Saturday, November 15, 2025

Three Words That Changed the World: The Zapatista Declaration

We want you to think about the most powerful sentence in any language.

Is it “I love you”?

Perhaps “We are free”?

Ma ybe even “The revolution has begun”?

I’d argue it’s far simpler.

It’s a declaration spoken at the moment tolerance finally snaps.

It’s a full stop at the end of a long, painful chapter.

In Spanish, in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico,

it is just three words:

“¡Se Acabó!”—It is over.

This is the title and the core idea of a powerful Zapatista song that is far more than just music; it is an economic treatise, a history lesson, and a political manifesto wrapped in a revolutionary melody.

It’s an idea worth spreading:

The sound of “Enough” is the essential spark of all profound social change.

The Anatomy of Generational Pain

What does “It’s over” truly mean in this context?

The song is brutally specific.

It’s not just about a bad day or a poor harvest.

It’s about a lineage of injustice.

The lyrics directly address the “patrón”—the boss, the ruling elite—with an accusation that spans decades:

“Patrón, you exploited my grandparents, my parents, and now me, but ¡Se Acabó!”.

This isn't just one person quitting; it's an entire community rejecting an inherited system of suffering.

The song encapsulates generational exhaustion.

It articulates that point where the pain of the past, the burden of the present, and the fear for the future converge into a single, unstoppable will.

When the chant rises:

“Se acabó la paciencia” (The patience is over), it signals the shift from survival—quietly enduring—to action—demanding liberation.

From Patience to Power: A New Political Agenda

Once the patience runs out, the song immediately pivots to the revolutionary solution.

It proposes a new political algebra that leaves no room for negotiation:

“Por la buena, por la mala… tomaremos El Poder y usted dejará el poder.”

By fair means or foul... we will take power, and you will leave power.

This is the definitive declaration of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN).

They are not merely asking for reform; they are announcing a complete replacement of the ruling structure.

The song affirms their commitment, celebrating the “fuerzas armadas de liberación” (armed forces of liberation) and declaring support for the “partido de los pobres” (party of the poor).

The power of this anthem lies in its abil11ity to take a deep, personal feeling of victimization and translate it into a collective, militant strategy.

It shows us that true political will is born not in a boardroom, but at the breaking point of human endurance, when the people recognize that their collective strength is greater than the structure designed to oppress them.

The Global Echo

So, why does a revolutionary song from rural Mexico matter to us today?

Because “¡Se Acabó!” is a universal phrase.

Whether you are marching for climate justice, fighting for fair wages, or demanding political transparency, every single movement starts with a moment of collective declaration: “We will not endure this injustice for one more day.”

The Zapatista song is a powerful reminder that when a system is fundamentally rigged, the most moral act is to declare that the rules of that game are null and void.

The power of a declaration like “¡Se Acabó!” is that it doesn't describe the problem—it ends it.

It is the sound of hope, delivered with the firm, unshakeable rhythm of certainty.

When you feel that familiar weight of injustice—the exhaustion, the unfairness, the generational struggle—listen closely.

What is the sound of your breaking point?

What are the three words that will signal the beginning of your new chapter?

...

7 principles

Zapatista Seed Pedagogics:

Beyond Rights, Creating a Decolonizing Co-education

Charlotte María Sáenz*

Abstract

This article inquires into a pedagogics that seeds a larger co-educational

process outside of the Zapatista movement’s autonomous territories. A

Zapatista Seed Pedagogics (ZSP) is theorized as an educational, political, and

ethical process that confronts oppressive power relations at all levels, growing

a collective political and educational subject. While still asserting the need for

Indigenous rights within a neocolonial context, a ZSP transcends a human

rights education framework to insist on the inherent value of all beings and

their birthright to a dignified life. Drawing on a qualitative transgeographic

study conducted through interviews with pro-Zapatista interlocutors who are

themselves involved in processes of social change in their localities, the author

explores how this ZSP provokes a learning to learn and listen differently,

contributing to a larger mutualistic political-ethical education that in turn

grows Zapatismo itself.

Keywords: Zapatista epistemology, liberation pedagogics, Zapatismo,

pedagogies of social movements, decolonization

---

Here they are as Gustavo explained them:

To serve others, not self. For Zapatistas, the goal of life is the common good, not the accumulation of money or power.
To represent, not supplant. The Zapatista model of revolution is not the seizure of power (supplanting one government with its mirror image), but the representation of the majority without reproducing old relationships of domination.
To construct, not destroy. The new order cannot be built upon violence.
To obey, not command. However, the Zapatista model of obedience is not that of servant to master or of soldier to comandante, but of mother to her infant child.
To convince, not to win. The Zapatista way centralizes respectful dialog based not primarily on logical argument, but supplementing logic with intuition derived from the experience of life.
To propose, not impose. Imposition represents the violence rejected by Zapatismo.
To go down, not up. For Zapatistas the geography of social discourse and action has changed. Old categories of left and right, conservative and liberal are no longer applicable. The new more relevant topography directs our gaze up and down, north and south – to recognize the gap between the one-percent and the rest of us.

Resource links:

https://mikerivageseul.com/tag/seven-principles-of-zapatismo/
Download pdf:
https://schoolsforchiapas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Seven-Lessons.pdf
Source: Schools for Chiapas
https://share.google/K5G8bkaEuq3DkGlF
Zaptaista Seed pedagogics
https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1141&context=ijhre

Friday, November 14, 2025

presente' - Marina Arteaga

front line defenders

PRESENT' - Luz Marina Arteaga Heao

"Luz Marina, Your laughter and joy will live on in the paths you blazed for justice."

Luz Marina Arteaga Henao was a doctor, social leader, woman human rights defender and land claimant in the peasant and indigenous process of El Porvenir and Vereda Matarratón in Puerto Gaitán, Meta. Her life choice was the protection of nature, the defense of the rights of peasant and indigenous communities in different regions and the struggle against injustice.

In 1996, she was kidnapped and displaced by paramilitary groups in Urabá, Antioquia, and since then lived in Orocué, Casanare, where she led various initiatives to guarantee access to fundamental rights. Because of her leadership in the land claims process, she received death threats which were brought to the attention of the competent authorities without any protection measures being provided in accordance with her level of risk and her socio-economic situation. She was reported missing on 12 January 2022 and her lifeless body was found on the banks of the Meta River on 17 January of the same year.

09 - Zapatistas commons - ted talk - ontological drift - pt 02

Absolutely — here’s a performance-ready TED Talk script that focuses specifically on ontological drift — how meaning of the Zapatista common shifts through languages and cultures — framed through a multicultural lens. It’s designed for a 3–4 minute delivery, with pacing, pauses, and emotional beats.

🎙️ TED Talk Script — “Ontological Drift: The Zapatista Commons Across Worlds”

(Spotlight. Minimal stage movement. Calm, deliberate voice.)

You:
Language is not just words.
Language is a way of being.

Today, I want to tell you about a story —
a story that begins in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico,
with the Zapatistas.

They speak a language called Jach t’aan, Lacandon Maya.
In their language, the “common” — the community —
is not a noun, not a property.
It is u juntéelil winikob —
the togetherness of people.

To exist is to exist together.
Resistance is not a tactic; it is k’uxajil — endurance, living through pain with dignity.
Rebellion is not a protest; it is ch’úupulil — emergence, rising like maize from the earth.
And understanding — ethics itself —
is na’atik — knowing with the heart.

(Pause. Step forward slightly.)

Now, imagine translating this world into Spanish.
“U juntéelil winikob” becomes el común.
Suddenly, the verb of being together becomes a noun.
Resistance becomes resistencias, rebellion becomes rebeldías.
The storm — la tormenta — is still there,
but now it’s mostly metaphorical.

The essence of relational being begins to shift.
It is no longer fully experienced; it is partially described.
This is ontological drift — the subtle, unavoidable transformation of meaning when we move ideas across languages and cultures.

(Lower tone, reflective.)

And then we move to English —
to speak to a global audience, to activists, to students, to anyone listening.
The Zapatista common becomes the communal life,
resistance and rebellion become political movements, strategies, causes.
The storm is a crisis, danger, or threat.
Fascism is external, clearly defined.

Here, the relational, regenerative, heart-centered ontology
is largely abstracted.
The story has shifted from lived being
to narrative, to ethics, to action.

(Pause. Let the words resonate.)

But here’s the lesson:
Every time we translate across cultures, we translate not just words,
but worldviews.
Meaning drifts.
Ontology drifts.
What is central in one language — the interdependence of all life —
can become secondary, symbolic, or even invisible in another.

Multiculturalism asks us to notice this drift.
It asks us to hold the tension between what is said
and what is lived.
To honor the depth of one worldview while engaging with another.

(Step forward. Build energy.)

So when we speak of the Zapatistas,
we are not just speaking of politics.
We are witnessing a living ontology:
a relational, heart-centered way of being,
persisting through fire and storm,
translated and transformed,
but still recognizable, still alive.

And maybe — just maybe —
we can learn to carry some of that togetherness, endurance, and emergence
into our own fragmented, multilingual worlds.

(Pause. Slow, deliberate finish.)

The storm is real.
But the commons —
in all its forms —
is what will allow us to endure it.

(Silence. Step back. Let it linger.)

08 - Zapatistas commons - a comprehensive list of clarification questions - FAQ

Here’s a comprehensive set of clarification questions to deepen understanding, guide further exploration, or refine a project around the topic “El común Zapatista ante la Tormenta: Encuentro de resistencias y rebeldías en contra del Fascismo”. I’ve organized them into categories for conceptual, linguistic, philosophical, and practical clarity.

1. Conceptual / Thematic Clarifications

What is meant by “el común” in the Zapatista context — purely social, political, economic, or also ontological?
Does “la tormenta” refer strictly to political fascism, or also to environmental, social, or cultural crises?
How does the Zapatista notion of resistance differ from conventional political resistance?
In what ways does rebellion (rebeldía) manifest practically in Zapatista communities?
Are there specific historical events that frame “the storm” in this context?
How is the “common” maintained in tension with modern state or capitalist structures?

2. Linguistic / Translation Clarifications

Should translations into Jach t’aan prioritize literal accuracy, conceptual meaning, or poetic resonance?
Are there Zapatista-specific terms for fascism or authoritarianism, or must they be described metaphorically?
How does the meaning of “resistance” and “rebellion” shift between Spanish, English, and Jach t’aan?
Are there multiple Indigenous languages in Chiapas involved, and if so, which should be prioritized for translation?

3. Philosophical / Cosmological Clarifications

How do Zapatista concepts of “community” relate to Mayan cosmology and ontology?
Is “la tormenta” symbolic of cyclical natural forces, spiritual trials, or only political crises?
How do endurance (k’uxajil) and emergence (ch’úupulil) function as philosophical principles?
How central is the concept of na’atik (heart-understanding) in Zapatista political thought?
Does the Zapatista approach imply that resistance is inseparable from ecological and spiritual balance?

4. Historical / Sociopolitical Clarifications

How have Zapatista practices evolved since 1994 in response to external political pressures?
What role do transnational encounters play in shaping “encuentros de resistencias”?
Are there concrete examples of Zapatista gatherings that exemplify collective rebellion today?
How do local Indigenous traditions influence Zapatista responses to fascism?
How do Zapatistas define success or failure in their resistance strategies?

5. Practical / Application Clarifications

Should this discussion focus on a theoretical framework, or also include practical lessons for other movements?
Is the goal to analyze Zapatista philosophy, produce a poetic interpretation, or create a performance script?
How should metaphors like “storm” or “forest” be presented to non-specialist audiences?
Are there pedagogical strategies to teach these concepts while remaining faithful to Zapatista language and cosmology?
How might this content inform contemporary global movements resisting authoritarianism or ecological collapse?

07 - Zapatistas commons - ted talk - before the storm - pt 01

🎙️ “Before the Storm: The Zapatista Common and the Art of Collective Survival”

(Performance Script)

(Soft light. A low drumbeat fades. You step forward.)

You:
Imagine a storm.

Not of rain —
but of systems collapsing.
Forests burning, democracies hollowed out,
hearts… growing numb with fear.

Everywhere, we’re told: this is the only world possible.

(Pause)

But deep in the mountains of Chiapas,
there’s a different story.
It begins not with power or profit,
but with a gathering —
of people who refuse to forget how to be human.

(Change in tone: warmer, more grounded.)

They call it El Común Zapatista.
The Zapatista Common.

Not just shared land —
shared being.

In the old Mayan tongue, Jach t’aan,
they say: u juntéelil winikob.
It means the togetherness of people.
It means we exist because we exist together.

In a world obsessed with “I,”
they live by we.
Their schools, their councils, their fields —
are all heartbeats in one living body.

(Beat — lower voice.)

But the story doesn’t end there.

The Zapatistas speak of a coming storm — la tormenta.
Not a storm of weather,
but of civilization.

They call it u k’aaxil k’áak’náal — the burning forest.
The place where everything we know catches fire.

And what do they do?
They don’t build walls.
They plant roots.

They plant autonomía — autonomy —
the freedom to grow food, make decisions, tell stories
on their own terms.

(Step forward. Tone firm, alive.)

They teach that resistance is not a shield.
It’s soil.

In their language, k’uxajil means to endure —
to carry pain with patience and dignity.

And ch’úupulil means to rise —
as maize rises through the dark earth.

To endure.
To rise.
This is their revolution —
not to destroy, but to emerge anew.

(Pause — softer tone.)

And then there’s a word I love: na’atik.
It means “to understand.”
But the root, na’ah, means heart.

To understand is to know with the heart.

They remind us: fascism isn’t just political —
it’s emotional.
It begins when we stop feeling.

So they fight not just with arms,
but with care.
With song.
With the radical act of remembering
that all life is interwoven.

(Final movement — quiet, rising cadence.)

And now — we all stand before the storm.

The question is not how to stop it,
but how to become forests strong enough to endure it.

The Zapatistas show us that rebellion can be gentle.
That autonomy can be compassionate.
That the future belongs
to those who gather —
and stay.

(Beat. Step forward.)

So maybe the revolution isn’t to fight harder.
Maybe it’s to remember how to live —
together.

To become,
in our own ways,
the common before the storm.

(Silence. Then, a small smile. You step back.)

06 - Zapatistas commons - mythagorias poem

Alright — here’s a poetic rendering of that cosmological-philosophical idea.

I’ve shaped it in the rhythm and cadence of oral Mayan speech, where repetition, imagery, and breath mark the tempo rather than rhyme.
It’s written first in English (invocatory form), then mirrored with Jach t’aan phrasing, stylized to preserve its sound and spirit.

🌩️ “Before the Storm” — A Zapatista Invocation

English version:

We gather, people of the dawn,
in the forest where fire walks.

The storm has come —
not as punishment,
but as the great remembering.

We stand together,
hearts like roots beneath the rain.

We endure — k’uxajil —
the pain that teaches balance.

We rise — ch’úupulil —
not in anger,
but as maize breaks the dark earth.

The world trembles,
and we remain,
as one breath,
as one word,
as one path through the burning forest.

🌱 Jach t’aan stylized version (approximate)

U juntéelil winikob k’inam,
ti’ k’aaxil k’áak’náal u yáanal.

Táan u ch’íikil k’áak’,
ma’ tu ts’íibol, ba’ale’ tu k’ajtalilil u yuumilil.

To’on juntéel,
u na’at in puksi’ik’al, ti’ ja’.

K’uxajil,
le k’áajal k’ajtal.

Ch’úupulil,
ma’ ti’ k’áat chi’,
ba’ale’ bey nal k’áanal tu lu’umil.

Le lu’umil k’ux,
to’on k’ajtal,
ba’ax u beel, ba’ax u t’aan, ba’ax u k’áax.

Meaning:

“We, the people of the sun, gather beneath the storm of fire.
It comes not to destroy, but to awaken what we have forgotten.
We endure the pain that teaches balance.
We rise as maize rises through the earth.
The world trembles — yet we remain:
the path, the word, the forest itself.”

This blends Zapatista rebellion with Mayan ontology — rebellion as remembrance, resistance as regeneration.

05 - Zapatistas commons: a philosophical interpretation

Excellent — let’s go deeper into the philosophical interpretation through a Mayan cosmological lens, using the Jach t’aan translation as the framework.

🌩️ **1. “The Storm” (u k’aaxil k’áak’náal) — The Trial of the World**

In Mayan cosmology, storms aren’t merely destructive weather — they are threshold events, moments where balance collapses and renewal begins.
The word k’áak’ means fire, but also energy or vital force. When combined with k’aax (forest, wilderness), it evokes chaotic natural power — fire within the jungle, or the world burning from imbalance.

So, “ante la tormenta” (before the storm) in this worldview means standing consciously at the edge of transformation — a test of collective spirit. The Zapatistas, in this sense, aren’t just resisting external political forces but embodying the principle of kux k’áak’ — living fire, life-force that endures through chaos.

🌱 **2. “The Common” (u juntéelil winikob) — The Circle of Beings**

The phrase u juntéelil winikob (“the togetherness of people”) resonates deeply with the Mayan sense of the communal self — not individuals linked by ideology, but a living web of mutual care, obligation, and reciprocity.

In Mayan thought, winik means “person,” but a person only exists through relationship — with others, the land, ancestors, and time itself. Thus, the common is ontological, not just social. It is how being exists: together.

For the Zapatistas, this idea becomes political — autonomy, collective decision-making, and the refusal of domination are expressions of u juntéelil winikob.

🔥 **3. “Resistance and Rebellion” (k’uxajilob yéetel ch’úupulil) — Enduring and Rising**

In Jach t’aan, k’uxaj carries the sense of pain but also endurance. It’s resistance as the art of carrying suffering with dignity.
Ch’úupulil, from ch’úup (“to rise”), turns rebellion into an act of emergence — not destruction, but arising from the earth, like plants after the rain.

Together, they form a dual process: to endure (k’uxajilob) and to emerge anew (ch’úupulil). It mirrors the agricultural cycle and expresses a truth: resistance is regeneration.

🌀 **4. “Within Our Understanding” (ichil u xokob in na’atikilil) — The Knowing Heart**

The phrase na’atik means “to understand” — but its root is na’ah, “heart.”
So, na’atikilil doesn’t mean intellectual knowledge — it means heart-knowledge, intuitive comprehension of balance and purpose.

In Mayan cosmology, to “understand within the heart” is to see how forces interconnect — domination (fascism, in modern terms) is not just a political system but a sickness of imbalance between beings.

Thus, resisting fascism isn’t simply ideological — it’s cosmic hygiene: restoring harmony between beings, worlds, and times.

🌕 5. The Full Concept: A Mayan-Zapatista Synthesis

“U juntéelil winikob Zapatista ti’ u k’aaxil k’áak’náal: k’ajtalilil k’uxajilob yéetel ch’úupulil ichil u xokob in na’atikilil.”

Interpretation:
The gathering of Zapatista people in the wild storm — the being-together of endurance and uprising, within the heart’s understanding of balance and domination.

Here, “the storm” becomes not just crisis, but the test of being, and “the common” becomes the field of rebirth — the communal soul of humanity enduring and rising through the flames of transformation.

Would you like me to translate this cosmological-philosophical interpretation into a short poetic passage — something that reads like a Zapatista invocation or chant in both English and Jach t’aan rhythm?

04 - Zapatistas commons: a comprehensive ontological analysis

Absolutely — let’s construct a comprehensive ontological analysis of the topic “El común Zapatista ante la Tormenta: Encuentro de resistencias y rebeldías en contra del Fascismo”, tracing how meaning shifts through Jach t’aan → Spanish → English and exploring the ontological implications at each stage. I’ll break this into a clear, systematic analysis.

1. Core Ontology of the Topic

At its root, the topic deals with:

Being-in-Community (el común / u juntéelil winikob),
Existential Crisis (la tormenta / u k’aaxil k’áak’náal),
Embodied Resistance (resistencias y rebeldías / k’uxajilob y ch’úupulil), and
Ethical Awareness of Oppression (contra el fascismo / ichil u xokob in na’atikilil).

Ontology here is relational: it is not about abstract entities, but about existence as interconnection — how humans, communities, environment, and political realities co-constitute each other.

2. Jach t’aan (Lacandon Maya) Layer

Key concepts and ontological weight:

Concept	Jach t’aan term	Ontological nuance
The common	u juntéelil winikob	Being is fundamentally relational. “The common” is a mode of existence, not a property or abstract principle. Community and self are inseparable.
Storm	u k’aaxil k’áak’náal	Represents chaotic forces, not just physical phenomena. Ontologically, the storm is a trial, a cosmic disturbance, a liminal space where being is tested and reshaped.
Resistance	k’uxajilob	Endurance as an embodied, lived state. Resistance is not an ideology but a mode of existing through suffering with integrity.
Rebellion	ch’úupulil	Emergence. Ontologically, rebellion is becoming — rising from the earth, a manifestation of potentiality, not mere opposition.
Against Fascism	ichil u xokob in na’atikilil	Fascism cannot be directly named; it is described relationally as imbalance, domination, or violation. Knowledge of it is through the heart (na’atik), not abstract reasoning.

Ontological insight:
In Jach t’aan, existence is a web of relations, and all concepts are situated in lived experience. The “common” is not a noun to be possessed — it is a verb of being together. The storm is not external only; it is experienced within the network of being. Resistance and rebellion are modes of sustained existence, not political acts imposed from outside.

3. Spanish Layer

Concept	Spanish term	Ontological shift
The common	El común	Moves toward a noun, a social/political entity. Ontology begins to abstract: the common is now “something” people can inhabit or defend, rather than the lived relational act it is in Jach t’aan.
Storm	la tormenta	Taken metaphorically as crisis or conflict. Spanish allows abstraction, focusing on political, social, or ecological systems rather than lived relational disturbance.
Resistance	resistencias	Plural, slightly objectified; understood as strategies, movements, or acts rather than lived endurance.
Rebellion	rebeldías	Similarly abstracted; emphasis shifts to social/political opposition. The emergent, ontologically creative nuance of ch’úupulil is diminished.
Against Fascism	en contra del fascismo	Clearly names the adversary. Ontologically, this positions fascism as an external entity to be resisted, contrasting with Jach t’aan’s relational, heart-based perception of imbalance.

Insight:
Spanish mediates between relational ontology and political abstraction. It allows the topic to be communicated as a social-political phenomenon — accessible to broader audiences — but loses the embedded lived, ecological, and spiritual dimensions central to Jach t’aan thought.

4. English Layer (American Audience)

Concept	English rendering	Ontological shift
The common	The Zapatista common / communal life	Highly abstracted. “Common” or “communal” emphasizes property, organization, or ideology, less relational being. Americans may interpret it in terms of shared goals, resources, or activism rather than existential interdependence.
Storm	the storm	Evokes crisis or threat. In English, metaphor often emphasizes danger or external threat rather than relational, liminal transformation.
Resistance	resistances	Can be interpreted as social movements, activism, or political struggle. The embodied, endurance aspect of k’uxajilob is largely lost.
Rebellion	rebellions	Understood as political action or defiance, rather than emergent, regenerative becoming.
Against Fascism	against fascism	Clearly identifies the antagonist. The moral and heart-based dimension (na’atik) is largely abstracted; ethical responsibility is intellectualized rather than ontologically lived.

Insight:
In English, the topic becomes a political and activist narrative. The spiritual, relational, and ecological aspects that ground existence in Jach t’aan are minimized. The audience is invited to take a stance, rather than inhabit the web of being.

5. Comparative Ontological Summary

Layer	Focus	Ontological Mode	Loss/Gain in Translation
Jach t’aan	Community, storm, resistance, rebellion	Lived relational ontology; endurance and emergence; heart-based ethics	Full relational and cosmic dimensions; difficult for non-speakers to access directly
Spanish	Social-political framing	Partially abstract; nouns, movements, ideologies; moral positioning	Makes the topic communicable in discourse; loses embedded lived ontology; relationality partially preserved via “común”
English	Political and activist framing	Externalized, object-oriented; moral narrative; emphasis on action	Audience grasps politics and ethics; loses regenerative, emergent, and ecological ontology; relational being is interpreted symbolically

6. Ontological Implications of Language Shifts

From Relational to Objectified:
- Jach t’aan emphasizes existence as interaction; Spanish introduces abstraction; English objectifies concepts for pragmatic communication.
From Emergence to Opposition:
- Rebellion in Jach t’aan (ch’úupulil) is ontologically creative; in Spanish and English, it is interpreted as confrontation or defiance.
From Heart-Knowing to Moral Awareness:
- Na’atik (heart-understanding) centers ethical knowledge as lived and felt; Spanish frames it as intellectual comprehension; English frames it as ideological or activist position.
From Environmental and Cosmic Embeddedness to Human-Centric Framing:
- In Jach t’aan, the storm includes ecological, spiritual, and political dimensions; translation progressively narrows the ontology to political and human systems.
Translation as Ontological Mediation:
- Each translation is not just linguistic; it reshapes the mode of being for the audience. Understanding Jach t’aan allows immersion in relational ontology; Spanish allows shared cultural-political framing; English allows global moral-political resonance but abstracts the lived experience.

7. Key Insight

The topic demonstrates how language carries ontology:

Jach t’aan embodies a worldview where being is relational, resistance is lived, and rebellion is regenerative.
Spanish mediates this into political and communal concepts, balancing relational depth with discourse accessibility.
English, especially for an American audience, reframes it as a narrative of struggle, ethics, and activism — powerful, but largely abstracted from the original lived, ecological, and spiritual dimensions.

In short:

To translate the Zapatista common is not only to translate words — it is to translate modes of being.

03 - Zapatistas commons - comparative etymological analysis

Perfect — let’s break it down etymologically and conceptually, comparing the Spanish title with its approximate rendering in Jach t’aan (Lacandon Maya).

Original Spanish

“El común Zapatista ante la Tormenta: Encuentro de resistencias y rebeldías en contra del Fascismo.”

Core meaning:
The Zapatista common (or communal way of life) facing the storm: a gathering of resistances and rebellions against fascism.

Approximate Jach t’aan version

“U juntéelil winikob Zapatista ti’ u k’aaxil k’áak’náal: k’ajtalilil k’uxajilob yéetel ch’úupulil ichil u xokob in na’atikilil.”

Word-by-word & etymological comparison

Spanish Concept	Jach t’aan Approximation	Literal/Root Meaning	Notes
El común Zapatista	U juntéelil winikob Zapatista	u juntéelil = their gathering / assembly (from juntéel, "meeting, togetherness")winikob = people, humans, men (plural of winik, person)	In Mayan thought, community (juntéelil winikob) means collective being, not property-based “common.”
ante la Tormenta	ti’ u k’aaxil k’áak’náal	ti’ = facing, beforeu k’aaxil = the forest / wild placek’áak’náal = place of fire or storm	“Tormenta” doesn’t exist literally, so it’s expressed as a fiery chaos of the forest — symbol of crisis.
Encuentro	k’ajtalilil	from k’ajtal = to be, to exist; -ilil nominalizes it: “the being-together” or “the happening”	This conveys the sense of a shared happening or assembly rather than a formal meeting.
Resistencias	k’uxajilob	from k’uxaj = pain, suffering; -ilob = plural noun form → “those who endure pain”	Resistance is seen as endurance, resilience — an embodied strength.
Rebeldías	ch’úupulil	from ch’úup = to rise, to emerge; -ulil = abstract noun form → “the rising up”	Emphasizes uprising as natural emergence, not just opposition.
en contra del Fascismo	ichil u xokob in na’atikilil	ichil = withinu xokob = their counting / namingna’atikilil = understanding, awareness	There’s no term for “fascism,” so this phrase literally means “within our understanding of domination.”

Conceptual Translation (fluid English rendering):

“The gathering of Zapatista people in the wild storm: a shared being of endurance and uprising within our understanding of domination.”

This translation keeps the Mayan relational worldview intact — where community, resistance, and nature are intertwined, and “the storm” isn’t just political chaos but a living environmental-spiritual crisis.

02 - Zapatistas commons - synopsis

Here’s a clear synopsis in English:

**Topic:** *The Zapatista Common in the Face of the Storm: Gathering of Resistances and Rebellions Against Fascism*

This topic explores how the **Zapatista movement** in Mexico—rooted in Indigenous autonomy, communal living, and anti-capitalist principles—responds to the growing global crisis symbolized as “the storm”: the rise of fascism, authoritarianism, and environmental and social collapse. It examines the **Zapatista “common”** not just as a political community, but as a living system of resistance that brings together diverse struggles from around the world.

The gathering, or *Encuentro*, serves as a **space of dialogue and solidarity** among movements that share a commitment to justice, dignity, and self-determination. It highlights how these resistances, while local and varied, converge in a shared rebellion against domination, exploitation, and fear.

Ultimately, the topic reflects on how **Zapatista philosophy and practice offer a model of collective resilience**, imagining a world built from below and to the left—one that can weather the “storm” of fascism through mutual aid, ecological balance, and the reaffirmation of human and communal dignity.

01 - Zapatistas commons: the jach t'aan translation

https://www.catholiccompany.com/pages/works-of-mercy-infographic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_of_mercy

what is catechism?

To teach, verbally.

Catechesis (/ˌkætəˈkiːsɪs/; from Greek: κατήχησις, 'instruction by word of mouth', generally 'instruction')[1][2] is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of converts to Christianity, but as the religion became institutionalized, catechesis was used for education of members who had been baptized as infants. As defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 5 (quoting Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi tradendae, §18):

Catechesis is an education in the faith of children, young people and adults which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life.

Reference links

https://amazingcatechists.com/2016/03/the-corporal-works-of-mercy/

https://amazingcatechists.com/2023/01/8639/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

modern saints

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https://a.co/d/58HQzUj
Disturbing the Peace - The Story of Father Roy Bourgeois & the Movement to Close the School of the Americas (04) by Hodge, James - Cooper, Linda [Paperback (2004)

Dear Roy,

We write to you with hearts full of gratitude, admiration, and deep respect.

Your courageous stand for the full inclusion of women in the Roman Catholic Church has given us a pathway toward a non-violent resistance that marks this historic turning point. Your outspoken support for the ordination of women, your letters to those in power, your advocacy to family and friends, most particularly those in leadership that hold the power to change, your books and collaborations—all of these efforts have been a beacon of justice and conscience for so many. At great personal cost, you chose to listen to the voice of the Spirit, to speak the truth with love, and to act with integrity when silence would have been easier.

As a prophetic priest and a relentless advocate for peace and equality, your public witness has helped open hearts and minds to the injustices perpetuated by the institutional Church against women called to priestly ministry. You have stood with us not as a distant ally but as a true brother and friend in the struggle for a renewed Church rooted in the Gospel’s radical inclusivity.

Your solidarity has given strength to our movement. Your refusal to renounce your beliefs—even when it meant excommunication—testifies to the depth of your commitment to a Church that reflects Jesus’ message of dignity, justice, and compassion for all.

We, the members of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, thank you for your unwavering support, your profound witness, and your brotherhood. Your voice has not only affirmed the vocations of women but has also helped shape a more loving and liberating future for the entire Church.

Know that you are held in our prayers and in our hearts. We walk this path together, inspired by your courage and grounded in the hope that justice will prevail.

With deepest gratitude and abiding respect,

Your sisters and brothers in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests

Catholic Workers

Who We Are and What We Do

The San Diego Catholic Worker is composed of a group of people inspired by the Sermon on the Mount and the instructions of Jesus to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and clothe the naked.

For close to 40 years now with lots of volunteer help we have provided a delicious lunch for 100 or more mostly homeless people in Pacific Beach every Friday.

In recent years we have also been taking hot soup, sandwiches, boiled eggs and water at nighttime, directly to people living on city streets.

We have also been collecting and distributing used clothes once or twice a month to the same men, women and children.

The Catholic Worker Movement is a collection of autonomous communities founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the United States in 1933. Its aim is to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ".[2] One of its guiding principles is hospitality towards those on the margin of society, based on the principles of communitarianism and personalism. To this end, the movement claims over 240 local Catholic Worker communities providing social services.[3] Each house has a different mission, going about the work of social justice in its own way, suited to its local region.

Catholic Worker houses are not official organs of the Catholic Church, and their activities, inspired by Day's example, may be more or less overtly religious in tone and inspiration depending on the particular institution. The movement campaigns for nonviolence and is active in opposing both war and the unequal global distribution of wealth. Day also founded the Catholic Worker newspaper, still published by the two Catholic Worker houses in New York City, and sold for one cent a copy.

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Resource links

Local house: san diego
https://www.sandiegocatholicworker.org/

Wiki: What is the catholic worker movement?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Worker_Movement

Cw national directory
https://catholicworker.org/

Duluth

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

community food-connection - poway

https://www.thecommunityfoodconnection.com/

The Community Food Connection alleviates hunger in Poway, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo and surrounding communities by providing nutritious food to people in need.

We are committed to cultivating a community of support and collaboration, working together to eradicate hunger and promote well-being for all.

Together we can make a difference!

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Food Distribution

Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays from 3 pm - 6 pm

14047 Twin Peaks Road, (Behind Trinity Church)

Poway, CA 92064

Drive-thru food distribution for those in need.

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Join Our Volunteer Team!

The Community Food Connection is 100% volunteer run including over 300 volunteers.

We have opportunities for drivers, in-house sorting & packing, outside food distribution, and operations.

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We Need Your Help!

Between 2023 and 2024 The Community Food Connection experienced a 29% increase in households requesting food assistance. Please Donate!

Food and Fund Drives - organize a food drive at your company or organization

Backyard Produce - donate food to help families in need

Cash Donations - help provide food and support our operations

Contact

Please reach out with any questions - we're happy to help!

E-mail

cfcvolunteerteam@gmail.com

Phone

(858) 751-4613

School of the Americas Watch

School of the Americas Watch

is an advocacy organization founded by former Maryknoll Father Roy Bourgeois and a group of supporters in 1990 to protest the training of mainly Latin American military officers, by the United States Department of Defense, at the School of the Americas (SOA) at Fort Benning. Most notably, SOA Watch conducts a vigil each November at the site of the academy, located on the grounds of Fort Benning, to protest human rights abuses committed by some graduates of the academy or under their leadership, including murders, rapes and torture and contraventions of the Geneva Conventions.[1] Military officials state that even if graduates commit war crimes after they return to their home country, the school itself should not be held accountable for their actions. Responding to "mounting protests",[2][3] which were spearheaded by SOA Watch , the United States Congress renamed the School of the Americas the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), rather than closing the academy, in 2000. In addition, all students must undergo a minimum of eight hours of class on human rights and the principle of civilian control of the military.

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Donate here

Thank you for supporting our mission to dismantle US imperialism and end all forms of US-sponsored violence across the Americas!

Your contribution plays a crucial role in sustaining our cross-border organizing efforts. The majority of our support comes from individual donors like you, making this work possible.

Donations are tax-deductible! If you can, please consider becoming a sustaining donor by selecting “Make this donation recurring.” Your ongoing support is vital in building a more just and peaceful world.

To make a tax-deductible donation via check or money order, please make payable to "SOA Watch" and mail to our address:

SOA Watch

225 E 26th St, Suite 7

Tucson, AZ 85713

If you are outside of the United States and would like to make a donation to SOA Watch, please make a donation directly to our PayPal.

Finally, if you are interested in planned giving, donating through investments, and/or have any questions about donations, please email us at operations @soaw.org