The reason why I wrote my post on Chico Mendes (see previous post below) is because one of my favorite songs is about him. The song is by a very famous Mexican rock band called Maná. I thought you all might like to hear it too, just click here to see a YouTube video of a live Maná recording. I've also translated the lyrics below so that you guys can get a better understanding of just how his death was felt by many around the world.
“Cuando Los Angeles Lloran” -Maná
A chico Méndez lo mataron
Era un defensor y un ángel de toda la amazonia
él murío a sangre fría
Lo sabía Collor De Melo y también la policia
Cuando los ángeles lloran
Lluvia cae sobre la aldea
Lluvia sobre el campanario
Pues alguién murió
Un ángel cayó
Un ángel murio
Un ángel se fue
Y no volverá
Cuando el asesino huía
Chico Méndez se moría
La selva se ahogaba en llanto
él dejó dos lindos crios
Una esposa valerosa
y una selva en agonia
Cuando los ángeles lloran
Es por cada árbol que muere
Cada estrella que se apaga, oh no
Un ángel cayó
Un ángel murio
Un ángel se fue
Y no volverá
Un ángel cayó
Un ángel murio
Un ángel se fue
Se fue volando en madrugada
Cuando los ángeles lloran
Cuando los ángeles lloran, lloverá
Cuando los ángeles lloran
Cuando los ángeles lloran, lloverá
Cuando los ángeles lloran
Cuando los ángeles lloran, lloverá
Cuando los ángeles lloran
Cuando los ángeles lloran, lloverá.
"When Angels Weep" Translation -Nicole
They killed Chico Mendez
Who was a defender and an angel of the Amazon
He died in cold blood
Collor De Melo and the police knew
When angels weep
Rain falls on the village
Rain falls on the bell tower
Because someone has died
An angel has fallen
An angel has died
An angel has left
And will never return
As the assassin fled
Chico Mendez was dying
The rainforest was drowning in despair
He left behind two beautiful children
A valiant wife
And a rainforest in agony
When angels weep
It is for every tree that dies
Every star that turns out, oh no
An angel has fallen
An angel has died
An angel has left
And will never return
An angel has fallen
An angel has died
An angel has left
He went flying at dawn
When angels weep
When angels weep, it shall rain
When angels weep
When angels weep, it shall rain
When angels weep
When angels weep, it shall rain
When angels weep
When angels weep, it shall rain
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Chico Mendes
Amazon deforestation is a huge topic that can be looked at from many different perspectives. Of the countless stories of personal struggle in the rain forest, one has touched me the most; the story of Chico Mendes. I'll briefly tell you his story and, if you are interested, I'll provide books and articles to read more about him.
Chico Mendes was a rubber tapper from the Acre region of the Amazon. Rubber tapping is a sustainable resource extraction that does not damage the trees of the forest and has been practiced for hundreds of years. The tappers collect sap from the rubber tree as well as other fruits, nuts and medicinal plants of the forest. Ranchers have been the greatest threat to rubber tappers because they run the tappers off their land, often brutally, and then clear the forest to raise cattle.
In the late 1980s the rubber tappers united in a movement to rescue their livelihoods, and those of the indigenous people of the Amazon, from encroaching deforestation; their leader was Francisco (Chico) Mendes. He successfully formed The National Rubber Tappers Council, which was created to help develop alternative proposals for Amazon forest and extractive reserves. The reserves allowed those who lived on the land, like the rubber tappers, to continue living there as long as they did so in a sustainable manner. The policies were socially equitable and environmentally sustainable, compared to the destructive ranching methods. Mendes gained not only local followers but eventually formed international alliances with non-governmental organizations, environmental activists etc... This is because the movement was both a social justice movement and an environmental movement, meaning it gained attention from many groups. As the fight to save the Amazon from cattle ranchers became more and more heated, the lives of the leaders of the movement, especially Mendes', were more and more at risk.
One night in December 1988, to the shock and surprise of both his wife, two children and the world, Chico Mendes was shot and killed. Many other Brazilian rural workers and their supporters were killed during this time, but Chico Mendes' death was the most shocking of all. During his fight to save the tropical forest he gained many powerful and dangerous enemies. To this day it is not certain who killed Chico Mendes, but it was most likely an order from one of the many cattle ranchers who lost land due to Mendes' movement.
This story illustrates how powerful land rights are and the destruction that can occur if land is managed improperly. In the Amazon, many people continue to suffer from deforestation as others make a profit from it. The devastating story of Chico Mendes provides one perspective from which to view this ongoing struggle, but it is one that has inspired many into action.
References and further readings:
Andrew Revkin. THE BURNING SEASON: The Murder of Chico Mendes and the Fight for the Amazon Rain Forest. 1990.
Chico Mendes. FIGHT FOR THE FOREST: Chico Mendes In His Own Words. 1989.
Margaret E. Keck. "Social Equity and Environmental Politics in Brazil: Lessons from the Rubber Tappers of Acre." Comparative Politics. 27.4 (1995) 409-424.
Beth A. Conklin and Laura R. Graham. "The Shifting Middle Ground: Amazonian Indians and Eco-Politics." American Anthropology. 97.4 (1995) 695-710.
Chico Mendes was a rubber tapper from the Acre region of the Amazon. Rubber tapping is a sustainable resource extraction that does not damage the trees of the forest and has been practiced for hundreds of years. The tappers collect sap from the rubber tree as well as other fruits, nuts and medicinal plants of the forest. Ranchers have been the greatest threat to rubber tappers because they run the tappers off their land, often brutally, and then clear the forest to raise cattle.
In the late 1980s the rubber tappers united in a movement to rescue their livelihoods, and those of the indigenous people of the Amazon, from encroaching deforestation; their leader was Francisco (Chico) Mendes. He successfully formed The National Rubber Tappers Council, which was created to help develop alternative proposals for Amazon forest and extractive reserves. The reserves allowed those who lived on the land, like the rubber tappers, to continue living there as long as they did so in a sustainable manner. The policies were socially equitable and environmentally sustainable, compared to the destructive ranching methods. Mendes gained not only local followers but eventually formed international alliances with non-governmental organizations, environmental activists etc... This is because the movement was both a social justice movement and an environmental movement, meaning it gained attention from many groups. As the fight to save the Amazon from cattle ranchers became more and more heated, the lives of the leaders of the movement, especially Mendes', were more and more at risk.
One night in December 1988, to the shock and surprise of both his wife, two children and the world, Chico Mendes was shot and killed. Many other Brazilian rural workers and their supporters were killed during this time, but Chico Mendes' death was the most shocking of all. During his fight to save the tropical forest he gained many powerful and dangerous enemies. To this day it is not certain who killed Chico Mendes, but it was most likely an order from one of the many cattle ranchers who lost land due to Mendes' movement.
This story illustrates how powerful land rights are and the destruction that can occur if land is managed improperly. In the Amazon, many people continue to suffer from deforestation as others make a profit from it. The devastating story of Chico Mendes provides one perspective from which to view this ongoing struggle, but it is one that has inspired many into action.
References and further readings:
Andrew Revkin. THE BURNING SEASON: The Murder of Chico Mendes and the Fight for the Amazon Rain Forest. 1990.
Chico Mendes. FIGHT FOR THE FOREST: Chico Mendes In His Own Words. 1989.
Margaret E. Keck. "Social Equity and Environmental Politics in Brazil: Lessons from the Rubber Tappers of Acre." Comparative Politics. 27.4 (1995) 409-424.
Beth A. Conklin and Laura R. Graham. "The Shifting Middle Ground: Amazonian Indians and Eco-Politics." American Anthropology. 97.4 (1995) 695-710.
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