Four Score and Seven Years Ago...

"Better the colony should perish than a principle."

Alejo Carpentier (Kingdom of This World 66)

For some reason the word 'perish' in this sentence created a connection for me to a powerful speech written back in the nineteenth century. Visionaries and liberals from the novel quoted this line in response to the French colonists permitting the black slaves to some political rights. These men, who despite the eminent threat of a possible civil war still understood the right for human equality.

A similar visionary, Abraham Lincoln echoed these same words in his speech the Gettysburg Address, also campaigned for the continuation of the rights of man over the rights of the federal or state government.

Quoting a few lines:

“…dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal… we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The principle is that equality exists among all human beings, an inalienable right, which was a strong motive and cause, whether directly or indirectly, for this civil war in the United States. The death statistics are unfathomable for this war and other civil revolts around the world. Specifically in the United States it was in the name and principle of freedom, showing that the colony, country, community, was worth very little if no one was willing to fight to the basic principles to command a country by.

Where a hundred and fifty years later, can we still say that any sacrifice is worthy for divine, correct, and inherent principles to continue forward? Is it better to perish than let a principle endure?

Lincoln understood that sacrifices were necessary for true principles to endure and the founders of the United States before him, or other ‘liberalists’ or ‘visionaries’ for that matter. It is indispensable that every citizen understands, lives for, and protects the liberties of equality and government by the people, that so many before have paid the ultimate price.

 

Tip of An Iceberg

"As he watched the slow scattering of the herd grazing knee-deep in clover, he developed a keen interest in the existence of certain plants to which nobody else paid attention...he foraged with his only hand among the familiar grasses for those spurned growths to which he had given no thought before. To his surprise he discovered the secret life of..."

Alejo Carpentier (Kingdom of This World 17)

In Capentier's novel, The Kingdom of This World, he inserts a handful of deep and thought provoking lines such as the one quoted above. The character Macandal in this novel notices for the first time, perhaps after losing his arm, the tiny details that make live in life. He began with the plants, and then explored into the plants to see the life of smaller plants and insects that any passerby-er often fails to notice. 

This same principle is demonstrated in the life and make-up of an iceberg. Not too long ago I came across a video produced by BBC which displayed the birth and life of an iceberg.  Often with an iceberg we are only able to see about 1/8 of the complete structure which leaves the majority hidden to the naked eye which only see the tip above water; and where icebergs are made up of frozen freshwater floating in a salt water ocean they are like an oasis in a desert.

Similarly this situation is relative to Macandal’s experience lying on the grass, yes, on a grander level, but Macandal who had always seen life by the tip but never really having excavated its true riches until now.

We can learn the secret life of plants and bugs and underwater arctic waters, but the most significant lesson would be that on first glance what we see is mostly likely only a taste of reality or the potential each location and experience has to offer. The "diamond in the rough" as Aladdin states is truly all around us. 

The majority of time people skim over life and its’ experiences like a water skier, quickly, and without much depth but the uniqueness of people, our surroundings, and the moments of life in general must be carefully analyzed and detailed to realize the force and energy that is often available to us if we stop and let it soak in us so we can discover its' secrets.

 

Listening to History That Did Not Live In Vain.

[. . .truth, whose mother is history, who is the rival of time, depository of deeds, witness of the past, example and lesson to the present, and warning to the future.] 

Jorge Luis Borges (Ficciones 53)

I was interesting to me that Borges was impressed to analyze these lines from Don Quixote among all the many lines he could have chosen. These lines exemplify which truth is. Not only what is now but what is was--the same as now because it never changes.

Upon reading these lines in this text I immediately thought of eighth grade history class and a quote by Edmund Burke which we had to memorize, it said:

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it."

Through all of these years this line of truth has stood tall in my mind without being forgotten. Edmund Burke lived in the eighteenth century, and was a voice for political conservatism. 

Though what I find incredibly interesting is that he relates truth to the mother of history. How can the study of history shape our future? And how does listening and benefiting from our mothers, our caregivers, life providers, and our nurturers be just as life changing for each of us.

Much of it comes to a central agreement that we are not on our own. We have our mothers to help teach and provide for us and in another aspect of life we have history. The fact that people have not lived in vain, and sometimes it is in vain if we take no concern to see what they lived and died for—a similar attribute of our mothers.

The truth that history is the best teacher, and also a warning for our future, and teaches us here in the present emphasizes Burke’s words that the truths in history are here for our benefit but if we choose to ignore it the same events are going to happen to us—that this mother, history and life already lived doesn’t need to be a cycle of destruction but a lesson for the future of humanity.

Searching for Sugar Man

Each one of us is Man, and represents the hopes and possibilities of the species. Redemption is a personal task... Life only justifies and transcends itself when it is realized in death, and death is also a transcendence in that it is a new life.

Octavio Paz (The Labyrinth of Solitude 56)

The most legendary of all stories and tales in life and those which are almost magnetic to the human spirit always fall along the similar lines of a tale of a fall and redemption. As we see the character fall into the darkness and then rise up to the light again, we can all relate to this process of the human soul.

A particular example of this, now an Academy Award winning documentary called Searching for Sugar Man depicts the story of a promising folk artist in the United States who only found success in South Africa though completely unbeknownst to him for he never received royalties. There he was bigger than The Beatles, and Rollingstones, but working in Detroit as a humble demolition worker. In the end of the twentieth century South African fans searched his story out among assumptions that he was dead and found he was actually alive, and living in Detroit. He then returned to perform in South Africa before thousands of fans in sell-out concerts. While upon returning home he still continued to live in the same house and return to his same work.

When redemption is real it's focused on character and never on wealth. The redeeming nature of Sugar Man is that first when fans thought he was dead, they came searching for the truth of this heroic character in South Africa because his music transcended his legacy. Sugar Man then experienced this new life and a personal redemption when his music became known to the world at large.

Sugar Man didn't realize that he was redeeming himself through those years of back-breaking labor. His humble character transcends his music success today as he gives his earned money to friends and family. His humble character made true redemption possible.

Redemption happens for all when the majority of the time we do not realize it is happening. Like Sugar Man, it is slow but possible, the closer one comes to death, and realizing the hopes not lived and that life can be redeemed, we like Sugar Man can also redeem the inner man first.

Handel's Glorious Language of Song

"It is evident that music has to be recognized as an element of socialization. As an agent of social development in the highest sense, because it transmits the highest social values, such as solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion and it has the ability to unite and entire community and express sublime feelings." 

(Documentary Tocar y Luchar)

These lines of text from the documentary Tocar y Luchar are just a taste of the depth of analysis one could write on the sublime significance of music in each human life. Being a classically trained pianist I was not only thrilled by the potential of these musical programs in this film but I immediately thought of the many artists in history who have labored in music’s name, and whose works have lifed on for several centuries as a living testament to its’ greatness. One such example is the genius of Handel’s Messiah.

(Trailer from the documentary Tocar y Luchar)

The creation of this oratorio was composed after a stroke which left him with partial paralysis and then unpopularity among audiences with his most recent work. These setbacks led him to assume that he was nearing the end of his career. However, a friend lent him a manuscript containing many scriptural citations that leapt into his depressed soul filling it with renewed life and purpose. Handel composed the Messiah in just three weeks.

This oratorio is one of the most well-known musical works ever composed and its’ creation consisted of solidarity within Handel’s own personal suffering and then to absolute composing, harmony with himself and God, compassion towards the listeners (where he donated all proceedings to the incarcerated and poor) overcoming his desires for wealth and popularity, and to this day, over three hundred years later, he has united countries, continents, and communities with the majesty of this piece of music.

(Excerpt from Handel's Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus)

There are hardly any Christmas’s remembered without one hearing an excerpt from this work, where community productions have been produced with orchestras and choirs and even the audience at times in participation, creating the highest sense of unity within a community.

Music speaks to the souls of the audience what words cannot, a language which elevates each individual to pursue the highest potential in one’s life; to live with compassion and in harmony with your fellow man and uniting in the this unspoken language of music. 

Born of Suffering

"You are Moacir, the child born of my suffering."

Jose de Alencar (Iracema 101)

The amount of symbolism and possible analysis from this small phrase can be related to several of the greatest or the smallest of events or ideas that have occurred in the history of the world. One in particular that interestingly applies to this ending theme Alencar writes in this novel is of the results of suffering, which can be applied to the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

In Buddhism a frequent and central question is: “Why does suffering and pain exist?”

Hence the Four Noble Truths were created explaining that (1) suffering is in all existence, (2) this suffering is usually caused by desire and attachment, (3) if the desire and attachment is eliminated, so is the suffering, and (4) the Noble Eight-fold Path can eliminate these desires.

Primarily Iracema was desired by her Tabajaran village, though Iracema knew little of suffering until she met Martim. She grew to desire Martim, who also desired her and felt and an attachment towards her, which ultimately became her downfall.

In that desire for attachment Iracema became pregnant with his child, which started the majority the suffering we read about in this novel. We see here that because that desire was never eliminated, in her suffering stage Iracema bore this child, and with this new attachment her suffering only increased, especially with the absence of Martim and never left her until her tragic death.

So why does suffering and pain exist? What comes from this suffering? Alencar writes that the baby of Martim and Iracema brought suffering which is also Brazil, who also that came from this suffering. In the teachings of Buddhism and in this novel something beautiful, complex, and great can come from suffering. Suffering is truly essential in the forming of a nation and a character. As we can more clearly understand and see that all beauty does not have a beautiful beginning. 

The Weeping Among the Roars

Juan Manuel Blanes, Paraguay: Image of Your Desolate Country, c.1880

After brief but somewhat in depth discussions, studies, and readings of Latin American culture as influenced by the conquest of the Spaniards and Portuguese, it is hardly difficult to see and understand that these events that began over 500 years ago have yet to be forgotten, while still leaving these countries in a process of recovery and making progress. 

This work of art, painted of a battle in the 1860's is a rather striking example of the desolation that has come upon the natives in Latin America from foreign sovereignty. Which first began in the name of God and religion, to gold and power has continued in an almost ever going bloodbath. 

We see hundreds of years in the past, we see fear, and oppression though this similar melody has been sung in the several other areas of the world with one in particular, South Africa with the Apartheid.

After hearing this particular song about this oppression among the blacks in South Africa, the parallel was made towards our studies in class, and even to this painting. What the blacks felt in Africa, and the Jews and Muslims during the inquisition, can be compared to the never ending ironic 'fight' for change, and peace, and that this Paraguayan women can represent, right now, all groups ever under oppression.

This song that Josh Groban sings, explains that even though this particular group of people have gone through these horrors of oppression, that this

“nightmare would never ever rise again, But the fear and the fire and the guns [still] remain.”

Here this women, alone, remains with this gun, with fear and sorrow, with the death of her people, and yet, as a re-occurring line in this songs says:

“It wasn't roaring, it was weeping.”

She is weeping, and the countries of South Africa, Paraguay, and others who have lived under the oppression of another at times still weep. The same roars of war aren’t there but this subtle weeping still influences these areas. Scares are still deeply deeply cut. They are healing yes, but weeping remains for any who have fought and lived under war and oppression.