Ruta de Zapata July 16, 2008

Zapata breaking the chains of oppression

After the mercado we came back to pack up and go on the Zapata Route. We started at a museum, which was the site of his political headquarters. Next we went to where Zapata was assassinated. He was tricked into a meeting and was shot numerous times with machine guns while he attempted to flee by horseback. We met a wonderful man that was selling pictures of Zapata and quartz rocks that sang us a song about Zapata.

The museum at Zapata’s birthplace

From the beginning

Zapata’s party

Signing

Zapatistas taking the train

Lastly, we went to Zapata’s birth place Anencuilco. There was a museum with a beautiful mural “El Caudillo del Sur,” painted by Roberto Rodriguez Navarro dedicated in 2000. The mural depicts the chronology of the Mexican people from creation until after Zapata was killed. It starts on the far left corner with a tree that has a young boy from ancient times peering into the future. What he sees is the struggle with the Spaniards and the consequences of that conquest. He then watches as Zapata comes into the picture, appearing larger than life to break the chains and weight of oppression. The young boy then watches as Zapata writes the Plan de Ayala and as the Zapatistas fight for their rights. He then sees Zapata shot down on his horse by one of his opponents. The story moves to his funeral and those that mourned his death. The boy then sees the legacy that Zapata has left in the people that continue to fight the fight. This mural is truly amazing and the scene of his death displays the arch that where we had met the cantante (singer). Above the statue of Zapata and his horse is the arch that still displays the bullet holes as a reminder of what happened there.

Zapata wanted the land to be given back to the people and even worked to divide it up, but the government didn’t want to. When Zapata was killed, the president decided to go ahead and give back some of the land so that the people would not revolt and rise up in retaliation of Zapata’s assassination. They gave the land, but that was it. The plan was to include some financial support to help the people get started, but that part was not included. In the South, the land is largely in the hands of the people, but they are struggling to use it. Very interesting. I just read that other parts of Mexico (Zapata was in the south) are more recently fighting for their rights. I saw information about Zapatistas in Chiapas.