REFLECTIONS ON FEMALE MEXICAN REVOLUTIONARY:

In 1969, Elena Poniatowska wrote the book, Here’s to You, Jesusa, based on the life story of Jesusa Palancares de Aguilar, a female Mexican Revolutionary fighting at a time when women were not considered as revolutionaries. “Like so many women, Jesusa is a part of the history of Mexico. But Mexico doesn’t welcome them, it doesn’t even acknowledge them,” noted Poniatowska, who as a Mexican voice from Polish origins, has created a name for herself in the role as intellectual and novelist.

I first discovered the writings of Elena Poniatowska, when I first read her novel, Tinisima, a novel reflecting on the life of another revolutionary and artist Tina Modotti. I highly recommend the novel as well. If you have ever seen the film Frida, on the life of Frida Kahlo, the character portrayed by Ashley Judd in the film was Tina.  It was a tail of connections that led me to know women who have had significant influence in Mexican history. I had been a fan of Frida, for as long as I can remember. She started this race in me to find other voices from Mexico.

As Frida Kahlo was one of the most striking artists of the 20^th Century from Mexico, whose life is radically admirable. Tina Modotti was a revolutionary, an actress, a photographer, and more. But unlike Tina and Frida who came from a life of privilege, Jesusa Palancares de Aguilar, a dark-skinned Oaxacan, came from poverty.

The author reflects on Jesusa’s callused raised hands in the wind, “I see Jesusa in the sky, in the dirt, everywhere, like God, the masculine.” Jesusa’s life was so strenuous and battling, the author gives the heroine the respect to put her on the same level of honor as any of her male counterparts in the 1910 revolution, even if it makes her appear masculine. The use of language and grammatical male focus lifts her up to being never undermined in verbal emphasis.

However, this does not stop her from exalting the feminine either: “I am a woman that cries. I’m a woman that speaks, I’m the woman that waits, I’m the woman that strives, I’m a female spirit, I’m a woman that screams. I’m the woman moon, I’m the woman interpreter, I’m the female star, I’m the female heaven, they know me in the Heaven, and god acknowledges me. Listen Moon, Listen Southern Cross Woman, Listen Morning Star. How will we find rest? We are tired and the day has still not come” (Poniatowska).

Whether it is Jesusa, Tina, Frida, or Elena, the voice that has not been heard loud enough is the voice of the Mexican Female Revolutionary in arms, in thought, in art, in literature, and in fighting for human dignity. I encourage you to read Poniatowska. She has my recommendation.

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Other Mexican Female journalists or novelists to read are: Alma Guillermoprieto, check out her memoir “Dancing with Cuba”, and Nina Marie Martínez, and look out for her novel, “Caramba”.