Now Peru Is Mine

Manuel Llamojha Mitma (1921-2016) was an indigenous political activist who formerly served as the head of the Peruvian Peasant Confederation from 1962 to 1978.Jaymie Patricia Heilman is Associate Professor of History and Classics at the University of Alberta and author of Before the Shining Path: Politics in Rural Ayacucho, 1895–1980.

"Heilman has made a significant contribution to the literature by bringing Llamojha's story to a broad audience. . . . [T]he book works equally as well for general audiences or undergraduate classrooms as for specialists seeking thoughtful reflections on the political uses of identity. . . . Highly recommended. All levels/libraries."- M. Becker (Choice) "The book is well-written and illustrated with photographs, excerpts from Llamojha's writings, and maps of the area of his activity.... Now Peru is Mine is a useful tool for learning about Peru's politics and history over the last century." - William O. Deaver, Jr. (Journal of Global South Studies) "Now Peru is Mine is a major academic, intellectual and editorial success. Every specialist and student of Latin America, the Andes and Peru will enjoy this book. This is an exemplary study of how a single life illustrates the complexities of a century." - Javier Puente (Journal of Latin American Studies) "This is a moving and fascinating account of indigenous activism in a turbulent era that will be of great value to historians and political scientists seeking to understand the motives and sacrifices of those at the heart of their disciplines." - Eugene Carey (Latin American Review of Books) "We follow this gripping story of travail and turmoil through Llamojha’s simple, but heartfelt narrative, guided by Heilman’s skilled interviewing, as it unfolds on multiple fronts-local, regional and international. . . . Indeed a unique and worthy contribution that helps fill a large void in the historiography of the second half of the twentieth century." - Peter Klarén (The Americas) “By writing this important book, Heilman and Llamojha have provided general readers, college students, and specialists alike the chance to find both learning and inspiration in the life story of a contemporary Peruvian activist.” - G. Antonio Espinoza (Ethnohistory) “Now Peru Is Mine succeeds in offering a highly accessible and instructive account for students of Latin America and Peru specialists. One hopes that many readers get to know Llamojha Mitma and that his life story might serve to inspire new scholarship and new struggles.” - Joseph P. Feldman (Hispanic American Historical Review) “A highly accessible book that provides unique insights on Peruvian society and politics.” - Dan Cozart (The Latin Americanist) "This book is a handsome contribution to scholarship on Indigenous activists, their historical context, and the activist intellectual role in the Andes. . . . [Now Peru Is Mine] is an excellent piece to teach Modern Latin America and other courses on Indigenous peoples’ history in the Americas." - Waskar T. Ari-Chachaki (Native American and Indigenous Studies)

• A Note on Place  ixAcknowledgments  xiIntroduction  11. "I'm Going to Be President of the Republic": The Formation of an Activist, 1921-1948  192. "I Made the Hacendados Tremble": Defending Jhajhamarka Campesinos, 1948-1952  413. "Jail Was Like My Home": Fighting for ConcepciÓn, 1952-1961  654. For Justice, Land, and Liberty: National and International Leadership, 1961-1968  995. "Everything Was Division": Political Marginalization, 1968-1980  1316. A Wound That Won't Heal: Political Violence, Displacement, and Loss, 1980-2000  153Afterword. "You Have to Stand Firm": The Elderly Activist, 200-2015  175Notes  189Bibliography  217Index  229