Elizabeth Burgos facts for kids
Elisabeth Burgos-Debray was born in Valencia, Venezuela, in 1941. She is a Venezuelan anthropologist, which means she studies human societies and cultures. She is also known for being the editor of a very important book called I, Rigoberta Menchú. This book tells the life story of Rigoberta Menchú, an indigenous woman from Guatemala. Elisabeth Burgos-Debray also used to be in charge of the Maison de l'Amerique Latine in Paris and the Institut Cultural Français in Seville, which are places that promote Latin American and French culture.
Contents
Rigoberta Menchú's Story
Rigoberta Menchú shared her life story with Elisabeth Burgos-Debray through many interviews. Menchú explained that she couldn't read or write Spanish very well at the time, and her spoken Spanish wasn't perfect either. Because of this, Burgos-Debray helped put Menchú's experiences into a book. Menchú's story talks about her life as an indigenous woman and the difficult times her people faced, including terrible events caused by the Guatemalan military.
The Book's Impact
Menchú's book is considered one of the most important "testimonios" (which means "testimonies" or personal accounts) from Latin America. In the United States, the book was published as I, Rigoberta Menchú. Its original Spanish title was Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia (which means "My Name is Rigoberta Menchú and This is How My Conscience Was Born"). In the book, Burgos-Debray also included quotes from the Popol Vuh. This is a sacred book of the Mayan people, and these quotes helped set the mood for Menchú's story. The English translation of the book became very famous around the world.
Book Rights and Royalties
After the book won a prize called the Casas de las Américas prize in 1983, Menchú said she didn't receive any prize money. She later found out that Burgos-Debray had registered the copyrights for the book in her own name. However, another anthropologist named David Stoll said that Burgos-Debray did pay all the money from the book to an organization that Menchú had chosen.
Personal Life
Elisabeth Burgos-Debray was married to a French philosopher named Régis Debray. They have a daughter together, who is a writer named Laurence Debray. Laurence was born in 1976.
See also
In Spanish: Elizabeth Burgos para niños