WEAVING RESISTANCE & HOPE IN A LAND OF IMPUNITY

By Maria Suarez Toro

A widely diverse audience of more than 500 people watched the “Labyrinth of the Butterflies” play
on May 12, 2009 at the Teatro de Bellas Artes (Theatre of Arts) in Guatemala City.  Comprised of university students, journalists, ambassadors, the office of the Women’s Defense of Guatemala, as well as activists against violence against women, artists and writers, the audience was enthralled by the stories of women from around the world whose contributions to history have been distorted, stolen or ignored.

That night the play was part of the Mission of Observation and International Denunciation of Women of Guatemala, from May 13-15 in that country.  The activity was organized by Las Petateras of Guatemala in coordination with Noj, FIRE – Feminist International Radio Endeavour,  La Cuerda, UNAM_G and Just Associates (JASS).

The Observatory was designed to join voices worldwide to denounce, to express solidarity and to demand from the authorities to comply with their obligation to guarantee fully the exercise of women’s rights.  Another purpose of the Observatory and also the Labyrinth play is to raise awareness in Guatemala, and with other peoples of the world and international organizations about the epidemic of violence against women, and women’s struggle for human rights

After the show, six Mayan weavers from Sololá were invited onto the stage.  Last October these same weavers had met Aiylin Morera - director and playwright of the Labyrinth show at their Mayan School of Textiles in Antigua.  The visit inspired Morera to create a Latin American character for the play – the Mayan weaver.  The women weavers shared with Morera their ancestral knowledge, textiles and details about their lives during the visit.

On stage after the May 12th show, one of the Mayan women weavers, when explaining what the play had meant for them just said:  “We were beaten” (referring to the rampant violence against indigenous women i particular during the civil war of the 1980s & 90s that continues through today).

Guatemala is ranked first in the region for domestic violence and femicides according to Lawyer Carlos Castresano, who heads the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala.  Between 2001-2009 more than 2.500 cases of murdered women were reported to the Guatemalan Police.   However, of these cases investigated by authorities through April 2006, only 14 had been sentenced.

Given this stark reality, women’s organizations have organized to collect denunciations about violence from women, to help them overcome the pain, heal their wounds and support their struggles for justice.  Among others, the organizations include:  Movimiento de Sobrevivientes (Survivors’ Movement); La Comisión Nacional de Viudas de Guatemala – CONAVIGUA (The National Commission of Widows of Guatemala); and the Women’s Sector.

The Consulate Representative of Costa Rica in that country, Mr. Barrantes, declared to Feminist International Radio that night that he was impressed by the reception the public of Guatemala gave to the play produced in Costa Rica and which portrays international characters: “The theme of the play is of vital importance in this moment because discrimination against women is a human rights issue throughout the world.”

The play was produced under director and playwright Ailyn Morera and is based on the book Women, Metamorphosis of the Butterfly Effect, by author Maria Suarez Toro.  National and international advisory groups of feminist women from all backgrounds and also a working group promote this project.

HELVETA, HIVOS and the Soros Foundation supported the presentation of the play on tour in Guatemala.

For more information visit www.alasdemariposa.org
Write to laberinto@alasdemariposa.org
For further information about the Mission visit www.petateras.org
Write to petateras@gmail.com