Chiapas, Mexico.

Roughly middle of December, 2005 to the middle of January, 2006.

After I finished my job in Guatemala I headed to Chiapas, Mexico for the "Christmas break." Travelling with my friend Ana from work and meeting up with Veronica another friend that had just arrived in Mexico again from Argentina we spent Christmas in San Cristobal, had an opportunity to go to a few of the communities near there, and participated in the March for the Sixth Declaration and the first reunion of The Other Campaign. If you want details you'll have to talk to me directly.

...the murals in the communities

I'll let them speak for themselves. At first I was rather skeptical, as I am with anything, I thought that murals in the communities, more often than not painted by foreigners, were probably ultimately more for our benefit (the painters) than anybody elses. However, seeing various children stop and stare at a picture of Zapata or a picture of their history sure beats a pepsi advertisement and it seems to be part of the education that starts even in the school system, a learning about their people and where they come from as well as a struggle which utilizes the arts as a tool. I had the pleasure of reading in one girls account of history, hanging up on the school wall, that she referred to Cristopher Columbus as an imbecile because he got mixed up in his navigation and thus called them all Indians.

I advance one meter, I go back one meter
I advance two meters, I go back 2 meters
I advance 10 meters, I go back 10 meters
I know that I will never reach it
I know that it is a utopia
that is a dream
so...
What are they for the dreams, the utopias?
They are for advancing!

Anonymous Struggler

The reason will never have arms
but when one learns to cry for something
one also learns to defend it.

"We are of pure heart."












To the dead- men, women and children- masacred by the para military.

Community of Acteal












A church in a community.















The world will not be the world, but rather something better.

Behind us, we are there, all of you.

For a world where many worlds would fit.
























"Slowly, but I advance."

The snail is a huge symbol within the zapatista community. It is very clear in their concept of time.

"It took us 500 years to realize something wasn't right. 20 years of struggle isn't anything."
-Subcomondante Marcos




The stage in San Cristobal de las Casas for the Sixth Declaration.












Democracy Liberty Justice











Abajo y a la izquierda esta el corazon. (Below and to the left is the heart.)



With all this talk of hearts and after seeing what appeared to me honest and simple hearts, within the sphere of politics, I had to start thinking about redefining my definition of politics. Seriously...