Rigoberta Menchú facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rigoberta Menchú
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Menchú in 2024
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| Born |
Rigoberta Menchú Tum
9 January 1959 Laj Chimel, Quiché, Guatemala
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| Occupation | Activist, politician |
| Political party | Winaq (founder) |
| Spouse(s) |
Ángel Canil
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 2 (1 deceased) |
| Parents |
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| Awards | Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 Prince of Asturias Awards in 1998 Order of the Aztec Eagle in 2010 |
Rigoberta Menchú Tum (born January 9, 1959) is a K'iche' Guatemalan human rights activist, feminist, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. She has spent her life working to share the rights of Guatemala's Indigenous peoples. She also promotes Indigenous rights around the world.
In 1992, she won the Nobel Peace Prize. She also became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. In 1998, she received the Prince of Asturias Award. Menchú is known for her book I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983). She also wrote Crossing Borders (1998). Menchú started Guatemala's first Indigenous political party, Winaq. She ran for president of Guatemala in 2007 and 2011.
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Her Early Life and Family
Rigoberta Menchú was born into a poor Indigenous family. They were K'iche' Maya people. Her birthplace was Laj Chimel, a village in El Quiché, Guatemala. Her family, like many others, struggled to live on the small pieces of land they had. These lands were left to them after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala.
Rigoberta's mother was a midwife from age sixteen. She used traditional plants for medicine. Her father was a strong supporter of Indigenous farmers' rights in Guatemala. Both parents went to Catholic church. However, her mother also kept her Maya spirituality and identity. Rigoberta learned from her mother the importance of living in peace with nature. She also learned to keep her Maya culture alive. Rigoberta feels she is a mix of both her parents' beliefs.
In 1979 and 1980, Rigoberta's brother, Patrocinio, and her mother, Juana Tum Kótoja, were killed by the Guatemalan Army. Her father, Vicente Menchú Perez, died in 1980 during an attack on the Spanish Embassy. In 1984, her other brother, Victor, was shot after trying to escape from the Guatemalan Army. These events deeply affected Menchú and fueled her desire to fight for Indigenous rights.
In 1995, Menchú married Ángel Canil in a Mayan ceremony. They had a Catholic wedding in 1998. Their son, Tz'unun (meaning "hummingbird" in K’iche’ Maya), had died earlier after being born too soon. They later adopted a son named Mash Nahual Ja' ("Spirit of Water").
Menchú was featured in the 1983 film When the Mountains Tremble. Today, she lives with her family in San Pedro Jocopilas, Quiché Department. This area is in the heartland of the Kʼicheʼ people.
The Guatemalan Civil War
The Guatemalan Civil War lasted from 1960 to 1996. It was caused by unfair social, economic, and political conditions. During this war, about 250,000 people were killed or disappeared. Hundreds of thousands more had to leave their homes. Many of these actions were carried out by the armed forces or civilian groups.
The war especially affected Indigenous communities. The government used strong methods to keep control. These methods often violated human rights. This led to many killings, disappearances, and forced moves of Indigenous people. About 83% of the victims were Mayan people. This shows that most human rights violations were against Indigenous communities in Guatemala. These terrible events had a big impact on Menchú and her family. They became the main reason for her work in Indigenous rights.
Fighting for Rights in Guatemala
From a young age, Menchú worked with her father. They fought for the rights of Indigenous farmers through the Committee for Peasant Unity. Menchú often faced unfair treatment for wanting to join men in their fight for justice. But her mother inspired her to keep making a place for herself. Menchú believes that the problems Indigenous people face in Guatemala come from unfair use of land and colonial ownership. Her early work focused on protecting her people from this unfair treatment.
After leaving school, Menchú became an activist. She campaigned against human rights violations by the Guatemalan Army during the Guatemalan Civil War. Many of these violations targeted Indigenous peoples.
In 1981, Menchú had to leave Guatemala and went to Mexico. She found safety with a Catholic bishop. Menchú kept working to organize resistance against unfair treatment in Guatemala. She also worked to organize the fight for Indigenous rights. She helped start the United Republic of Guatemalan Opposition. From 1982 to 1984, many thousands of people, mostly Indigenous Maya, fled to Mexico during the civil war.
Her Book and International Attention
In 1982, Menchú told her life story for a book. It was called Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia. This means My Name is Rigoberta Menchú, and this is how my Awareness was Born. Venezuelan author Elizabeth Burgos wrote it down. The book was translated into many languages, including English and French. Menchú's book made her famous around the world. It brought attention to the suffering of Indigenous peoples under a harsh government.
Menchú served as the Presidential Goodwill Ambassador for the 1996 Peace Accords in Guatemala. That same year, she received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in Boston.
After the Guatemalan Civil War ended, Menchú worked to have Guatemalan military leaders tried in Spanish courts. In 1999, she filed a complaint in Spain. This was because it was very hard to try civil war crimes in Guatemala. Spain's highest court later said that cases of genocide committed abroad could be judged in Spain. This included the serious charges of genocide against the Maya people of Guatemala.
Getting Involved in Politics
In 2005, Menchú joined the Guatemalan government. She became a goodwill ambassador for the National Peace Accords. Menchú faced challenges and unfair treatment. In 2005, some politicians were found guilty of using racist words against her. Court rulings also supported the right to wear Indigenous clothing and practice Mayan spirituality.
On February 12, 2007, Menchú announced she would start an Indigenous political party. It was called Encuentro por Guatemala. She said she would run in the 2007 presidential election. She was the first Maya, Indigenous woman to run for president in Guatemala. In that election, Menchú did not win in the first round. She received three percent of the votes.
In 2009, Menchú became part of the new party Winaq. Menchú ran for president again in the 2011 presidential election. She lost in the first round, again winning three percent of the votes. Even though Menchú was not elected president, Winaq became the first Indigenous political party in Guatemala.
Working for Change Worldwide
In 1996, Menchú was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. This was because of her work for the rights of Indigenous people. In this role, she spoke for the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples (1995–2004). She worked to improve global cooperation on topics like the environment, education, health care, and human rights for Indigenous peoples.
UNESCO and Global Health
Since 2003, Menchú has been involved in the Indigenous pharmaceutical industry. She is president of "Salud para Todos" ("Health for All") and the company "Farmacias Similares." Their goal is to offer low-cost generic medicines. As president, Menchú has faced challenges from big pharmaceutical companies. She wants to shorten the time that patents protect certain AIDS and cancer drugs. This would make them more available and affordable.
Nobel Women's Initiative
In 2006, Menchú helped start the Nobel Women's Initiative. She joined other women who had won the Nobel Peace Prize. These included Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Wangari Maathai, Betty Williams, and Mairead Corrigan Maguire. These six women from different parts of the world decided to work together for peace, justice, and equality. The Nobel Women's Initiative aims to make women's rights stronger around the world.
Menchú is a member of PeaceJam. This group uses Nobel Peace Laureates as guides for young people. They help these winners share their knowledge and experiences. She travels globally to speak to young people at PeaceJam conferences. She has also been on the honor committee of the Foundation Chirac since 2008. This foundation was started by former French president Jacques Chirac to promote world peace.
Menchú continues her activism. She keeps raising awareness about issues like unfair politics, economic differences, and climate change.
Her Amazing Legacy
Awards and Honors
- 1992 Nobel Peace Prize for her work for social justice and Indigenous peoples in Latin America.
- Menchú was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at that time. She was also the first Indigenous person to win it.
- 1992 UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her work for Indigenous peoples in Guatemala.
- 1996 Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award for her writing and support for Indigenous peoples in Guatemala.
- 1998 Prince of Asturias Prize for improving the lives of women and their communities (shared with 6 other women).
- 1999 Asteroid 9481 Menchú was named after her.
- 2010 Order of the Aztec Eagle for her help to Mexico.
- 2018 Spendlove Prize for her work for minority groups.
- 2022 The library at the University of Bordeaux Montaigne in France was named in her honor.
Books by and About Her
- I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983)
- This book, also called My Name is Rigoberta Menchú and that's how my Conscience was Born, was told by Menchú and written down by Elizabeth Burgos.
- Crossing Borders (1998)
- Daughter of the Maya (1999)
- The Girl from Chimel (2005) with Dante Liano, illustrated by Domi
- The Honey Jar (2006) with Dante Liano, illustrated by Domi
- The Secret Legacy (2008) with Dante Liano, illustrated by Domi
- K'aslemalil-Vivir. El caminar de Rigoberta Menchú Tum en el Tiempo (2012)
See also
In Spanish: Rigoberta Menchú para niños
- List of civil rights leaders
- List of peace activists
- List of female Nobel laureates
- List of feminists
