Witness to Sovereignty: Essays on the Indian Movement in Latin America

This book tells the story of the 30-year period during which "indigenous sovereignty" emerged from five centuries of banishment, first as an unauthorized and unspeakable taboo and then later as a major topic of national political contention. Varese is at once the author of this fascinating chronicle and a key player in the very process and transformations he narrates. Topics explored include denouncing repression against indigenous peoples in international fora; working on international legal instruments for indigenous rights; a pioneering land titling program for indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon; innovative bilingual-transcultural education and "cultural worker" training in Oaxaca, plus work with transnational organizations of indigenous immigrants in California.