In reading the book I, Rigoberta Menchu, I was struck by the immediate cultural differences between us. I felt very much taken outside of my normal comfort zones and forced to look at situations from a point of view I have rarely considered. Rigoberta grew up with many more spiritually significant rituals than I did, beginning with the ceremony that took place when Rigoberta turned ten. She was explained that now she was to become a woman, and that soon it would be her responsibility to have children. This struck me as very different because in our society a ten year old girl would not certainly not be burdened with this type of responsibility, even hearing of sexual acts would be cause for uproar in our society. Furthermore, she was told that she would be expected to perform more duties as a responsible member of her community, and in return she did some of her father’s duties. In American society a ten year old girl is still seen as a child, and her responsibilities are slim to none.
When Rigoberta describes buying food and supplies at the market it is very different from what we are used to as Americans living in a large city. She describes that the trip to the market is a full days walk, and that people only go when is absolutely necessary, and only purchase what is absolutely necessary, such as food and soap. Many times one person from the village would go to the market and get supplies for the whole village. When we think about living in Chicago, we must realize that all the things we need to survive are available within relatively short transportation periods. Between the busses, trains, taxis, bycicles and other personal means of transportation, it would be unheard of in our area to go for such long stretches of time without a trip to the market (in our case, a mall or supermarket), and when we do go to only buy that which is necessary for survival.
I was struck when Rigoberta describes her job as a maid for a rich family. She talks about being treated like less than the dog, being given less to eat than the dog, and looked at as a filthy commodity not worthy of any respect. When she talked about how her father came to visit, poor and dirty, and how the family would not let him in the house, I was appalled. It is shocking to think that we can so easily overlook the beauty of a culture we are unfamiliar with and treat them so poorly when things such as customs and language form a gap between societies.
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In the beginning there was Rigoberta - Richard
These chapter begin with the introduction of Rigoberta Menchu, the oppressed Guatemalan native indian. We find out that Rigoberta is not a native speaker of Spanish in this Spanish speaking country. Spanish is a lanuage that she has taught herself in way to fight back against her oppressors, the Landinos. The Landinos are the wealthier group in Guatemala, who usually own land that most Guatemalan native indians live on and who speak Spanish. We find out later that the Landinos also own the fincas or harvesting fields. The fincas is a source income for the indians in Guatemala which they use to survive. Unfortunately, the fincas is a place of strenuous larbor, poor working conditions, and turmoil for the Guatemalan natives.
This is Rigoberta's testimony of her life and her people. From early on in her life she has always work for the Landinos and so has the rest of her family. This is all she remembers of her childhood. She was raised to work for no pay until she was considered an adult. She was raised to do this in order to help her mother. Her mother would have to all day and night while carrying a baby on her back. If her mother didn't finish enough work before the day was over, the amount of money the family earned would be drastically decreased. So this is why Rigoberta would work for free, she would work under her mother to help her keep up with the demanding pace. Unfortunately, even with all the help Rigoberta tried to provide for her mother it was never quite enough. Her brother dies in the seventh chapter. Not only does Rigoberta and her mother lose a family member they lose all the money that they worked for and are thrown out of the fincas to find their own way back home. The overseers and the landowners are the cause of this tragedy.
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