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Ruperta Bautista: a voice of resistance and wisdom
*Ruperta Bautista received the 2024 Americas Indigenous Literatures Award for her poetry collection Presagio lóbrego (Ominous Omen), a work deeply rooted in Tzotzil philosophy, reflecting the worldview of the Chiapan community of Huixtán, her place of origin.
This award, now in its twelfth year, is presented during the Guadalajara International Book Fair. It honours and supports the creations of Indigenous writers across the Americas, aiming to preserve and expand the rich literary legacy of Indigenous communities through various genres.
Bautista expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Tzotzil people, especially those of Huixtán: "I am profoundly proud to be a descendant and native of this ancient culture. My eternal gratitude also goes to my mother, wherever she may be. She taught me the importance of preserving the knowledge and traditions of a Tzotzil woman; thanks to her, I am who I am."
The writer, anthropologist, and actress explained that each verse of Presagio lóbrego conveys the pain, grief, and despair of witnessing life unravel in those who pass away. The volume, she said, “is dedicated to the memory of Tzotzil women, mothers, and community leaders who left their mark on our traditions, many of them taken too soon. It is also for everyone who has lost the woman who gave them life.”
Bautista emphasized that Mexico’s Indigenous peoples have endured systemic segregation and violence throughout history: "As a child, I could not comprehend the rejection and discrimination faced by those of us from Indigenous communities. I couldn’t grasp the depth of exclusion my culture suffered. Over time, I imagine a scar formed within me, layer upon layer, from pain I didn’t know how to process. How could one continue to live under such brutal conditions? I eventually found a way to carry that heavy burden: writing."
She began documenting acts of violence that affected her or other members of Indigenous communities. "I did not know literary techniques; I simply wrote down the injustices I saw on scraps of paper. This habit persisted until I learned more about the literary structure and began creating theatre scripts and poetry".
"Today, my writing reflects not only the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples but also their strength, beauty, philosophy, knowledge, worldview, wisdom, and profound connection to nature, Mother Earth, and their lands."
Uriel Nuño Gutiérrez, president of the University Center of the North at the University of Guadalajara, and presenter of the award, described Bautista as a voice that has resisted and kept the flame of collective memory alive despite efforts to erase languages, traditions, and territories.
"These voices remind us that nature is alive, the Earth is a mother, and ancestors are spiritual guides. Through these narratives, Indigenous communities have transformed writing into an ethical act filled with meaning and commitment."
The award not only celebrates literary excellence, Nuño remarked, but also highlights an urgent need: to recognize and value Indigenous cultures. "Despite centuries of colonization, cultural genocide, and forced displacement, Indigenous peoples have preserved their languages, customs, and intellectual heritage. This award, therefore, represents an act of cultural and political justice".
Gabriel Pacheco, president of the Interinstitutional Commission of the PLIA, explained that the jury chose Presagio lóbrego for being a poetic elegy that skillfully combines literary elements with the ancestral wisdom of Bautista’s people. The work captures the tension between life and death, tradition and modernity, and underscores the vibrancy of the Tzotzil language.
The award ceremony was attended by representatives from the University of Guadalajara, PLIA, the Jalisco Ministry of Culture, and UNESCO in Mexico, which supports the award’s promotion.
My spirit congealed in a torrent of involuntary tears.
I breathe in solitude that consumes my essence.
Desolate in the silence that clouds your body,
alone, I observe my thoughts,
and the flowers of my heart,
drowned in the flood of my eyes...
Ruperta is a Maya and Tzotzil educator, writer, anthropologist, translator, and actress. She holds diplomas in literary creation from the Mexican Society of Writers and in Indigenous rights and culture from CIESAS Southeast. She earned a degree in anthropology from the Autonomous University of Chiapas and a master’s in education and cultural diversity.
Her notable works include Letras humildes (Humble Letters), El alma del tigre (The Soul of the Tiger), Telar luminario (Luminous Loom), and Mil eclipses en la madre Tierra (A Thousand Eclipses on Mother Earth). Her works have been translated into English, Italian, French, German, and Swedish. She has also written and directed plays such as Diálogo de paz (Dialogue of Peace) and Ser niño indígena no es culpabilidad (Being an Indigenous Child Is Not a Fault).
*Information by FIL Guadalajara
