Jen

The General in His Labyrinth

2008-03-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

I have found reading “The General and his labyrinth” interesting as for the first time I find myself sympathizing with the dictator of our dictator novels. I was most excited to read this book of all the books we are reading as it was written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, one of my favourite authors, and my wiki topic! I have to say that this is not my favourite of Marquez’s novels however, of all the books we have read this semester, it is so far at the top of my list.

As I read this novel, I compare it a lot to Garcia Marquez’s other novels and really look for his style throughout it. Most notably is the fact that this plot is historically accurate and thus Marquez is restricted to portraying these facts. Here I also see solidarity, as I see the General as a very lonely man.

Also, I find it interesting that we never talked about the epigraph in this novel- “It seems that the devil controls the business of my life. (Letter to Santander, August 4, 1823)” We spent so much time looking at the opening letter in “Yo el Supremo”.

Something that I noticed from the very beginning was how in depth Garcia Marquez goes into descriptions. That of the General shaving on page 5 is notable as it goes into such vivid detail. “Then he plucked the hairs in his nose and ears, polished his perfect teeth with charcoal powder on a silver-handled silk brush…”(5) and it goes on and on! Do we really need to know such specific details?! Again we get this on page 10 when it says “His body burned in a bonfire of fever, and he was farting stony foul-smelling gas” I would like to read that in Spanish!

Furthermore, the fist part gives light to what an important figure the General was at this time. He had José Palacios, who “knew and loved him so well…”(40) and then an entourage of five men always with him on his voyage. As well as seven pack mules who carried what seems to be all of his belongings (31).

tag: span312

I the Supreme

2008-02-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

As I am struggling through “I the Supreme” all I can think about is the fact that I am going to need to read this over and over to fully understand it. I think that it is a good practice in reading and accepting the fact that there are some things that just might go over my head and also I constantly am forcing my self to focus as I read it.

The hardest part of the book is that the dialogue is not portrayed traditionally. Conversations are clumped into one paragraph and no quotations are used, thus it is hard to follow who is talking. As the book goes on, it is becoming easier to distinguish between the Supreme and Patino as we begin to know the characters better. The way in which we are just following each person’s stream of consciousness is frustrating at times because I find myself craving action. After twenty pages I can look back and have to struggle to come up with what the action actually was. I am reading another book in my Portuguses Lit class right now that does the same thing (Hour of the Star). I have to force myself to just go with it and accept the lack of action. The compilers notes add a completely different spin to the book as they are one more interruption to the flow of the narration, yet necessary to read.

Finally, I like that we are reading about Paraguay as I really know very little about it and don’t know if I have ever even read a book about this area.

tag: span312

2008-01-28T23:25:00.000-08:00

What a relief. I have to say that so far I really prefer El Senor Presidente. I really like the narrative style as we get the prospective of numerous characters as to what is going on. However as it jumps from character to character I get a bit confused.

I loved the description of Dona Venjamon. From the instant that I read her name I laughed and I love the way the narrator describes her as, “a woman of colossal build, who required two seats in the tram (one for each buttock) and more than eight yards of material for her dress (53).” I really thought this description was hysterical and well written.

The book really makes clear the corruption that exists in this country. Security men are paid off so the men can pass by to kidnap the young girl as if it were nothing (68). Angel face simply gives the man 100 pesos, and “his objections were at once overcome” (68).
Asturias portrays all the corruption as everyday occurrences and part of life in this country, which demonstrates the corrupt nature of this place. He inserts these details so simply that it is clear they are everyday occurrences.

I find it interesting that thus far the “president” plays a very small role in the plot. While it is clear that the actions of the characters were set out by him, he plays a small vocal role in the plot thus far. The little bit we have read of his direct presence such as on page 35-36 he is clearly a powerful dictator who is not fazed by the unjust death of one of its citizens and has no problem having the death be reframed in order to make himself look good to the public eye. His personal interests are clearly his first priority.

tag: span312

2008-01-22T23:15:00.001-08:00

I have to say that I was hoping to find the second half of “Facundo” a bit easier to read but I instead have found it hard to get through. I really have had to make myself sit to read it. It is chock full of fact, details, and statistics that become tedious for me as a reader.

One thing I find very interesting though is the way in which the narrator continues to be caught up in comparing barbarism and civilization while he tells Facundo’s story. This obsession with the civilized Europe is really interesting. One thing I find interesting is Sarmiento’s view that Spain is not as civilized as the rest of Europe. I can see it in the sense that he looks negatively on Spain as the Spanish conquered his country, but I haven’t thought of them as close to ‘barbaric Africa’ and disconnected from the rest of Europe.

Sarmiento idealizes the rest of Europe especially France. Mostly he marks Argentina as completely oppsite of Europe. Although he seems quite proud of Buenos Aires and this pride can be seen in the way in which he speaks about it as cultured and ‘civilized’. He boasts of the abundance of English, French, German, and Italian last names, never mentioning the Spanish names that are most likely equally if not more, prolific. His pride for Buenos Aires is also notable. He writes just 3 pages about Cordoba and 8 pages about Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, he praises, was as advanced if not more as the rest of Europe. He notes, “Buenos Aires professed and believed everything that the learned European believed and professed” (123). This battle for Sarmiento to connect his country is never ending.

tag: span312

Facundo 1-5

2008-01-15T00:22:00.000-08:00

The first five chapters of “Facundo” present a very interesting introduction to the book and the country of Argentina. He creates an introduction to the geography of Argentina, which is the first hint for me that his target audience is foreigners. He is does not seem to be directing this book towards Argentines who live there, and most definitely not to the gauchos who he criticizes and boxes into a category of horseback riding hooligans.
I cannot help but be struck by the binaries that he creates between urban and rural- city and country. On page 51 Sarmiento paints a vivid picture of a the native town as “the disgraceful reverse side of the coin,” with dirty children and this idea of filth everywhere, which is in stark contrast to the modern, clean ‘European’ urban world of Buenos Aires that he describes. Why is Sarmiento painting this picture of his country in stark difference? - Depicting the vast majority of his land as savage and just a small part as civilized. I think this is in great part to attract the ‘civilized’ reader, be it from France or any other part of Europe. He strives to create connections and perhaps erase some misconceptions that most have of the Americas as being purely barbaric and uncivilized, by creating this image of the urban city. By marking these stark differences between rural and urban, he complies that this barbaric nature exists, but only in the country and attempts to attract the foreign audience to his home.
Today, I think that many of these same preconceptions still hold for urban and rural peoples of all over the Americas. This idea of savage and cultured is very prominent. We can see the dichotomy existing in comparing the so-called ‘developed world’ to the ‘developing world’ as well as from urban to rural. I personally am from a really small town (less than 1000) and people are constantly asking me how I go shopping, how do I survive in the city, why I came all this way to go to school, and the list goes on. There are thousands of stereotypes about people from the country, and in fact that of always being on horseback (page 73) even still exists (to a certain degree).

tag: span312

final thoughts.....

2006-11-29T23:09:00.000-08:00

This course has been great for me. I, like everyone else, still haven’t fully answered the magic question, but I feel that I have looked at human rights in ways that no other course has shown (more to be seen in my paper!!). I think we will all leave (at least) slightly more depressed then when we walked in the first day, yet far more enlightened.
In terms of course layout I wish we had had a little less time with all the theory and gotten to spend more time looking at case studies, which I think we sadly because of a lack of time just skimmed over. The three hour classes were great for having plenty of time to get into group discussions and really have a chance to talk things out. I loved the freedom we had in our case studies. It was really nice for me personally to take the time to read up on Chiapas before I head there in January! I hope that next year there will be a course to follow this up as I think there is so much more to explore.
Jon thanks so much for Monday night it was a really great way to end the term. A highlight for sure! Also please keep in touch about Latin American Studies as I really would like to do something to create more of a community.

tag: last301

Anti-Chavez Protest

2006-11-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

CNN proudly boasted on its headlines yesterday that hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans were out on Saturday to rally in support of presidential candidate Manual Rosales. In the last poll Chavez led by 30 points but this rally is said to show that Rosales has the strength to win. It will be interesting to see what the results are!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/11/25/chavez.protest.ap/index.html

tag: last301

Perera reading

2006-11-22T17:32:00.000-08:00

After our class discussion yesterday about "is this just a permanent war" I have a few more comments- I think that this is ongoing yet there are some steps that are being taken to have positive change. For instance in '94 the women’s revolutionary laws were created for women in Chiapas. The intention was to provide women with basic rights such as education and health care. As well, they gave women the ability to make decisions about their bodies (children etc) and to participate in the Zapatista movement. Although women to this day do not have ALL these rights I think that it is valuable to note that initiatives are being taken. The laws were written and action is being taken. I think the key is grass roots initiatives on a small scale- hopefully being more and more effective and successful

tag: last301

Open Writer from a wrtire to the Military Junta

2006-10-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

Rodolfo Walsh’s article to the military junta is very powerful. “Fifteen thousand disappeared, ten thousand prisoners, four thousand dead, hundreds of thousands uprooted; these are the raw statistics of terror” (285). I felt my self cringing as I read these facts. I wonder if this letter was even read and if it had any effect on the men reading it.
Our readings last week highlighted the deaths and torture. Walsh also reveals the economic devastation that Argentina experienced. “In one year you have reduced the real value of salaries by 40 per cent, diminished their participation in national income by 30 per cent, extended the number of work hours required to afford basic necessities from six to eighteen hours…” (288). This highlights the fact that everyone in Argentina was affected by the dictatorship, not just those who were physically abused/ killed or lost someone.
Rodolfo Walsh was a brave man and he knew that he would be persecuted for this letter. He clearly felt the need to express himself and make an attempt to have his voice heard. “These are the thoughts I wanted to send the Junta members on the first anniversary of your ill-fated government, without the hope of being listened to, with the certainty of being persecuted, true to the commitment I took up a long time ago, to bear witness in difficult times” (290).

tag: last301

"Our children were taken alive; we want them back alive

2006-10-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this weeks readings. The section on “las locas” was especially interesting to me. The introduction sums up the women’s relationship with each other very well. They were “brought together by the agony and controlled fury that only a mother whose children have been taken away could feel (428). Hebe’s account is heart wrenching. It really gives insight to the feelings and connections between the women. Of her first meeting with a fellow mother of a missing child she notes, “I felt a bond of sisterhood with that woman. I felt understood” (431). These bonds were clearly so important for the women’s processes of mourning and effort to take a stand. It was interesting to read that many of them, including Hebe herself were in disbelief of the situation. She explains, “…something in me was still asking if we weren’t creating too much of a scandal over nothing, over some confusion that would surely be cleared up sooner or later” (432). I never knew the key role- that the world cup played in raising international awareness. I also had no idea that “las locas” were the only visible protesters during the dictatorship.

tag: last301

Assignment 1

2006-10-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Shannon Mattiace’s article Regional Renegotiations of Space: Tojolabal Ethnic Identity in Las Margaritas, Chiapas examines the unification of different ethnicities in the Chiapas region of Mexico on the basis of “common experiences of discrimination, lack of representation and power in the national political system, and the absence of government services in indigenous region, as well as on the shared practice of communal work and similar decision making procedures within indigenous communities” (Mattiace 73). Since 1974 indigenous people of Tzotzils, Tzeltals, Chols, and Tojolabal of the Chiapas region have organized collectively in order to discuss common issues they face as minorities and possible ways to resolve them (Mattiace 73). This collective work Mattiace maintains, “provides the participants with a broader vision of themselves both as members of particular ethnic groups and as Indians in the larger context” (Mattiace 73). The collective organization has played an intricate role in uniting the people. By using the Tojolabals as a case study, Mattiace explores regional autonomy in Chiapas. Her article highlights different tactics used by varying regional organizations of the Tojolabals to fight for the basic rights of indigenous people such as access to health care and education, and representation in the government. As well, it examines the challenges communities face in organizing themselves.
The first part of the article speaks about the history of the Tojolabals. Mattiace makes a very important distinction about Tojolabal ethnic identity. She notes that “ethnic identity is more, however than simply the maintenance of legacies... It also adapts to changing circumstances and is continuously reimagined and reinvented” (Mattiace 75). It is often viewed that indigenous groups are meant to have stagnant societies and to hold true to all traditions. This is an important distinction to make as indigenous cultures are often misunderstood when their traditions change. This adaptation to changing environments and circumstances is a mode of survival and a natural cultural progression. Mattiace explains that Tojolabal people are often viewed as having lost many of their traditions such as traditional dress, language, and governing practices, as a result of adapting their lives. For this, anthropologists often neglect to study them, yet the collective action they have taken is noteworthy and warrants research and recognition (Mattiace 76).
Following a brief explanation of the history of the Tojolabals, Mattiace’s second section is about the Rise of Regional Politics. The 1970s were a time of “upheaval and crisis in the Mexican countryside” (78). Numerous different collectives came about at this time in response to the changes that were occurring in rural Mexico. Concerns in each group varied from land reform and redistribution to working together to receive higher prices for their products. Beginning in the 1990s this indigenous political organization increased in the region, most notably with growing strength of the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional (Zapatista Army National Liberation- EZLN) (Mattiace 74). Zapatista headquarters are in Tojolabal communities and the Tojolabals constitute a large portion of the grassroots support for the EZLN (Mattiace 77). As a result of this long history of collective action, Tojolabals can therefore stand as a model for other minorities in their attempts to organize regionally (Mattiace 76). Mattiace’s explanation of the Rise of Regional Politics is the weakest part of her article. It is not outlined in a clear manner and is hard to follow as a reader. As well the numerous acronyms used for the different groups are hard to follow and differentiate which makes comprehension more difficult and the argument less cohesive.
Mattiace makes an important distinction in her approach to the relationship between Tojolabals and mestizo peasants. She notes that, “Although Tojolabals share many concerns with poor mestizo peasants they continue to feel distinct and to perceive that society treats them differently from mestizos; this discrepancy illustrates the multiple layers of oppression and discrimination that define the Indian experience” (Mattiace 81). Tojolabals maintain that they “work the land and that their relationship to the soil distinguishes them from the mestizos who work at other occupations in the city” (Mattiace 81). This distinction is important as often minorities are grouped together and believed to be the same and face the same issues. It is crucial that the unique characteristics that indigenous people have-- such as their connection to the land and the central role that it plays in their daily life are made and recognized. Mattiace makes this recognition in her study of the Tojolabals.
The strongest portion of Mattiace’s article is her outline of intercommunity conflict and the way in which the conflicts challenge regional autonomy. She notes that the five major issues which divide the communities are religion, political party affiliation, support for the EZLN, continuing land conflicts, and the drawing of municipal boundaries (Mattiace 88-89). This is the strongest part of her article as she clearly explains the ways in which these dividing factors hinder regional autonomy. She makes an interesting point about religion as a barrier to regional autonomy. She claims that it is not the diversity of religious groups within a community that cause strife. Instead, often newly introduced religious ceremonies and responsibilities are taking priority over local village fiestas and rituals and this poses a threat to community traditions (89).
Mattiace successfully presents valid support for recognizing past Tojolabal triumph in collectively organizing. She speaks of numerous organizations that the Tojolabals created and highlights the fact that they were leaders in movements to fight for their rights. Her greatest weakness in writing is the lack of organization in her background information on the Rise of Regional Politics. However, she does an excellent job clearly outlining the challenges the Tojolabals face in achieving regional autonomy. Mattiace’s study of the Tojolabals provides concrete evidence of the successes in regionally organizing. As well, it sheds light on the determination and hard work of the Tojolabal people in their attempt to have their voices heard and needs met.

Works Cited:
Mattiace, Shannan L. >Latin American Perspectives, Vol. 28, No. 2, The Indigenous People of Chiapas and the State in the Time of Zapatismo: Remaking Culture, Renegotiating Power. (Mar..2001), pp. 73-97.

tag: last301

Chavez ‘Ready to Defend Bolivia’ ”

2006-10-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

“Chavez ‘Ready to Defend Bolivia’ ” is about Chavez’s claim to protect Morales if there is an attempt to overthrow. Chavez claims that the “a US backed plan was being implemented to impede Mr Morales' cabinet from governing effectively, so that his removal could later be justified”. It is also noted in the article that Venezuela and Bolivia have recently made a military co-operation agreement. Press coverage of Chavez and Venezuela has been very dramatic in the last couple months. Ranging from Chavez calling Bush the devil to their possible seat in the UN. The open tension between Chavez in the US gives great opportunity for dramatic press coverage.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6045152.stm

tag: last301

Robins readign

2006-10-15T23:39:00.000-07:00

I found the Robins reading on “Atrocity as Metaphor: The Symbolic Language pf Rebellion” especially interesting this week. In discussions, we have discussed the fact that Spaniards and Natives could not verbally communicate. Robins sheds some interesting light on ways in which they were able to communicate with each other. He notes that “Many were anything but inarticulate and expressed themselves clearly through the symbolic nature of their actions” (142). The rebels used symbols to make peace with the Spaniards. By wearing Spanish style clothing and caring an image of Christ, Tupatu was able to show the Spaniards that he came peacefully (146). Robins has numerous examples of symbolic hatred and abuse by the rebels. A noteworthy story was when the rebels attacked Pocoata and the escort of Corregidor Alós. In this encounter, they chopped of the hand of the scribe and cut out the tongue of the advisor, before finally killing these two men. Robins highlights that these men were first “striped of their ability to perform their roles in society, to write and speak” (147), and then finally killed. On the surface it is obvious that the Spaniards and native people could not communicate verbally but we can see that there were other ways to communicate successfully and in many ways far more dramatically. This article by Robins demonstrates that taking an alternative approach to understanding actions of the rebel leaders can give us some answers and prove to be very interesting .

tag: last301

Chavez-Castro Friendship Tricky for US

2006-09-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

This article was written before Chavez famously called Bush the devil earlier this week, but I think that it explains some important ties between Cuba and Venezuela which fuels the threat that the two countries poses to the US. This relationship between Castro and Chavez has been highlighted all over the media. The rather popular photo of Chavez sitting holding Castro’s hand while he is sick in bed stands as a symbol of the strong backing that Cuba has by Chavez and the fact that he will stand by Cuba. It is a message to the US that they will not be able to simply take over when Fidel dies. The article notes, “Castro and Chavez are united by what they call a crusade against U.S. dominance of Latin America and unbridled capitalism that is driving the world to ruin.” They are some of the most outspoken anti US leaders in Latin America. This union and strength that they have poses a huge threat to US presence.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060913
/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/hugo___fidel_3

tag: last301

Theory: The Origin of Rights

2006-09-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

In responding to our readings I decided to focus on a couple quotes that I found interesting.

The first is by Paine. He notes, “Man did not enter into society to become worse than he was before, nor to have less rights than he had before, but to have these rights better secured (Paine 78)” This comment by Paine struck me as it relates to a lot of what we have discussed about rights. In theory this comment is pretty straightforward and rather obvious, yet as we have discussed, in our stratified world this does not ring true for all.

I liked what Rousseau had to say about war and I think that it is especially relevant to us right now. He says, “It is the relationship of things, not of men, that constitutes a sate of war, and since the state of war cannot be engendered merely by personal relationships but only by relationships between things a private war between man and man cannot exist… War is not, therefore, a relationship between man and man, but between state and state, in which individuals become enemies only by accident, not as men, nor even as citizens soldiers (Rousseau 51). This quote immediately made me think of the situation in Iraq and the rather ironic nature of war. We become enemies essentially over fighting for national interests, whether it be land, natural resources, power, religion, or the political and nationalistic gains of the state. These desires result in arm conflict and the loss of thousands of lives. On the surface war is fought man to man (or woman) creating enemies yet it is at the interest of the state.

tag: last301

2006-09-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Experts: Mexico must do more
This article is about the treatment of Mexicans who are injured at working illegally in the US. It highlights the cross border battle of border life in Mexico. I briefly studied border life of Mexico in an anthropology class last year and was interested to read about this employment struggle in the news. I found the article in The Charlotte Observer (from a google link). It is a short article which highlights the struggles of Mexicans going to the US to seek a better life. It notes that Mexicans believe they will be treated fairly and taken care of while working in the US. Unfortunately this is not the case and injuries are costly and the families have little choice but to deal with it in Mexico. The system is too complex and costly for most Mexicans to file claims against the US. The article highlights the injustices of this area and the need for an improvement in US/Mexican work relations for the safety of its citizens.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/
special_packages/immigration/15539725.htm

tag: last301

2006-09-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

In reading the numerous declarations etc. I am struck by the face that my rights are in reality something I give very little thought to. Although it is something many give little thought to, hundreds of years worth of work have been put into creating and adapting them for various countries. I think that our class discussion demonstrated the fact that many of us are unaware of our specific rights. I am curious as to how this varies from country to country and from person to person. Would I be more knowledgeable of my specific rights if they were challenged more often?
I found reading the Canadian Charter especially interesting, and I think that every Canadian should review it. As we briefly discussed in class one of the most notable aspects was the presence of the French language. I think that this is would be far less striking if we were living on the East coast because in comparison there is very little presence of French in Vancouver. Of more notable relevance is the absence of aboriginal rights which seems especially evident to us living on the west coast. Something else that struck me is the section 15 of the Equality rights. It is an extensive list of basis upon which not to discriminate yet fails to mention sexual orientation. I understand that this was of far less relevance at the time yet updates should be made as it is now over 20 years later.

tag: last301