Crossing Borders

by Rigoberta Menchú (Translator)

The second installment of the life of the Nobel Peace prize-winning activist. Rigoberta Menchu is a worldwide symbol of courage in the continuing fight of indigenous peoples for justice. The Guatemalan Indian leader first came to the world’s attention with the publication of her autobiography “I, Rigoberta Menchu” in 1984. The book chronicled the terrible hardship of her childhood in Guatemala, including the murder of her brother, father and mother at the hands of a ruthless military. But it also captured the dignity of Indian daily life in a cadence that was beautifully simple. “I, Rigoberta Menchu” has become an international bestseller with one million copies in print. In “Crossing Borders,” Menchu picks up her story where the first volume left off. In 1981 she fled from Guatemala to Mexico City, deeply traumatized by the violence against her family and community. She resolved to dedicate her life to the Indian cause and painstakingly built a solidarity movement with the Indians living as outlaws in Guatemala’s mountains. In 1988 she returned to Guatemala as a representative of the opposition in exile. She was immediately arrested and was released only after an international outcry. Danielle Mitterand and Desmond Tutu were amongst the leading names in an international campaign to secure the Nobel Peace Prize for Menchu which she was awarded in 1992. The long haul to build effective representation for indigenous peoples has taken Menchu around the world and its telling is a thread throughout this book. But “Crossing Borders” is more than an account of a political campaign. In these pages Menchu also talks with deep affection about her mother and the traditions of her Mayan background. In her introduction to “I, Rigoberta Menchu” the ethnologist Elizabeth Burgos Debray writes: ‘Her voice is so heart-rendingly beautiful because it speaks to us of every facet of the life of a people and their oppressed culture. Her story is overwhelming because what she has to say is simple and true’. In “Crossing Borders” that story continues to enchant and inspire.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

252 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1998

About the author

Rigoberta Menchú Tum (Spanish pronunciation: [riɣoˈβerta menˈtʃu], born 9 January 1959) is an indigenous Guatemalan woman, of the K'iche' ethnic group. Menchú has dedicated her life to publicizing the plight of Guatemala's indigenous peoples during and after the Guatemalan Civil War (1960–1996), and to promoting indigenous rights in the country. She received the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize and Prince of Asturias Award in 1998. She is the subject of the testimonial biography I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983) and the author of the autobiographical work, Crossing Borders.

Menchú is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. She has also become a figure in indigenous political parties and ran for President of Guatemala in 2007 and 2011.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Sarah Jane]

This is the follow up to Rigoberta Menchús autobiography, which I have yet to read...so, I sort of read it backwards. In any case, I've been reading a ton about the history of Guatemala during my time living here, and of course her work was some of the first on my list. I finished the book within a couple of days and am truly glad I read it...

Many parts in the book brought me to tears. She talks about winning the Nobel Peace Prize, loosing much of her family to the 36-year civil war in Guatemala, working with the UN, her outlook on religion and spirituality, anti-assimilation work, etc.

[Adrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a companion to Rigoberta Menchú's testimony but can also be read on its own. She tells us of her experiences going into exile in Mexico and her visits to the UN in Geneva. She includes reflections on Indigenous Peoples Rights, on the civil war in Guatemala and on Indigenous worldviews.
I also found her observations on the Rio de Janeiro summit in 1992 very interesting as she is critical of how the summit, which should have been focusing on climate change, seemed in some ways more like a huge publicity stunt.

[Hayden Pyke · Rating 2 out of 5]

An exceptional person writes a fairly average book. Sorry, but wouldn't recommend.