Signed by the author; paperback, 208 pages,
now available for $17.95 (for US and Canada --includes shipping)
€ 15 (Europe - includes shipping)
About the book:
In the late 70’s Nicaragua became a beacon of hope for progressive people who looked for a peaceful solution to the established injustices of life in the Americas. Coffee, sugar and cotton after all require slavery to be profitable. The established governments of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras were using violence to enforce their domestic strategies and profits. When Carter refused to re-arm Somoza in ‘79 the Sandinistas marched on Managua and overthrew the tyrannical Somoza family. The Sandinistas established a Popular Government in Free Nicaragua. Shortly thereafter the Reagan Republicans won the elections in the US. Unfortunately the new U.S. Government took the side of the oligarchy and made war on the young people who hoped for a better way of life for the peasants and the urban poor of Nicaragua.
This struggle went on for a decade, throughout the 80’s. The Contra were armed and financed by the US, legally and illegally. The Contra with US aid and technical support and with the support of the Argentine junta and also Israeli specialists made continuous assaults and terrorized the people of Nicaragua especially near the Honduran border for ten years. This war, with the accompanying US imposed embargo, prevented the Sandinistas from realizing the new world they had hoped to usher into Nicaragua. The Sandinistas were forced to use their resources especially their human resources to defend themselves from constant terrorist aggressions.
The paradox of these peaceable young people being attacked by the great northern war machine in the name of “democracy” brought many thoughtful people in the United States to act against this violence. Thousands chose to use their skills to aid the Sandinistas in their struggle to liberate themselves and the Nicaraguan people from the US domination that had held the entire region in poverty for decades.
These activists from the U.S. were called “Brigadistas” indicating that they were volunteers who aligned themselves with the Sandinistas and would take active roles in Nicaragua to advance the Sandinista plan. These volunteers worked in every peaceful aspect of a modern society including water and telecommunications, as well as health and dental care. Some of them were agricultural specialists some of them were gynaecologists some of them were teachers. Many built schools and organized co-ops. Artists who volunteered worked in the cultural section.
These three stories are from my personal experience in Nicaragua. I went there on the first Dragon Dance Theatre cultural exchange program in 1987. At first I went with Arts for a New Nicaragua, in ’87 and ’88. In ’89 and ’90 and in ’92 our exchange programs were organized and sponsored by Dragon Dance Theatre, and the people who supported the theatre in Central Vermont. We especially made friends with the Center for Popular Culture in Masaya, which was run by Ana Ruiz.
My intention here is to make the stories as authentic as I am able from this distance of 25 years.
To place an order, go to the STORE page and select the book and quantity you want and check-out via PayPal.
If you don't have a PayPal account, just e-mail me: [email protected]
now available for $17.95 (for US and Canada --includes shipping)
€ 15 (Europe - includes shipping)
About the book:
In the late 70’s Nicaragua became a beacon of hope for progressive people who looked for a peaceful solution to the established injustices of life in the Americas. Coffee, sugar and cotton after all require slavery to be profitable. The established governments of Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras were using violence to enforce their domestic strategies and profits. When Carter refused to re-arm Somoza in ‘79 the Sandinistas marched on Managua and overthrew the tyrannical Somoza family. The Sandinistas established a Popular Government in Free Nicaragua. Shortly thereafter the Reagan Republicans won the elections in the US. Unfortunately the new U.S. Government took the side of the oligarchy and made war on the young people who hoped for a better way of life for the peasants and the urban poor of Nicaragua.
This struggle went on for a decade, throughout the 80’s. The Contra were armed and financed by the US, legally and illegally. The Contra with US aid and technical support and with the support of the Argentine junta and also Israeli specialists made continuous assaults and terrorized the people of Nicaragua especially near the Honduran border for ten years. This war, with the accompanying US imposed embargo, prevented the Sandinistas from realizing the new world they had hoped to usher into Nicaragua. The Sandinistas were forced to use their resources especially their human resources to defend themselves from constant terrorist aggressions.
The paradox of these peaceable young people being attacked by the great northern war machine in the name of “democracy” brought many thoughtful people in the United States to act against this violence. Thousands chose to use their skills to aid the Sandinistas in their struggle to liberate themselves and the Nicaraguan people from the US domination that had held the entire region in poverty for decades.
These activists from the U.S. were called “Brigadistas” indicating that they were volunteers who aligned themselves with the Sandinistas and would take active roles in Nicaragua to advance the Sandinista plan. These volunteers worked in every peaceful aspect of a modern society including water and telecommunications, as well as health and dental care. Some of them were agricultural specialists some of them were gynaecologists some of them were teachers. Many built schools and organized co-ops. Artists who volunteered worked in the cultural section.
These three stories are from my personal experience in Nicaragua. I went there on the first Dragon Dance Theatre cultural exchange program in 1987. At first I went with Arts for a New Nicaragua, in ’87 and ’88. In ’89 and ’90 and in ’92 our exchange programs were organized and sponsored by Dragon Dance Theatre, and the people who supported the theatre in Central Vermont. We especially made friends with the Center for Popular Culture in Masaya, which was run by Ana Ruiz.
My intention here is to make the stories as authentic as I am able from this distance of 25 years.
To place an order, go to the STORE page and select the book and quantity you want and check-out via PayPal.
If you don't have a PayPal account, just e-mail me: [email protected]