First we went to the Archivo de la Vicaria dela Soidaridad, which is an organization started by a Catholic cardinal right after the golpe militar (coup) in 1973. It helped people find their loved ones that went missing during the 17 years of dictatorship. Now its mainly a source for historians, with detailed info on all who went missing, thousands of newspaper clippings, etc.
Then we visited the Fundacion Solaridad. They started during the dictator years by giving the prisoners something to do- make art. Now they help poor Chilean artists sell their work in Chile and all over the world at fair prices. These patchworks are their most recognizable products, and often made political statements during the dictatorship and still do now sometimes. However, there is also stonework, woodcarving, greeting cards, jewelry, etc.
Next stop was the Cementario General, the most incredible cementary I've ever seen. Its where most of the rich and famous of Chile are buried- its like walking through a museum. Plus some of the family tombs are basically giant stone buildings with intricate carving and stained glass and such (the album has better pictures- I didn't upload the one I meant to)
This is the "poor"-er area... notice how devoted people are to caring for the graves... mini-gardens, shade tents, stuffed animals, flowers, etc. etc. etc.
Finally, we visited Villa Grimaldi, center of dentenetion, torture and extermination between 1973 and 1979- 4500 tortured and 226 disappeared and executed. Its so sad that so many people still support Pinochet. Yes, he got rid of communism. But I don't think it was necessary to kill and torture thousands of people to do it. Our tour guide here had been tortured, not here but in another center, and some of his stories about what happened in Villa Grimaldi and what happened to him personally made me feel sick.
The Pinochet regime burned everything when this place was discovered, but this is where the prison/torture buildings were. The trees are planted individually in their little enclosures, like prison cells, and they are birch trees to represent the prisoners- on the outside, they're all crooked and the bark is peeling, but inside its one of the most durable kinds of wood.
A replica of a cell. And no, it doesn't extend to the left- the wall is pretty much right where the door closes. 1-6 people would be kept in a cell this size. Imagine, 6 people, no room to breath practically much less sit or lie down, hardly ever going out even to use the bathroom, in the heat of the summertime or the cold of the wintertime...
1 comment:
you are doing so much and seeing so much and learning so much -- wow
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