Memory and and Symbolism in the MRTA's Urban Insurgency, 1982-89

This paper examines the semiotic dimensions of the armed conflict between the Peruvian state and the guerrilla group, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA). Tying together periodical sources, Truth Commission archives, and interviews of former insurgents and government officials, this project goes beyond the armed struggle to explore an equally powerful battle that took place over the symbols and meaning of peruanidad (Peruvianness). Throughout the insurgency, state and insurgent actors appropriated and re-appropriated historical figures, flags, dates, and anthems in an effort to legitimize their role as defenders of the Peruvian nation. In exploring the symbolic wars that accompany military combat, this study seeks to deepen our understanding of the relationship between culture, memory, and revolution.