Bahá’í World/Volume 20/Melitón Saavedra Gallardo
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MELITON SAAVEDRA GALLARDO
1910—1988
Melitén Saavedra was born 15 March 1910 in the Village of T apalilla, located in the province of Oropeza, department of Chuquisaca, Bolivia. His native language was Quechua, but he learned a little Spanish while he was a soldier during the Chaco War (1932-1935). Mehton was a prisoner of war for two years in Paraguay. He and other indigenous people suffered intensely during this period, when they were forced to endure hard labor with only bread and water to eat. Meliton said that if it hadn’t been for his faith and God’s help he would surely have died during that time. He always wondered why one must suffer and even die for a piece of land that
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Melito'n Saavedra Gallardo
doesn’t belong to him. After Melitén was liberated he returned to Bolivia, settling in Sucre.
It was because of these experiences that Toribio Miranda, a wise man and spiritual leader of a large group of indigenous people known as “Alealdes Mayores Particulares,” chose Meliton to help him guide the people of indigenous Villages toward freedom and justice. They climbed to the top of the mountain, killed a rooster or a lamb as a sacrifice begging God (Janajpacha T atanchej), Father Sky, or Father Sun and Mother Earth (la Pachamama), that they be protected and blessed in their path. This deeply spiritual movement bridged five of the nine departments in Bolivia and gathered thousands of indigenous peoples who said they walked with the spirit The Quechua wordrthey used for spirit could also mean “to fly.” Their enemies used this double meaning to accuse them of flying as evil demons. The native authorities along with the department leaders in the capital didn’t understand them; they persecuted them, and to this day the names of the martyred are remembered.
THE Bahá’í WORLD
This group fervently recalled their former culture and also the promises and principles of their previous religion, such as (ama sua) do not steal, (ama llulla) do not lie, (ama qhella) be diligent in your work. These principles continued to inspire them. They still believed in the prophecies of Wiracocha, the Inca prophet, who spoke of His people’s return to their former greatness, and the return of the dignity of their race. Another prophecy they remembered said that a messenger would come from across the sea to instruct and protect them.
Meliton wanted to meet people of other nations so he joined a group of Protestants led by foreign missionaries. A short time later he was criticized for his ideas and ostracized. One night he had a dream in which many of his people wore their hair with yellow, black and white braids and he heard a voice that said, “Don’t feel sad, because I will send you a religion of unity.” Thus, when Meliton heard the Message of Baha’u’llah about unity of all the races as one family, and of His plan for world peace and justice for all the nations, he understood that his dream had been fulfilled. After three days of inquiry and discussion, he entered the Faith in July of 1960.
Soon after entering the Faith, Meliton arose to spread the Teachings of Baha’u’llah across the mountains and valleys of Chuquisaca, usually alone and on foot. For many years he and his wife Ricarda, later an Auxiliary Board member, opened their house in Sucre and it became a maj or teaching center for the next 28 years.
In 1962, the Central Union for Indigenous Peoples accused Meliton of confusing and misleading the people in various provinces with the Bahá’í teachings. Because of this he was held in jail for three days, once again on a diet of bread and water. During those days he was kicked and beaten. He suffered and lamented because of this unjust punishment, but he never lost faith. After several months of recuperation he began again walking through the mountains teaching the Faith
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IN MEMORIAM
and inviting the friends to his home, where they would deepen in the Faith each night.
In 1964, when Meliton heard that the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum would Visit Chuquisaca, he refrained from cultivating his parcel of land in order that a huge conference of indigenous people could be held there.
On one of his teaching trips to the mountains, Meliton rode in the back of a truck loaded with cement. The truck turned over, causing the bags of cembnt to fall on top of him and break his hip. From then on he had trouble walking and suffered great pain, but he continued travelling to teach in spite of his physical handicap. Melitén always had an illumined spirit, a love of God, and a desire to lead people toward their spiritual path. Along with the friends in Chuquisaca, he always wanted a center of education for indigenous people which he referred to as “The House which Illumines the World.” With this goal in mind, he and his family donated a piece of land and a bull to the National Spiritual Assembly.
Toward the end of his life, Meliton suffered from cancer, but he remained steadfast with an attitude of detachment and prayer because he knew he was nearing the Abba Kingdom. During the last few days of his life he asked that his Bahá’í credentials be sent to Sucre from La Paz, in case Bahá’u’lláh asked for them. The last day he ca11ed his family and told them to continue teaching in his name, that, against custom, no alcoholic beverages should be served at his funeral, that he be buried according to Bahá’í law, and that his Bahá’í credentials be buried with him. With steadfastness and serenity, in spite of great pain, Meliton passed to the next world on 6 October 1988. Playing a funeral march, veterans of the Chaco War accompanied the funeral procession through the streets of Sucre to the cemetery, where they bid him a soldier’s goodbye. After the Bahá’í funeral, our dear friend, Meliton, was given to the care of Baha’u’llah.
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When the Universal House of Justice heard of his passing, it sent the following message to Bolivia on 7 October:
DEEPLY SADDENED LEARN PASSING OUTSTANDING QUECHUAN PROMOTER FAITH MELITON SAAVEDRA OF CHUQUISACA. HIS STEADFASTNESS UNDER PERSECUTION HIS COURAGEOUS DEFENSE CAUSE OVER EXTENSIVE PERIOD OF SERVICE WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED. HIS ENCOURAGING INFLUENCE AMONG HIS FELLOW BELIEVERS WILL BE SORELY MISSED. KINDLY EXTEND OUR DEEP HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES GRIEVING FRIENDS AND MEMBERS HIS DISTINGUISHED MUCHLOVED FAMILY. ASSURE ALL OFFERING FERVENT PRAYERS FOR THE BOUNTIFUL REWARD COMFORT AND PROGRESS HIS SOUL KINGDOM ON HIGH.
Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih _Khanum and Counse11or Mas’ud Ishamsi sent the following cable:
...KINDLY EXPRESS TO HIS FAMILY OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY PASSING SUCH COURAGEOUS FAITHFUL BAHA’I TEACHER WHOM WE KNEW, TRAVELLED WITH AND LOVED FOR MANY YEARS. ASSUREDLY THIS EXEMPLARY SERVANT BAHA’U’LLAH RECEIVING RICH REWARDS HIS SERVICES ABHA KINGDOM. MAY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE OF SACRIFICIAL SERVICE TO FAITH. LOVING CONDOLENCES ENTIRE BOLIVIAN COMMUNITY LOSS THIS OUTSTANDING FOLLOWER BAHA’U’LLAH.
ATHOS COSTAS