Mexico City | Desinformémonos. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) shared a video in which young people and children from 12 to 20 years of age explain in Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Tojolabal and Cho’ol how to make different materials, baskets, musical instruments, among other objects, based on “the knowledge they have inherited from their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on for generations.
The common thread of their creations, explained the EZLN, “is the repudiation of capitalism, preparing to survive the storm and, the day after, trying to build a new world”. “The school where they learned this knowledge is in the hearts of their fathers, mothers and predecessors,” added the Zapatistas in the communiqué, published in the framework of the “Rebel and Revel” Art Encounter, which began this April 13 in the Zapatista caracol Jacinto Canek.
The video shows the young people explaining the making of their baskets with materials “from mother earth”; paintings with inks made with earth and different types of plants to obtain the colors, partitions made with plants and earth; pots, plates, platters; making ‘calhidra’; musical instruments such as drums and flutes that they use for music in their communities’ festivities; “morraletas” and bags; making fire, among other objects and materials.
The Rebel and Revel Encounter has brought together more than a thousand artists, musicians, filmmakers, poets, sculptors, dancers and radio broadcasters from Zapatista communities and other parts of Mexico and the world, such as Germany, Brazil, France, Greece, Palestine, Peru and Sudan. Since it began, musical numbers, dances and artistic exhibitions have been presented.
Until April 20, the event organized by the EZLN will be a space for any artist “who is against the capitalist, patriarchal, racist, discriminatory and criminal system, and, of course, who feels called” to exhibit their art.
See the photos by Luis Enrique Aguilar of Desinformémonos here:
Here is the complete communiqué:
Here we present a summary where young Zapatista women and men show some of the knowledge they have inherited from their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on for generations. In their own mother tongue, of Mayan roots, they explain how they make baskets with materials from mother earth; paintings with inks made with earth and different types of plants to obtain the colors, their drawings represent their past, their present and the future that is on the horizon and for which we fight; partitions also made with plants and earth; pots, plates, platters; manufacture of calhidra; musical instruments such as drums and flutes that they use for music in the festivities of their communities; making ropes and, with them, weaving nets to carry corn, backpacks and bags; making fire; and paintings on skin with natural inks. They speak in their languages Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Tojolabal and Cho’ol. The common thread is the repudiation of capitalism, preparing to survive the storm and, the day after, trying to build a new world. All are under 20 years of age. The infant is 12 years old. The school where they learned this knowledge is in the hearts of their fathers, mothers and predecessors.
The complete videos of each task, in their original languages, will appear later on the Enlace Zapatista web page.
Original text published by Desinformémonos on April 15th, 2025.
Communiqué and video published by the EZLN on April 14th, 2025.
Translation by Schools for Chiapas.