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Crossing Borders

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A message from Arturo Arias

Dear Central Americanists:

I utilize this network to inform you of a recent intellectual theft suffered by the distinguished Guatemalan writer Dante Liano, presently teaching at the University of Milan (despite his name, he is not Italian). Dante is an old friend of Rigoberta Menchu, and along with Italian journalist Gianni Minna, decided with her to write her second book. They play the role played by Elizabeth Burgos in the first, with the added touch that it was all done with Rigoberta's complicity, unlike what happened in the first book. In the Spanish edition, titled "Rigoberta: La nieta de los mayas" it is explicit that the book is "por Rigoberta Menchu, con la colaboracion de Dante Liano y Gianni Mina." There is a prologue by Gianni Mina explaining their collaboration, and a small section called "agradecimientos" by Rigoberta herself, in which she thanks explicitly Dante Liano "Especialmente para respetar o al menos acomodar correctamente el uso de las reglas literarias en el idioma espanol. Hicimos con Dante Liano un enorme esfuerzo para conciliar la manera de vivir, pensar, entender y expresar un gran pedazo de mi vida en Q'iche... algo muy grande que nos ayudo para que la lluvia de palabras culminara en una meta, fue el hecho de que nacimos en una misma tierra, compartimos las mismas raices y nuestros suenos atraviesan los mismos caminos" (26). However, in the English edition recently published by Verso, neither Mina'swork nor Liano's is recognized at all. If you look at the edition, the translator, Ann Wright, speaks as if she was the compilator, takes credit for the work, and nowhere at all mentions the work of either Liano or Minna. I quote a private message from Liano:

Por ejemplo, mientras estaba en Chicago me entere (a traves de Beverley) que el libro de Rigoberta habia salido sin mi nombre ni el de Mina. Fuimos con Raul a comprar el libro y casi caigo muerto cuando, al revisarlo, comprobe que no solo no estabamos en la portada, como el contrato decia, sino que no estabamos absolutamente por ninguna parte. Borrados. La traductora, la senyora Ann Wright, tiene el tupe de echarse un prologo para explicar sus "dificultades" (!) para traducir y para transcribir el texto,como si lo hubiera hecho ella. Me basto darle una ojeada para darme cuenta que era una vil traduccion de lo que yo habia redactado. Lo unico que hicieron fue hacer un montaje diferente. Al llegar aqui puse a Gianni Mina en conocimiento del asunto y este monto en colera... Rigoberta dice que a ella no le consultaron ningun cambio y que, en efecto, ella se atiene al contrato.

This is intellectual theft, pure and simple, from both Ann Wright and Verso, making invisible the efforts of a major Guatemalan writer and a close friend and collaborator of Rigoberta's, against her own will. Please circulate this information as much as possible throughout your networks, so that the intellectual world becomes aware of this act of piracy and discredits both Verso and Ann Wright.

Arturo Arias

I'm sorry to hear the allegation that some people didn't receive the credit they deserved for the book; however, it's important to keep in mind that we're only hearing one side of the story from Arturo Arias' review. Moreover, even if one accepts the worst regarding what Arias is saying, it seems to me that if he was concerned about Menchu's message getting circulated, he would've noted the importance of "Crossing Borders" and not sabotage the book by focusing exclusively on this scandal. He could've recognized the importance of getting Menchu's words translated, and that "Crossing Borders" is a vital contribution to our knowledge of communities under assault from military forces, corporatists, and various extractive industries. Mayan Indians and oppressed indigenous people around the world can hardly afford to have their concerns ignored due to battles between academics. Hopefully, people will not let the tag of "intellectual theft" dissuade them from purchasing this book, which covers more pressing issues such as the on-going theft indigenous people experience on a massive and lethal scale.
If others deserve credit for the book, they should take it up with Verso and it can be remedied in future editions; but let's not commit another crime by ignoring "Crossing Borders" due to Arias' "review." With all the suffering of indigenous people, the efforts of David Stoll to dismiss "I, Rigoberta" and Arias' review to dismiss "Crossing Borders" seem a bit misplaced. They're the sorts of smears one would expect from the Pentagon's psy-ops personnel, PR firms like the Rendon Group, or the Guatemalan military.
Regarding the "Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People" that Menchu discusses in the book, "Cultural Survival" magazine is an excellent resource for keeping current on the development and effects of that document. www.cs.org

Another important resource regarding Rigoberta Menchu and the struggles of indigenous people is the DVD, "When the Mountains Tremble." There may exist some circumstance that would enable Stoll or Arias to dismiss this award-winning film, but hopefully they'll find better things to do.