Testimony: Death of a Guatemalan Village

TESTIMONY: DEATH OF A GUATEMALAN VILLAGE is an eyewitness account by a Guatemalan primary school teacher detailing one instance of violent conflict between the indigenous Maya people and the army. An accidental clash between the village's "civil patrol" and a Guatemalan army troop leads to the execution or imprisonment of many villagers. Written in clear, direct prose, this account reads like an adventure story while conveying an historical reality. This vital and essential record captures how Guatemala's 36-year civil war, which reached its most violent peak in the 1980s, ripped the traditional fabric of Guatemalan society.


About the Author
Victor Montejo is a poet, folklorist, and anthropologist. A Jakaltek Maya born in rural Guatemala, he was forced into exile in 1981 after appearing on a death squad list. He is the current Chair of Native American Studies at UC Davis.