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Show Venceremos page six Winter 1996 y Mi entrevista con Francisco X. Alarcon por Guillermo Aviles Francisco X. Alarcon es un prominente poeta y activista Chicano que enseña en la University of California ubicada en Davis. El a escrito nueve libros de poesía chicana altamente reconocidos y a recibido muchos prestigiosos premios de la comunidad Chicana y del extranjero. Su último libro, Snake Poems, a recibido el premio “American Book” de la fundación “Before Columbus Foundation,” una nominación como Libro Notable de la asosiación “American Library Association”, y el premio “Pen Oakland Josephine Miles.” La presencia Chicana en la Literatura Americana practicamente no existía veinticinco años atras. Ahora gracias a los esfuerzos de los pioneros de artistas chicanos como Alarcon nosotros estamos empezando a ver diferentes artistas chicanos explorando la historia de su gente. Ellos usan su lengua nativa para incorporar esta her- mosa diversidad en su arte, asi empieza a dejar una marca permanente en la literatura Americana moderna. Alarcon enfatiza con gran orgullo la tremenda fortaleza que los escritores y poetas chicanos poseen en ser capases de decir que su gente ha vivido en este pais por miles de años y todavía son capaces de escribir en su lengua nativa. : “Es la responsabilidad del poeta chicano de ayudar a su comunidad en adelantar el progreso llevando su arte a sus primeras raices mesoAmericanas las cuales existen hace miles de años,” dice Alarcon. El mejor y mas reciente ejemplo de la actual implementación de esta creencia es el último libro de Alarcon, Snake Poems (subtitulado Una Invocacion Azteca), donde el usa su poesía como manera de reintroducir al mundo en las creencias de los indios en Mexico de tres siglos y medio atras. Teatro from page three Strike of 1965 that Luis would find his calling. Luis wanted to do something for the movement, so he asked Cesar Chavez if he could start a theater for the striking farm workers, El Teatro Campesino (literally, the farm workers” theater). “I don't think Chavez knew exactly what a farm worker's theater could be until he saw what we were doing. Not too many people did. In 1965, our very name was an oxymoron” to others. EL TEATRO CAMPESINO Es Staging and improvising actos, one-act plays, Valdez used them to show the plight of the farm worker and to highlight the ever-growing Chicano Experience. Mostly, the actos were done in the style of the corrido, the subtle telling and re-telling of little footnotes of the history of the Chicanos. When these plays were staged, they were in areas where there weren't enough props or costumes, but “ we worked with nothing to make it something”, using the materials around them as props, even making signs to designate certain characters. Even the touring was “a part of our education, since we got to know the face of America”, especially in Europe, where the people there “were really enthusiastic about our plays, getting into the symbolism” of the actos. The important thing about the plays, Luis said, was that “they were always done in the spirit of the [Chicano] movement.” Activist € Artist Of course, Luis Valdez's main focus has always been to “La Causa de los Chicanos”, especially in his later works. His themes began to branch out from the farm workers struggle to the barrio life of Chicanos. Among these works was the 1977 Broadway Musical “Zoot Suit”, which dealt with the infamous Sleepy Lagoon murders and the Pachuco Riots in L.A. that followed. This musical broke all attendance records in Los Angeles, playing to critical and popular acclaim. It was La poesía de Alarcon se distingue por un genuino intento de tomar al lector y transformarlo en un cómplice en la finalización del poema. Esto quiere decir que el poema no estara terminado en el libro, pero en cambio en la mente del lector, a medida que el lector interpreta su significado. Esta tarea no es facil de conseguir. Esto requiere un conocimiento profundo de las palabras y emociones que muy pocos poetas tienen. “Mira,” Alarcon explica, “Poesía para mi tiene que ver con comunicación. Un poema trabaja cuando tu eres capaz de comunicar un sentimiento, una idea, o un punto de vista.” América esta en la intercepción de dos caminos y es la responsabilidad de los poetas de anunciar el futuro e introducir otra manera de mirar nuestros problemas. Esto es algo que Alarcon, con su espíritu pionero a empezado a realizar. later put to film, where it received a Golden Globe Award nomination for “Best Musical Picture.” Other works included “I Don't Have to Show You No Stinking Badges!”, exploring the current media images of Chicanos through a staged re-creation of the TV sitcom genre, which was on PBS' Great Performances, and “Bandido!”, of the life and legend of the 19thCentury California rebel Tiburcio Vasquez. Valdez also dabbled into film, with the 1987 movie “La Bamba”, about the life of Ritchie Valens, who was the first Mexican-American to break into rock 'n roll music. More recently, he wrote and directed “The Cisco Kid” for the Turner Network, and at present is writing the script about the life of Cesar Chavez, who passed away recently. He joked that it was a story that needed to be told, saying that “It's Gandhi meets The Grapes of Wrath.” Of course, it hasn't been easy producing his films, since his biggest problem has been Hollywood. Even after his success with “La Bamba”, he still couldn't get backing for other film projects. Valdez received flak for casting a Filipino (Lou Diamond Phillips) in the starring role of Valens, but justified it by saying that “most people in the 1950s thought that Ritchie was Italian, so 1 wanted to make a comment about that issue.” Valdez has been considered a rebel to Hollywood, since he refused to play the games many of the producers wanted to do, by telling him to cast whites in Chicano roles, financing, and so forth. Especially with the Chavez biography, where Hollywood wants to cast a Dustin Hoffman or Dudley Moore in the title role. “I want this to be done right,” he said, making sure the script and everything else is on target, and not messed up. The Man, The Myth, Still Lives Even today, Luis Valdez is still regarded as a pioneer and inspiration for many Chicano dramatists. “I don't mind being the first. 1 mind being the only.” It is a tough act to follow, so to speak, but Valdez is a man : who has carved a new pathway for others. Luis Valdez: the playwright, the actor, the screenwriter, the director, the activist. Again, to use the words of El Pachuco, “The Man... the Myth... Still lives.” Food Not Bombs serves FREE hot vegetarian meals every Friday at 3.00 in Pioneer Park and every Wednesday at 4.00 at the City and County Buildine. Everyone welcome. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. For more info call 535-1852 An Aztec Invocation Francisco X. Alarcón Leonard Peltier añd the 504-year struggle of the Sioux Nation In the late 1800's the white man's continuous quest for wealth and power led to a series of military confrontations between the U.S. government and the Sioux tribes surround-ing the Black Hills. The Black Hills were a sacred land to the Sioux. Known to them as Paha Sapa, the area was known to be a place of powerful energy, usually only entered on vision quests or out of sheer necessity. But the white man, driven crazy by his desire for the shiny metal that lay beneath, had no respect or understanding of the power of Paha Sapa, or the Sioux people. With no concern for life, human or otherwise, the U.S. Cavalry murdered countless Sioux. Mothers, babies, elders, none were spared in the attacks. Many that were not gunned down in cold blood were driven to starvation by the relentless federal troops. During this time a young Sioux warrior rose up to defend his people and the land they walked upon. His name was Crazy Horse. When Red Cloud and his people urged the tribes to sign the white man's treaty, come in out of the cold and “hang around the fort,” Crazy Horse refused to sell the land, or abandon the Sioux way of life. He was at Little Big Horn when Yellow Hair (Custer) led his men to their deaths. In the years that followed, he and those that chose to stay with him, were hounded yearround by the army, until finally, in the spring of 1877, when Crazy Horse and the 900 Oglala Sioux with him were starving, out of ammunition, their horses thin and bony, and after all other Sioux Chiefs had surrendered, he led his people onto the reservation. Soon after, Crazy Horse was arrested and murdered by the U.S. army. Fast forward 100 years: in the early 1970's the white man's continuous quest for wealth and power led to a series of confrontations between the Sioux people and the U.S. government. This time they were after the uranium in Paha Sapa, once again (still) driven crazy by their lust for power. Over a three year period hundreds of traditionalists were murdered by the FBI and U.S. backed death squads on the Pine Ridge reservation. During that time a young Sioux warrior came to defend his people and the land they walked upon, and to keep the Sioux traditions alive. His name was Leonard Peltier, Gwarth-ee-lass. In June of 1975 the by Jonathan Hurd FBI attacked an American Indian Movement (AIM) spiritual camp on the property of traditional elders Cecilia and Harry Jumping Bull. In the shoot out that followed two FBI agents and an Indian man, Joe Stuntz Killsright, were killed. Four AIM members were charged with the deaths of the two agents; two were acquitted on grounds of self defense and charges were dropped against a third for lack of evidence. Leonard Peltier was convicted and sentenced to two life sentences. There has never been any investigation into the death of Joe Stuntz. Over the years mounting evidence, mostly from the FBI's own files, has proved that every piece of evidence used to convict Peltier was fabricated or falsified in some way and every witness who testified against him was coerced, intimidated and/or terrorized into perjuring themselves. There has never been a clearer case of government misconduct than in the case of Leonard Peltier. Despite this evidence, Leonard remains behind bars today. He has won the support of countless people around the world (2.7 million have written urging his release), 50 members of the U.S. congress, the European Parliament, the National Congress of American Indians and many world leaders. Dozens of foreign governments have petitioned the U.S. on his behalf. Still he remains behind bars. Twenty years is far too long to be imprisoned for the crime of defending your people. We, the supporters of Leonard Peltier can wait no longer. An ongoing campaign of civil disobedience is now being organized to demand his release. These actions will start in Washington, D.C. and other key locations on March 20 and will continue until Leonard's freedom is secured. Leonard has been through the courts, his case has been taken to the halls of Congress, he has appealed to the white house for executive clemency and nothing has been done. Now his case rests in the hands of the people. It will be up to all of us interested in peace and justice. Either we force the government to do the right thing or Leonard will rot away and die in a prison cell. The Indian people are suffering from the effects of over 500 years of imperialism, slavery and genocide. Leonard Peltier's imprisonment is a constant reminder of the reality of apartheid in amerikkka. Time has come to change. Free Leonard Peltier. |
