Losing the battle, Reflections on Monday's Holiday

Fighting the Capitalist, Colonialist, Racist, Hetero-patriarchy

Starting in 1550, the Mapuche of South America began their fight against a colonizing, hetero-partiarchal, capitalist invader. We in North America, and other countries around the world, are resisting fascism that is home-grown, right now. The process of placing a right wing puppet onto the supreme court of the USA can be seen as yet another move toward fascism by the right wing, and a kind of disfigurement, or maiming of our democracy.

"Contemplation of Justice" by James Earle Fraser, US Supreme Court, Washington, DC, USA (Public Domain)

On Monday, the calendar tells me, my country should be celebrating a man who furthered empire. He was instrumental in the genocide of the Taino and the Arawak of modern day Puerto Rico. He brought Spanish attention to the Americas which eventually led to the colonization and destruction of the empires and nations from Louisiana through Argentina and Chile... And English and French attention to the Americas which brought destruction to the empires and nations of North America.

I'm Not Dead Yet!

Not all nations were defeated easily, and not all nations were ever truly defeated. For instance, the Mapuche of Chile/Argentina. One warrior, early in the conflict with the conquistadors, is famous for his bad-assery. Galvarino, as he is known in story and history, was captured in one of the early battles. The Spanish, with horses, guns, armor and crossbows, had the advantage over the Mapuche with their strong bodies, courage and spears. The captured Mapuche were "sentenced" to have their noses and one hand cut off. Galvarino ended up with both his hands cut off. Then the Mapuche were sent back to show their people what danger they were in.

Mapuche Warrior: Glavarino, illustration from "La Araucana" (Public Domain)

Galvarino remained defiant and was put in charge of a force of warriors to carry the battle back to the Spanish. In a particularly bad-ass move, he strapped knives to his stumps so that he could still fight. His force lost that battle in 1557, but the Mapuche remained independent (not without additional conflicts when they had to defend their territory and independence) until 1883. They continue to fight for the protection of their forests and rights for their people.

Finding a Reason to Keep On

My friend and colleague Theresa pointed me to the story of Galvarino when we were discussing how to find hope in the face of political and social shifts toward fascism. How to keep building the world of compassion, dignity, and justice that we dream of despite the confirmation of an opponent to that dream to the US Supreme Court.

The "arc of justice" quote on the southern granite wall of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo by Tim Evanson (CC 2.0)

The story of Galvarino tells me that you can still fight even when it feels like your hands have been removed. The story of Galvarino reminds me that even when you are losing, sometimes you are providing the inspiration for others to continue the fight. The story of Galvarino reminds me that though I'm afraid for myself and my loved ones, we are not in the extreme circumstances others have faced. They faced oppression, destruction, and pain with strength, solidarity, and courage.

Finding Your Own Inspiration

Last week I wrote about calling on the power of the Furies to fuel our work. This week I'm calling on the spirit of the ancestors who fought and the ancestors who lost. Galvarino is not my direct ancestor and may not be yours, but his story is still a reminder that the fight for the worth and dignity of the oppressed is worth giving your money, time, energy, and love.

Juraj Jánošík, A Slovak "Robin Hood"

Who are YOUR ancestors who fought? Who will be the ancestors our descendants look up to in the coming years? Will you make the list of Honored Ancestor? Will you be on the list of those who worked to make the world a better place for our great-grandchildren?

Indigenous People's Day

A Poem by Rev. Jeremy Rutledge

I am not
Hawai'ian
but I was
born in
the islands.

I am not
Kiowa
but I was
raised on
the plains.

I am not
Sewee
but I am
living near
the salt marsh.

And I am not
an admirer
of Columbus
that lucky
sailor.

He found
what had
not been lost
and named
what was
already known
which doesn’t
seem a feat
if you ask me.

But don’t
ask me
ask any
Sewee
Kiowa
or Hawai'ian
this Indigenous
Peoples’ Day
how it feels
to be from
a place
that pauses
once a year
to remember
and commences
every other day
to forget.
x

Let us persist

We are mad. We are full of rage for the insult to women and democracy. Let us use that rage as FUEL for our actions. Let us get out the vote, hold our politicians accountable, change things at the local level, prepare for the worst, and persist, persist, persist!

 

Dr. E. Faye Williams, National President/CEO of the National Congress of Black Women, speaking outside Mitch McConnell's house on Capitol Hill,  Photo by Lorie Shaull (CC 2.0)