Trademarking the Mayan identity

viernes 18 de enero 2004

As I prepare to leave Guatemala, I am suddenly realizing certain things about the country. What really kills me is the way they are selling off the Mayan Culture and using the token novelty of indigenous people to Guatemala. The ladinos oligarchy doesn't even have the decency to leave the Mayans with their culture, they even had to usurp that. It's a strange type of racism. If the indigenous image sells, use it. But let's make fun of them calling them, "chula", "mija", not take any of their ideas seriously, and make a profit off of their outfits. You don't see ladino (non indigenous people)'s items selling in tourist shops because most of the products are for normal consumption. It's somewhat perturbing that the rich whitish latinos ladinos make a profit off a people when they don't give them land, and have committed endless human rights abuses. I just realized this right now at the airport. They call one of the airlines, Mayan Air. Something tells me that there isn't a single indigenous representative on the board of that airline. What kind of irony is that.

The Guatemalan government is trying to sell itself as tolerant to be accepted by the international community but the only groups really talking about multiculturalism are the indigenous ones, which really surprised me. Usually non-dominant ethnic groups are superioristic, vengeful, wanting to screw over the aggressor but all the NGO's stressed including other minorities. It was a strange type of solidarity I have near seen before, not in any of the other minority groups I have studied. Not in Arab solidarity, Muslim...There is some Slavic solidarity but usually more fanatical types or uneducated. What surprised me about this group was that they were very educated lawyers, clever, talented, and good hearted individuals. I think it still remains to be studied if the other groups feel the same way.

Right now I am in the airplane seated next to lagrifunas, which are the black inhabitants of Guatemala or moreno, dark-skinned as the Guatemalans call them. Yes, there are black people here. And they even have a traditional language similar to tome of them in Africa. Very interesting culture. The language is a strange motley of Spanish, French, English, Arawak, African and indigenous languages, not in that order. A true melting pot. I really need to read a book on multiculturalism in Guatemala - is there one? If not maybe I'll try writing something ;) Things here surely are messy, especially considering the amount of discrimination on the part of the government. The current president, Berger promised to have indigenous representation in his cabinet. There are so far 1-2 ministers of indigenous background and 2 women. For a field of reference, indigenous groups compose 60% of the population and women are around 50%. I'm not sure how Berger can say with a straight face that he has a democratic government. He has missed the point. Democracy means representation, or in this case, diversity. The indigenous groups told me that you need to change the mind set of the ladinos, they need to learn about the indigenous culture, the languages. They need to learn their own story.

Truth is such a succulent beautiful peaceful thing when it comes to knowing one's past, only in understanding the past, can one ever hope to progress for the future. But everyone is in denial. The US government for the causes of its national security, the Guatemalan government about the nature of democracy and my friend about the guy that she likes... People lie to themselves because it is easier that way. I do it as well. I'm trying to do it not as much but it's difficult. I think it's a tactic of the majority (that often has less of a culture), who will either do one of two things: repress the other culture, or take it as part of their own history. I was thinking, maybe the Mayans should copyright or trademark it and oblige the Guatemalan government to pay duty or taxes every time they put a picture of an indigenous person in their catalogues. The black Brazilians, and the gypsies should take similar measure in both Brazil with the culturally usurping whites and the Spanish in Spain. In both places, the dominant culture speaks nastily about their minorities, and treat them differently than they would treat their own, yet they want to learn Samba which is related to African dance and flamenco coming from gypsy and other origins. I'm not really surprised the gypsies (gitanos) are generally more racist than the Spanish. They haven't left them with anything. So, it's just something to reflect on...

I went to a part of Guatemala City called 4 Grados last night I never thought could have existed. Well, there are sanitized versions of Guatemala, for those really not interested in understanding the country. I felt like I was in Spain, France, Germany, or even the USA. Anywhere but Guatemala. It was a street with pretty white Christmas style lights between the buildings with no holes in the sidewalk. It was a pedestrian zone with different types of food, live salsa music, people laughing walking around in ridiculously high heels. I realized the difference last night between the rich women in Guatemala and rich women from developed countries. The women in developed countries are more realistic and generally have a what if strategy, and are more capable of doing things by themselves. For example, that girl in hellishly high heels would last a fair 2 seconds on the streets of Guatemala city (Where I was, 4 Grados is not really Guatemala city for me) before being eaten alive, robbed, raped or whatever and she wouldn't be able to defend herself. It baffled me. I guess I do the same, but still, I only wear heels in which I would be able to run after a bus or train. And believe me, I can run in heels. In 4 Grados I felt safe and happy, but somewhat betrayed by corporate America. Yes I was having a great time but I wasn't sure how to take it.

I'm almost sad to go back to sanitized America, the cool unfriendliness compared with the warm openness to help of Guatemalans. I almost want to shake them up and shout, "Wake up! Wake up! You are in a dream." Dreams are nice but you can't live in one. I'm not saying that life can't be nice. BUT you can't keep your eyes shut to what's around you. It will be more painful not understanding your country. There are nice, not pleasant things on the street corner but you're not getting anywhere ignoring it. Static life is boring.

I saw a boy on the way to a meeting today wheeled in between cars by his father begging for money. I asked myself what would have happened to that child? A landmine? Polio? Car accident? Factory work? And the sad part is that no one else with me noticed or gave it a second thought. I was with a group of human rights workers, who are supposed to care - but maybe only when working...