Chiapas Chonicle #4....

Hi Everyone,

This week at Oventik was a little less eventful than the other weeks, though still wonderful! It has been very warm the last few days which is fills me with relief every morning I wake up and don't have to sweat in rubber boots all day. I was feeling a little sick for a day this week, which made me miss a day of activities but I'm feeling 100% better now.

This week we discussed various aspects of Zapatisto with our promotor, including their views on agriculture and farming. Zapatistas are against the use of fertilizer, which creates a dependence on the fertilizer and the government. They are also proponents of organic farming and not using chemicals or pesticides. The land isn't very good for farming and there has been widespread malnutrition, especially among children. However, the love of beans is very strong in the community and is reflected in a song (that they said is mainly for gringos to learn from and not people in the EZLN):

Se me sube el colesterol
vida mia
si me sube le colesterol

zapata vive la lucha sigue
se me sube colesterol

We sing a lot of songs together, but this one is the best by far! We have been eating really healthy here, mostly fruit and veggies and beans and tons of tortillas! The lack of protein leaves me hungry only a little bit after eating, but I've been bringing a little extra food with me back from San Cristobal to suppliment my diet.

This week we finally had the opportunity to give back to the community a tiny bit. We led games with the secondary school kids at night. We played Simon says, bonding games, and various forms of tag. It was actually a lot of fun and after the students got over thier initial shyness, things got really rowdy! Apparently taging someone doesn't consist of touching them, but actually tackling them and dragging them back to the other side of the room.

This week we also continued to work on weaving. So far to make a tiny bag it has taken me about six hours to finish all the weaving with minimal desgins. This bag, in the market costs about 50 pesos (less than five dollars) and though it takes less time for someone who is skilled at weaving to make such a bag, it really gives me a lot of perspective about the value society gives to different work and crafts. Also, in Oventik I have noticed a lot of men weaving and embroidering. Our promotor told us even twenty years ago it would be strange to see a man taking care of the children, weaving, or working in the kitchen. In Oventik men are doing all these activities and its really a testament to how much Zapatismo has changed some of the culture of sexismo and gender norms in only a few short years.

We also learned to make homemade tortillas this week which was amazing. They were crunchy and delicious and I plan on making lots of them for all of you when I get back. It was actually a very fun activity. We listened to music on a little boombox and cooked them over a little charcoal stove.

I'm afraid there is not much else to report this week. My glasses broke a few hours ago and I have been trying to wear my contacts which gives me a small headache. Hopfully I'll be able to get them fixed soon. I'm in Oventik for about one more week and then I have a Spring break (which I am spending in Oaxaca with some women from Hampshire College).

Much love,

Marlena