Chilean Bicentenary

This year is an important date for Chile, because it is the year of its bicentenary. Bicentenary means that Chile achieved 200 years the last September 18. Is a crucial moment to reflect on what we did right and what must change and improve in the coming years. As the government say “is a unique opportunity to engage every citizen and institution in building of country we want, which could be defined by what we have called the . It seems to be the reason to celebrate some people say, but other people like me; we prefer stay out of the situation.

The bicentenary is not for me a date of celebration. It is a space to reflect on what we have achieved as country and about what we are capable of achieving. But to reflect is precisely what we need done like citizens. We remain in constant warfare, including with Chilean people. I refer to Mapuches. We have closed only a few moments of discussion and our country has continued to impose rules, forgetting the human rights. Our country consider to Mapuches as terrorists, “dangerous people” to the Chilean State. For me, this is not a united country, in fact that will happen at much longer, if the government does something to reverse the situation.

As well the state continue recognized as heroes to historical characters that have only disrupted the Chilean memory, forgetting who really made history, who were participants in events that we don’t know. That’s the false history that is transmitted in the history books in schools to children on our country. What do we want to celebrate? For example, a patriotic misconception was the last group of statues of O’Higgins and Carrera, simulating a drive that never existed. This act is so abhorrent as if we join to Pinochet with Allende.

We can not stay with a memory that is imposed without hesitation before. We can not assume a celebration without reading between lines the political discourse.
We need to think more, ask us what we have done for the country, and what we do. Where are we going, towards a united nation?
Do not forget our social memory. With that memory we can build much more than historical myths.