¡Buen Vivir! Gallery for Contemporary Art

April Exhibit at the ¡Buen Vivir! Gallery for Contemporary Art in Allentown, Buffalo

Chile: Peoples’ Uprising

An Exhibit of Images from the Front Lines

by Orin Langelle and Anne Petermann

A massive popular uprising in Chile began on 18 October 2019. Millions are demanding a new economic and political system in Chile and a new constitution. Chile’s existing Constitution was written during the Pinochet Dictatorship installed by the U.S. in 1973.

Women have a lead role in the protests, including the Red Masks in Resistance movement (photo above), and created an anthem for women’s rights that has gone viral: El Violador en Tu Camino also called ¡El Violador es Tu! [The Rapist is You!]. It is performed by women all over the world.

Where: ¡Buen Vivir! Gallery for Contemporary Art, 148 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY

Opening Reception: Friday, 3 April, 6 – 9 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres & refreshments served

!Un violador en tu camino! (The rapist in your path) is emblematic of the uprising in Chile. Well directed anger, spirit, strength, art and love:

Lyrics – Organized by a Chilean feminist collective, LASTESIS, the performance was titled !Un violador en tu camino! (The rapist in your path). The song and accompanying dance takes on the patriarchy as the cause both of violence against women and the victim shaming that often comes after. Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía, they sang (and the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed). Please watch LASTESIS video below the English translation.

!Un violador en tu camino!

[Keep arms loose at your side, march in place to the beat for the first eight verses] El patriarcado es un juez

Que nos juzga por nacer
Y nuestro castigo
Es la violencia que no ves.

El patriarcado es un juez,
Que nos juzga por nacer
Y nuestro castigo
Es la violencia que ya ves.

Es feminicidio

[Place hands behind the head, squat up and down]

Impunidad para el asesino

[Repeat movement above]

Es la desaparición

[Repeat movement above]

Es la violación

[Repeat movement above]

[Run in place, but without lifting feet from the ground; move forearms up and down in sync with the feet]

Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba , ni cómo vestía

El violador eras tú
[Extend right arm straight out in front of you, pointing]
El violador eres tú

[Repeat movement above]

Son los pacos
[Point left]
Los jueces
[Point right]
El estado
[Raise arms, pointing in circle around the head]
El presidente

[Cross forearms above the head]

[Move forearms up and down rhythmically, fist closed]
El estado opresor es un macho violador
El estado opresor es un macho violador

El violador eras tú

[Extend left arm straight out in front of you, pointing]

El violador eres tú

[Repeat movement above]

[Cup hands around mouth to amplify shouting]

Duerme tranquila niña inocente,
sin preocuparte del bandolero,
que por tus sueños dulce
y sonriente vela tu amante carabinero.

El violador eres tú

[Extend right arm straight our in front of you, pointing]

El violador eres tú
[repeat movement above]
El violador eres tú
[repeat movement above]
El violador eres tú

[repeat movement above]

The rapist in your path! (English translation)

The patriarchy is a judge
that judges us for being born
and our punishment
is the violence you don’t see.

The patriarchy is a judge
that judges us for being born
and our punishment
is the violence that have seen.

It’s femicide.
Impunity for the killer.
It’s disappearance.
It’s rape.

And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed
And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed
And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed
And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed

The rapist is you.
The rapist is you.

It’s the cops,
The judges,
The state,
The president.

The oppressive state is a rapist.
The oppressive state is a rapist.

The rapist is you
The rapist is you

“Sleep calmly, innocent girl
Without worrying about the bandit,
Over your dreams smiling and sweet,
watches your loving cop.”

The rapist is you
The rapist is you
The rapist is you
The rapist is you

Video Note: The women wearing blindfolds relates to the fact that over 350 people have suffered by being intentionally shot in the head with rubber coated pellets by the Carabineros de Chile (Chilean National Police – the same but derogatory street word is Pacos).