanding of success is ever changing. We see that in The Country Under My Skin, Belli goes into detail about how even though her revolution was a success she feels that the matter which it was handled was unsuccessful. Even through her eyes, the concept of success is mixed, success can be attributed to a wide variety of things all based on one’s own perspective.

Overall I feel that throughout this class we have been so many opportunities to express our own ideas and learn about the ideas of others, it is these opportunities which furthered our understanding of what a revolution truly is. Even though we may not have changed, just seeing and understanding different points of views is equally as important. The question of whether a revolution is successful or if it can be classified as one may never be answered, but these aren’t the questions that truly need answers. We didn’t learn to answer questions like these in class, but instead learned to ask more question and find out what other people think of those questions, we have learned more by asking than answering.

Insurrection

I found this text to be one of the most interesting that we have read so far, in regards to both revolutionary aspects but on the critique on the current status of our society in some aspects. The two aspects of it which struck me the most is the aspect of “I” and the concept of real world relationships and communities and their cyberization. The concept of the “I” and the constant need for an individual to identify themselves has become more of a marketing scheme than an actual social necessity or movement. The whole concept that society has created the need for each person to be unique only furthers a capitalist agenda by attributing an “I” state to things like wearing clothes as if they were one of the defining factors in originality. This necessity for each person to feel as though they are individual is needed as it drives for unique ideas and concepts into society, but the current societal trend is one that is putting commercial values on the value of self which defeats the purpose for one to search for an “I” state. This combined with the trend that society has slowly shifted into viewing social interactions as though they were directly connected to the internet. The changing of how social interactions and the concept of “I” have been so heavily influenced by society, a society that itself is heavily influenced by capitalism.

So what can one do to combat a society that has become so heavily influenced by capitalism and other influences that seek to directly profit from your cooperation. In my opinion and somewhat ironically is to have the ability to create your own “I” self which is one that is disconnected from society. One does not need any sort of social validation for one to be happy, as Insurrection states, “‘depression’ is not a state, but a passage” it is okay to be discontent with society and the way that it represents you in its structure. Without this discontent or disconnection that one feels towards society then they can never be free from its influence, an influence that tries to push you into conforming in order to benefit from you. I’m not saying that one should leave society and become a hermit in the mountains or something, but to break away from the mainstream of society to distance oneself from the overly capitalistic state which we find ourselves in everyday of our lives. By doing so and creating your own identity one which is separate from society, and if enough people do that then they might be able to confront and change the way that society currently functions.

Colonization of Canada’s First Nations

The article The Colonialism of the Present talks about the involvement of the Canadian government in regards to the lives and communities of Canada’s First Nations population. The whole concept on whether or not the First Nations were colonized or are still being colonized is brought up. While bringing this up it talks about the Oka Crisis which can be seen as the one of the biggest armed struggles between a First Nations population and the Candian government. The relationship that First Nations and the Canadian government have is a long and shaky one, ranging from true European colonization to the limitation of First Nations rights through the Indian Act, even most recent attempts to improve the relationship have only furthered the complexity between the two. Even recently is has become heated again, in regards to the use of First Nations land for oil pipelines or the extraction of other natural resources. The claim for the land is something that we have extensively looked at throughout class. By looking at this complicated relationship that the First Nations have with the government, what options do they have to solve their issues. When reflecting on their dilemma, I thought of a similarity that the First Nations have with the Zapatistas of Mexico

By looking at this complicated relationship that the First Nations have with the government, what options do they have to solve their issues. When reflecting on their dilemma, I thought of a similarity that the First Nations have with the Zapatistas of Mexico. The Zapatistas are like the First Nations that they aim to gain independence from the influence of the government, but unlike the First Nations, they have actively fought through armed resistance. Although the Zapatistas have not gained their own independence yet, they have gained a sort of influence in southern Mexico and there have been attempts and communications with the Mexican senate in regards to their demands. So the question is, do the First Nation communities need armed conflict for them to progress with the Canadian government. The concept of armed conflict is a dangerous one to discuss and, even more, to put into motion, but when all other options are exhausted it becomes of the few possibilities. Throughout class was have seen examples of armed conflicts succeeding yet also failing but in most of those examples we see these armed conflicts erupting in less-westernized countries. So the idea that armed conflict could arise in Canada is a scary thought, but it could be a possibility if First Nation communities feel that they have reached their limit in regards to negotiations with the government much like the Zapatistas.

The Country Under My Skin

I was a bit confused at the start of The Country Under my Skin, I was confused in a sense that all the literature that we had read so far was had been about the execution of guerilla fighters in revolutions. When I started reading I did not find myself thinking that Belli was a true guerilla fighter, she did not fit any of the criteria that we had discussed throughout the class so far. She seemed more of an intellectual, part of the idealists who support the cause through their ideas, not through their direct involvement in the revolution. But as I continued reading I started to understand her role in the revolution, and by understanding her roles I feel like that we gained something that has not been present in any of the other literature so far. Belli is an intellectual guerilla her involvement with The Group of Twelve is evident, she is wholeheartedly devoted to the cause much like all other guerillas we have learned about. But what Belli brings to the table is the perspective of the lives of those who wish to be able to be more involved but are unable too, although she wishes to be part of the struggle in Nicaragua she finds herself in Costa Rica with her children. Even though she is far from the struggle she tries to help it out as much as possible, but aside from the revolution and the movement, we learn about her life. Throughout the class, we have discussed the need for guerillas to be willing to die for the cause at any given moment, something that Belli is willing, but something we never see is the lives of those who are unable to give their lives in the fight. Throughout the book we learn about the life that Belli lives, about the things she loves, about her family, about her feelings towards Marcos, her thoughts on the revolution and so much more. These thoughts that we have completely disowned in other cases because in most cases the guerillas we are examing are fighting in the jungle, their lives are the jungle, we never see or hear about the people they loved or miss. These emotions and thoughts that Belli has only further connects the revolution to a human element, even though we see moments of cold heart logic and statistics like other books, we find a more human element with Belli. Although Country Under my Skin in my personal opinion is not a revolutionary text like the others we have read, it still provides us with Belli’s role in the revolution and a look at the Nicaraguan revolution from the point of view of someone wishing to be more involved but being unable to.

Fire From The Mountain

The book Fire from the Mountain talks about the Nicaraguan revolution, through an almost first-hand approach by a guerrilla fighter. Even though we have seen recounting of other revolutions we usually see them from a perspective of the general like Che or the international point of view of the United States. The struggle of the guerrillas in Nicaragua is one that is different than other retellings that we have read about, the narrator is not a symbol or an idol for his fellow revolutionaries but just a simple man trying to change the future of Nicaragua. Even his introduction into the mountain is that of a normal guerilla fighter, it is not heroic like that of Che’s or Castros arrivval to Cuba.

This notion that the mountains become the home and their only sanctuary while they risk their lives for the revolution. This realism that all guerrillas face that although the mountains provide for them they are just on the mountain, fighting more for their own lives than the revolution. At one point in the book, the author mentions how his eyes memorized all the trees in the mountain by their shape and shadows, this immersion into the life of the guerrilla is made most evident by this. The connection to the mountain establishes a link between the guerrillas and Indigenous identity in Nicaragua. The mountain isn’t the catalyst that allows the guerrillas to fight, but it is how the myth of the guerrillas was born. The author quotes Che statement of the guerilla fighter, once you enter into the guerillas you stay there… until victory or death, this notion that the mountain is his new home and his new way of life is made clear.

Although the revolution wasn’t an indigenous uprising but more centered on the overthrowing of a dictator, the involvement of indigenous groups was huge. The oppression of the government only pushed people into the mountains because of this myth. The myth of the guerrillas although romanticized by the public is exactly how the guerrillas become accepted by the public.  Although it was the general public that pushed for the political movement to arise, it was the myth of the mountain and of the guerrillas that gave them strength. This relationship that the people and the mountain has is what allowed for the guerrillas to gain traction. This connection with the public and the connection with the moutain plays heavily into the Indigenous culture of Nicaragua, by tapping into this it only further promotes the cause to those suffuring the most form government. This book is different from the rest that we have read in a way that it does not try to sell us the revolution, but presents the revolution through the life of an individual. It is through the eyes of that individual that we see how the revolution took place, it is not the opinions of the vanguard or generals that he belives, but that he has the potential to change Nicaragua for the better.

Che Part 1

In the first part of the movie, we see the man who is Che in both his wartime persona and as the post-revolutionary idol. The beginning scene of the movie where Che is being interviewed by what seems like an American journalist, her question in regards to American policy towards Latin America and its ramifications to the image of the Cuban revolution. Che’s response of just taking a drag of his cigar and just stares at the camera. This nonchalant attitude towards the what other think of his revolution and his ideas is at times what makes him the image that he is. The movie continues to show us the parallels of the man who Che was during the war, a tough man who much like other fighters he digs himself into the trenches fighting for what he believes. But we also see the intellectual mind which gains him respect from his revolutionary comrades. Although gains his respect from his comrades from both his guerrilla bravery and his intelligence, the guerrilla persona is somewhat lost once the revolution is over and Che becomes a spokesman. Most notably at the point where Che is seen at an American party where he is socializing with Senators and other socialites and such. Once he steps into that world we no longer see the guerrilla fighter but a man transformed by a revolution who now relies on his intelligence rather than his guerrilla prowess. Even though he no longer a true guerrilla he is still fighting a much larger war versus western ideals trying to hinder Cuba’s progress. The climax of this war can be seen as Che steps up in front of the United Nations and calls out different Latin American nations as siding with the United states instead of a fellow Latin country, this war between them and the United States is evident when the United States representative isn’t even there.

This dual reality of what Che was and Che became becomes evident as the movie progresses. Even though he moves away from his guerrilla ways the guerrilla doesn’t die. Although Che no longer fights in the trenches for the moment he continues to fight in the political sphere. Che’s new fight no longer relies on his wartime abilities but you can sense that although he is an intellectual to some he still harbors a guerrilla fighter behind his calm demeanor.

How to become a Guerrilla in 10 easy steps.

Before anything else I’d like to share this quote from the book which in a way describes what to Che Guerrilla warfare meant.

“Guerrilla warfare, the basis of the struggle of a people to redeem itself, has diverse characteristics, different facets, even though the essential will for liberation remains the same.”

In essence, this quote is stating that every single instance of Guerrilla warfare is unique and methods and techniques learned and applied in one can not be applicable to another, the only thing that each unique event share is the will and struggle to gain liberation. Although I agree with this statement which describes each action in Guerrilla warfare as though they are occurring for the first time, which they most likely are given the circumstances that Guerrilla warfare entails, it makes the idea or concept that this book is a guideline for future Guerrilla fighters to be redundant. For almost the whole first chapter of the book, Che goes into great detail in describing the perfect characteristics for what a Guerrilla fighter should be or what tactics fighters should use in specific situations and such. Although he states earlier that each instance of war is different and unique, he explains and molds a fit-all strategy for fellow fighters. Even though he describes different fighting types that he has learned about, his theories and experiences are heavily tied to his time in the Cuban movement. What this book does do, is provide basic information for starting Guerrilla movements with existing tactics which have worked for another movement. Even if these tactics do not work on the same level as they have worked for another movement they provide the basic groundwork for establishing a potentially good Guerrilla movement. I found some of his advice to be somewhat redundant, though, he mentions for the Guerrilla fighter to be willing to die for the cause but to be able to retain his life for his death causes more damage to the cause than the death of one soldier.

Overall I found the book to contain some interesting aspects of what it means to be part of a Guerrilla movement, but I did not feel as though some of those aspects were new to me. Even most Guerrilla movement is usually tied to strong social and political reform, I found that the book had very little to do with political ideologies of Guerrilla fighters. Something which I found weird as this book is very much a guidebook on how to become a true Guerrilla fighting for a cause. Yet at the same time, I do see how someone could become a successful Guerrilla fighter following Che’s steps. He makes it sound so easy as though if you follow his steps you could be toppling governments left, right, and center.

Just Ordinary People

During revolutions, we usually hear the about the heroic efforts made by individual men or about the grandiose goals that these men have for the revolution, but in the stories of Carutcho, we learn of these men made famous by the revolution who are not in any way special.  What these short stories truly do is humanize the men of the revolution, not just specifically the men of Villa or of the Federales we learn about the human elements of all men and women involved in the revolution. Much like we talked about last week in class in regards to Pancho Villa being portrayed as a mythical beast who without the revolution would have failed, the short stories work past the imaginaries of the battlefield and focus more on the human elements outside of the battles and conflicts. The interactions that Nellie had with both soldiers and men alike, both through stories or real life interactions shows us the humanity in the revolution. In both the stories of the lives of individuals to their deaths, we learn how they lived their lives or why they were killed. Some even killed too soon, but it is through the lives and deaths of those during the revolution that we not only learn of the ideologies of the revolution but of the humanity of the revolution.

One of the stories that stuck with me the most was of Nacha Ceniceros, one of the few female generals in the Villa army who supposedly got executed only to have run away from the revolution in order to rebuild her life away from it all. This story about someone re-establishing their lives during the revolution is rare like we mentioned last week in the Underdogs, most people who join the revolution cannot leave the revolution once they join they are forever stuck in a perpetual motion  like a stone rolling down a hill. The notability that Nacha was able to forge for herself in an almost man driven revolution is noted in her story, even at the end when she states herself that if she truly wanted she could have stayed in the army and marry one of the generals. It is her ability to give up becoming one fo the “most influential women” of the revolution to become a rancher instead. Although she is given a fake story to cover up her departure from the army, the fake story maintain’s her prowess and significance as both a general and a woman. The symbolism of the way that she died and many other died who infront of gun squads on both sides of the revolution is immortalized in these short stories. Deaths which otherwise may have gone completely unheard of as are those in many other revolutions.

The Man on the Outside

The book The Underdogs explains what the lives of revolutionaries were like during the Mexican revolution. At the start of the book, we encounter a scenario where a mysterious man is eating at a rancho when two federals appear out of now where and kill the dog and attempt to sleep with the woman present. From the start, we are showed the levels of corruption within the federal army, and it is because of this corruption that the revolution is occurring. As the story continues and we learn more about Demetrio Macias, the supposed leader of the group of revolutionaries centered around Lemon we learn about the distrust and hatred that the local people have towards the Federales. As the revolutionaries fight their way through the Sierra Macias is wounded after a fight with the Federales eventually seeking shelter at a small pueblo.  It is at this point that eventually that Luis Cervantes or curro as the revolutionaries called him, Luis was a medical student and revolutionary sympathizer who eventually got enlisted in the army. During his time in the army he learned about the hatred that even some of the soldiers inside of his regiment had towards the Federales, eventually Luis escapes in attempts to join up with Macias. Much to his dismay, Luis is not immediately accepted by the revolutionaries, but it is because of this rejection that he is able to see and observe the revolutionaries in this outsider perspective. As Luis is held up in the jail fearing for his life, he reflects on this aspirations of joining the revolutionaries and how the revolutionaries standing in front of him lacked all of the characteristics he dreamed of. This outsider perspective that Luis gains although it tests Luis’s dedication to the cause allows him to better understand his compatriots. Much like his army experience Luis is eventually allowed to join the revolutionaries eventually coming to understand each and every one of their goals and ideologies much like his army counterparts. The role that Luis places in the story is two parts on one side of it, he is proof of the hatred between the revolutionaries and the Federales which is evident on the group’s unwillingness to accept him for anything else than a Federal. But it is during this time of rejection that he is able to become the observer of the group, even with his desire to join he is objective of the goals and abilities of the revolutionaries. It is these observations of the group which gives allows us to understand both Luis’s plight but also the groups. Their hatred and fear of the Federales and the comradery that they share is what makes us as readers become engaged in their struggles.

A Man With a Mustache

Although I somewhat enjoyed the movie Viva Zapata, there were things about it that I just didn’t enjoy. The movie overall does do a good job at telling the tale of the Mexican Revolution through the eyes and events of Emiliano Zapata and the struggle to liberate the lands of the peasants from the rich aristocrats. As the movie progresses we see the transition of Zapata from a lowly field worker to eventually becoming one of the leading figures in the Mexican Revolution. Even with Zapata mentioning at the start of the movie that he did not want to become the conscious of everyone, he eventually finds himself at the center point of not just the indigenous movement but of the revolutionary ones as well. This innate ability to draw people to him which is averagely done in the movie is what allowed for Zapata to become a prominent figure in the Revolution. Eventually becoming an almost immortalized figure in both the revolution and in Mexico.

Even with the movie retelling the story of the revolution to somewhat of an accurate degree, there were aspects to it which did not fall within the narrative of true events. These narratives which are used only to further the Hollywood ideologies and such can be seen when Zapata first enters the presidential palace and asks the president for him to act in their staid because the courts take to much time, only for this scene to occur later on in the movie but with the roles reversed and Zapata being in the presidential position. Also, something that I personally could not get over was the lack of mustache that Marlon Brando had. The Mexican Revolution by some can be seen as one of the greatest examples of machismo in Mexican history, Machismo being the ideologies and characteristics that define what it means to be a man. Most importantly presenting yourself to those around you as being the manliest, this can be evident at times with how the men of Zapata are constantly flirting and being with women to an extreme. One of the strongest figures of machismo throughout the revolution was the classic handlebar mustache which can be seen below, the man bellow is the actual Emiliano Zapata, as you can tell his mustache is quite full and a true figure of machismo unlike Brando’s. Although this may seem as a small detail, the concepts of machismo are deeply embedded in not just the Mexican Revolution but in a lot of Latin Culture. At times, machismo can be seen as one of the defining characteristics of the revolution yet Brando lacks the true essence of it the quintessential mustache.

EmilianoZapata