I, Rigoberta Menchú

1. Indigenous Identity and Communal Life are Rooted in Nature and Ancestral Wisdom

Our customs say that a child begins life on the first day of his mother’s pregnancy.

Life is communal. From conception, a child belongs not just to parents but to the entire community, guided by elected leaders and ancestors' traditions. Birth ceremonies involve the community, symbolizing integration into a shared world where everything has meaning and purpose. This collective identity emphasizes responsibility and respect for elders and neighbors.

Nature is sacred. The earth is the mother of man, water is pure and gives life, the sun is the father and heart of the sky. These elements are respected and integrated into daily life and ceremonies, such as asking the earth's permission before sowing. This deep connection to the natural world forms the basis of indigenous religion and culture, passed down through oral tradition.

Traditions are preserved. Ancestral practices, from grinding maize by hand to building houses without nails, are maintained not out of stubbornness but as a way to preserve a social structure and cultural identity threatened by outside influence. Secrets are kept within the community to protect this heritage from those who would exploit or distort it.

2. Brutal Exploitation on Coastal Plantations Fuels Deep Resentment and Awareness

The dog had a good meal and I didn’t deserve as good a meal as the dog.

Harsh working conditions. Indigenous families are forced to migrate seasonally to coastal fincas to survive, enduring grueling labor like picking coffee and cotton from a young age for meager wages. Workdays are long, starting before dawn, and living conditions are squalid, with hundreds of people crowded into open-sided shacks with inadequate sanitation.

Systemic dehumanization. Workers are transported like animals in overcrowded, smelly lorries and treated worse than the landowners' pets. They are constantly supervised, insulted, and punished for minor infractions. Children work alongside adults, suffering malnutrition and illness due to poor food and unsanitary conditions, often dying young.

Debt and dependency. Finca owners maintain control through company stores (cantinas) where workers incur debts for basic necessities, medicine, and even small treats for children. Wages are often insufficient to cover these debts, trapping families in a cycle of dependency and preventing them from returning home with any savings.

3. The Struggle for Land is a Fight for Survival Against Deceitful Landowners and Government

My father fought for twenty-two years, waging a heroic struggle against the landowners who wanted to take our land and our neighbours’ land.

Land is life. For indigenous communities, land is not merely property but the source of food, culture, and identity. Cultivating their ancestral land, even small plots in the mountains, is essential for survival and maintaining their way of life, contrasting sharply with the rich, fertile lands owned by a few.

Constant threat of dispossession. Landowners, often in collusion with government authorities like the INTA, repeatedly attempt to seize indigenous lands through legal trickery, bribery, and violence. Peasants are tricked into signing documents they don't understand, leading to forced evictions and destruction of homes and crops.

Resistance and sacrifice. Rigoberta's father becomes a tireless leader in the fight for land rights, traveling extensively to seek help from unions and lawyers, often at great personal and family cost. His efforts, and the community's unity in resisting eviction, highlight the deep commitment to defending their land, even when facing imprisonment, torture, and death threats.

4. Cultural and Linguistic Barriers are Tools of Oppression, Demanding New Weapons of Resistance

They’ve always said, “Poor Indians, they can’t speak,” so many speak for them.

Imposed divisions. The existence of 22 indigenous languages in Guatemala, coupled with the dominance of Spanish spoken by ladinos, creates significant barriers between different indigenous groups and prevents communication with the authorities. This linguistic fragmentation is exploited by the system to keep indigenous people isolated and powerless.

Discrimination and prejudice. Ladinos, even poor ones, often view Indians as inferior, dirty, and ignorant, perpetuating a system of internal colonialism. This prejudice is deeply felt by indigenous people and creates a psychological barrier that reinforces their marginalization and prevents unity across ethnic lines.

Spanish as a weapon. Recognizing that the inability to speak Spanish leaves them vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation, Rigoberta and others decide to learn the language of their oppressors. This is seen as a necessary tool for communication, organization, and self-defense, enabling them to articulate their demands and expose injustices.

5. Suffering and Loss, Witnessed from Childhood, Ignite a Fierce Determination to Fight Back

My mother said that when a woman sees her son tortured, burnt alive, she is incapable of forgiving, incapable of getting rid of her hate.

Cumulative trauma. Rigoberta's life is marked by a series of traumatic losses, starting with the deaths of siblings from malnutrition and pesticide poisoning on the fincas. Witnessing the brutal torture and public burning of her teenage brother and the prolonged agony and death of her mother fuels a deep-seated rage and commitment to the struggle.

Personal impact of violence. These experiences strip away innocence and force a premature confrontation with the harsh realities of life. Rigoberta's fear of growing up and facing similar suffering transforms into a resolve to fight the system responsible, dedicating her life to preventing others from enduring the same horrors.

Martyrdom as motivation. The deaths of family members and fellow activists, particularly the massacre at the Spanish embassy where her father died, serve as powerful motivators. These sacrifices are seen not as defeats but as fuel for the ongoing struggle, reinforcing the belief that their cause is just and must be pursued relentlessly.

6. The Bible and Christian Faith Become Powerful Guides for Self-Defense and Liberation

For us the Bible is our main weapon.

Reinterpreting faith. Indigenous people adopt Catholicism not as a replacement for their traditional beliefs but as another means of expression, integrating Christian figures and stories into their existing worldview. Saints are seen as intermediaries to the one God, similar to their reverence for nature's elements.

Finding parallels in scripture. Biblical narratives, such as the story of Moses leading his people out of oppression, Judith's violent defense of her people, and David's victory over Goliath, are reinterpreted through the lens of their own struggle. These stories provide justification for resistance and violence against oppressors.

A Church of the poor. The traditional Church, often seen as passive or complicit with the system, is rejected in favor of a "Church of the poor" that actively confronts injustice. Being a Christian means fighting against suffering, discrimination, and exploitation, working to create the kingdom of God on Earth where everyone has enough to eat.

7. Organizing and Collective Action, Including Armed Self-Defense, are Necessary for Survival

We began to organize. Our organization had no name.

Unity is strength. Recognizing that individual resistance is insufficient against powerful enemies, communities begin to organize collectively. This involves sharing resources, coordinating labor, and making decisions together, breaking down divisions imposed by the government's land distribution policies.

Developing self-defense strategies. Faced with military and paramilitary violence, communities devise ingenious methods of self-defense using traditional knowledge and everyday tools. This includes setting traps, creating escape routes, and using simple weapons like machetes, stones, hot water, and chile to confront soldiers.

The CUC emerges. The Committee of Peasant Unity (CUC) is formed as a clandestine and later open organization uniting indigenous and poor ladino peasants. It advocates for fair wages, respect, and land rights, organizing strikes and protests despite facing severe repression and the assassination of its leaders.

8. Learning Spanish is a Vital Step to Break Isolation and Unite the Exploited

I decided to learn Spanish, so that we don’t need intermediaries.

Overcoming linguistic barriers. The inability of different indigenous groups to communicate with each other and with the dominant ladino society is a major obstacle to collective action. Rigoberta recognizes the urgent need to learn Spanish and other indigenous languages to bridge these divides.

Empowerment through language. Learning Spanish is not just about communication; it's about gaining a voice, challenging the narrative imposed by the powerful, and preventing intermediaries from distorting their message. It is a tool for education, organization, and political participation.

Bridging the Indian-Ladino divide. While acknowledging the deep-seated prejudice and historical separation between Indians and ladinos, Rigoberta's work within the CUC fosters understanding and unity based on shared experiences of poverty and exploitation. Learning each other's languages and perspectives is crucial for this alliance.

9. Women Embrace Leadership and Sacrifice, Redefining Their Role in the Struggle

My mother said: “I don’t want to make you stop feeling a woman, but your participation in the struggle must be equal to that of your brothers.”

Traditional strength. Indigenous women, deeply connected to the earth and responsible for nurturing life, possess inherent strength and resilience. They are central to community life, preserving traditions and supporting their families through immense hardship.

Active participation in resistance. Women move beyond traditional roles to actively participate in protests, self-defense, and organization. They confront soldiers, devise defense strategies, and become leaders, demonstrating immense courage in the face of violence and sexual assault.

Challenging machismo. Within the revolutionary movement, women confront existing machismo, demanding equal participation and leadership roles. They argue that a true revolution requires the full involvement and empowerment of women, and that men must also learn and adapt to achieve genuine equality.

10. The Fight for Justice Requires Renouncing Personal Life for the Greater Good of the People

I realized that what I said wasn’t crazy, that it wasn’t some personal mad idea, but that our whole situation makes women think very hard before getting married, because who will look after the children, who will feed them?

Sacrifice for the cause. The intensity and danger of the struggle demand profound personal sacrifices. Rigoberta and her siblings disperse to protect the community and continue the work, accepting long periods of separation from family.

Renouncing marriage and motherhood. Rigoberta decides to forgo marriage and motherhood, recognizing the immense hardship of raising children in their circumstances and the personal risk her activism entails. This difficult choice reflects the depth of her commitment to the collective struggle over personal fulfillment.

Legacy of the struggle. While personal lives are sacrificed, the hope is that the struggle will create a future where the next generation can live without fear, hunger, and oppression. The "seed" of their ancestors will be multiplied through the people's victory, honoring the sacrifices of those who gave their lives.

Last updated: May 12, 2025