Tierra Y Libertad!: Landscape of a Zapatista Community

Mexican hero and revolutionary Emiliano Zapata's epithet was simply Tierra Y Libertad!;Land and Liberty!. The ideological heirs to Zapata, the present day Zapatistas, have embraced this Mexican maxim in their struggle to restore dignity, justice and democracy to the indigenous populations of Mexico.

In the highlands of Chiapas are autonomous villages and governing centers resting in the clouds. This land is under Zapatista control; descendents of the great Mayans, predominately the indigenous Tzotziles, rule this land.
Towering signs read at their entrances :
Aqui Manda el Pueblo y el Gobierno Obedece;
Here the Village Commands and the Government Obeys

I spent a week living in the Zapatista community of Oventic. Oventic is the governing center for the San Andreas Municipality of Chiapas; governing centers are called caracols, which literally translates to a snail shell. Like a snail, they realize that they may move slow in their struggle, but they move forward. Zapatistas must retain their anonymity from outsiders in order to sustain safety from the government and paramilitary groups.The center's only entrance is guarded by masked rebels; you are allowed to enter only with a passport and permission from the junta; committee.

Out of respect for the caracol, there are no photos of the caracol's residents or community members in this series. I chose to show this community and its struggle through photos of the landscape. This series combines images of the physical land and images of the beautiful murals that adorn the entirety of the caracol's buildings.

Living and studying within this community was one of the most profound experiences of my life. Something that I am unable to articulate. I invite you to educate yourself more on the Zapatistas and their struggle. As one of my educators told me:

Que lo creo? Yo creo solomente en la luche;
What do I believe in? I believe only in the struggle

Zapatista Links:

www.ezln.org.mx
Official site of the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapatista_Army_of_National_Liberation
Wikipedia can break down the history of the movement for you

www.mexicosolidarity.org/site
Chicago's Mexico Solidarity Network

www.narconews.com
San Cristobal de Las Casas-based indy rebel paper, the Narco News

www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=8218
The Sixth Declaration of the Lacandona Jungle, The EZLN's manifesto

www.radioinsurgente.org
Radio Insurgente; the voice for those without a voice