The Colombian activist Juan Gregorio Palechor (1923-1992) dedicated his life to championing indigenous rights in Cauca, a department in the southwest of Colombia, where he helped found the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca. Recounting his life story in collaboration with the Colombian anthropologist Myriam Jimeno, Palechor traces his political awakening, his experiences in national politics, the disillusionment that resulted, and his turn to a more radical activism aimed at confronting ethnic discrimination and fighting for indigenous territorial and political sovereignty.

Palechor's lively memoir is complemented by Jimeno's reflections on autobiography as an anthropological tool and on the oppressive social and political conditions faced by Colombia's indigenous peoples. A faithful and fluent transcription of Palechor's life story, this work is a uniquely valuable resource for understanding the contemporary indigenous rights movements in Colombia.

Reviews
"[A] thought-provoking book that attempts to address the concerns of the researcher and subject when creating a biographical narrative. A welcome addition to the field of anthropology and the study of indigenous movement in Colombia." -- A. E. Leykam * Choice *
"Anthropologist Myriam Jimeno's presentation of the life history of Colombian Indigenous activist Juan Gregorio Palechor is an excellent contribution to our understanding of how narratives are constructed and publicly expressed.... Palechor's life story, together with Jimeno's anthropological analysis, provides a valuable contribution to our understandings of Indigenous organizing efforts. The activist perspective will provide probing insights to scholars, and the fluid text will work well for classroom adoption." -- Marc Becker * Hispanic American Historical Review *
"Palechor's life is compelling. Jimeno addresses its historical contexts, the difficulty of maintaining an ethnic identity, the complexities of writing a life history, and the literature on diversity and ethnic pluralism." -- Herbert Braun * Journal of American History *
"This well-written work not only provides an approachable view of indigenous intellectuals in the Andes and in the Americas but also shows the trajectory and nature of indigenous organizations. ... [T]his book represents an excellent resource for those interested in Andean and American indigenous experiences. For this reason, it will be an excellent addition to graduate and undergraduate courses in Latin American and Native American studies." -- Waskar T. Ari-Chachaki * Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute *
"Palechor's autobiography skillfully illustrates how social categories of race and class are lived in the Andes.... Jimeno's accessible writing style combined with Palechor's conversational narratives make this work well suited for undergraduate anthropology courses." -- Teresa A. Velasquez * American Anthropologist *



Book Information
ISBN 9780822355373
Author Myriam Jimeno
Format Paperback
Page Count 248
Imprint Duke University Press
Publisher Duke University Press
Weight(grams) 336g