I, Rigoberta Menchú is the biographical account of the winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchú of Guatemala. The story of her life is the story of the struggle of the indigenous peoples of Guatemala to maintain a way of life, even just to survive against the realities of a modern world. Wanting nothing more than to live life on their own terms, the Indian people found themselves at the mercy of large land-owners who was them as nothing but cheap tools to use for their own enrichment, yet to engage the government in efforts for reform would involve them in the Cold War struggle between U.S.-backed ruthless dictatorships and the communist backed guerilla insurgencies prevalent throughout Latin America after World War II.

To escape the poverty and struggles of life as a finca (plantation) worker, Rigoberta's fath

Having work available on the finca did not improve life for the Indian people. Often the only available work was many miles away. Even having made the journey, it was uncertain that work would be available, and employment was tenuous, subject to the whims of an overseer who could have only his own best interest in mind. Living conditions were harsh with several hundred workers forced to live in a single large hut with open sides and no separation of men and women or even family units really possible. Sanitary conditions were deplorable with no facilities, only an area designated where everyone relieved themselves and little water for washing or even drinking. Wages were extremely low, hours long, and corrupt overseers could find many ways to dock the pay of a worker who did not please him. It was common to charge for accommodations, food, medicine, and damage to crops so that debts to the land-owner could be run up creating the problem of debt-servitude3.

The government of

Some topics in this essay:
Unfortunately Arbenz, Menchú Guatemala, War II, Cold War, Rigoberta Menchú, Guatemala Verso, rigoberta menchú, Peace Prize, military leaders, indian people,