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Our Word is Our Weapon: Selected Writings
In this landmark book, Seven Stories Press presents a powerful collection of literary, philosophical, and political writings of the masked Zapatista spokesperson, Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos. Introduced by Nobel Prize winner José Saramago, and illustrated with beautiful black and white photographs, Our Word Is Our Weapon crystallizes "the passion of a rebel, the poetry of a movement, and the literary genius of indigenous Mexico."
Marcos first captured world attention on January 1, 1994, when he and an indigenous guerrilla group calling themselves Zapatistas revolted against the Mexican government and seized key towns in Mexico's southernmost state of Chiapas. In the six years that passed since their uprising, Marcos altered the course of Mexican politics and emerged an international symbol of grassroots movement-building, rebellion, and democracy. The prolific stream of poetic political writings, tales, and traditional myths which Marcos penned from 1994 to 2000 fill more than four volumes. Our Word Is Our Weapon presents the best of these writings, many of which have never been published before in English.
Throughout this remarkable book we hear the uncompromising voice of indigenous communities living in resistance, expressing through manifestos and myths the universal human urge for dignity, democracy, and liberation. It is the voice of a people refusing to be forgotten the voice of Mexico in transition, the voice of a people struggling for democracy by using their word as their only weapon.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
96 people are currently reading
2863 people want to read
About the author
Subcomandante Marcos
76 books241 followersSubcomandante Marcos (date of birth unknown) is the spokesperson for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), a Mexican rebel movement. In January 1994, he led an army of Mayan farmers into the eastern parts of the Mexican state of Chiapas in protest of the Mexican government's treatment of indigenous peoples.
Marcos is an author, political poet, adroit humorist, and outspoken opponent of capitalism. Marcos has advocated having the Mexican constitution amended to recognize the rights of the country's indigenous inhabitants] The internationally known guerrillero has been described as a "new" and "postmodern" Che Guevara. He is only seen wearing a balaclava, and his true identity remains unknown.
Marcos is an author, political poet, adroit humorist, and outspoken opponent of capitalism. Marcos has advocated having the Mexican constitution amended to recognize the rights of the country's indigenous inhabitants] The internationally known guerrillero has been described as a "new" and "postmodern" Che Guevara. He is only seen wearing a balaclava, and his true identity remains unknown.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 30, 2016
Tons of Marcos's strange communiques from the Lacandon Jungle, from 1994 through 2000. The first half of the book are the (for Marcos) more or less standard reports about Zapatistas actions and invitations to encuentros etc. The second half as the Don Durito the Beatle stories and the truly excellent Viejo Antonio stuff, a mix of Popul Vuh and post-everything rebellion. I wish the editors had just left everything in chronological order because reading one kind of missive for while gets a bit tiring. blah blah, dignity, blah blah, 500 years, blah blah, neo-liberalism, sudden burst of poetry. Marcos didn't write it like that. He'd send out some heavy, serious call to "arms" and then get all weird and 'deep Mexican' in the next. I don't think it does his writing any service to split it up by category like this. Also, they could have used a better copy editor. I am tired of typos. Publishing industry: PAY FOR EDITORS. Can anyone recommend a collection or a history that would take me from 2000 to 2010 with everyone's favorite central american guerillas?
July 24, 2011
On New Year's Day 1995, the day the NAFTA Agreement came into force, a group of indigenous Mexicans, manly armed with wooden guns, occupied five towns in the southern state of Chiapas: they were fighting to be seen, yet their leader wore a ski mask and his face was never seen. The politics of the Zapatista rebellion (named for the national liberation leader in the early 20th century) are quite brilliant and paradoxical – a fight to be left alone, a fight to be seen, a fight to demand that Mexico lives up to the provisions of its constitution. Subcommandante Marcos – the leader wasn't even the commandante, that is the people – is a writer of great power whose work presents some of the potent critiques of contemporary neo-liberalism.
These are politics for the new millennium that are designed to build space and world for the marginalised, the subaltern, the unseen, the indigenous people. These are politics that are against neo-liberalism, against the state, against the power of the plutocrats, the bourgeoisie, the old families who hold power because they have always held power, and politics that are for localities, for the people, for democracy and the right to be: this is a way of being indigenist that challenges the basic claims of bourgeois democracies and also refuses to presuppose a single answer for us all.
These are politics for the new millennium that are designed to build space and world for the marginalised, the subaltern, the unseen, the indigenous people. These are politics that are against neo-liberalism, against the state, against the power of the plutocrats, the bourgeoisie, the old families who hold power because they have always held power, and politics that are for localities, for the people, for democracy and the right to be: this is a way of being indigenist that challenges the basic claims of bourgeois democracies and also refuses to presuppose a single answer for us all.
March 17, 2008
"dignity cannot be studied. you live it or it dies. it aches inside you and teaches you how to walk."
"everything for everyone. nothing for ourselves."
"everything for everyone. nothing for ourselves."
September 15, 2013
This book and the author really touched me. So if you want to read one of the most thought inducing books of the century, read this one.
The sub-commandante puts his very soul on display for all to see and even if you don´t agree with his politics you´ll agree with his humanism.
The sub-commandante puts his very soul on display for all to see and even if you don´t agree with his politics you´ll agree with his humanism.
March 12, 2025
he goated fr.
December 20, 2011
Terminado de leer hace mucho, me faltaba tiempo para la reseña. Le doy 3 1/2.
El Subcomandante Marcos es el vocero y estratega de los zapatistas, un movimiento insurgente indígena basado en México, Chiapas específicamente.
En los diecisiete años que han pasado desde esa rebelión, Marcos ha alterado el curso de la política mexicana y ha surgido como un símbolo internacional de la construcción de los movimientos de base, rebelión y democracia.
"Nuestra Arma es Nuestra Palabra", está dividido en tres secciones. La primera junta sus ensayos políticos esenciales y muestra la evolución del pensamiento zapatista como un movimiento tanto dentro, como fuera de México. La segunda, presenta el pensamiento filosófico de Marcos, sus reflexiones personales e incluye una recolección humorística de sus primeros días de guerrillero, así como sus cartas a otros escritores. En la tercera aparecen muchas historias cortas, cuentos populares, y mitos indígenas que Marcos ha conocido, incluída la premiada "Historia de los Colores".
Las palabras de Marcos aquí expuestas son las de un poeta revolucionario (como detesto está palabra), llenan un libro valioso de lucha y dolor, alegría y resistencia, cuya visión surge de las aspiraciones de quienes apoyan sus esperanzas en él.
El libro vale la lectura, a pesar de tener algunos discursos repetitivos o desgastados que van de la mano con el cuentete izquierdoso, Marcos escribe con un particular punto de vista sobre tópicos rancios llenos de fracasos y traiciones.
El Subcomandante Marcos es el vocero y estratega de los zapatistas, un movimiento insurgente indígena basado en México, Chiapas específicamente.
En los diecisiete años que han pasado desde esa rebelión, Marcos ha alterado el curso de la política mexicana y ha surgido como un símbolo internacional de la construcción de los movimientos de base, rebelión y democracia.
"Nuestra Arma es Nuestra Palabra", está dividido en tres secciones. La primera junta sus ensayos políticos esenciales y muestra la evolución del pensamiento zapatista como un movimiento tanto dentro, como fuera de México. La segunda, presenta el pensamiento filosófico de Marcos, sus reflexiones personales e incluye una recolección humorística de sus primeros días de guerrillero, así como sus cartas a otros escritores. En la tercera aparecen muchas historias cortas, cuentos populares, y mitos indígenas que Marcos ha conocido, incluída la premiada "Historia de los Colores".
Las palabras de Marcos aquí expuestas son las de un poeta revolucionario (como detesto está palabra), llenan un libro valioso de lucha y dolor, alegría y resistencia, cuya visión surge de las aspiraciones de quienes apoyan sus esperanzas en él.
El libro vale la lectura, a pesar de tener algunos discursos repetitivos o desgastados que van de la mano con el cuentete izquierdoso, Marcos escribe con un particular punto de vista sobre tópicos rancios llenos de fracasos y traiciones.
October 8, 2015
Read for the third time in October 2015. Original review below.
- - - - - - - - -
I first heard about Subcomandante Marcos in a writing class three years ago but never got around to reading any of his publications until more recently. But once I cracked open Our Word is Our Weapon, I was hooked. Marcos writes about the history of the Zapatista National Liberation Army and the physical fights they've had to go through to get the slightest bit of attention. He writes of them being blown off or being regarded as terrorists. He tells tales of their struggles for acceptance and identity. Marcos does all of this in a fantastic series of essays, manifestos, histories and fairy tales to bring together a picture of what indigenous Mexico has looked like in the past few decades.
Marcos is the clear face of the EZLN movement, and his eloquence at writing these essays — some of which included letters of solidarity to other freedom fighters or letters of pleas and contempt for world leaders. They are all a powerful look at the oppression and discrimination the indigenous Mayans of Mexico have faced. If you know anything about Mexican politics (or American politics, for that matter), Our Word is Our Weapon is a must-read. And even if you don't know anything about politics, it should be required reading to learn about the struggles and plights of oppressed citizens around the world.
- - - - - - - - -
I first heard about Subcomandante Marcos in a writing class three years ago but never got around to reading any of his publications until more recently. But once I cracked open Our Word is Our Weapon, I was hooked. Marcos writes about the history of the Zapatista National Liberation Army and the physical fights they've had to go through to get the slightest bit of attention. He writes of them being blown off or being regarded as terrorists. He tells tales of their struggles for acceptance and identity. Marcos does all of this in a fantastic series of essays, manifestos, histories and fairy tales to bring together a picture of what indigenous Mexico has looked like in the past few decades.
Marcos is the clear face of the EZLN movement, and his eloquence at writing these essays — some of which included letters of solidarity to other freedom fighters or letters of pleas and contempt for world leaders. They are all a powerful look at the oppression and discrimination the indigenous Mayans of Mexico have faced. If you know anything about Mexican politics (or American politics, for that matter), Our Word is Our Weapon is a must-read. And even if you don't know anything about politics, it should be required reading to learn about the struggles and plights of oppressed citizens around the world.
June 17, 2020
"Once upon a time, there was a lime who was in torment.
“I’m neither a lemon nor an orange,” it told itself, worrying a great deal as it hung from its tree. It looked and looked at the oranges on their tree and the lemons, too, and grew even more tormented because it didn’t belong anyplace. Then Saul and Andulio came along, cut the lime down from its tree, and began playing soccer with it, using it for a ball.
“I’m cured!” shouted the ex-lime, as Andulio dribbled to Saul and kicked it toward the opposing goal, which was, of course, a chicken coop. The yell—G-o-o-o-o-a-l—woke up a little piglet who, thinking he was a chick, had been sleeping on a roost in the chicken coop.
Tan-tan.
Moral: The closet has more than one door."
“I’m neither a lemon nor an orange,” it told itself, worrying a great deal as it hung from its tree. It looked and looked at the oranges on their tree and the lemons, too, and grew even more tormented because it didn’t belong anyplace. Then Saul and Andulio came along, cut the lime down from its tree, and began playing soccer with it, using it for a ball.
“I’m cured!” shouted the ex-lime, as Andulio dribbled to Saul and kicked it toward the opposing goal, which was, of course, a chicken coop. The yell—G-o-o-o-o-a-l—woke up a little piglet who, thinking he was a chick, had been sleeping on a roost in the chicken coop.
Tan-tan.
Moral: The closet has more than one door."
November 21, 2013
"We are the end, the continuation, and the beginning. We are the mirror that is a crystal that is a mirror that is a crystal. We are rebelliousness." Wearing masks so they might have a face, going nameless so they might be known, dying in order to live . . . Upon consulting with the dead in the mountains, the Zapatistas demand everything for everyone and walk in a world with many worlds. Marcos is a master of the communique, but I probably enjoyed the stories of Old Don Antonio the most, where the shaman weaves together Mayan myths with contemporary struggles against Power and Money. ¡Todos somos Marcos!
February 28, 2011
Subcomandante Marcos has a way with words. He relays his political ideology through a series of whimsical and humorous short stories and essays. He brings the real-world tragedy of a people to light, in a way that is not preaching nor heavy handed, but lyrical and beautiful. An enlightening read, and one that will change the way you look at society, and the plight of the Zapitista movement.
February 23, 2023
the actual content of this is absolutely glowing but i think the missives suffered from anthologizing; much better to encounter these more spontaneously, as momentary portals in potential futures rather than a collection of essays; they’re not essays. they are communiques. to me they run the risk of blending and losing their revolutionary form/feeling when read together in succession like this
September 22, 2017
Over 400 pages of Zapatista writings are collected here, from communiniques to media and UN outreach, to rich works of picaresque fiction and indigenous mythology. All in all it gives a multidimensional scope to the Zapatista uprisings in Chiapas from 1994-1999.
August 3, 2007
it's big. real big. thus it can be a little repetitive. and i can't help it if i find subcommandante really hot.
December 10, 2007
The best. Read this if you read anything.
January 29, 2015
Without exageration, the one book that changed my life.
July 30, 2018
Gorgeously poetic. Why can't all revolutionaries be so lyrical?
October 18, 2025
“We are sorry for the inconvenience but this is a revolution.” - Subcomandante Marcos
In 1984, the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN), otherwise known as the Zapatistas, were formed in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas. They communicated with each other and built up their army for 10 years. When the Mexican government decided to privatize indigenous lands and sell it off to multinational corporations, the Zapatistas began an uprising on January 1st, 1994, the day the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect.
The Zapatistas describe their struggle as a continuation of 500-years of indigenous resistance, they declared war on the Mexican government. This was an indigenous rebellion against the Mexican state. The Mexican government accused the Zapatistas of violating Mexico’s “national sovereignty”, in other words, Mexico’s right to occupy indigenous lands. They accused the EZLN of creating a “state within a state” by forming an autonomous zone.
The Zapatistas are made of indigenous Mayan people of Tzotzil, Chol, Tzeltal, Zoques, and Tojolabal. They view the Cold War as World War III, and their war against neoliberalism, as the Fourth World War.
The Zapatistas synthesize strands of Mayan tradition, liberation theology, anarchism, and Marxism into what they describe as Zapatismo. They reject political categorization and consider their practice to predate colonialism and always evolving.
Zapatismo is probably the closest thing I can find to describe my thinking: being exposed to different ideologies, and consolidating it into one thought, if that’s possible. A world in which many worlds fit.
In 1984, the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN), otherwise known as the Zapatistas, were formed in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas. They communicated with each other and built up their army for 10 years. When the Mexican government decided to privatize indigenous lands and sell it off to multinational corporations, the Zapatistas began an uprising on January 1st, 1994, the day the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect.
The Zapatistas describe their struggle as a continuation of 500-years of indigenous resistance, they declared war on the Mexican government. This was an indigenous rebellion against the Mexican state. The Mexican government accused the Zapatistas of violating Mexico’s “national sovereignty”, in other words, Mexico’s right to occupy indigenous lands. They accused the EZLN of creating a “state within a state” by forming an autonomous zone.
The Zapatistas are made of indigenous Mayan people of Tzotzil, Chol, Tzeltal, Zoques, and Tojolabal. They view the Cold War as World War III, and their war against neoliberalism, as the Fourth World War.
The Zapatistas synthesize strands of Mayan tradition, liberation theology, anarchism, and Marxism into what they describe as Zapatismo. They reject political categorization and consider their practice to predate colonialism and always evolving.
Zapatismo is probably the closest thing I can find to describe my thinking: being exposed to different ideologies, and consolidating it into one thought, if that’s possible. A world in which many worlds fit.
May 10, 2022
Poetic writing of an important struggle
This was a really different book. Owning to its reputation of Subcomandante Marcos's political essays and personal writing, the book is divided into two main structures with the first part detailing the struggle of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. There are many profound observations and lessons in their political writing, which commented on the downsides of several ideologies, especially capitalism and neoliberalism. And yet, with such a heavy subject, the second half of the book enters the boundaries of magical realism as we see more about the person behind the mask. While the first half was about the collective will and stories of the Zapatista, the second half reveals Subcomandante Marcos's invigorating spirit and artistic expression, displayed through seemingly children's "tales" that are inspired by both his experience and indegenious traditions. In that sense, we see more of the intellect and, more importantly, human facets of Marcos who portrayed his love, desire, hope, despair, wants, needs, and reflections between the lines of his stories. The book is very different, and that's what makes it so beautiful and special in its account of human struggle...
This was a really different book. Owning to its reputation of Subcomandante Marcos's political essays and personal writing, the book is divided into two main structures with the first part detailing the struggle of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. There are many profound observations and lessons in their political writing, which commented on the downsides of several ideologies, especially capitalism and neoliberalism. And yet, with such a heavy subject, the second half of the book enters the boundaries of magical realism as we see more about the person behind the mask. While the first half was about the collective will and stories of the Zapatista, the second half reveals Subcomandante Marcos's invigorating spirit and artistic expression, displayed through seemingly children's "tales" that are inspired by both his experience and indegenious traditions. In that sense, we see more of the intellect and, more importantly, human facets of Marcos who portrayed his love, desire, hope, despair, wants, needs, and reflections between the lines of his stories. The book is very different, and that's what makes it so beautiful and special in its account of human struggle...
October 27, 2020
This book sheds light on the EZLN movement through the speeches and writings of Subcommandante Marcos. The texts are political statements, but they are also playful and evocative, and, at times, even mystical. Everyone who cares about social justice, leftist politics, and indigenous sovereignty should read this book. The Zapatistas are truly an example to us all as we try to build more just societies under late stage capitalism. You will find in these pages an account of how imperialism functions in Mexico and how a group of indigenous-led activists were able to capture and hold territory against the state and extractive industry. The book also gives insight into the wide breadth of the Zapatista movement and its different initiatives (armed insurgent, medical / humanitarian, and educational).
March 18, 2024
This work of poetry, speech and parables was a very slow read for me. At some points throughout, the flowery language and poetic rhythm was a bit disengaging and repetitive. Regardless, I found deep meaning through the learning of the EZLN struggle, all the way through the afterword. I was surprised to find deep within this book letters from EZLN SubCommandante Marcos to imprisoned Americans Mumia Abu Jamal and Leonard Peltier.
Recommened if you are interested, determined, into poetic and literary speeches, and have other reads to go back and forth with.
Recommened if you are interested, determined, into poetic and literary speeches, and have other reads to go back and forth with.
December 30, 2025
“For some strange reason, the Zapatistas speak to the future. I mean our words don’t fit in the present, but are made to fit into the puzzle that is yet to be finished.”
To plant the tree of tomorrow
To open a crack in history
That is what the Zapatistas want
Democracy!
Liberty!
Justice!
Vale.
PS
Thank you MLS for assigning this book. I think you knew what you were doing
To plant the tree of tomorrow
To open a crack in history
That is what the Zapatistas want
Democracy!
Liberty!
Justice!
Vale.
PS
Thank you MLS for assigning this book. I think you knew what you were doing
January 13, 2025
[...] Tojolabal Comandante Tacho asked him:
“What do you think of the conch?”
“What conch?” asked the Sup, in the Zapatista method of answering a question with a question, the eternal game of questioning the mirror
“What do you think of the conch?”
“What conch?” asked the Sup, in the Zapatista method of answering a question with a question, the eternal game of questioning the mirror
August 22, 2025
This is unfortunately poorly edited. There is about 200 pages of passionate political writing here, and about 100 pages of cute fairy tales. Either of those on their own would make a great book, but putting them together into a giant 400+ page book makes it less than the sum of its parts
March 14, 2024
the ezln is my new personality. love love love this book, and my new friend is durito the beetle.
August 23, 2024
It's not exactly a light hearted page-turner and I found the missives from the 90s out of date, but the other stories were interesting and surprisingly fun as well as deep
December 5, 2024
all the homies know i don't SHUT UP about the EZLN...on a real note though i genuinely love this book and it saved me on my thesis
April 10, 2016
En este libro el revolucionario Subcomandante Marcos cuenta la historia de la revolución. Es un colección muy grande de obras de poesía, ensayos de política, y cuentos. Enfoqué en la tercera parte en que Marcos cuenta las historias graciosas de Don Durito de Laconda que es una parodia de Don Quijote. As veces la narrativa me hace reír. Otras veces lo me hace rasguñar la cabeza y me pregunto, "Qué?" Las acciones y plática de Don Durito no hacen mucho sentido as veces pero vale la pena leer por el entretenimiento.
September 27, 2007
zapatista, globalisasi dunia, negara-bangsa, dan cerutu kuba.
sebuah buku dengan berbagai kisah tentang mereka yang terpinggirkan, tertekan karena pilihan, yang setia menjaga nilai-nilai warisan dari tanah kelahiran.
perjuangan tak melulu soal peluru dan senjata, selalu ada 'ruang untuk kata'.
karena bagi marcos, kata adalah sebuah senjata.
vale!
sebuah buku dengan berbagai kisah tentang mereka yang terpinggirkan, tertekan karena pilihan, yang setia menjaga nilai-nilai warisan dari tanah kelahiran.
perjuangan tak melulu soal peluru dan senjata, selalu ada 'ruang untuk kata'.
karena bagi marcos, kata adalah sebuah senjata.
vale!
September 27, 2021
This collection of writings by the head of the Zapatista movement in Mexico tracks the growth of this important grassroots rebellion against neoliberalism. Don't expect a dry read; Subcomandante Marcos is an clear and poetic writer with an enlightening message.
April 5, 2007
A great journey through a wide variety of texts, from pirates to modern communiques.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews