Singing Solidarity: Huelga en General-General Strike
When thinking of how to exemplify how relational solidarity existed in the strikes, one must look at the various forms of expression enacted by the laborers. Useful in this endeavor is a song entitled Huelga en General (General Strike). Written by Luis Valdez after a stint in Cuba, it was one of the more popular protests songs during the Delano Grape Strikes. While the song is composed entirely in Spanish, it is important as a signifier of Mexican/Filipino solidarity in its recognition of Filipino involvement in the movement. In the third stanza, the song recounts how “on the 8th day of September the Filipinos walked out from the fields in Delano and to unite in the struggle the Mexicans walked-out two weeks later And together we’re succeeding with the march of history to liberate farm workers.” It is a labor song, utilized by members of the UFW to build camaraderie and pay homage to the leaders and aims of the organization (Scott 4). As a cultural production, the song articulates the necessity of remembering the collaboration in an easily accessible form. This representation is not complete—the song is in Spanish and therefore geared towards the Mexican activists in the United Farm Workers. In this regard, the song resonates with Gilroy’s assertion of conviviality, albeit one much earlier than his descriptions of post-colonial Britian. Still, it is important as an interlocutor in how the strikes are remembered—not solely as a Mexican phenomenon, but as one with an understanding of solidarity in the minds of its adherents.
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