I, Rigoberta Menchú: an Indian woman in Guatemala

Description

"Now a global bestseller, the remarkable life of Rigoberta Menchú, a Guatemalan peasant woman, reflects on the experiences common to many Indian communities in Latin America. Menchú suffered gross injustice and hardship in her early life: her brother, father and mother were murdered by the Guatemalan military. She learned Spanish and turned to catechistic work as an expression of political revolt as well as religious commitment. Menchú vividly conveys the traditional beliefs of her community and her personal response to feminist and socialist ideas. Above all, these pages are illuminated by the enduring courage and passionate sense of justice of an extraordinary woman."--Publisher description.;The family -- Birth ceremonies -- The nahual -- First visit to the finca. Life in the finca -- First visit to Guatemala City -- An eight-year-old agricultural worker -- Death of her little brother in the finca. Difficulty of communicating with other Indians -- Life in the Altiplano. Rigoberta's tenth birthday -- Ceremonies for sowing time and harvest. Relationship with the earth -- The natural world. The earth, mother of man -- Marriage ceremonies -- Life in the community -- Death of her friend by poisoning -- A maid in the capital -- Conflict with the landowners and the creation of the CUC -- Period of reflection on the road to follow -- Self-defence in the village -- The Bible and self-defence: the examples of Judith, Moses and David -- Attack on the village by the army -- The death of Doña Petrona Chona -- Farewell to the community: Rigoberta decides to learn Spanish -- The CUC comes out into the open -- Political activity in other communities. Contacts with ladinos -- The torture and death of her little brother, burnt alive in front of members of his family and the community -- Rigoberta's father dies in the occupation of the Spanish embassy. Peasants march to the capital -- Rigoberta talks about her father -- Kidnapping and death of Rigoberta's mother -- Death -- Fiestas and Indian queens -- Lessons taught her by her mother: Indian women and ladino women -- Women and political commitment. Rigoberta renounces marriage and motherhood -- Strike of agricultural workers and the first of May in the capital -- In hiding in the capital. Hunted by the army -- Exile. The family -- Birth ceremonies -- The nahual -- First visit to the finca. Life in the finca -- First visit to Guatemala City -- An eight-year-old agricultural worker -- Death of her little brother in the finca. Difficulty of communicating with other Indians -- Life in the Altiplano. Rigoberta's tenth birthday -- Ceremonies for sowing time and harvest. Relationship with the earth -- The natural world. The earth, mother of man -- Marriage ceremonies -- Life in the community -- Death of her friend by poisoning -- A maid in the capital -- Conflict with the landowners and the creation of the CUC -- Period of reflection on the road to follow -- Self-defence in the village -- The Bible and self-defence: the examples of Judith, Moses and David -- Attack on the village by the army -- The death of Doña Petrona Chona -- Farewell to the community: Rigoberta decides to learn Spanish -- The CUC comes out into the open -- Political activity in other communities. Contacts with ladinos -- The torture and death of her little brother, burnt alive in front of members of his family and the community -- Rigoberta's father dies in the occupation of the Spanish embassy. Peasants march to the capital -- Rigoberta talks about her father -- Kidnapping and death of Rigoberta's mother -- Death -- Fiestas and Indian queens -- Lessons taught her by her mother: Indian women and ladino women -- Women and political commitment. Rigoberta renounces marriage and motherhood -- Strike of agricultural workers and the first of May in the capital -- In hiding in the capital. Hunted by the army -- Exile.