Introduction

In Sing the Real, Quetzal's new CD-released in early March 2002, the group encourages us to re-member ourselves and our communities through remembering as in making memory, story, history. At the same time Quetzal suggests that we resist the (dis)membering that takes place through forgetting-forgetting who one is and the consequent dismembering of the self from community, from self, from memory. In remembering the error of previous community one opens up the possibility of crafting oneself from an independent and decolonized gaze. As Quetzal develops its own gaze of itself and of the community, it is constantly involved in what Gustavo Esteva calls a "limpia," a cleansing of La Mirada, the gaze, para no ver las cosas como antes (1997).(i)1 Quetzal, the band, can then be considered as a community of artists that is involved in the reconstruction of a larger community of artists as part of a larger community. Quetzal can be seen as a group of organic intellectuals, in the Gramscian sense, involved as part of the community in community remembering. "Vagabundo" is not only in the tradition of resisting neoliberal shaping through forgetting but more importantly, that we reclaim and recreate ourselves through remembering. (Footnotes, when clicked, open in a new browser window for easy access)

The song is a conversation – a discourse of opposite views within our own heads and hearts. The narrator voices a passive acceptance of the neoliberal view as commonsensical then wavers back and forth crossing the boundaries of the opposite perspectives and finally learning from the wisdom of the Vagabundo. The Vagabundo’s words, actions and mannerisms challenge and send you into soul-searching venture. The Vagabundo does this in no less a dramatic and humorous way than that used by Charlie Chaplin tramp critiques of capitalism and is no less effective in defining by contrast both the dominant discourse as well as the humanistic and just alternative.

The Vagabundo’s challenge is dramatic because the content of the challenge is serious. Vagabundo does nothing less than challenge us to figure out creative ways to survive and create something new from the bottom, autonomously and without partnering neoliberalism. It challenges us to find the cracks, spaces in the vast concrete edifices of neoliberalism where one can still creatively exist, what Gustavo Esteva (2) calls the “commons,” where people can be human-where they can be themselves. Cracks through which wild grass, verdolagas, lentejas, perhaps a flower could out of resistance grow.

Vagabundo’s desire to procreate, to be loved in a context of constant and thorough degradation challenges us to think of humanity and human needs outside of a neoliberal context or better yet to yearn and dream and create another context where we could be more human. Perhaps we are too quick to judge by snapping “otra vez?”. The lyrics challenge us to reflect on what at first might feel like sensible, non-approving advice. But on second thought, “otra vez” can be a subtly coded suggestion for birth control for the poor and the argument that the poor create poverty by having children. Our hearts and souls opened up by the tenor of the song, Vagabundo prompts us to automatically reflect on what we know to be true; that it is poverty, rejection, marginalization that creates a lack of human dignity, a need for unity; that poverty creates an affinity to the old adage “there is strength in numbers,” a need to be loved, an insecurity because of lack of love, thus another child has another reason. The dominant discourse is that the poor should not have children. Perhaps they should be sterilized? How quickly, how easily that type of thinking can creep in.

Vagabundo is the call and response and finally the response to the human call within us all. The process is one of ambiguity, ambivalence, schizoid-ness, the real madness that is created by the discursive struggle between the “common sense,” of power, the “of course” of science and the “that’s natural” of those that naturally accumulate the common people’s wealth on the one hand and our felt experience, sense of justice and humanity on the other. Vagabundo gives us a way, a process of analysis, a lens, a way of deconstructing neoliberal notions and of reconstructing our lives in creative and loving resistance.

The Vagabundo like Zapatistas is a paradox. The paradox is that the Vagabundo is the one that is sane, that is mentally and spiritually wholesome, that is hard working, and that is a responsible and respectful human being. On the other hand it is neoliberalism that is the dirty, lazy, trashy, stupid, greedy, mendacious and completely inhumane madness that no one should buy.

Esta cancion es una conversación - un discurso de puntos opuestos dentro de nosotros. La narradora proyecta una voz liberal y pasiva que accepta el punto de vista neoliberal como lo mas natural y logico luego vasila de un lado al otro cruzando las fronteras de las dos perspectives opuestas y al final aprendiendo de la sabiduria del vagabundo. La palabras, acciones, comportamientos del Vagabundo nos desafia a un reflejo de nuestras creencias basicas. El Vagabundo nos confronta con este desafio de una forma no menos dramatica y humorosa que la forma usual del genero critico del trampita de Charlie Chaplin y no lo hace con menos exito. De esta forma critica, contrapone y define -a travez del contraste- el dominante discurso hegemonico y el argumento humanistico y justo.

El desafio de Vagabundo es dramatico porque el contenido del desafio es serio. El Vagabundo hace nada menos que desafiarnos a creativamente resolver modos de sobrevivir y crear algo nuevo desde abajo-algo autonomamente sin acompañar al neoliberalismo. Nos desafia a entrar y ampliar los huecos, espacios en el vasto edificio de concreto neoliberal, huecos donde uno puede ser humano, espacios comunes donde de acuerdo con Gustavo Esteva la gente puede ser. Huecos de donde hierba nace, verdolagas, lentejas y si es posible que una flor con y en resistencia nasca.

El deseo del Vagabundo de procrear, de ser amado en un contexto de marginación y abnegación total nos reta a pensar de la humanidad y sus nesecidades humanas fuera del contexto neoliberal o mejor dicho de anhelar y soñar de otro contexto donde uno puede ser humano. Es posible que juzgemos demasiados rapido (“otra vez?). Las palabras nos retan a reflejar sobre lo que primero se siente como un consejo logico y sano. Al reflejar, escondido en “otra vez?” va la sujerencia del control natal para los pobres y con ella el argumento que la procreacion fecunda de los pobres crea la pobresa. Abiertos por el sentido de la canción automaticamente nos hace reflejar en lo contrario. Vagabundo nos abre a la posibilidad que la pobreza, el rezago, la marginacion crea una falta de dignidad humana, crea una necesidad de unidad, un acercamiento al dicho “La Union hace la Fuerza,” existe una inseguridad por la falta de amor. Viendola de este punto, otro niño tiene su razon. El discurso dominante nos dice que los pobres no deben tener niños. Quizas deber ser esterelizados? Que tan rapido, que tan facil se mete este tipo de pensamiento.

Vagabundo es llamada y respuesta y finalmente respuesta a la llamada humana dentro de nosotros mismos. El proceso es uno de ambiguedad, incertidumbre, esquizofrenia, la mera locura pero al fin- claridad. El proceso es la lucha discursivo entre el “sentido comun” fabricado por el poder actual, la “logia” del metodo scientifico y lo “natural” construido por los que “naturalmente” acumulan la riqueza de los demas por un lado y por el otro lado la contradictoria realidad sentida por nuestras experencia, nuestro sentido justo y humano. Vagabundo nos presta este proceso de analises, este lente, esta manera de pensar la desconstrucion nociones neoliberales y de reconstruir nuestras vidas a travez de una creativa resistencia de amor.

El Vagabundo como el Zapatismo es una paradoja. La paradoja es que es el Vagabundo el que esta en sus cinco sentidos, el que esta mentalmente y espiritualmente sano, el que trabaja duro y que es una persona responsible y respetuosa. En cambio es el neoliberalismo el que es sucio, flojo, basura, tonto, avariciente, mentiroso, irresponsible, y una completa locura que nadie debe comprar.

Half of the world-over 3 billion people -- live on less than 2 dollars a day (3). The filthy vagabond is not unusual -- he represents the most common human condition under a global neoliberalism. The initial cynical voice satirically plays to pulls you into the neoliberal narrative: “It’s their fault.” “What can we do if they don’t want to work,” “They like to be dirty” “Most of them are just taking drugs.” They are sick.” The set up works and now you’re on a Huichol mushroom trip from which you quickly see another reality.

"Ay soy artista
Aunque a primera vista, no me lo crees"

What you see at first-“appearance”: Between 1982 and 1990, the World Bank loaned 418 billion to developing countries. What you don’t see-essence (the real): The Structural Adjustment Programs that came as conditions of these and subsequent loans have caused the death 7 million children each year. (4) The Vagabond is an artist who allows you to fool yourself with foolish neoliberal notions of “what is what” and “who is who.” At first sight we have been taught to look at Vagabundo as a “dirty bum.” The essence is that he is a human with a labor of love.

Vaga buscando
a todo le encuentra valor
No tiene y le debe a nadie
Pues es creativo en su labor
Quien me compra?

20% of the population in developed nations consumes 86% of the world’s goods.(5) The rest of the world’s population barely has enough to purchase 14% of goods. To the Neoliberal Project the Vagabundo doesn’t produce goods for the market, doesn’t buy from the market and doesn’t sell to the market. Since producing, buying and selling are the defining activities in a market-centered economy, the Vagabundo, the poor, the homeless, the landless are trash. In Javier Eloriaga’s words “the Indigenous (like the Vagabundo) is a zero to the left (of a period).” But the Vagabundo, the humane artist is one that finds value in what neoliberalism calls trash. The Vagabundo’s mission, work and difficult labor is to salvage the trash as an act of self-liberation.

Con ella regalo consejos, viejos, y susios
con mis experiencias

What the Vagabundo gives away is his life, his knowledge of what counts. He has nothing else. But this is the most valuable; he gives love from life and life from love.

Ay, pero nadie
sabe vivirla tal como el

For the Vagabond, sustainable autonomy is what matters most. The Vagabond is free to live the way he wants and it is clear that what he wants is to live without participating in the exploitation of others or the degradation of the environment.

Miralo asi…"No soy pajaro enjaulado"
Miralo asi…"Y yo no le debo a nadie"
Miralo asi…"Y a mi no me falta nada"
Miralo asi…"Vivo la vida que quiero"
Miralo asi…"Esclavo primero muero"

For the Vagabond, autonomy is making the real choice not to be part of neoliberalism where consumerism consumes us, where the liberty of choice in the market imprisons us to commodity fetishes, where one needs to need in order to be.

Y de su labor
Nacio una flor
de la basura
Quien le comprara
Quien le escuchara
Sus locuras

The Labor of the Vagabond can’t be bought or sold -- can only be given away -- because it is love. The flower in Nahuatl is a metaphor for beauty and preciousness. The Vagabundo ends poking fun at neoliberalism’s proposition that the Vagabundo’s view is madness.

Mas de la mitad del mundo - o sea mas de 3 mil millones de personas viven con menos de 2 dolares por dia. El Vagabundo sucio no es una cosa rara -- de hecho representa la condición humana mas comun bajo un neoliberalismo global. La voz cinica inicial juega sardonicamente llamandote con la narracion neoliberal: “Estan pobres porque quieren,” “Que podemos hacer si no quieren trabajar,” “La mayoria se la pasan endrogados, estan enfermos. Esta voz sardonicamente te entrampa en tu propio ritual huichol de hongos de donde pronto vez un mundo muy diferente.

Yes! I am an artist!"
"Although I may not have given you that impression!"

Lo que uno de primera vista ve-“aparencia”: Entre 1982 y 1990 El Banco Mundial ha prestado 418 billones de dolares a paises en desarrollo. Lo que uno no ve --“esencia” Siete millones de niños mueren cada año por la crisis por la dueda externa causada por Programas de Ajuste Estructural que condiciones estos y mas prestamos del Banco Mundial. El Vagabundo es artista que te deja que tu mismo te engañes con ideas tontas neoliberales de lo “que es que” y “quien es quien” luego te desengaña. De primera vista el Vagabundo es un sucio irresponsible. La esencia es que el un humano con un labor de amor.

Vagabond searches through trash. Everything to him is of value.
He owns and owes nothing.
Creatively, he labors.

20% de la populación en paises industrializados consumen el 86% de los productos mundiales.(6) El resto del mundo apenas tiene lo suficiente para consumir el resto. Para el proyecto neoliberal, el vagabundo no produce para el mercado, no compra del mercado y no le vende al mercado. Pero producir, comprar y vender es la unica forma de ser incluido en la politica economica de la nacion neoliberal, entonces para el proyecto neoliberal el vagabundo, el pobre, el desterrado es basura. En las palabras de Javier Eloriaga “ el Indigena (igual como el vagabundo) es un zero a la izquierda.” (7) Por eso, el vagabundo, el artista es el que encuentra valor en la basura humana. La mision, el trabajo, el labor dificil del vagabundo es salvar la basura como un acto de autoliberacion.

"Free art and life lessons straight from my own experience!"

Lo que el vagabundo ofrece es su propia vida, su sabiduria de lo que importa. El no tiene otra cosa. Pero esto es lo mas valioso, el da el amor de su vida y la vida por amor.

AHH. . . but no one,
no one lives life quite as he does.

Para el Vagabundo, la autonomia sostenible es lo mas importante. El Vagabundo es libre, sabe vivir sin ser esclavo, sin ser parte de la explotacion de otro humano o la degradacion del ambiente.

I am not a caged bird.
I owe nothing to no one.
I have not been reformed
I live the life I want to lead!
I'd much rather die, than be a slave.

Para el Vagabundo, la autonomia es no ser parte del neoliberalism donde el consumismo nos consume donde la dicha libertad del Mercado nos enjaula, donde uno necesita necesitar para ser.

And from his labor,
"A flower out of trash is born!"
Who will buy?
Who will listen?
To such madness

La labor del vagabundo no se compra, no se vende – solamente se puede dar porque es el amor. La flor en nahua es el simbolo de lo mas precioso. El vagabundo termina burlandose de lo que el neoliberalism piensa que es la locura del vagabundo.