Few in modern history, however, have experienced the apotheosis that has been bestowed upon Emiliano Zapata. It is no exaggeration to equate the veneration of Zapata with that of a religious figure.
Naturally, there is a multitude of poems and songs written about the Mexican Revolution, some dealing with the swashbuckling and ruggedly romantic Pancho Villa, but many more commemorating the heroic life of martyr Emiliano Zapata. Marlon Brando portrayed him on the silver screen in Viva Zapata! Even during his lifetime, Zapata was portrayed as a rather bloodthirsty, ham-fisted, and undereducated peasant, hell-bent on finishing his revolution, no matter what the cost.
As so often happens, fiction and fact do not correlate very well. The popular image of Zapata, most likely propagated by his enemies, is far from the truth. Zapata led his men into battle only when it was the logical military choice and when he realistically foresaw a victory. When Zapata's forces occupied Mexico City, the infamy that had preceded him caused many of the city's inhabitants to quake with fear, fully expecting to be brutalized or killed by the savage peasants from the south.
Many were surprised and indubitably very relieved when Zapatista peasants went door to door, merely asking for some food to aid the under-supplied and under-fed forces. The deification of Zapata is a more recent phenomenon than that of his vilification. It is not at all unusual to find contemporary poetry and literature, especially among the new Zapatistas, that elevate Zapata to a Christ-like state.
He wasn't born, they say. He just appeared just like that. They say he is Ik'al and Votan who came all the way over here in their long journey, and so as not to frighten good people, they became one. Because after being together for so long Ik'al and Votan learned they were the same and could become Zapata.
And Zapata said he had finally learned where the long road went and that at times it would be light and at times darkness but that it was the same, Votan Zapata, and Ik'al Zapata, the black Zapata and the white Zapata. They were both the same road for the true men and women. After being shot, Zapata was loaded onto a mule and taken to Cuautla, where he was dumped on the street.
To prove that he was really dead, flashlights were shown on his face and photographs taken. This didn't destroy the myth of his death, because Zapata could not and would not die! Like Commandante Marcos, he was too smart to be killed in an ambush. Hadn't Zapata's white horse been seen on top of the mountain? Every single person in the valley of Morelos still believes to this day that Zapata is still alive. Perhaps they are right. As is evident in these words, there is a cult of personality that lives on after Zapata's physical death.
Emiliano Zapata has certainly become a messianic figure for Mexico. The modern Zapatistas draw strength from this myth, and they claim to be the true heirs to the tradition started by a peasant revolutionary with a vision of social justice.
We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was a Mexican Catholic priest who called for a revolution against the Spanish on September 16, Pancho Villa was a top military leader of the Mexican Revolution whose exploits were regularly filmed by a Hollywood company.
David Alfaro Siqueiros was a Mexican painter and muralist whose work reflected his Marxist ideology. Francisco Madero was a reformist politician who successfully removed dictator Porfirio Diaz from office in Mexico. He became president in , but was assassinated two years later.
His works are complex and often tragic. Emiliano Zapata was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, during which he formed and commanded the Liberation Army of the South, an important revolutionary brigade.
He destroyed villages, executing all those he suspected of supporting Zapata. Although Zapata was able to drive the federales out for a while in , they returned to continue the fight. Without him, however, the rebellion in the south soon fizzled. In the long run, however, he has done more for his ideas in death than he did in life. Like many charismatic idealists, Zapata became a martyr after his treacherous murder. Even though Mexico still has not implemented the sort of land reform he wanted, he is remembered as a visionary who fought for his countrymen.
In early , a group of armed guerrillas attacked several towns in southern Mexico. The EZLN, after making its initial statement with weapons and violence, almost immediately switched to modern battlefields of the internet and world media. These cyber-guerrillas picked up where Zapata left off 75 years before: the Tiger of Morelos would have approved.
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