UA professor using controversial text

"When I had ordered the book the controversy had not come out yet," said associate professor Bert J. Barickman, who teaches history 467. "Now I have the concern of how to present the book. It is a lot trickier to present information in which the accuracy is questioned."

The work, published in 1983, is the life story of human right's political activist and 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu.

Set in the backdrop of war-ravished Guatemala, the book chronicles the laureate's battle for peace and social reform during a 37-year civil war that claimed the lives of her family members.

A book published in December by anthropologist David Stoll critiques inconsistencies in Rigoberta's life story.

Stoll states Rigoberta gives "eye-witness" accounts of events that she did not observe and invented a brother who died of starvation. Stoll also cites evidence countering the Nobel prize winner's claim of having received no formal education.

Despite possible fictional details, Barickman believes Rigoberta's basic storyline correlates with the reality of the war's effect on Guatemalan society. The war claimed over 150,000 lives, most of which were indigenous peoples'.

"The massive induced violence against groups trying to change Guatemalan society is well documented," said Barickman. "The book illustrates the bigger and broader things going on."

Students enrolled in Barickman's course echoed similar sentiments. Senior Anthropology and History major Steve Madler said aspects of Menchu's personal story may be falsified, but the events that ensued during the time "are still true to life."

Menchu attracted over 1,000 UA students to her speech advocating global peace and equality last November at Gallagher theatre.

Upon receiving the peace prize in 1992 the laureate headed the first International Indigenous Summit in Guatemala in 1993 and acted as the Goodwill Ambassador to the United States.

Officials have assured her the peace prize will not be revoked.

Barickman said it was exceptional for someone in Rigoberta's circumstances to win a Nobel prize.

"She is the first indigenous woman from Latin America to receive a peace prize," he said.