e-culture: Culture Clash in Mexico, Indians Coming
April 14, 2003
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Values, Cultures Clash in Southern Mexico
"People who are in love need the trees." Rodolfo Montiel Flores spoke of his simple philosophy before an audience at the University of St. Thomas on Saturday (May 12). He explained that the indigenous people from his village of El Mameyal in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero love life and enjoy sitting beneath the trees. It was simply the nature of his people to live in harmony with nature. He referred to his home as "La Soledad" ("The Solitude"), because it was a quiet, peaceful place with beautiful trees.
An American logging company began harvesting timber in the state of Guerrero shortly after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect. NAFTA and the Mexican Forest Reform law of 1997 encouraged foreign investment by waiving protections for biodiversity and water quality.
Alarmed at the uncontrolled rapid deforestation of his homeland, Montiel, a campesino who subsists by farming small plots of land to support his indigenous community, began registering complaints with government officials. He formed Campesinos Ecologistas de la Sierra de Petatlan y Coyuca de Catalan (Farmer Ecologists from the Mountains of Petatlan and Coyuca de Catalan).
A poor farmer, Montiel never thought he would travel to Houston to tell his story. He also never thought he would spend two years in prison, isolated from his family, for protecting the trees in his land. He now refers to his beloved "La Soledad" as "The Loneliness" because the trees and the birds are gone.
Most indigenous people never received title to their lands during the colonization of Mexico, and never imagined that the land could yield any resources more valuable than the food and water it supplied. Montiel espoused a common philosophy of indigenous people: "The land belongs to all of us. We come from the land. When we die we return to earth."
Through clear-cutting, the logging operation was not only destroying their homeland, but was contaminating and depleting the water the villagers needed to exist. Residents of Guerrero's forested mountains faced an environmental disaster. Martiel determined he would become one of the luchadores, "people who struggle," and to take a peaceful route to a solution. He explained, "When struggling in favor of life, it's wrong to take the path of violence."
He gathered four supporters. They went from village to village raising consciousness of the people. But the villagers, mostly indigenous, were afraid to speak out after hearing of massacres and feeling pressure from Mexico's 40th Infantry Battalion, sent to protect the logging operations and prevent opposition by insurgent environmental groups, which were considered to be eco-guerilla organizations.
Opposition to the logging spread as citizens began to question the irreversible destruction of their homeland and the rights of the caciques (political bosses) to profit from the resources believed to belong to the local ejidos (villages whose residents have the right to work communal lands). Montiel gathered 104 supporters in a protest that stopped 43 logging trucks, but called it off after two days with the knowledge that 17 people had been massacred for taking similar action. Montiel and his family received numerous threats of violence. Several members of the local environmental movement were killed, including Montiel's nephew.
On Sunday morning, May 2, 1999, Mexican officials raided Montiel's village. An innocent bystander, Salom Sanchez Ortiz, was killed and other unarmed campesinos were wounded. Montiel, along with fellow organizer Teodoro Cabrera Garcia, were taken into custody, beaten and imprisoned on false charges. Continued physical and psychological torture drew world-wide attention from human rights organizations and environmentalists alike. Montiel and Cabrera's lawyer, Digna Ochoa was murdered in her Mexico City office. The case has not been solved.
Amnesty International declared Montiel a "prisoner of conscience." On November 8, 2001, faced with growing international protest, Mexican President Vicente Fox released Montiel from prison, shortly before traveling to the United States. Montiel joined the ranks of environmental heroes from around the globe when he receive the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize and the Chico Mendes Award.
As he was being honored for his accomplishments at St. Thomas University, an audience member asked Montiel where he found courage as he faced threats and violence carried out against many other organizers of indigenous people. Montiel replied, "It was necessary. I had nothing to lose but life and it was necessary for the future of my children."
In a comfortable university setting, it's difficult to understand how the differences in the cultures of a profiteering American company with many beneficiaries on the pay roll and of a subsistence farmer with barely enough room to raise a plot of corn for his family in a remote village far away in Mexico could have so much bearing on the world.
The conditions Rodolfo Montiel Flores faced as a landless campesino in Mexico are not unique. As Mexico's resources are increasingly exposed to the outside world for profit, Mexico's vast numbers of indigenous people are severely disadvantaged in the aggressive economy. The exploitation of the poor as an inexpensive labor force and almost inevitable trend toward cultural leveling through nationalizing and globalizing is likely to occur at a hyper-inflated rate. The indigenous experience that gave cause to Nobel Peace Prize recipient Rigoberta Menchu and galvanized the Zapatistas in a monumental effort to bring attention to the destruction of their culture and exploitation of their land is an increasing part of the conscience of many poor and indigenous people of Mexico. The paradox millions of people unwittingly face, to hold on to traditions and values or to homogenize and adapt to bewildering circumstances, will have a strong impact on the future of Mexico and the United States. The trends people follow, particularly people from the most disadvantaged diverse cultures, whether isolated in the canyons of the Sierra Tarahumara or sharing a common indigenous experience across all of southern Mexico, will have an indelible impact on our quality of life -- economy, environment, health, social and economic status, equality, etc.
With world events raising many dire cultural issues today, we are making a stronger effort to offer discussions about these topics and to promote awareness of the need for greater cultural literacy and exposure to cultural history.
With increased mass communications, transportation and trade, all of North America grows closer, and closer to the world. We will have a discussion about the role of diverse cultures in politics, economy, environment and media, and examine racism, public attitudes and stereotypes.
Please attend this educational presentation and discussion, "The Value of Cultural Literacy in the Global Electronic Village" on Thursday, May 8, 2003 in the Olive Branch Room, Mary Knoll House, 2360 Rice Blvd. The program will begin at 7:30pm. The Mary Knoll House is between Rice University and The Village, four doors west of Greenbriar.
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More Educational Resources on Mexico
Our "Traditions of Mexico" project is an effort to feature many of Mexico's unique customs and cultural celebrations. A goal of the project is to report on local customs, as well as religious and indigenous beliefs that sustain the traditions. The project will look at changes to the traditions and contributing factors.
The Day of the Dead project began in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca in October and November of 2002, and will continue for several years.
The next step of the project is to visit Kickapoo and Seminole settlements in northern Mexico, El Nacimiento and Colonia de los Kikapu, over the summer. Westward expansion drove the Kickapoo out of their Great Lakes homeland and they fled to Texas. To escape being quartered on a reservation in Oklahoma, the Kickapoo took up permanent residence in Coahuila.
Additional documentary work will include various regions of Mexico, from unique geographic regions, such as Copper Canyon in Chihuahua and the indigenous Tarahumara who live there, to the Colonial cities of central Mexico, San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. We will make a trip to Copper Canyon in November.
We also plan to closely monitor the involvement and support of politically active indigenous movements in the Yucatan, as they are expected to make their concerns known when the World Trade Organization meets in Cancun this September.
For more information, send an email to info@houstonculture.org.
Please visit the "Traditions of Mexico" web site:
http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico
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Mardi Gras Indians Wednesday, April 16
Masking Indian: The Black Indians of New Orleans
We will explore the Mardi Gras Indians' mysterious traditions and their legacy of defiance after slavery through their history, music and photographs, followed by an open discussion.
Free
Wednesday, April 16, 2003, 3:00pm
UH African American Studies Conference Room
University of Houston, 315 Agnes Arnold Hall
Contact information:
email: info@houstonculture.org
phone: 713-521-3686
http://www.houstonculture.org/indians
Listen to the World Music Show on KTRU, 91.7 FM from 7 to 9pm tonight to hear a sample of the music of the Mardi Gras Indians. The World Music Show can be heard every Monday night.
Future Educational Programs:
Four Directions, Four Cultures, Four Corners... Four Territorial Histories of New Mexico
We will look at the unique peoples and arts of the Southwest through photographs, music and dialogue, and consider modern cultural issues in "the land of enchantment."
Community Artists' Collective
Date and time to be announced
Anasazi (the Ancient Puebloans) and the Modern Navajo
"Listen for Clues" Summer Kids Program at Koinonia Community Center. Adults are welcome, "If you think you're smart enough to compete with kids."
Koinonia Community Center
Date and time to be announced
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Namita Bodaji Returns to Rice University
Namita Bodaji Performing Classical Indian Dance
To celebrate Asia/Pacific American Heritage Month, we will feature Namita Bodaji performing classical Indian dance, Bharata Natyam on Sunday, May 5 in Hamman Hall at Rice University.
From Bombay, India, Namita delivers an outstanding artistic program and a great educational experience, as she explains the narrative and complex expressions before each dance. Her performance leaves the audience asking when she will return. Namita last performed in Houston in April 2001. Don't miss this outstanding performer.
The event will be sponsored by KTRU, Rice University Radio. Listen to the World Music Show on Monday nights from 7 to 9pm for more information and an interview with Namita.
For on-line information:
http://www.houstonculture.org/namita
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Sign Up for Summer Learning Adventures
A Cultural History of the Western United States and Mexico
May 24 - June 1
We will visit sites important to our cultural history, including San Javier Del Bac, Casas Grandes and the Cochise Stronghold.
http://www.houstonculture.org/terra/cochise.html
The Creoles of the Cane River
July 4 - 6
We will follow the historic King's Road to Louisiana where we will explore French and Spanish colonial history in Natchitoches, as well as the historic Melrose Plantation, part of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park.
http://www.houstonculture.org/terra/king.html
Western Canyon Explorers Adventure
August, Dates to be announced
We will search for the contradictions of the American hero John Wesley Powell in Glenn Canyon (Lake Powell), Grand Canyon, and the red rock slot canyons of Navajoland. Participation will be limited due to equipment and travel logistics. Let us know soon if you are interested.
Fall educational adventures:
Traditional Indian Dances at Acoma Pueblo (Sky City)
Coming September, 2003
The Tarahumara of Copper Canyon
Coming November, 2003
http://www.houstonculture.org/terra/copper.html
See the "Traditions of Mexico" project explained above, or visit:
http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico
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Get Involved! Volunteer Meeting April 23
New Volunteers/General Interest
A New Volunteers/General Interest Meeting will be held at Napoli Flying Pizza on Wednesday, April 23 at 7:30pm. Call 713-521-3686, or send an email to info@houstonculture.org, for more information.
Napoli Flying Pizza is located at 4820 W. Bellfort Street in the Meyerland Plaza, about one block east of Post Oak. For directions, call (713) 726-1166.
closer look at the orgaization - programs, resources, administrative activities
Get meeting updates on line:
http://www.houstonculture.org/meeting
September 11 Cultural Literacy Project
We are in the planning stages of next September's event. We tentatively plan to focus on the changing image of the United States in the world view between September 11, 2001 and the War in Iraq. Attending the General Interest Meeting on April 2 is one way to get involved in the planning. We will let you know of future opportunities.
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The New Visible Magazines Are Here
Last fall we ran out of our share of the magazines to hand out. This time copies are available in book stores in wide distribution. Contact us if you would like to get one through our organization. Rose Mary Salum and Monika Hallqvist have again produced a wonderful magazine that celebrates the excellence of Hispanic, Iberian and Latin American art, culture and literature.
The Spring 2003 issue features the landscape and portrait photography of Gabriel Figueroa Flores and the sculpture of Juan Munoz. Other stories include the "Big Rambling House" (cosona) of Seminario XII and the Cuban flutist Maraca, as well as Mexican cinema and the Hispanic romance languages. The stories appear in both Spanish and English.
http://www.visiblemagazine.com
Thank you for supporting Houston Institute for Culture.
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M a r k @houstonculture.org
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