The Power of Cultural Diversity: A Conversation with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Rigoberta Menchú Túm

Latin Counsel - IBA Annual Conference, Mexico City 2024,  September 20, 2024

Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú Túm gave a speech during the IBA Annual Conference entitled ‘The Power of Cultural Diversity’, in which she spoke not only of her journey from oppression to becoming a Nobel Laureate, but also of the ongoing struggles faced by indigenous and peasant communities in Latin America.

She stressed that her cause is deeply personal, a reflection of the torture of her father, the kidnapping of her mother and the loss of her homeland. ‘Without a father, without a mother, without a home, without a country, my right is the right to the truth, the desire to be heard,’ she declared with deep emotion.

Rigoberta is a powerful symbol of the struggle for human rights and ethical recognition in Latin America.

Her journey from the oppressed jungles of Guatemala to the global stage as an advocate for indigenous rights is simply extraordinary. Menchú’s life has been marked by a tireless quest for social justice, deeply rooted in her personal experiences.

Born into a family of indigenous peasants, Rigoberta worked from a young age in the sugar cane fields and coffee harvest. Her early life was full of hardship, but it also instilled in her a deep sense of determination and a belief that there were no limits to her learning. However, violence soon came to his home. Guatemalan armed forces kidnapped her brother, an event that foreshadowed the tragedy and loss that would continue to mark her life.

Her father, a member of the Peasant Unity Committee, shared heartbreaking stories of many who had disappeared, been kidnapped, killed or forced into hiding in other villages. This period of great repression in Guatemala culminated in a massacre where 38 people were burned alive in the Spanish embassy while seeking asylum, a horrific event that later led to a landmark legal ruling.

Menchú’s journey from the jungles of Guatemala to receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 is a testament to her unwavering commitment to truth and justice. ‘My cause is not theoretical,’ she has said. ‘My father was tortured, my mother kidnapped, my brother disappeared. This is a learned conscience.’ Despite unimaginable losses, she found strength in the solidarity of other activists, including the Comadres of El Salvador and the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, all united by the shared trauma of enforced disappearances.

Fleeing Guatemala for Mexico, Menchú became an undocumented migrant, unable to turn to a government that persecuted her. She received protection from the United Nations, but lived as a wanderer, driven by a single desire: to be heard. Her voice gained global attention when, at the age of 23, she recorded 26 hours of her life story, which later became the book ‘My Name is Rigoberta Menchú’. Reflecting on the impact of her narrative, she shared: ‘I was afraid I had no father, no mother, no home, no country. I didn’t know that the book would have such power through its words and truth. It sparked a great controversy. The questioning of my truth encouraged more victims to speak out.’

The power of Menchú’s story lies in its raw honesty and the collective memory it has helped preserve. She catalysed the 500 Years of Indigenous, Black and Popular Resistance campaign, a movement sustained by the memories of victims who refused to remain silent and by the conscience of allies who rallied to the cause.

Dr. Menchú continues to be a leading advocate for the recognition of indigenous rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation. She spoke passionately about how younger generations of indigenous people can adapt to modern life without losing their traditional values and cultures. In a Latin America rich in cultural heritage, but full of diverse struggles and oppressions, Menchú’s message is one of resilience, dignity and the enduring power of collective memory.

ibanet.org