Women Philosopher-Poets

of the Mexican War of Independence

“Llamado a las mujeres a luchar por la Independencia”,[1] México, 1812[2] :. Ala guerra Americanas vamos con espadas crueles adarle muerte a Callejas y aver al Señor Morelos                  * Este padre mui amado siempre avisto nuestro bien y es justo que el paravien le demos por su cuidado que viva pues esforsado vamos abuscarlo hufanas y en su elogio las campanas den repiques y quesigan y en sus voces que nos digan ala guerra Americanas                  * querian vendernos sintedio sin ninguna compacion nos comprava Napoleon tusadas, ados por medio y dios nos mando el remedio en Ydalgo, y en Morelos ambos nos defienden fieles con los mas fuertes rigores abuscar alos traydores vamos con espadas crueles                  * esta intencion ynumana esta infame tirania la á defendido en el dia nuestra Reyna Americana como madre soverana olle nuestra triste queja y su amor jamas se aleja delas que aqui suspiramos juntas compañeras vamos adarle muerte a Callejas                  * Emos perdido evidentes nuestros Padres y maridos nuestros, hijos, muiqueridos hermanos, tios, y parientes pues vamos que como ardientes sean nuestras espadas crueles que maten a esos infieles y lo que aquí solo sigo es matar al enemigo y aver al Señor Morelos [1] Boletín del Archivo General de la Nación, 3ª serie, 3,3, México, julio-septiembre de 1979, p. 13. [2] Este documento se encuentra en el Archivo General de la Nación de México (AGNM), Ramo Operaciones de Guerra, vol. 406, fc. 195. Obviamente anónimo, ha sido popularmente atribuido a doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, La Corregidora, heroína del levantamiento de Independencia del 16 de septiembre de 1810, que no pudo escribirlo durante el levantamiento de Morelos. Text available at https://ideasfem.wordpress.com/textos/b/b01/

“Call to women to fight for independence,”[1] Mexico, 1812[2] :. To war, American women Let us go with cruel swords To kill Callejas And find Lord Morelos * This beloved father always saw our good and it is only fair that we reward him for his care that he may live, for he is strong let us go and seek him out and in his praise the bells ring out and continue and in their voices they tell us to war, American women * They wanted to sell us senselessly Without any compassion Napoleon bought us Tortured, half dead And God sent us the remedy In Hidalgo and in Morelos Both defend us faithfully With the strongest rigor To seek out the traitors We go with cruel swords * This inhuman intention This infamous tyranny Has been defended today By our American Queen As a sovereign mother Hear our sad complaint And her love never strays From those of us who sigh here Together, companions, let us go To kill Callejas * We have clearly lost our fathers and husbands our beloved children brothers, uncles, and relatives so let us go, with fiery cruel swords to kill those infidels and what I continue to do here is to kill the enemy and find Lord Morelos [1] Bulletin of the General Archive of the Nation, 3rd series, 3.3, Mexico, July-September 1979, p. 13. [2] This document is found in the General Archive of the Nation of Mexico (AGNM), War Operations Branch, vol. 406, fc. 195. Obviously anonymous, it has been popularly attributed to Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, La Corregidora, heroine of the Independence uprising of September 16, 1810, who could not have written it during Morelos' uprising. Text available at https://ideasfem.wordpress.com/textos/b/b01/

María Josefa Guelberdi, “La mexicana independiente”,[1] 1821 [Texto proporcionado por Eulalia Eligio González] :. Si estamos yá en los tiempos ilustrados en que todos pueden manifestar sus ideas: Si todos escriben lo que les parece, lo que quieren, lo que saben ó lo que pueden: Si el fastuoso dia del juramento de nuestra feliz independencia dá mérito para que lo aplauda el sabio, el ignorante, el rico, el pobre, el niño, el viejo, el noble y el plebeyo, porque todos nacen con su filosofía natural, no sé por qué causa solo los hombres hayan de tener permiso para escribir, discurrir y filosofar, y no lo puedan hacer las mugeres, á quienes el cielo les concedió, como á todo viviente, sus dos dedos de frente en la cabeza. Tú dirás luego que agarres en tu mano este papel, que ha sido una desvergüenza pura, truanada sólida y filosofía insolente de una picarona, meterse á Poeta para hacer burla y gresca de las gentes sensatas. Yo te diré que tienes razón como soy cristiana. Dirás también que mis versos, tal cual ellos son, no tienen locusion graciosa, novedad sensible, ni doctrina deleitable, y yo te responderé que no hay que hacer ascos, por que no es mas limpio y relamido el Indio independiente que puso su vanidad en las imprentas. Dirás últimamente, que mejor me estaria estar con mi almohadilla que platicar con las Musas: que por ganar dinero he salido con ese papelucho, y yo te responderé en cuanto á lo primero, que no sabiendo tú cual de las dos cosas me será más favorable para la conservación de mi vida, es hablar á tientas; y por lo que toca á lo segundo, si utilizare algunas monedas, que me haga buen provecho, y si te parece mal que de este modo gane mi vida, ahórcame que á mí se me da poco cuidado de la tuya. Cuida de la que el cielo te concede y dejame llevar la mia donde se antojare. Vamos viviendo sin añadir pesadumbres: bastantes tenemos con los petardos que cada dia nos juega nuestra naturaleza. Vivamos en paz, y dejemos vivir á todo el mundo sin meternos en sus pensamientos, palabras y obras. Si mi papel no fuere de tu agrado, á mi me servirá de complacencia haberte pegado el chasco por la corta cantidad de medio real que sacaste de tu bolsillo para comprarlo. Y pues ya esto no tiene remedio, ármate de paciencia, para leer los disparates que sigue. Dulce patria adorada de una hija tuya tiernamente amada, escucha atentamente esta mi pobre musa balbuciente conque pretendo ansiosa darte mil parabienes presurosa. No ha mucho que llorabas tu libertad perdida y no cantabas: con fiero barbarismo te dominaba el duro despotismo, sin tener el consuelo de levantar tus ojos ácia el cielo Mirabas el ultraje con que te atormentaba el espionaje: la acción mas inocente se castigaba tan severamente, que eran pequeñas penas las cárceles, sepáros y cadenas. Tus hijos afligidos, y de tantas desgracias combatidos, aun no tenian aliento de quejarse en el potro del tormento: si un suspiro se daba por un delito atroz se reputaba. Mas aquel Dios clemente, en todo grande, en todo omnipotente, el consuelo te ha dado cuando tu menos lo tenias pensado, sumergiendo severo en el mar al caballo y caballero. Se dolió de tus penas, y te quitó los grillos y cadenas que tanto te oprimian, y en que tus hijos con dolor gemian; pues con mano clemente te he hecho libre, dichosa, independiente. Y como al Israëlita su piedad portentosa é infinita le dió un Moisés valiente que libertó á su Pueblo diligente, á tí tambien te ha dado un Varon que tu pueblo ha libertado. Proclamada en Iguala tu Independencia, tanto se propala que todo el Reino Indiano se tituló absoluto y soberano, fijando en su memoria de esa época feliz dia de tal gloria. El Ibero espantado de tu valor, huyendo amedrentado, contemplando su ruina aun con la senda del temor no atina, viendo que fué posible lo que siempre pensó que era imposible. Tus águilas triunfantes cercan la Capital, donde poco antes se habian atrincherado los enemigos de tu actual estado; mas lograste con gloria la posesión, el triunfo y la victoria. Desde este feliz dia en que tu vasta, excelsa Monarquia, restauró con nobleza de ánimo generoso, su grandeza, todo es gusto y dulzura, no hay pesar, no hay dolor, no hay amargura. Llegóse el venturoso veinte y siete de Octubre, dia glorioso que en la historia profana época hará de la Nacion Indiana; pues con magnificencia juró su suspirada independencia. México se alborota: El cielo en densas nubes se encapota Para turbar prolijo nuestro gusto, contento y regocijo, y todas las estrellas ocultaron tambien sus luces bellas. Con gozo peregrino, obra sin dada del poder divino, europeo y mexicano se ven darse de paz palabra y mano, cuya accion tanto brilla, que es del mundo novena maravilla. Todos juntos andaban, con placentera union se saludaban: ondeaban como espumas con tricolor liston frondosas plumas, que al aire tremolaban y las tres garantias significaban. Yo que todo notaba, al Dios eterno gracias mil le daba, y bendecia gustosa su benéfica mano poderosa, que con brillante anhelo bendijo nuestra unión, paz y consuelo. Europeos  generosos desechad el temor, vivid gustosos entre los mexicanos que os estiman y quieren como hermanos: descansad en sus brazos que son de su amistad eternos lazos Vivid, vivid sin pena, tranquilizaos y en vuestra faz serena admire el mundo entero el amor permanente y verdadero con que se aman ufanos los Europeos y los Americanos Esto ufana cantaba, y alegremente me regocijaba: cuando á la Patria mia en rudos toscos metros aplaudia, escribiendo mi mano que viva el Europeo, y el Mexicano. [1] Imprenta de Ontiveros, Ciudad de México, año de 1821. Folleto ubicado en: Biblioteca Nacional de México, archivo reservado, RLAF 260LAF. Este escrito de doña María Josefa Guelberdi ha sido citado por Patricia Galeana y otras historiadoras de la época de la Independencia mexicana; no obstante, de su autora se sabe muy poco, casi únicamente que era mexicana y probablemente una mestiza culta.

María Josefa Guelberdi, “The Independent Mexican Woman,”[1] 1821 [Text provided by Eulalia Eligio González] :. If we are already in enlightened times when everyone can express their ideas: If everyone writes what they think, what they want, what they know or what they can: If the glorious day of the oath of our happy independence deserves to be applauded by the wise, the ignorant, the rich, the poor, the young, the old, the noble and the commoner, because everyone is born with their natural philosophy, I do not know why only men should have permission to write, think, and philosophize, and why women, to whom heaven has granted, as to all living creatures, two fingers of sense in their heads, should not be able to do so. You will then say that this paper you hold in your hand is pure shamelessness, solid nonsense, and insolent philosophy from a mischievous woman, who has become a poet to mock and provoke sensible people. I will tell you that you are right, as I am a Christian. You will also say that my verses, as they are, have no graceful expression, no sensible novelty, nor delightful doctrine, and I will respond that there is no need to be disgusted, because the independent Indian who put his vanity in print is no cleaner or more refined. You will say, finally, that I would be better off with my pillow than talking to the Muses; that I have come out with this piece of paper to earn money, and I will reply to you, as for the first point, that since you do not know which of the two things will be more favorable for the preservation of my life, you are speaking blindly; and as for the second point, if I use a few coins, may they be of good use to me, and if you think it wrong that I earn my living in this way, strangle me, for I care little for yours. Take care of what heaven grants you and let me take mine wherever it pleases. Let us live without adding burdens: we have enough with the firecrackers that our nature sets off every day. Let us live in peace, and let everyone else live without meddling in their thoughts, words, and deeds. If my writing is not to your liking, I will take pleasure in having disappointed you for the small amount of half a real that you took from your pocket to buy it. And since there is no remedy for this, arm yourself with patience to read the nonsense that follows. Sweet beloved homeland of your tenderly loved daughter, listen carefully to my poor stammering muse with which I eagerly seek to offer you a thousand hasty congratulations. Not long ago, you wept for your lost freedom and did not sing: with fierce barbarism you were dominated by harsh despotism, without the consolation of raising your eyes to the sky. You watched the outrage with which espionage tormented you: the most innocent action was punished so severely that prisons, separations, and chains were minor punishments. Your afflicted children, and beset by so many misfortunes, still had no breath to complain on the rack of torment: if a sigh was uttered, it was considered an atrocious crime. But that merciful God, great in all things, omnipotent in all things, has given you comfort when you least expected it, severely submerging the horse and rider in the sea. He took pity on your sorrows and removed the shackles and chains that oppressed you so much and in which your children groaned in pain; for with a merciful hand I have made you free, happy, and independent. And as to the Israelites his portentous and infinite mercy gave them a brave Moses who freed his diligent people, so too has he given you a man who has freed your people. Proclaimed in Iguala your independence, so widely spread that the entire Indian Kingdom was declared absolute and sovereign, fixing in its memory that happy day of such glory. The Iberian, frightened by your courage, fleeing in fear, contemplating his ruin even with the path of fear, he cannot understand, seeing that what was possible was what he always thought was impossible. Your triumphant eagles surround the capital, where shortly before the enemies of your current state had entrenched themselves; but you achieved with glory possession, triumph, and victory. From this happy day on which your vast, exalted Monarchy restored with nobility and generous spirit its greatness, everything is pleasure and sweetness, there is no regret, no pain, no bitterness. The fortunate twenty-seventh of October arrived, a glorious day that in secular history will make an era of the Indian Nation; for with magnificence it promised its longed for independence. Mexico is anxious: The sky is covered with dense clouds To disturb our pleasure, contentment, and rejoicing, and all the stars also hid their beautiful lights. With pilgrim joy, a work without doubt of divine power, Europeans and Mexicans are seen giving each other words and hands of peace, whose action shines so brightly that it is the ninth wonder of the world. They all walked together, greeting each other with pleasant unity: waving like foam with tricolor ribbons and leafy feathers, which fluttered in the air and signified the three guarantees. I, who noticed everything, gave a thousand thanks to the eternal God, and gladly blessed his beneficent and powerful hand, which with brilliant longing blessed our union, peace, and comfort. Generous Europeans cast aside your fear, live happily among the Mexicans who esteem and love you as brothers: rest in their arms which are eternal bonds of friendship Live, live without sorrow, be at peace and in your serene faces let the whole world admire the permanent and true love with which the Europeans and Americans love each other. This she sang proudly, and I rejoiced happily: while to my homeland applauded in rough, crude meters, my hand writing long live the European and the Mexican. [1] Ontiveros Printing House, Mexico City, 1821. Brochure located in: National Library of Mexico, restricted archive, RLAF 260LAF. This writing by María Josefa Guelberdi has been cited by Patricia Galeana and other historians of the Mexican Independence era; however, very little is known about its author, almost only that she was Mexican and probably an educated mestizo. Available at https://ideasfem.wordpress.com/textos/b/b02/