Instead of writing I should be packing

This was a sunset here in San Cristóbal the other night. I'm finally heading to the mountains but not the ones in the picture. The picture is looking to the west and I am actually going east. Tomorrow (May 30) I leaveve on an observation and documentation mission for the Human Rights Center Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas. another guy and I were "ok'd" to enter into Zapatista territory in order to work with a community. So, in the morning we'll leave San Cristóbal and head north and east to Ocosingo. From there we'll travel a little farther east to Toniná. The community that we will be working in is called Nuevo San Pedro and from what I understand it is not on any map, the closest village is Pamalá (I think). The people of Nuevo San Pedro and surroundign areas speak Tzeltal, so the little Tzotzil i picked up the other day might not help much. With a backpack full of food and a hammock (and a sleeping bag - it is quite cold here at night, especially farther up into the mountains) and a letter form the Human Rights Center Franz and I will be in Nuevo San Pedro for about 2 weeks. No electricity, no phone, no computer, etc. From what I understand the "road" from San Cristóbal to Ocosingo is about 90 Km but still takes about 2 hours, which tells you a little bit about the terrain and infrastructure. From there the "roads" aren't much better, if there even is one and should take us at least another hour to travel another 30km or so.

The community of Nuevo San Pedro is part of the Junta de Buen Gobierno (JBG) "El Camino del Futuro", which in turn pertains the the Carcoal "La Garrucha". La Garrucha will be our first stop to present ourselves and our letter at the Zapatista headquarters. Here is a link to an article that describes the "Good Governemtn Juntas" it's not the best but was one of the only sites in English I could find on short notice! http://www.zmag.org/Sustainers/Content/2003-09/12podur.cfm
I am not sure if it is been translated into English or not but another resource that deals with the Caracoles and JBGs is the 6th Declaration from the Lancandon Jungle, here is the link in six parts. http://www.zeztainternazional.org/esp/ezln-mundo/declaraciones-de-la-selva-lacandona/sexta.html

I will have much more to talk about when I return and hopefully will have a better understanding of the new social order being developed by the Zapatistas. We'll talk again in about two weeks. Until then, les mando un fuerte abrazo desde las montañas del sureste de México (I send you all a big hug from the Southeastern mountains of Mexico). JT

P.S. While I was writing this entry I was listening to the song "El Carretero" from the Buena Vista Social Club album. If you get a chance to listen to it, it is fantastic! The lyrics really made me think about my trip tomorrow. Even though we don't plan on going up to the moutains on a horse, "A caballo vamo' pa'l monte, a cabllo vamo' pa'l monte"...you never know.

Yes, it has...

Liverpool and deja vu

It has been a long week. After countless attempts to find a place to live I was finally able to nail one down. I did take a little break from the apartment search on Wednesday afternoon (May 23) because it was the UEFA Champions League Final between Liverpool and AC Milan. I am thinking it was a good idea to take a break because it seemed like more than half of the town took the afternoon off to watch the match as well. As I was eating my tacos al pastor I realized pretty quick I was the only one in the taquería cheering for the Reds (Liverpool). The owner came over to me and said he was cheering for the “English team” too, so he sat with me for the second half and bought me a beer, even though AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1.
I get the feeling that picture taking or walking around with a camera is a little taboo and many people avoid you the minute they see that camera in your hand. I have been trying to go out earlier in the morning when there are not as many people out in order to take some photos. I have been intrigued by the graffiti on the walls. Much of it is just a quick spray paint job of a short sentence or a couple words but they stand out like billboards on the small, tight quartered streets. Many of my photos of the graffiti have turned out quite nicely and I am thinking that this could be a side project on its own. I will definitely keep taking pictures of the street art, whether legal or illegal, when I have the opportunity.
One day this week while I was taking pictures to send to friends and family I had a weird moment of déjà vu, I suddenly felt this overwhelming sense of “I’ve seen this before”. At the north end of the main square stands the Palacio Municipal (City Hall). I can’t find the exact picture I’m thinking of but it might be in John Ross’s book Rebellion from the Roots, which sadly might be out of print. The picture shows dead bodies outside of the Palacio Municipal and it is a very grueling image. The picture I took shows what that same outdoor hallway looks like today. The moment was pretty surreal knowing that there were dead bodies killed in the fire fight in this very same hall way I am walking through and searching the public boards to find an apartment.
I finally made it to the market this week. I ended up buying some blackberries (zarzamoras) and for 10 pesos (93 cents) the lady gave me well over a pound! The market is a rainbow explosion of every color possible and very beautiful. The majority of the people milling around buying and selling were indigenous and I quickly came to the realization that, as ironic as it is, I might be one of the few people here that speak Spanish. I’m not quite sure about the exact numbers but of the 60 or 62 indigenous languages spoken in Mexico I have heard from varying sources that Chiapas is home to about almost 30 of them.

To be brief, I have to return to the Human Rights Center Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas (Frayba) on Monday (May 28) at 4:00pm. At that time, I will find out to which community I will be going to for 15 days to do observation and documentation for Frayba. One thing I am not quite clear on is that I have heard that Frayba doesn’t exclusively work with Zapatista communities but before brigadistas (observers like me) go out to a community it has to be approved by the Caracol…interesting. Remember the Carcoles? Hopefully we will be able to talk more about what is happening with them when I return. JT

Tomorrow it begins...

This entry has a different feeling from the last. The last time I wrote I was in the Business Center at the posh Hotel Fiesta Americana in Puebla and then left for Mexico City where my friend and his family were giving me the five star treatment. I'm writing now from San Cristobal de las Casas (south-east Mexico) and I defnitley feel a change in attitude. I'm sure the weather, atmosphere and beauty of this place has something to do with it, but also it is nice not to breathe poison, meaning it's nice to be out of Mexico City. The whole feeling is different and I very much welcome it - maybe Mignolo is on to something when he says that existing precedes thinking, "I think where I am", not the opposite as Descartes wanted us to believe (right, Kelly). I like the way of life and "thinking" much more here in San Cristóbal. Also, I can think better here since my head isn't clouded with pollution, literally.
I start with a BriCO oreintation session tomorrow morning a the Human Rights Center Fray Bartolomé. I am really looking foward to it. I have been on a mad hunt for an apartment and haven't been able to find anything yet. I got some more leads today, however, I couldn't find anyone because it's Sunday and I am in Mexico. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow at the Center, which is both exciting but making me anxious too. I am hoping I'll have some time to find an apartment tomorrow afternoon. Like another famous writer from this area, I close by saying, "From the mountains of south-east Mexico", JT.

Chiapas 101

With the support of an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship Grant I will be working with the Human Rights Center Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. The link on the right will take you to the Center's website - it is also available in English. As a member of the Civil Observation Brigades for Peace and Human Rights (BriCO) my main responsibilities will include: acompanyment in the communities, documentation of community repsonses and solidarity to strengthen the peace process. These roles a quite vague as of now, however, when I start working with the Center next week I will have a better idea of what exactly I will be doing and where I will be traveling. So, in a very tiny nutshell that is part of what my summer will be. For some of you who are not too familiar with Chiapas, here is a link to an essay written by Subcomandante Marcos describing the state (1994). The essay is titled "The Southeast in Two Winds: A Storm and a Prophecy"
http://www.ezln.org/documentos/1994/199208xx.en.htm
I'll try to provide as much background information as I can about Chiapas, but what I'll first provide here does not even scratch the surface. Today, Chiapas is one of the poorest, if not the poorest, states in Mexico along with Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Tabasco to name a few others. The lack of schools, hospitals, land, work, food and adequate housing, are some of the things that are threatening and infringing on the lives and personal integrity and liberties of most of the population living in Chiapas, especially the Mayan Indians that inhabit the highlands and the Lancandon jungle. Historically, Chiapas never was a state that originally belonged to Mexico. After Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, Chiapas was quickly annexed by Mexico in 1824 , most likely for its abundance of natural resources (See "Southeast in Two Winds"). Chiapas was a province under the administration of Guatemala, and according to author John Ross, Chiapas even to this day has more in common with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras than it does with Mexico, that is to say Chiapas is more closely linked to and resembles Central America than the Mexico itself (Rebellion from the Roots, 65). It is dificult to give such a brief synopsis of a region with such a long, deep culture and history. I'll open the blog up to allow for discussion and to provide a forum to exchange information. Hasta ahora, saludos desde México. JT
P.S. I'm sure you are wondering what a "caracol" is? I'm still trying to figure that out as well and it will definetly be a topic in the future.

Metal Marcos