Rigoberta Menchu

Hi, My name is Rigoberta Menchú, I was born on January 9, 1959 in Laj Chimel, Quiché Guatemala, I am an indigenous Guatemalan of the K'iche' Maya ethnic group. In my early years I helped with myfamily farm work, sometimes in the northern highlands where my family lived, or on the pacific coast, where both adults and children went to pick coffee on the big plantations.

I received aprimary-school education as a student at several Catholic boarding schools. After leaving school, I worked as an activist campaigning against human rights violations committed by the Guatemalan armed forcesduring the country's civil war, which lasted from 1960 to 1996.
In 1979 my brother was arrested, tortured and killed by the army, the following year my father was killed when security forces in thecapital stormed the Sapnish Embassy, afterwards my mother also died after having been arrested, tortured and raped.
After this I learned Spanish as well as other Mayan languages than my native Quiche.In 1981, I escaped to Mexico. In 1982, I was the subject of a book about my life, "Me llamo Rigoberta Menchú y así me nació la conciencia" (My Name is Rigoberta Menchu and this is how my Consciencewas Born), which was translated into five other languages including English and French.
I have dedicated my life to publicizing the plight of Guatemala's indigenous peoples during and after theGuatemalan Civil War (1960–1996), and to promoting indigenous rights in the country. I received the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize and Prince of Asturias Award in 1998. I am the subject of the testimonialbiography I, Rigoberta Menchú (1983) and the author of the autobiographical work, Crossing Borders.
I have become involved in the Mexican pharmaceutical industry as president of the company Salud para Todos("Health for All") and the company "Farmacias Similares", with the goal of offering low-cost generic medicines.
Over the years, I become widely known as a leading advocate of Indian rights and...