The idea of Fuku in the novel was very interesting to me. It is not something that I really have a sense for in my culture, or that I am aware of. The closest thing I could connect it to was bad luck, but that doesn’t seem to really do the idea of Fuku justice. It is an idea that is deeply intertwined with the culture in the Dominican Republic. It is the cause of almost any bad thing that happens and what causes it may not even be that big of a deal. It is a way to explain tragedies that may have no other explanation for them.
It is also interesting that Diaz ties Fuku to the discovery of the island and the “Admiral.” Columbus thought that Hispaniola was a wonderful island, Diaz refers to it as “the Land He Loved Best.” Yet, by discovering the island he seemed to unleash the Fuku that had been contained inside of it. In the end, the Fuku caught up to the Admiral and he died insane.
By the time the Trujillo regime is in place the Fuku seems to be controlled by Trujillo himself. By thinking or acting in any manor against Trujillo a family could be cursed for several generations. He seemed to be able to control it. This is one way of trying to understand why Trujillo was in power and stayed in power for as long as he did. Diaz likens him to Sauron, who was like evil incarnate in the Lord of the Rings books.
This idea of Fuku can be connected from the landing of Columbus to Trujillo by the progression of evil that takes place. When Columbus lands he brings with him diseases and death, spread like magic throughout the DR. This evil is then maturing throughout the years and culuminates in Trujillo’s regime of terror. The only way for many to explain this is to credit it to the Fuku that has been causing evil ever since Columbus.
Lynn,
ReplyDeleteThat link about the fukú in the novel was interesting. It got a few things wrong: not having an accent on the second u, and I'm pretty sure Wao should be pronounced like "wow" not like "woe" but I'm not an expert.
I agree with not being able to really get a good grasp about the meaning of fukú. I definitely think part of that was growing up in a community that isn't overly or overtly superstitious. When we were trying to think of similar things to fukú in class that one day, I had a really hard time trying to think up American equivalents to it.
It's interesting that the fukú started with Columbus and moved on to Trujillo. I wonder if Dominicans now would say that the fukú is controlled by Leonel Fernandez, the current president. Or if it's not controlled by him, who do think is using it?