{"id":6967,"date":"2021-05-24T01:06:26","date_gmt":"2021-05-24T01:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viajezapatista.eu\/yesterday-theory-and-practice-from-the-notebook-of-the-cat-dog\/"},"modified":"2021-05-24T01:11:55","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T01:11:55","slug":"yesterday-theory-and-practice-from-the-notebook-of-the-cat-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/viajezapatista.eu\/en\/yesterday-theory-and-practice-from-the-notebook-of-the-cat-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Yesterday: Theory and Practice. From the notebook of the Cat-Dog:"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Read the original publication at Enlace Zapatista<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

From the notebook of the Cat-Dog:<\/p>\n\n

Yesterday: Theory and Practice.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

The scene: an assembly in a village of the mountains of Southeastern Mexico. It must be around July or August, likely of last year as coronavirus was taking over the planet. You can tell it\u2019s not just any meeting, not only because of the madness that brought the assembly together, but because of the marked distance between seats and the way the fog on people\u2019s face shields clouds the color of their face masks.<\/p>\n\n

The EZLN\u2019s political-organizational leadership is there, as are a few military leaders, although they are silent unless asked to speak on a particular topic.<\/p>\n\n

There are many more people present than one might imagine. Among them they speak at least six different Mayan originary languages, but communicate with each other in Spanish, or \u201ccastilla\u201d as we call it around here, as an intermediary language.<\/p>\n\n

Many of those present are \u201cveterans\u201d who were part of the January 1, 1994 armed uprising and who came down from the mountains and into the cities as just one of many compa\u00f1eras and compa\u00f1eros. There are also \u201cnew\u201d people, men and women who have become part of the Zapatista leadership after an extensive learning process. The majority of the new ones are women, of all ages and of various languages.<\/p>\n\n

The assembly itself resembles those carried out in the Zapatista communities in its format, pace, and structure. There is a coordinator for the meeting who is responsible for indicating the previously agreed upon topics to be discussed and for giving each speaker the floor. There are no time limits on each person\u2019s contribution, so time acquires a rhythm of its own.<\/p>\n\n

Right now someone is telling a story or a history or a legend. No one is concerned with whether it is reality or fiction, but rather with the message the tale conveys.<\/p>\n\n

It goes like this:<\/p>\n\n

A Zapatista man is walking through a village. He\u2019s dressed in his best finery and a new hat because, he says, he\u2019s on his way to look for his girlfriend. The person telling the story imitates the gait and gestures he saw in one of the films shown during the first \u201cPuy Ta Cuxlejaltic\u201d Film Festival. The assembly laughs when he imitates the voice of Cochiloco<\/em> (played by Joaqu\u00edn Cos\u00edo in \u201cEl Infierno<\/em>,\u201d directed by Luis Estrada, 2010), taking off his hat to greet an imaginary woman who passes by with her imaginary mule carrying imaginary firewood. The narrator mixes Spanish with one of the Mayan languages and, without interrupting the story, those in the assembly translate for each other.<\/p>\n\n

The narrator reminds them that it is the time of the fresh corn harvest, and the assembly nods in agreement. He continues:<\/p>\n\n

The man in the hat runs into an acquaintance and they greet each other. \u201cLook at you<\/em>,\u201d the acquaintance says, \u201cI almost didn\u2019t recognize you looking all gentlemanly and with that hat<\/em>.\u201d \n \n\u201cI\u2019m on my way to look for my girlfriend<\/em>, \u201cthe man in the hat responds. \n \n\u201cWhat\u2019s your girlfriend\u2019s name and where does she live<\/em>?\u201d asks the acquaintance. \n \n\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know<\/em>,\u201d the man in the hat answers. \n \n\u201cWhat do you mean you don\u2019t know<\/em>?\u201d \n \nThe man in the hat explains, \u201cThat\u2019s what I meant when I said I\u2019m going to look for her, once I\u2019ve found her then I\u2019ll know her name and where she lives.\u201d<\/em> \n \n\u00a0<\/em>The acquaintance pauses to consider that profound logic and nods in understanding.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhat about you, what are you doing<\/em>?\u201d the man in the hat asks in turn. The acquaintance responds, \u201cI\u2019m planting corn seeds because I want some fresh sweet corn<\/em>.\u201d The man in the hat is silent for a bit, watching how the acquaintance makes holes in the gravel road with the handle of a broom. Then he speaks up, \u201cHey <\/em>compadre, with all due respect, you\u2019re a total idiot.<\/em>\u201d The acquaintance retorts, \u201cWhat, why? I\u2019m determined to have sweet corn and I\u2019m giving it my best effort.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

The man in the hat sits down and lights a cigarette, passes it to his acquaintance and lights another for himself. Neither of them seem to be in a hurry, neither the man in the hat to get on his way to find his girlfriend nor the acquaintance to eat his corn. The afternoon stretches into the evening and the night starts to eat away at the light. It\u2019s not raining yet but the sky begins to cloak itself in gray clouds and the moon creeps up behind the trees. After a long silence the man in the hat explains:<\/p>\n\n

\u201cLook <\/em>compadre, I\u2019ll try to explain. First of all, there\u2019s the terrain. Corn is not going to grow in this gravel. It\u2019s going to die under so much foot traffic and the roots have nowhere to take hold. There\u2019s no doubt about it, the seed is going to die for sure. And then there\u2019s broom handle you\u2019re using as a hoe: a broom is a broom and a hoe is a hoe, that\u2019s why your broom is all broken and patched together.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n

He takes the hoe and examines the repairs the other man has made with tape and rope. \u201cLook <\/em>compadre, you\u2019ve really screwed up, if I did this to my wife\u2019s broom she\u2019d send me to the doghouse straight away<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

He goes on, \u201cYou see <\/em>compadre, the cornfield can\u2019t be in just any old place, with just any old tools. It has a time and a place. This isn\u2019t even the time to plant corn, this is the time of harvest. And in order to be able to harvest, you have to have worked hard in the cornfield. But the field doesn\u2019t respond to commands like \u2018I\u2019m home woman, bring me my tortillas and my <\/em>pozol,\u2019 like you always yell at your wife. Well, that is until she started meeting with the \u201cwomen that we are\u201d collective and boom, no more yelling from you. But that\u2019s on you. What I\u2019m trying to tell you now is that you can\u2019t give the earth orders; you have to talk to it, explain to it, honor it, and encourage it with stories. And the earth won\u2019t listen just anytime, you have to know its calendar. You have to know how to count the days and nights properly, to look at the earth and the sky to know exactly when to plant the seed.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s your problem, <\/em>compadre. You haven\u2019t done any of that. You think just because you\u2019re determined to get what you want your efforts will yield fruit. But what you need is knowledge. It\u2019s not just a hard work and determination that gets you results; you have to choose the right terrain, the right tools, and the right time for each part of the work. That is, you need theory and practice based in knowledge, not in this nonsense you\u2019re doing, which you really should be embarrassed about because everybody is watching and laughing.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the thing though, they\u2019re dumb for laughing too, because they don\u2019t realize the foolishness you\u2019re up to is going to affect them too.\u00a0 These holes you\u2019re making are going to become puddles when it rains which will then turn into ditches across the road as deep as the wrinkles on your grandmother\u2019s face (your grandmother, mine is already in heaven). Then the Good Government Council\u2019s truck isn\u2019t going to be able to get in because it\u2019s going to get stuck, along with all the materials and goods it\u2019s carrying, and they\u2019ll have to carry everything on their backs, and ruin their boots and pants in the big mess of mud puddles\u2014even worse if they\u2019re dressed up like I am right now, and nobody will ever find a girlfriend like that. It\u2019ll be even worse with the <\/em>compa\u00f1eras, compadre, because they don\u2019t mess around. They\u2019re going to pass right by you with a mule carrying their things and say, \u2018Would you look at that, there are people dumber and more stubborn than my mule.\u2019 And they\u2019ll even clarify for you, \u2018By the way, sir, when I say \u201cyou dumb mule,\u201d don\u2019t be offended, I really am talking to the animal.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

The acquaintance is taken aback: \u201cNow wait a minute <\/em>compadre, since when do we get along this badly<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n

The man in the hat responds, \u201cNo, that\u2019s not it. Take what I\u2019m saying as advice, as orientation, not as an order. Like the late Sup used to say, \u2018just do it the way I tell you, because if you don\u2019t, then when it turns out badly I\u2019m going to say \u201cI hate to say I told you so but I told you so.\u201d\u2019 So take seriously what I\u2019m telling you, compadre.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cSo this terrain won\u2019t work?<\/em>\u201d the acquaintance asks, \u201cNor will my hoe? And it\u2019s not even the right time to plant?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cNo, no, and no<\/em>,\u201d the man with the hat replies.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cSo when is the right time?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s over for this season<\/em>,\u201d the man with the hat replies. \u201cYou\u2019re going to have to wait for the next go, April, May, around there. And to make sure you get rain, on May 3 you need to offer the earth bread, a drink for the heat, maybe a hand-rolled cigarette, candles, and some people also offer the earth fruit and vegetables and even chicken soup. The late Sup would say, anything but squash soup, that if you give the earth squash soup it\u2019ll get mad and yield only snakes. But I think he was lying, he just didn\u2019t like squash.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhen exactly is the right time?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cHmm, well let\u2019s see, we\u2019re in October now, so about 6 months from now. In April or May, it depends<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cShit<\/em>,\u201d the acquaintance says, \u201cSo what do I do if I want sweet corn right now?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 He thinks a minute and then lights up, \u201cI know, I\u2019m going to ask the autonomous authorities to lend me some corn.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

The man with the hat: \u201cAnd how are you going to repay the authorities?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

The acquaintance: \u201cWell, I\u2019ll ask the Good Government Council to lend me the corn to give to the autonomous authorities. And then I\u2019ll borrow some corn from the <\/em>Tercios Compas media team to give back to the Council, and then to pay the <\/em>Tercios I\u2019ll ask the autonomous authorities for some more corn, and in the end everyone will see that I pay my debts.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

The man with that hat scratched his head, \u201cShit, <\/em>compadre,<\/em> it\u2019s like in that Vargas movie, you\u2019re really turning out to be slyer than I thought*. <\/strong><\/a>If you\u2019re thinking like the bad governments, you might as well be a legislator or a senator or a governor or one of those assholes.<\/em> \n \n(* In Luis\u2019 Estrada\u2019s film La Ley De Herodes, \u201cHerod\u2019s Law\u201d, another character says of protagonist Juan Vargas, \u00a1Ahora s\u00ed me saliste m\u00e1s cabr\u00f3n que bonito!: You\u2019re turning out to be slyer than I thought, you rascal!)<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWhat happened, <\/em>compadre? I\u2019m all about resistance and rebellion. I\u2019ve just gotta see how to make it happen.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

The man with the hat: \u201cAll right then, I\u2019ve got to get going or I won\u2019t find my girlfriend. See you later <\/em>compadre.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

\u201cGod bless<\/em>,\u201d the acquaintance replies, \u201cand if you find your girlfriend, ask if her family has some corn they\u2019d lend me, I\u2019ll pay \u2018em back later.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n

The story-teller stopped and looked at the assembly: \u201cSo, which is better? Should we lend the <\/em>compadre some corn or do we let him do theory and practice with knowledge?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n

-*-<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The assembly took a break for pozol<\/em>. SupGaleano, just to be stubborn, said to Subcomandante Mois\u00e9s on the way out: \u201cThat\u2019s why I only eat popcorn<\/em>,\u201d and went off to his hut. Subcomandante Mois\u00e9s retorted, \u201cWhat about the hot sauce?<\/em>\u201d SupGaleano didn\u2019t answer but veered off in another direction. \u201cNow where you going?\u201d<\/em> SubMoy asks him. SupGaleano yells back, \u201cI\u2019m gonna borrow some hot sauce from the insurgentas\u2019 store<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

I give my word. \nWoof-meow<\/p>\n\n

The Cat-Dog, currently a stowaway on La Monta\u00f1a<\/em> \n \n(Well, we didn\u2019t have enough money for everybody and plus, there\u2019s a sign on the entrance of La Monta\u00f1a<\/em> that says \u201cNo cats, dogs, or schizophrenic beetles\u201d). \n \nMexico still, April 2021.<\/p>\n

\r\n
https:\/\/vimeo.com\/543483661<\/div>\r\n
\r\nEl Mariachi Renacimiento del Caracol de Roberto Barrios.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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https:\/\/vimeo.com\/543701542<\/div>\r\n
Jovena base zapatista despide a la delegaci\u00f3n mar\u00edtima zapatista.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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https:\/\/vimeo.com\/543505441<\/div>\r\n
M\u00fasica: Santiago Feli\u00fa, interpretando \u00abCr\u00e9eme\u00bb de Vicente Feli\u00fa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n