“César’s life is the lucero,
the light, the morning star
that provides vision to the path,
with the glow of energy
generated by the struggle”
-Dolores Huerta
In 1962 Chávez began building the United Farm Workers, one person at a time in one small valley town after another. César and a small group of dedicated men and women joined him to build a movement based on selfless service to others. In so doing, they inspired farm workers and millions of others from all walks of life to social and political activism.
The Memorial Solar Calendar Project seeks to honor Cesar Chavez by linking his memory to the cycles of the earth and sun — an appropriate tribute to farm workers who have always lived by understanding the rhythm of the seasons. Horizon Calendars were some of the earliest mechanisms that utilized the apparent movement of the sun along the horizon to determine when to plant and when to harvest.
Cesar was a humble champion of social and environmental justice — a man who lived a simple, largely non-material and close to the earth life. Three prototypes have been installed at the site to honor the labor leader:
-
Four Virtues/Four Directions Homage
-
Chávez Birthday Shadow
-
Solar Noon Shadow
These prototypes establish the conceptual and performance requirements for the final art/science/culture installation, which will be accomplished through a request for proposals.
For information on Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta related teaching resources and events:
www.chavezhuerta.org
HOW THE FOUR DIRECTIONS HOMAGE WORKS
A central architectural design feature of the eventual design for the Memorial Solar Calendar will be sculptural elements and educational activities that will honor four key virtues of Chávez – – hope, determination, courage, & tolerance.
Ancient peoples from diverse parts of the world commonly utilized similar metaphors to describe the cultural meanings associated with the four cardinal directions. Upon entering the center circle of the interim memorial calendar site, the visitor will in time notice a single word carved into a stone and placed in each of the four cardinal directions of the site. Each word represents one of the selected virtues of Cesar Chavez.
A prototype version of the four virtues was installed at the Interim Solar Calendar:
CHÁVEZ & HOPE (EAST)
The struggle to create the United Farm Workers Union is just one example of Cesar Chavez’s many optimistic efforts that made poor and hard working people hopeful of achieving a better life.
The EAST is commonly associated metaphorically with the rising sun , birth, new beginnings, & hope. And the Spring season begins a new cycle in nature and the planting season of agriculture.
CHÁVEZ & DETERMINATION (south)
In 1971, Arizona passed a law outlawing boycotts. Labor leaders kept telling César: “No se puede! — A campaign against the law is futile.” Chávez answered “Sí, se puede!” (Yes, it can be done”), and it became a rallying cry of the movement.
The SOUTH is often linked with the warmth of the sun and the agricultural growing season. Metaphorically it is linked to the growth cycle of youth into adulthood and the determination needed to meet new challenges.
CHÁVEZ & COURAGE (west)
César & the United Farm Workers endured the taunts, threats & physical attacks by hired bullies with one primary defense: a courageous commitment to non-violence.
The WEST is commonly associated metaphorically with sunset and darkness, the end of the Autumn harvest cycle, and fear of the unknown. Courage allows us to face the unknown and take a stand based on principled commitment.
CHÁVEZ & TOLERANCE (north)
In 1988 César undertook a 25-day water only “Fast for Life” aimed at a labor movement that was unraveling due to frustration & intolerance. Chávez said he would fast until union members renewed THEIR pledge to respectful action.
The NORTH is often linked with Winter. It offers natural beauty, but also hardship, scarcity & adversity. For many traditional cultures the North is linked with their ancestors, who migrated from the North looking for a better life. The ancestors metaphorically represent knowledge, patience and tolerance.
How the Chávez Birthday Shadow homage works
On the western perimeter of the Memorial Solar Calendar site is a stone inscribed with César’s birthdate – 31 March 1927. It is positioned so that at sunrise, 6:35 am, on March 31st a shadow cast by the gnomon (shadow pole) sweeps across the face of the birthstone over a period of 5-minutes. By an odd coincidence, the phenomenon only happens one other time of the year, a day of infamy in the US (September 11th).
FACING EAST
SUNRISE on March 31st (6:35 am)
FACING WEST
How the Solar Noon Shadow works
At Solar Noon (1:13 pm) on César’s birthday, March 31st, the gnomon (shadow pole) at the interim memorial site casts a shadow – shown here touching the eagle logo of the United Farm Workers Union. Meridian or solar noon calendars work by tracking the sun when it is directly overhead at “Solar Noon,” i.e., aligned with the longitudinal meridian of Berkeley. The length of a shadow cast by a pole was often used to determine geographical orientation as well as the planting and harvesting seasons.
City Wide Cesar Chavez Commemoration
The Director of the Chavez Memorial Solar Calendar initiated the first commemorative effort in Berkeley in 2002. A city wide resolution was adopted creating a “Commemorative Period” for labor leader and environmentalist Chavez. The commemorative begins on March 20th, the traditional beginning of the planting season, runs through Cesar’s birthday, March 31, and continues on to April 23rd, the anniversary of Cesar’s passing. The commemorative serves as a service-learning alternative to a city wide holiday.