Latinos:
Cleary, Edward L.
writes, "view the contemporary Maya as highly publicized massacre, are blanket- to the experience of those who have found being in the process of absorption by the ed in an...
...If one looks at the Maya as a begin the assassinations...
...24: 26 March 1993 Commonweal...
...society...
...women that Canby meets finally bids him cipals, and, with a final and by now not But these minor slips of discipline are and his notebook farewell with that same unexpected irony, has breakfast in McDo- rare...
...places is that he does not hesitate to ask tions that come when the world and ev- The Heart of the Sky reminds readers questions, ranging from the hard to the eryone in it appear indifferent, if not that we have been living with the Maya naive, about the full range of Maya ex- downright hostile to one's fate...
...leaders, bishops, priests, and lay, resist- pressive and cause for some celebration...
...We expect no one to confuse Irish cuentros these leaders persuaded the brating their own place in U.S...
...This includes overt racism, an moments that he seems to come closest much to learn...
...But the Maya past, present, and future...
...It is Edward L. Cleary But Hispanics expressed disappointestimated that tens of thousands of Indians ment about not having Hispanics in the were murdered in counterinsurgency ac- Senate or the Supreme Court and fewer tions there in the early eighties, a reality Recent changes in Wash- numbers than would be representative in brought again to the world's attention ington have brought new subcabinet positions...
...the dominant culture hostile to their own outside world...
...The dancers move The book is a collection of adventures, because it was such a relief to find the on and Canby recalls, "I wanted to catch observations, and conversations, marked Catholic church concerned with some- up with them, but it suddenly struck me equally with insight and frustration...
...In his bravado churches...
...Shorris picCommonweal 26 March 1993: 23 well as suffering in the worst sections of New York...
...Spanish is not a good language to be spoken by women...
...In Bishop Ricardo Ramirez and others be- States, and their expectations for an imShorris's view an important segment of lieve the Hispanic pastoral letter is one proved economic condition...
...And he shows well the process talk, jarring and not well integrated into eration New Mexicans...
...with British, and one hopes that after delv- American hierarchy to issue a pastoral let- This book could be read with Strangers ing into this book, sophistication about ter on Hispanics (1983) and a National and Aliens No More, a first-rate summaHispanic categories will also prevail...
...The successes make the book important ed actively and passively the rules of the Celebratory was the mood among Hispanics for showing non-Hispanics what Hispanics game that demanded they be assimilated, who vied for places at Clinton's Hispanic hold dear and Hispanics what crucial dif- with no special treatment, within the Inaugural Gala...
...It is make cynical statements about very sub- and is soon exchanging words in Tzotzil, with this perspective that Canby travels tle things...
...Following three national en- tory, the children of Columbus were celeselves...
...church...
...His unfortunate ethnic categorizing NANCY HAEGEL is an associate professor of materials science at UCLA and a Kellogg enhance the evangelization of American of Puerto Ricans marked by nostalgia and National Fellow...
...In re- thing beyond restricting people's repro- as futile...
...storms do...
...As sociologists Joseph Fitzpatrick fessionals working for the government as New London, Connecticut...
...Latinos also have a right to use their language and their new Latino National Political Survey...
...Upon encountering two Catholic the local language...
...alty to the church, their pride in the United ation of irreducible mestizo cultures...
...Canby's most honest writing occurs thought: nald's with the only Maya Ph.D...
...The the underlying divisions in the Hispanic camps, "relocated" villages, and certain Hispanic vote contributed to the election community and to the consequent lack of towns, such as Santiago Atitlan, site of a of President Bill Clinton, two talented a coherent Hispanic agenda...
...Peter Canby's invitahis money...
...In a brief promotional blurb, Jonathan Shorris often succeeds brilliantly...
...Catholic Conference and with the the foundation of this country...
...Latinos will Although the skills of Shorris, a vetershortly become the largest ethnic group an journalist and novelist, bring great dein America and will form one-half of scriptive power to the book through those who identify themselves as Catholics...
...These overwrought musings and some may never again feel comfortable to by their own children there will be a many others are like the opinionated lapsusing Latino or Hispanic when interact- measure of estrangement from their es of a guide on a bus tour or happy-hour ing with Puertorriquehos or twelfth-gen- church...
...Yet Canby terest in the Maya leads him to a differ- times ring hollow ("But why did the army knows and is ever reminded of his outent view...
...of attraction to Pentecostal and other the train of thought of a 520-page book., This is a daring book...
...He points to Menchu...
...Along the even in his encounters with native religion, cepting, though nothing can ever substitute way, he talks with Maya village leaders, Canby doesn't attempt to suspend or con- for one's own journey...
...More, episcopacy...
...by a Latino/a...
...Or, Lures in vivid detail the great diversity and Andrew Greeley have argued, Shorris a little earlier: "The subjunctive has no among Hispanics...
...Cuban-Americans include those who have made large sections of Miami into a youthful city with hard work, dancing, and food as well as the older persons suffering exile, with their toes pointed toward Havana...
...Pastoral Plan for Hispanics (1987...
...Along with Clinton's vicferences of experiences exist among them- church...
...Canby is reluctant upon his initial ventures into Guatemala, "since being labeled a subversive in Guatemala is the equivalent of getting a death sentence, and LATINOS Latinos, Federico F. Pena and Henry G. since talking to an Indian might, under the A Biography of the People Cisneros, joined the Clinton cabinet, and wrong circumstances, be construed as Earl Shorris a notable increase of persons from Spanishsubversive...
...only a man with a deep voice can roll the Rs with courage...
...Shorris also discusses the distance be- Ricans live comfortably in New Jersey or EDWARD T. WHEELER is chairman of the tween many Hispanics and the Catholic the District of Columbia suburbs as pro- English Department at the Williams School in church...
...gringo" has been unwelcome, or when always be writing...
...When In treating religion, however, the au- Kozol noted that this is a sad book...
...speaking backgrounds assumed seats in the Maya living in Guatemala, there are many House of Representatives...
...With over half the modern Norton, $25, 520 pp...
...age, and personal differences...
...Shorris, thor misses a central contribution of unnecessarily...
...He reveals then the emo- things you can only learn in your heart...
...The ry of the research on Hispanics issued reFurther, Shorris reminds us that great victory Hispanics achieved is the cently by the Office of Research of the Hispanics preceded most Anglo groups in recognition by the church that Hispanics U.S...
...Puerto Josephinum, Columbus, Ohio...
...tion, he follows the costumed figures stitutions to meet the demands of the out- There are moments of stilted dialogue dancing through the streets...
...That, at least, is the hope of Allan suffering the indignities of life or of Cubans EDWARD L. CLEARY, O.P., is professor and Figueroa Deck, Virgilio Elizondo, and as being fanatics overlook wide class, director of Hispanic Studies, Pontifical College many other Hispanic leaders...
...extraordinary attention to details, the same REVIEWERS Hispanics have the capacity of enlivening skills disappear when he resorts to stereothe country and the church with values that types...
...captures the historical evolution from culture in the U.S...
...culture...
...And we, like Hispanics maintained Spanish language of the five great letters of the American Shorris, will hope for a second overview and cultural traits for generations...
...Canby's conversations in refugee into national politics...
...Earl Shorris's book with the awarding of last year's Nobel prominence to Latinos explains why Hispanic gains in public Peace Prize to Quiche leader Rigoberto and the weight they bring life have been so difficult...
...H economic system that has forced indigenous people into subsistence work, and political repression in Guatemala that has brought a high degree of militarization to A DIVERSE PEOPLE traditional Maya communities...
...U they have a right to do so...
...Some of the philosophical musings are truly amazing...
...writes, "view the contemporary Maya as highly publicized massacre, are blanket- to the experience of those who have found being in the process of absorption by the ed in an atmosphere of fear and suspicion...
...There are things you can What makes Canby's book more than the guides get lost in the forest and food only learn from living with the people, an accounting of visits to exotic people and is running out...
...Some Maya welcome Canby I was to see them in a region too full of Most of us do and that is precisely what to their homes, while others try to take evangelicals...
...Canby's longstanding in- It is no wonder that the questions some- for the past five centuries...
...It is in these people for five hundred years and still have perience...
...and the an- highlands to witness a carnival celebraidentity by continually adjusting their in- swers are guarded...
...One of the Maya a government informer, religious prin- ceal his own skepticism...
...Thus the norm Many Hispanics register therein their loySpanish and Indian to mestizo, and the cre- changed to integration, not assimilation...
...Hispanic tinos/Spanish-speaking have made is imHispanics has and is married to a Latina...
...At one point, in the Chiapas colonized people who have retained their refugees guerrilla supporters...
...For a brief moment, and then weaves together the story of sisters dealing with malnutrition issues in the whole world looks different...
...Are the sider status...
...in Gua- when the day has been too long and the "`Another thing,' she said...
...This would not be agreed to by Cuban men whose voices reach levels only dogs can hear or to Spanish-song aficionados hearing Domingo or Carreras...
...an Indian village, Canby remarks "Perhaps experience is fleeting...
...I belonged, inevitably, to another mote villages, buses don't come and rain- ductive rights, I told the nuns how happy world...
...The progress Hispanics/Laa non-Hispanic, grew up in Texas with Hispanics to the Catholic church...
...This particular swipe at the the book is about...
...After reading this book, says that until Hispanics are ministered memory...
...It is, he fails it is always passionately...
...You can't temala...
...people to talk to and much to learn...
...He drops into caves and hikes church is a North American statement, but tion to travel with him is well worth acthrough the Lacandon forest...
...He drinks side world, their culture can be regarded in the book and an occasional tendency to three shots of pox, the local moonshine, as a vital and even expanding one...
Vol. 120 • March 1993 • No. 6
