Sacred Tales of the Americans Review

• Published in: New York Times
• Main Authors: Ponce de Leon, Juana, Juana Ponce de Leon is a contributing editor of Small Press magazine
• Format: Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: New York, N.Y New York Times Company 06.01.1991
• Edition: Late Edition (East Coast)
• Subjects: BIERHORST, JOHN; DE LEON, JUANA PONCE
• ISSN: 0362-4331

The most compelling element in these myths is the fluid movement from man to animal to earth, water and spirit. They are a constant reminder of native American values, in which humankind does not stand apart from the rest of creation. Heroes and heroines avail themselves of any form necessary in order to reach their goals. In "The Man of Crops," told by Alfonso Martinez, of Honduran Jicaque ancestry, a little boy who had been lost suddenly reappears to his father: "Papa, I don't want to live anymore," he says. The boy refuses to wear his tunic and is completely nude. "I want you to kill me, Papa." The father refuses and the child is given another cloak to wear. Angry, the boy throws away this new tunic and says: "Listen, Papa, if you kill me, you'll eat yams and chayotes. They'll grow right here. Kill me and I'll give you tobacco from my body. From my blood I'll give you sweet manioc, malangas, bananas, chayotes." The father, of course, refuses to kill him, but left to his own devices, the child travels to the spirit world to enlist the aid of Tomam, the supreme deity. He eventually returns, bringing Tomam with him to fulfill all his promises of fertility. There seems to be little fear of death in this tale, no dichotomy between the spiritual and the earthly worlds. This historical and contemporary reticence results in much ambiguity. Thus Mr. [John Bierhorst]'s work is of necessity not only translation but interpretation. He himself calls his mission "dangerous." However, at least today a book like "The Mythology of Mexico and Central America" falls within a context previously unavailable to us. My education in native American narratives started in 1983 when I read "Testimonio: Me Llamo Rigoberta Menchu" ("I, Rigoberta Menchu"), transcribed by Elisabeth Burgos-Debray, published here in Spanish by Casas de las Americas and in translation by Verso/Shocken Books. Rigoberta Menchu learned 21 distinct Indian languages in order to be able to communicate with people from other native communities in Guatemala. She then learned Spanish so that she could document in a mainstream language their myths and spiritual tales, which she interwove with a report on the tragic story of Indian oppression in present-day Central America. Her heroic endeavor gave her people a voice: "We could speak for ourselves. Always there has been someone speaking for us."