San Salvador, Another Christ figure, missing museums

20July
Well I got the bus from Perquin. The bus for San Salvador was waiting to go when I arrived. So off to the big bad bold city. I got a taxi from the bus station for a reasonable price. Surprisingly. The hostel, I wanted was in a lovely leafy suburb near 2 of the museums I wanted to view. I wandered around looking for food but all I wanted was closed as it was Sunday. So ended up in the El Salvadorean equivalent of burger king. Can you beleive it. The food was edible and typical but made me feel a bit off and was not cheap.
That evening, I stayed in the hostel and slept for another change. I ate there and the food was ok.

21Jul Today I ventured into the capital. I had spoken to this Chinese guy on the bus who said it was better not to take anything of value, not even a camera, when walking around, as purse snatchers were know to work the busy streets. El Salvador and especially San Salvador has a reputation. But for me there was no point in going without my camera. So I risked it.

I got delivered by my taxi, right in the heart of the market. He was such a lovely taxi driver and I was so delighted that I understood a lot of what he said. Some people really know how to slow down for non speakers. Others, unfortunately dont.

Unlike other cities, the church and the central park was surrounded by a market, almost crowded out by it, at first pass. It took me an hour or so to get to grips with the layout. Or even find a street name and get my self to the heart. But it was fascinating wandering around the market and checking out the merchandise on offer. The locals were amused and or curious at my presense at times. There were so few tourists. In fact I think I only saw about 4 throughout my whole day in and around all the tourist sights.

I found the cathedral. A pretty impressive sight. A mural, painted by El Salvador´s most famous son, Fernando Llort is on one of the outside walls. He has even decorated part of the White house and MOMO in New York. The art, known as primitive art in incredibly simple and very very colourful. Most unusual for a church. The inside is simple yet quite beautiful.

I did feel conscious though when I was trying to take fotos. I knew I was being watched but mostly it is just curiousity. But you never know.

Later, I was in search of a modern church, that had been decorated internally, with scrap metal. I got distracted and wandered into some streets that I guess were a bit edgy. So thought I had better make my way back. Whilst consulting my map, this local man spoke to me in English and asked if I needed help. I said what I was looking for and he thougth it was odd and nothing special but brought me there. He said he was studying English to become a guide and would I mind chatting. He was really sweet but I was unable to meet him after he had finished his visit to the bank, as I had planned to go to another part of town. It was a shame, as he was so kind.

The glass of the church windows were of a graduating change of colour, which cast a lovely hue on the church interior. The scrap metal figures were most unusual and would be perfectly at home in a london art gallery. It was one of the more unusual churches I have seen.

I got the bus then to this rather large Christ figure. There seems to be a lot of them in Latin America. I am not exactly trying to get them all but they are usually close to other things. However, this is emblematic of San Salvador. As it is the christ on top of the world i.e. The saviour and San Salvadors namesake. It was a nice walk around.

Later that evening I went to this rather impressive shopping mall, close to my hostel. Oh if only I hadnt to carry it all and of course had lots of money. Clothes were so cheap and cool. I went to a movie with popcorn. Ah what luxury. Got a taxi home as it was dark.

We tourists, are still a novelty in El Salvador, so the people are really lovely and not jaded of us. The friendliness is genuine. I was helped so often. Nothing is requested in return. I had so many conversations on buses. Many spoke English as they have been to the US working/living and have come back for various reasons.

22Jul.

Today I went in search of the Museo de Palabra and Imagen (Museum of word and Images). Could I find it, could I heck. I could not even find the street. Even the locals I asked had no idea. Around 11.30 I gave up. Although I saw some Argentinians from my hostel, probably looking for the same thing. I was going to ask but didnt bother, as I knew it shut at 12 for an hour or so.

I wandered off in search of something else to do.

San Salvador has many sophisticated museums and is quite a normal city by western standards. The Modern art museum was amazing mostly because of the hugh external dramatic mural of a naked male. What can I say, it helps. I loved the art there too. Very different from what we have at home.

After an impressive visit to the Ethnology musuem, I was museumed out and went back to the hostel, where I chatted to some of my hostel and room mates. This French man and his son had just booked in. The father had given the trip, including a visit to the surf capital of El Salvador, as a present to his son who had just finished his finals in secondary school. Thought that was pretty cool The son played some guitar for a while which was nice.

I asked the hostel owner where the Museo de Palabra and Imagen was. Apparently it was on a different street then the lone planet indicated. No wonder I couldnt find it. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to visit San Salvador.

This is probably a good time to give a little summary of El Salvadorean history a la Sandra.

In the 19 century due to various circumstances, the coffee growers took over a lot of the land, displacing many of the indigenous people. By the 20 century, 95% of El Salvadors income came from coffee, while 2% controlled the wealth. In 1932, Augustin Farabundo Marti (whose name was taken up by the FMLN) led an uprising of peasants and indigenous peoples.

The military responded by massacaring anyone with a hint of indigenous or who supported this uprising. To this day the indigenous population has not recovered and are few and far between.

In the 70s the issues escalated. Jose Napoleon Duarte, leader of the PDC ran for president and won but his victory was denied amid allegations of fraud etc. An ensuing coup was defeated by the military. The right wingers, as a response to increasing guerrilla activity, created "death squads". Thousands of Salvadoreans were tortured and killed. 1979, another coup by the military etc. overthrew the president and promised reforms, which of course never materialised. As a result, opposition parties banded together and created the Frente Democratico Revolucionario (FDR)and allied with the FMLN (Frente Farabundo Marti de Liberaction Nacional).

The FMLN believed that an armed stuggle was the only recourse. The 1979 revolution in Nigaragua also inspired a lot of people to believe in reforms. Monsignor Oscar A Romero was one of the more vocal. A remarkably outspoken priest of the people. However, Mar24 1980, he was assasinated whilst saying mass. This caused uproar and led to an armed insurection which escalated into a civil war. The rape and murder, of 4 nuns, which I remember from my school days actully caused the Carter administration in the US, to suspend aid to the military. But this was shortlived, once Reagan came in. Still on his anti communist rant especially after the Revolution in Nicaragua, he pumped millions in to the rightwing military anti guerrilla campaign. US500million in 1985 alone. This caused the prolonging of the conflict. If the FMLN got control of an area, the military responded by completely destroying villages etc. El Mazote being one of the worst (see a previous blog).

1982 saw a new president, Major Roberto D´Aubisson. More Death squads were created, targetting trade unionists and any reformers. The FMLN responded by trying to bomb anything that destroyed the economy e.g. bridges, power plants etc. Peace talks were entered into but fell apart due to one party or the other. 1989, the FMLN agreed to participate in elections if there was a postponement. Of course there wasnt. Then the FMLN waged a massive attack on the capital. The military killed 4000 leftist sympathisers in retaliation. Among these "enemies of the state" were 6 jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter, who were shot whilst sleeping.

1990, the UN mediated talks and a human rights accord was signed by both parties. However violent deaths actually increased. Finally 1992, Jan 16, a compromise was reached. The FMLN became an opposition party and the govt agreed to various reforms. Among these were a removal of the death squads etc. During the 12 year conflict, approx 75000 were killed and the US govt gave US6billion to the Salvadoreans govts war. Many immigrated, especially to the US.

End of history lesson

During the armed struggle by the FMLN, a Venezuelan journalist, created Radio Venceremos. This was used to relay information to the population about FMLN activities, policies, and exposing various actions by the govt. including massacres like El Mazote. The radio station equipment was hidden in the hills near Morazon and was protected by various FMLN members during its lifetime. There many women participants on the programs of this station and the programs included current affairs, womens issues, music etc.

This same Venezuelan created the Museo de Palabra and Imagen so that the massacres, and struggle would not be forgotten. The govt certainly did and do nothing to record this era. So the museums that record the history of the struggle and oppression are maintained by donations etc. The museum, was quite a lot more sophisticated than the ones I saw in Perquin in that the building that housed it was well kept and modern. It was like many small museums at home. However, they had many similar fotos of rebels and thier stories. They also had a piece on the struggle of 1932 and Indigenous people. As would seem appropriate, they had built a room specially for Radio Venceremos. There were even recordings of programs you could listen to, which made it quite special. The story of El Mazote and associated books etc. featured highly. The journalist was quite instrumental in capturing the eyewitness accounts and produced the book on the massacre along with Rufina. I am so glad I got to see the musuem.

I went back to the hostel got my bags, a taxi and before I knew it I was in the city of Santa Ana.

El Mazote: A monument to remember cruelty but with hope for the future

18July
I got the pickup to the crossroads for the bus that was supposed to come at 9 to take me to El mazote. It didnt. This lady also waiting for it, started to chat to me. She had a box of shoes and some foodstuffs, that she was bringing up to the village. She was, I think in her late 40s maybe 50s. After about 40 minutes, the hopeful passengers gave up hope and started walking. So I joined them. There was a young girl with her baby and her young friend. They shared the task of carrying the baby. I offered to take some of the bags my travelling companion was carrying, some of which she carried like many locals on her head. She walked very straight and regally. She was elegant. She rejected my offer but then after about 30 minutes, the other young girl offered to take it on her head but couldnt. I took it off her as she already was carrying something. So we all helped each other and they chatted. A wealthy 4wd pickup with just 2 passengers, passed us but didnt offer a ride. Then this gentleman stopped and offered us passage. Later this rather old man in a cowboy hat and jeans got picked up too. He struggled to get into the back of the pickup. and kept trying to sit on the floor of the van even though there was no room and it was pushing me out of the way. The other occupants and my travelling companions were giggling at my predicament but it was a little at him and with me rather than really at me. It was so funny.

At El Mazote, I offered money to the kind driver but he refused and didnt take any from anyone else either. The locals guided me to the monument. They all knew why I had come. There is no other reason except to visit except for the monument. The village has very few houses, one or 2 small shops a church and until a few years ago had been abandoned after the terrible catastrophy that had hit the town. It is not like normal villages. There are not many children playing or people bustling around doing their various daily tasks. It is very quiet in fact. A little eerie, even though it is a beautiful sunny day.

On December 11 1981, a military unit trained in America, forces of the then president of El Salvador, funded by the US, entered the village at night and dragged the villages from their beds. It was cold but there was no mercy. For 3 days the villages, mostly children were herded and kept locked in the church and other places in the village. They were mostly seperated into groups of women, men and children. The mothers could hear their children crying of hunger, fear etc. The soldiers beat those they had captured and raped many of the women and girls. All in all they killed around 757 people maybe more as some may have escaped never to return or their bodies are in the jungle, lost to nature. I was told by guide that it was nearer 1000. Most of those killed were children. The massacre of the village left only 3 known survivors.

The monument is to remember this massacre. There is one part of the monument where the names of the families and their members is mentioned. This has the figures of a mother father and their 2 kids holding childrens hands. There were approximately 80 families.

The church burned down during the massacre, has been rebuilt. There is here,the jardin de reflexcion, built on the site of the old rectory of the church. On the wall of the rebuilt church is a beautiful mural and mosaic. Along the base of the wall is a list of all those who died with their ages. 146 of these names are under 12. The youngest was just 3 days. So many of them were just young babies, months old killed in their mothers arms.


On the opposite side of the church is a painted mural representing hope through time and education. It is bright and really gives a sense of a future with hope. One slogan struck the public then and still is spoken today: "NUNCA MAS" (never again). But how many times has this been said. This was 30 years ago. A sense of deja vu, was that not said after the holocost...

Barbarism doesnt even come close to describing this. I read a bit more and found out that the village had been told there was a possible attack on its way by the FMLN. But the villagers didnt believe it, as they were mostly protestants and normally it was catholics who were considered by the govt to be supporting FMLN. This village was not a known supporter of the guerrillas and felt safe.. Also some villagers had gone to the army and asked and were re'assured that nothing was going to happen. Some people even came from other villages, as they thought they would be safer in El Mazote.


One lady Rufina Amaya has spoken out about for 25 years about what happened to her and her family during the massacre. In March, she died of medical complications, but because an Austin College student received a grant, her story will live on.This is stuff I found thourgh the internet and in a musuem in San Salvador.
As Rufina Amaya tells her story, she recalls horrifying events where here family and friends were killed. According to this site http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/12106361.html “She kept her faith 26 years after everything happened to her she watched her 4 children be killed so an incredible amount of faith," says Robert Thomas Quiring, a former Austin College student.
Rufina’s inspiration drove Robert Thomas Quiring to apply for the grant to pay for the documentary. He visited El Salvador and met Rufina, the lone survivor of the El Mozote massacre."

History shows even the US government refused to believe the massacre ever occurred, but Rufina spent years recalling the incident. The FMLN published a book with her input. They reported it soon after the massacre, on their rebel radio station Radio Venceramos. Famous US journalists visited El Mazote soon after, and provided the fotos of bodies and the remnants of the town. Rufina, even testified to legislatures in both the US and Central America. Her efforts led to an investigation and eventually and exhumation of more than 3,000 people.
“She’s a huge inspiration and that fact that such a humble person had that strength and that courage to speak out that truth and to struggle to make that truth known and to continue to tell that story, even thought it caused emotional stress, it was her mission and she carried it,” says Wenday Wallas, filmmaker on the project.
Now Austin College students make regular trips to El Salvador, visiting communities that suffered similar devastation.
"When I saw how devastating massacres are, I met with massacre survivors 10-20 years later, but it effects their spouses, it effects their children in every area of their lives and I want people to know what happened so we can stop it from happening again," says Sophia Kuiper, a senior at Austin College who has made trips to El Salvador.
Wallas says Rufina had a lot of input in the project, choosing what would stay and what was edited from the film. Even though she died before the premier Monday night, her story will live on.
"She felt like she was silenced her whole life but she kept continuing to tell her story,” Quiring says. “That's what this is about, to tell her story now that she has passed."
One of Rufina's daughters who also survived the massacre, Marta, is in medical school in El Salvador. The proceeds from the DVD sales will go to a scholarship fund.

And what tales will come out of Iraq. God knows.

I left El Mazote after an hour or so and decided to walk and take what came. The man who picked me up to bring me here, was miraculously on the road again. I had jsut thougth woudlnt it be nice if he was and there he was. He picked me up and I sat up front, as I was his only passenger. He sells mobile phones and makes biweekly trips if not more to all the villages here. He alays picks people up. I told him he had a big heart. He said if I was passing through his town to call in to his restaurant. I said I would if I could. He gave me his business card. Again he took no money. He jsut enjoyed the company. God what a sweet good natured man. There are still nice peopel in the world. I got a pick up back to Perquin from the crossroads. So far I ahve met so many lovely people here. No one is after anything. Ar rarity.
http://www.morris.umn.edu/academic/anthropology/chollett/anth2301/elsalvador.html
http://focal-point-aid.blogspot.com/2008/06/el-mazote.html
http://vagoscribe.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/closing-down-america’s-school-of-terrorism/
http://home.earthlink.net/~neoludd/MATANZA.htm

El Salvador! Perquin, a further walk along the Revolutionary path

16Jul.
Perquin is a small village, Pretty but basic. On the way there however are rather large mansions that do not meld with the local houses. Apparently these belong to El Salvadoreans who left for the US and now buy homes here to return to when they visit their families or have returned to El Salvador for good. But these homes are to attest that they have made it, so are inappropriately ostentatious.
It is colder here. In the day a tshirt is ok but in the evenings more is required. At least a jumper and long trousers. It is a novelty for me. I am now feeling the cold like a native. My blood has thinned due to the heat. God I am going to suffer when I return to Europe.

The true perquin is simple, a little church, rustic houses, a few little shops, some selling souvenirs of the revolution etc. and the central square, with some shday trees and kids playing. I came to Perquin, to visit the Museo De La Revolucion Salvadorena and the village of El Mazote. Perquin was the headquarters of the FMLN and some of the museum guides fought in the war as guerillas. They will talk of their time in the war and apparently are surprisingly matter of fact in their descriptons of the war and gave very non-biased viewpoints on the details represented in their showrooms. However, they are busy today and many El Salvadoreans have come by the bus load to learn. I hope. And anyway I struggle to understand what they say so I better off by myself.

In the museum, there are many fotos as well as mortars, weapons, and many artifacts that help give a picture of what soldiers from either side may have gone through. Fotos were not allowed which was s shame.

Walking through the rooms lined with recovered guns is eye opening. So was the fact that most of the weapons used in the war were supplied either directly or indirectly by the U.S. The two most amazing parts are the large crater left untouched that was created by a 500 lb bomb, and the remains of a downed helicopter. The crater represents many that still scar the countryside.

The helicopter is from a story that will certainly stick in peòples minds for a while. The man behind the massacre at El Mazote was Lieutenant Coronel Domingo Monterossa Barrios. He was known as a brutal war machine, and many attempts on his life had failed throughout most of the war. His desire to collect war "trophies" was well known and the FMLN set a trap for him that ended with him carrying a sabatoged war prize on his helicopter that exploded seconds after takeoff. The story of his death and the memory of his brutal legacy live on in the minds of the those effected by this war and in the remnants of his helicopter at the museum here in Perquin.

The FMLN also had an amazing radio station called Radio Venceremos (We will win Radio). this was started by a Venezuelan journalist. This man has no since created the museum of images and words in San Salvador. There is a mock up of the station as it would have appeared in the 80s. It was moved around a lot to protect it. Large holes being built to hide the generator from view. The museum is a little outside of town and again is primitive and poor. It is simple and doesnt look like it gets much govt funding. No surprise there. Again I wonder what will happen, when all those that were involved in the problems are dead. Who will be the caretakers of the future?

Coming out of the musuem, I saw another war site, This was privately owned and was a camp for the FMLN. So I paid my dollar and looked at the fotos and artifacts. This was even more basic then the museum, with just some plastic over some wood protecting it.

I went to the internet cafe for a while and ended up talking to this gentleman beside me. He was El Salvadorean. He had moved back to El Salvador from New Orleans, in the US. I thought he had moved back just before the hurricane 3 yrs ago but no. He had his house and business completely destroyed in the hurricane. What do you say to that?

I then went for a bit of a trek to a local water fall which took a few hours. However, there were some local youths swimming there and a little too interested in attracting my attention, so I felt unable to go for a swim. An American I had met from my hostel had also come down. We had spoken for a few hours the previous night. It looked like it was going to rain, so I sauntered off. By the time I returned to the hostel I was drenched and cold. I had to put on my coat and a jumper to warm up and a hot coffee finished the procedure.
I had a few papusas, an El Salvadorean speciality. This is like a flat tortilla but with beans etc inside it. I choose to have only beans. It was tasty. Another early night.

Esteli, revolutionary speaking

14July
Got the bus up to Esteli from Leon. Now I am nearer true Nicaragua. This has been a true FSLN town. Many of those around here fought hard. Many of the leaders or members of FSLN came from here. This is cowboy country. Cowboy hats and jeans mix liberally with baseball hats and mini skirts. Feels like I have come to a frontier town and in a way I have. Both from the revolution point of view but also its proximity to Honduras.

There are lots of FSLN flags been waved from cars. I walked for hours around town to get a feel for the place. Snapping lots of fotos of colorful murals. This was knackering but I found a lovely cafe, Licuados ananda, inspìred by a guru no less...

Something is happening tonight. I can feel a buzz in the air, and they are erecting a huge stage, sound system included. However, I stay in after dinner.

15July
Today I had to wait until the museum I came to see opened. Galeria de Heroes y Martires. This is a galery of fotos and memories of the young men and women, who lost their lives in the revolution. Sometimes there is no foto just a shirt and maybe cufflinks or a pair of boots. These personal effects contained in a few bare cabinets. But the mothers wanted their children to be remembered in what ever way was possible. And more inportantly to remember why and what they died for. Under some fotos were captions explaining when and where they died. There are also explanations of the history of the different leaders etc. since the late 19 century. The urge to free themselves from tyranny has had a long history. I must have whiled away 2 hours in the place. These people need to be remembered as individuals. Why should I read one not another, so I try to read all. It is sad to see such wasted youth. Some of the victims joined the fight at 14.

Sometimes a family lost more than one of their children.

There was one really interesting story. An Article and story appeared about the reoluition and a foto captured the young guy throwing a petrol bomb. This foto became iconic. So the writer decided to follow up on this man 25 years later. He was in his early 20s then and rose to be a commander in the FSLN and was well respected for his bravery and military expertise. As a thankyou he was offered a scholarship outside of Nicaragua. But he could not leave. I guess in case he was needed again. He is now, a car mechanic, poor with 8 children. He hankers back to his glory days, when he was really somebody and things were different. It was a sad yet memorable story behind the news foto. See attched here.

Another iconic foto was the breastfeeding mother. A baby in one arm and a rifle in the other. A painted version of that was a centrepiece in the museum.

The mothers maintain the gallery and are there to talk should you feel the urge. However, my Spanish is not up to it. I so want to converse but I can´t. Some of the mothers who started this have now died or are too old to continue maintaining this. The museum. is very basic, simple, primitive and above all very poor. But amazing! Some of the fotos are the only copies. They are not even all protected by glass so are fading and disintegrating. My question is what happens when the last of mothers die. Who will be there then. Who will remember? Will it just close and be just a minor anal in history? If even that. It was a sobering and educational morning.

It was after lunch before I left for my next destination. Somoto. A rather cute little village. I walked from the bus station outside of town to the hotel recomended in 10 minutes. It was that small. I got the bus to Espino, the last stop before Honduras. I gopt adopted by this El Salvadorean, who helped me along the way and guided me on to the right bus or off at the right time. Through him I found a bus short cut and waited with all the locals. I often find myself the only tourist. My travelling companion is very clean cut. Quite smart with a cleanly pressed shirt. Professional looking. He and I get separated for the final leg. I see him chatting to a fellow passenger. He takes out a bible. I figure he is a bible salesman at this stage. He then moves to another passenger. Then he stands up in front of the bus and starts preaching. At first all are interested. Something novel. And he continues preaching... Despite the embarking and disembarking of passengers and the influx of people yelling and selling their wares along the bus aisle. He still preaches. Even the nun in the seat opposite me falls asleep. He carries on. He doesnt read his audience. He is enraptured in his own sermon.

After several hours, I am in a little town of Perquin in El Salvador. I am up in the mountains, high in the forest in the centre of what was the FMLN territory, the guerrilla group/freedom fighters of El Salvador.