Photo/Foto: Julio Pantoja

Owner of the Butterflies

FOMMA's collective creation tells the story of Chepe, an orphan predestined by his "wayjel"—the hummingbird—to change the destiny of those slaves who suffer under the despotic regime of the owner of a coffee plantation. The play exposes the despicable living and working conditions of the coffee workers, denouncing the violation of their human rights and demanding that the fundamental rights of these individuals be upheld.

Biographies

Doris Difarnecio is a Colombian actress and theater director from New York. She has been creating and directing plays with FOMMA (Fortaleza de la Mujer Maya) since 1999. Difarnecio got her MA at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain, and she is currently the Director of Centro Hemisférico/FOMMA in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.

María Francisca Oseguera Cruz began her career with FOMMA, working as a cook for the nursery, when the organization was founded in 1994. In addition to contributing to FOMMA's collaborative works, Oseguera Cruz has also written her own short stories and plays. Since 2006 she has been director of FOMMA's executive board.

Victoria Patishtan Gómez joined FOMMA in 2001 and has since written short stories, her own life story, and stories about Tzotzil communities that have been used in theatrical works. Victoria (a Tzotzil speaker) learned Spanish through her job and her writing. In addition to acting, Victoria is in charge of costuming and creates masks for different characters, including animals. She also organizes the photo archive and is secretary of the executive board.