By: Dr. Raúl Mendoza Rejón
English Version:
Mrs. Carol Nash
Revisión Técnica de la Versión en Ingles:
Lic. Frank A. Pool Cab E.D.
Coordinador de inglés de la Facultad de
Educación de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán.
The Maya as a people and as a culture did not vanish into space. They did not leave and go to Asia or anywhere, for that matter. They did leave the cultural religious centers and returned to small villages where they went on with life growing corn, squash, beans and other vegetables. They hunted deer, pheasants and wild turkey for meat and raised pigs and chickens.
After the Spanish Conquest of the Mayab, life for the individual Maya became increasingly difficult. The "White Spanish" were called "Ts'uul" and held a much higher station in life than the Maya who considered themselves to be Indians or "Máasewaal". This race distinction exists even today in the Mayab and has been the source of countless battles between the Maya and the "Whites". Even today the distinction is very evident.
The Maya felt persecuted by the Ts'uul, and history shows this to be true. The Ts'uul took land wherever they pleased and the Máasewaal in these areas were collected and put to work for little or no pay. The Ts'uul built plantations and factories exploiting the labor of the Maya masses. Spanish slavers hauled thousands of Maya to the mines in northern Mexico where most died. But, the struggle between the races was not merely manifested in forms of near slavery as this was only part of the problem. Besides bringing diseases from Spain that killed entire villages of the Maya, the whites built cities on top of sacred Maya Temples. They had no understanding of the spiritual life of the Maya. This became a problem that brought the Ts'uul and the Máasewaal to the point of bloodshed, on numerous occasions.
The Maya wanted to hold on to their culture. The culture and lifestyle that had sustained them for thousands of years. So many of the Maya moved away from the Ts'uul. Entire villages pick up and left the lands of their ancestors. As far away from the whites as they could get. They went into uninhabited parts of the jungle from Guatemala and Belize to the wilds of Chiapas and even into the southern remote lands of Quintana Roo. And there, in these places, they tried to live free from the ever changing world of the Ts'uul.
David L. Smedley Calvert,
Valladolid, Yucatan, 2000
C H A P T E R :
Chapter 1 The Encounter
Chapter 2 Childbirth
Chapter 3 The Town
Chapter 4 The Capture
Chapter 5 Jacinto
Chapter 6 Escape and Sacrifice
Chapter 7 Black Small Pox
Chapter 8 Trip to Belize
Chapter 9 Hunting
Chapter 10 Jacinto and Lola
Chapter 11 Return from Belize
Chapter 12 Day of the holy cross
Chapter 13 The rural teacher
Chapter 14 Trip to Tok'tuunich
Chapter 15 Arriving in the village
Chapter 16 Return to Tok'tuunich
Chapter 17 Chucbac
Chapter 18 Winds of rebellion
Chapter 19 Leonor and Marcelo
Chapter 20 The wedding
Chapter 21 The Jaguar
Chapter 22 Tuluum
Chapter 23 Life and Death
Chapter 24 Presidential Trip
Chapter 25 Cupul Flies
Chapter 26 Medical Brigade
Chapter 27 Tzaab-Kaan
Chapter 28 Credit Bank
Chapter 29 The Highway
Chapter 30 MariJuana
Chapter 31 Elections
Chapter 32 Epilogue
Vocabulary Maya
Appended: History of Cupuls
CHAPTER 1
Index
THE ENCOUNTER
JUNE 1910
Damian Barrera stopped suddenly, instinctively putting his right index finger on the trigger of his '30 - 30', his companions two steps behind him stopped, staring down the path, more or less mecate ahead.
Alert and surprised, they watched an Indian coming out of a side path carrying a wild pig in his 'mecapal'
When the máasewaál sensed the presence of the three 'ts´uulo´ob, he was paralyzed in surprise for an instant, which seemed like forever. The expectation was mutual until Damian reacted, slowly advancing toward the unmoving Indian, who was looking at him without any expression.
'Don’t be alarmed' - he spoke in the Maya language when he saw the máasewa´al´s expression change slightly.
'We won’t hurt you' - a slight pause to see an answer and he went on - we’re lost and we only want to know where we are going.
Silvano Ek, the 'máasewáal', slowly recovering from his surprise, didn’t answer. It had been a long time since he had seen a ts´uulo´ob, longer than he could remember.
In that moment, he was thinking of his home, of his wife who the night before had back pains, he was worried that the birth would be early, although according to her, it wouldn’t be until the moon was full.
He was sorry that he had come to the ' milpa'.
That was what he was thinking about when he was surprised by the presence of the ts´uulo´ob. His surprise turned to fear when he saw the nearest, of them touch the trigger of his carbine.
He was defenseless; his shotgun wasn’t loaded. When Damian Barrera lowered the barrel of the ' 30 - 30 ' toward the ground, Silvano relaxed a little; the words in Maya relaxed him even more; he tried to put his ideas in order before answering. Who were they? What were they doing in these parts so far from their towns? The farthest that the ts´uulo´ob ever ventured was to X-ho´otsúuk to sell their merchandise... but these men were many ' leagues ' from there. What were they doing? .
No ' Ts'uul' had never set foot in his town, and these men, he thought, wouldn’t either.
This is the road to Chuun-x- ya'axche and Chuun-oon, answered Silvano, measuring his words precisely-if you are going to Chuun-oon, you have to go south on a side path a quarter of a league ahead, if you want to go to Chuun-x- ya'axche, you should head toward the east and walk several leagues, Chuum-Poom is farther toward the coast.
Well-answered Barrera- where are you from? Silvano answered - from Chum-yaxché. Barrera was leery. When the Indian was talking, he watched him carefully trying to sense some sign in him that would reveal whether he was lying. He didn’t sense anything and relaxed.
Carlos- he said speaking in Spanish to his companion immediately behind him- we will have to walk a lot to get to this town to the east,' What do you think? ...And you Miguel? - He said to his other companion.
We have no choice- answered Carlos- Chuum-Poom is too far, I think. I have been told that it is close to the coast, to Tulu´um. Chum-yaxché must be on this side - at least three or four leagues closer than Chuum-Poom.
You’re right, Carlos- agreed Miguel entering the conversation, - we are worn out, and we don't have any supplies; we won’t make it to the coast. Lets take advantage of this Indian; let him take us to his town and let God decide, maybe when they see that we didn’t kill this guy they wont hurt us.
Silvano listened to the conversation in Spanish without understanding what they were saying. He watched their gestures trying to guess their thoughts. He imagined what they were saying by the names Tulu´um, Chuun-oon, Chuum-Poom and Chum-yaxché. What were they talking about? Would he be able to trick them? If they continued south, they would arrive at his town, Tok'tuunich. He noticed that he was still carrying the wild pig on his shoulder, he let it slip to the side. The movement called the three white men’s attention to him. He put his shotgun on top of the animal.
Look "friend" - said Damian Barrera in Maya- we want to go to the coast, to Chuum-Poom or Tulu´um, but we’re very tired. We’ve been in the woods almost five days; take us to your town and we will pay you well, if they sell us a few supplies, we’ll go on our way without bothering you anymore. What do you say?
Silvano understood right away that they didn’t trust him.
If he went with them, they would discover his trick and they would kill him for sure. His mind worked dizzily.
Damian and his companions were expecting an answer.
Ok- answered the máasewáal, trying to look calm,-I’m going to my 'milpa' is 10 mecates from here.
Damian knew it was a lie. The Indian was trying to escape from them.
I’ll go with you- he said imperatively. Silvano Ek got a little pale. He had been discovered.
He turned his back scornfully and, followed by Barrera, went into the woods on a path...' What to do?'- He thought. The only thing he could do was to escape at the first opportunity, and run in the brush and risk getting a shot in the back.
What else could he do ? -He was sure they would kill him anyway.
He had tried to trick them. Damian advanced two or three meters behind the máasewaál. ' Wouldn’t he have companions in the milpa ', he thought.
When Silvano jumped to one side of the path and ran as fast as he could, Barrera raised his '30-30', aiming at him, but he didn’t fire. Slowly he lowered the barrel of his rifle and retraced his steps. He had nothing to gain, he thought, in killing this poor devil, he was either scared to death or stupid to risk his life by running like that.
When he came back to the path, Carlos and Miguel were lying on the ground waiting for him. They were surprised to see him alone, where was the Indian? - Before they asked, Damian told them.
That son of a bitch was trying to pull a fast one, I could have killed him like a dog, but what good would that do? We’ll go on take the cut off to the east, and let God decide, but you can be sure that we have a long journey ahead of us before we get to our destination. That is, if this Indian and his friends don’t kill us. I’m sure they’ll be waiting for us. We'd better get going.
The three picked up their gear, and took up the march, with renewed energy in the face of the imminent danger that they would be in if they stayed in this place. They picked up the shotgun to unload it, put it back where it was and took a leg of the wild pig that still lay in the path for supplies. In a few minutes, they were far away from there
Meanwhile the máasewáal ran desperately toward his town to report the presence of the ts´uulo´ob who, at the same time were pushing themselves on their own way.
The three advanced, showing signs of complete exhaustion, but determined to get as fast and as far away as possible from the site of the encounter.
Where would this path take them? To Chum-poom? To Chuun-x- ya'axche? Or to another town unknown to white men, their faces drawn, with several days growth of beard, their eyes irritated from lack of sleep, their expression somewhat indifferent, didn't reveal their greatest fear:-What waited for them in that inhospitable jungle ?
Days before in their native city, the now far away Zací, they had seen many of their companions fall in the cross fire of the guns with which the government forces displaced them in a brief but furious combat where many of them, young boys without any experience with weapons, had tried to resist from the palace, the churches, mansions and improvised trenches.
The movement had failed and the effort to liberate themselves from the tyranny and oppression of the government of General Diaz was aborted
Tears of anger and pain escaped from the eyes of Damian Barrera at the memory of is companions and family fallen in the heat of the battle. The memories passed though his fever brightened mind, from the beginning to the end - when they had to flee precipitately. What would be of their wives and their children? Would the government forces be capable of taking revenge on them and on his aged father? What would be of the others?
When the Indian started his desperate run, trying to escape from the ts'uul, he had the sensation that from his first steps, he would get a bullet in the back. He advanced, desperately zigzagging and stooping down to avoid it. The vines and branches whipped him and scratched his face and arms, but he didn't slow down; not even for one second.
Those first seconds seemed like a century. Soon he knew that he was out of reach of the his oppressors' carbines and stopped, out of breath to listen.- absolute silence- not even the natural noises of the jungle- why hadn't the man shot him ? He had time to get off at least two or three shots? Had he been overconfident? Had he been surprised by Silvano's escape? He couldn't explain these things.
Completely recovered from his run and from the excitement, he turned toward his town, advancing in the brush. He was sure that those strangers had followed the road that he had indicated, and that he could go back to his path; but he did not want to run the risk of another encounter.
He was advancing as fast as the jungle let him with just one thought in mind - to warn the 'báatab', who would certainly order the intruders to be hunted down.
One hour later, Silvano Ek interrupted the silence of the town and ran quickly though the streets to the square where the main house was.
The '' Báatab '' listened to Silvano's excited report while some of his closest allies gathered at the door. When Silvano finished, the chief ordered:
Go home right away, your wife is in labor. You will stay at her side while some of us go out to receive or hunt down these ts'uulo'ob.
I would like to go with you' babbled Silvano.
I understand how you feel, but you family is first, and besides you must be worn out from your run. We will leave on a forced march to see if we can catch them before they get to Chuum-Poom, if that's the road they took.'
In a few seconds the chief's lieutenant had gathered a dozen of Indians armed with rifles and machetes and with provisions for the journey.
Behind them two men would follow with pack mules, carrying everything necessary for a three or four day march. The group left while Silvano turned toward his hut to see his wife.
CHAPTER II
Index
CHILDBIRTH
When Silvano came to his yard he stopped for a second, trying to listen; the door was closed, so he went around the back and jumping over the stone fence, he entered the house from behind.
While his eyes became accustomed to the half-light, he closed the door. He smelled the strong aroma of incense.
A new- born baby's cry pulled his attention toward a corner. In the light of a candle he could discern the mid-wife sitting on a stool. She was tying off the umbilical cord with of string of henequen threaded by hand.
He watched how she carefully cut the cord with a knife and cauterized it with the candle flame. His wife watched. She looked exhausted and pale but she had an expression of peace and satisfaction. As his vision cleared, he could discern the details better. His mother-in-law was picking up the clothes and utensils used in the delivery.
His questioning look had an answer from the mid-wife.
"It's a boy, Don Silvano; he was born a moment ago; he didn't give us much trouble".
Silvano Ek didn't answer. His thoughts flew to the memory of that fortuitous encounter, only a few hours before. He was thinking of how only fate had permitted him to see his son, the ts'uulo'ob could have killed him easily.
His name will be Jacinto in memory of that great chief that had led his grandfather during the war against the ts'uulo'ob, he and that group of his people whose descendants founded this town.
He remembered that only a few years before his father had fallen in the last of the barricades built six leagues from Chan Santa Cruz. He remembered his last words, when, with his guts torn up by the gunshots, he told him:
"It's useless to fight, Silvano, it's not like it was when we first fought with the ts'uulo'ob anymore. We can't stop these soldiers with their repeating rifles and cannons that blow our fox-holes apart. In a question of days, our sanctuary will fall. Chan Santa Cruz.- Get back to our town as quick as you can. Take your mother and little brothers and go south, beyond Rio Hondo. There are our people who didn't want to fight back before you were born.
They were right, we will never be able to beat the ts'uulo'ob.
When your grandfather died, in the last stronghold at X-ho'otsúuk, when l was just a boy- continued saying his father- he told me that same thing that I am telling you today. We are almost finished from so many years of fighting at a disadvantage. Escape to the south, you will leave this land which we have defended with the last drop of our blood; it hurts, but you will be able to live with dignity and be free".
Silvano remembered all that in the moment of the birth of his first born son and he remembered how his people had disbanded when his father died.
Chapter III
Index
THE TOWN
Since its foundation, Tok'tuunich had not changed and in two generations, scarcely a few gardens augmented around the first ones.
In the center of the town, around the cenote there was a small square; which covered more or less ten "mecates. The cenote was the only water source to the entire population; it was extremely beautiful since a part of the root vault had fallen in to permit all the beauty of the cavity to be appreciated.
There were several stalactites of different shapes and sizes hanging from the vault. In the late afternoon, the rays of the sun lighted it indirectly; drawing capricious effects on the opposite wall. The water was clean and crystal clear and number of fish could be seen from the edge. It had been protected by a stone wall whose parts had been glued together with resin as firm as the solid rock. For two generations the Eks and the rest of the group who founded the village cleaned their yards, weeded their streets, planted their gardens, and raised their domestic animals in the most complete isolation. In each yard, there were generally two or three thatched roof huts with mud walls capriciously distributed, with the biggest or main one at the edge of the yard, in front of the street. This was used as a living room and bedroom. The second generally smaller was used as a kitchen and the third was used as storage to put up the corn harvest. In all the yards there were pigs, chickens, turkeys, dogs and occasionally domesticated animals like "kitam" the "k’ulub" the " baack" the "kaambul, the "killí" and others. Some yards had rustic fences to pen in the pigs or hen houses of sticks and palms to protect the animals from the "chomac " or the "ooch".
In all of them, near the main house, in the " ka’anche"in kinds of rustic planter made of palm and dirt, a meter or a meter and a half in height, they cultivated mainly citanther, chile peppers, epazote, oregano and yerbabuena.
For two generations, they slashed and burned to make their milpas and the population grew until it doubled its number.
Their fertile soil provided harvests, which, if they were not abundant, were at least sufficient to support their simple life- style.
So they multiplied and lived in peace and tranquility with their brothers, who had formed, just like them, small villages in the heart of the eastern jungle. No white man had ever stepped in their village and many of them had never seen even one in their lives.
The news of those three ts'uulo'ob coming near; flew like dust in the village. As the fist-full of men left the main square to go after them the old men revived the oral tradition, telling many things that had been forgotten: the struggles, the escapes, pains, and unsatisfied hates in that blood bath between the ts'uulo'ob and máasewaálo'ob.
That night, Silvano, like the others, around the heat of the hearth fire told his friends and family about his encounter with those white men. Most of them accepted his version. Everyone coincided that it was a miracle that they hadn't killed him. While the murmur of the conversation prolonged into the wee hours of the morning, in the interior of the hut, the newborn clung to his mother's breast as the people clung to the land of their ancestors.
Jacinto was the fourth child of Maria Cohuó, except that only one of her daughters survived and now was six years old. Her other children had died, one at birth, and the other in the first year of life of some sickness. It had been more than three years since Maria had gotten pregnant. She had been afraid of not being able to have more children when she got pregnant with Jacinto. From the first she wanted in to be a boy - because who would help her husband in his labors in the milpa when the years passed? Besides she knew that he desired a son because he was the last of the Eks of Tok'tuunich. Maria fervently gave thanks to God as her painful breasts nourished her newborn baby.
Chapter IV
Index
THE CAPTURE
Damian Barrera and his companion were extremely exhausted.
How many hours had gone by since the encounter with the máasewáal?
- Let's stop a minute to rest, he told his companions- lets gather some dry branches to roast a piece of the wild pig-.
- We have to keep up our strength because if we don't we won't be able to go on. Besides l think we're out of danger for the moment. Anyway we'll have our weapons ready-
A few moments later, on the coals, on a grill of green branches, the wild pig was roasting. They ate it as it cooked.
Damian- said Miguel - we have to rest. If we don't, we'll never make it. Besides, the companions of that damned Indian are going to reach us, they're going to do it sooner or later, and if they want to kill us they will. So let's rest like we should it would be better. -
-Ok Miguel, but one of us will stand guard while the others sleep. If they kill us it won't be like dogs. I'll take the second watch call me in an hour. -
Carlos and Miguel slept soundly while Damian struggled with the stupor produced by fatigue, heat, and the food. He covered his watch, thinking about what the meeting with the chief of Chuum- Poom, Kitak would be like, that is if they made it to him. He remembered his father. As in a dream, he imagined the scene that his father told about so many times. The hand to hand fighting, sword against machete, the badly wounded Indian that his father picked up rather than kill, his convalescence in prison his freedom on the promise to work in the hacienda and finally when he let him go back to his people.
How many years ago was that? 30 or 40? He could not he exact. He took out of a soft-skin bag, among some gold coins; it was a carved earring of those that the southerners used. He examined it carefully. He should give it to Ki'tuk personally, or to his son if he wasn't alive. His father had told him how careful he should be with him.That earring was his salvation, also the salvation of his friends.
That's what he hoped. A few instants later, a noise in the brush startled him. He didn't have time to pick up his rifle. A máasewaál aimed his weapon at him while others surrounded the group.
Damian didn't make the slightest movement, showing a calm he didn't feel; he spoke to his sleeping companions.
Carlos- Miguel- he said in Maya intentionally, - wake up, we have company.
The two woke up startled, controlling themselves they got up slowly.
Damian said to them in Spanish- Don't try to take your weapons because they will fill us with bullets and chop us up- turning to the máasewáalo'ob- he said.
We want to go to Chuum-Poom. We are acquaintances of the leader Ki' tuk, he spoke calmly with certain authority to impress them.
I have a message to deliver to him personally. I am asking you to take me to him. I will reward you for your services.
After a pause the answer was- Who are you to dare to come here? Don' t you know that this territory is ours and no white man can penetrate our lands? This will cost you.
Damian interrupted energetically- " We didn’t come to fight. We came to see Ki'tuk and if you don't lead us to him you will awake his anger.
Another pause and the máasewaál answered. -" Chuum-Poom is six leagues from here,"- said the "báatab" of Tok'tuunich, it was he who spoke.
It doesn't matter; we will rest today and make the journey tomorrow- Damian answered.
The "Báatab" of Tok'tuunich moved a way with some of his men, and after a few seconds of exchanging words, he returned.
Ok- he said to Damian-but if you have lied to us, I would kill you myself with my machete-.
Without saying another word, he turned his back while his men picked up the weapons of the three ts'uulo'ob.
The night seemed endless. They slept fitfully under the vigilance of the máasewáalo'ob.
The next day, in the early morning, they left for Chuum-Poom. It was a long and tiring journey in permanent silence.
From the out-skirts of the village, the Indians came out of the yards, the children ran along side the small column of men until they came to the house of the chief. They stopped at the door.
Damian observed the construction built in front of the plaza where a couple of armed young men stood guard. That must be the church, the house of the talking cross of "Chuum-Poom.
Although Barrera feared this moment since he left Valladolid, a surprising calm invaded him, and his serene attitude gave his companions confidence. What was happening in the minds of those Indians and of his people? -In one more moment he would know his fate- the security of an inaccessible refuge in the jungle or death by machete or the banderillas. A chill ran through his being at this last thought. A few minutes later they were in front of the chief's house. While they waited for the chief to come out he glanced at the rough faces and aggressive looks of his captors. Everyone in town was at the main square in front of the house and the murmur of their conversations came vaguely to his ears. A máasewaál of enviable complexion opened a path through the multitude followed by two or three of the elders. It was the hour of sun going down to the horizon.
The silence was broken by the clear firm voice of the báatab who spoke to them in the Maya tongue.
You speak our language-without waiting for an answer he continued -who are you who so fearlessly has come to us? You are the first ts'uulo'ob to set foot here you won't live to tell it. The pitch of his voice did not change at pronouncing the last phrase.
Barrera answered with precision of one who has thought over his words many times.
You are the lord of this village, you must be for the way in which you have spoken-your name is well-know, even to far away Zací where we come escaping from. Let me tell you why.
Barrera told the chief the happenings of the last days, its cause, and its purposes. While he spoke, he observed the reactions and interest of the group.
And if you doubt my word, I would like to show you this- he expressed at the same time that he took from his pants pocket, a pig skin bag from which he took an ear-ring of pure gold, preciously worked.
-My father gave me this and he told me to look for you, wherever you were.
He told me that he was sure that you would let us live until we could return to our people-
Kituk took the jewel and contemplated it attentively. A few seconds of silence and instants of abstraction made the people there understand that his thoughts regressed to whom knows when and where. Seconds that seemed like centuries later, he said to his followers.
- Give food and shelter to these men. We will convoke our counsel later-.
Damian Barrera and his companions were led through the group that silently opened to let them through.
Behind them, the eyes of the báatab showed his abstraction while his companions looked at him. The thoughts of the báatab receded many years back. That night he spoke before the counsel.
" When I was a young boy, I remember very well, my father left the hut telling my mother to gather the few belongings and the animals and to go into the woods walking into the sun. It was scarcely dawn and we got into movement, frightened but without desperation, like we had done so many other times. Soon we were together with the old people, women and children, and in a short time we lost ourselves in the jungle I remember well, I will never forget the group of "ts'uulo'ob" was coming in forced march to our village. In a few minutes, we heard in the distance, to the west, the rifle fire, gun shots that a few minutes later stopped. We were afraid as so many other times we were. And all the women, although nobody said anything, expressed the anguish and the fear of never seeing their men again.
We didn't stop the march until mid -day and after a short rest we went on now with the sun at our backs in the evening we arrived at the shelter, a hut abandoned in the thick. clamps of ramon trees.
The men didn't arrive until late at night many of them with wounds from bullets or bayonets, or swords. Some walking, some in " carts." My father didn't return, and my mother said they saw him fell in the hand to hand fight, but nobody could tell her if he was still alive.
Many moons passed, until one day, when everybody in our town had given him up for dead, my father appeared, skinny and exhausted.
It was a surprise for everybody and a great rejoicing because he was one of the chiefs of the village. My father was the second in command, if the "báatab died, the command would fall to my father.
Everyone was happy and a great feast was prepared to celebrate his return. And hugging his feet, I listened to the story of how he had been saved.
He was picked up wounded and as a prisoner, he was taken to Zací where he stayed while, waiting his fate. The father of this man that you have seen set him free, and in gratitude he left him this earring, symbol of his rank. He told about the combat, and when Ts’uul had my father at his mercy, he didn't finish him off, later that man let him go. The " báatab " asked- Is it just that now we kill the son of that man ?... after some moments of meditation pronounced sentence
-He will live among as, he will live with his companions, the condition will be that they won't be able to leave the village, they will be killed if they try, we can not take any risks, nor can we change our laws-.
That same night Barrera and his companions appeared before the báatab , who explained their situation.
And they were given land and wives to form families and from then on they lived in the village.
CHAPTER V
Index
JACINTO
Silvano Ek and Maria Cohuó were happy with the birth of Jacinto. The baby was robust and Maria's painful breast could hardly keep him satisfied.
In a few days Maria went back to her house-work fully except for washing the clothes, since, according to the mid-wife, the cold water could "dry up the milk" or produce " cramps"
The old mid-wife washed the clothes of newborn and of his mother. She also prepared plenty of atole and other "hot" drinks to produce sufficient breast milk. The first day, Maria only had chicken broth, but not the meat, because that too could cause cramps.
When the "tuuch" dried up and fell off, Maria could take other nourishment and " wild animal's meat.
Silvano satisfied with his male-child, began the preparative for the baptism, which will take place at the " church" of Chuum-Poom. For this, the "baalche" the turkeys for the "piib" had to be prepared, and if possible some bottles of x-táabentun should be obtained to give to the women.
Who would be Jacinto's godfather? ...
the curse had been broken, since he had a son after having two daughters.
Jose Chuc, the godfather of his second daughter who had died a few years back, was his best friend and faithful companion.
Together the two of them had shared joys and pains.
His character and temple would be a good example for his son. Jose Chuc would be Jacinto's godfather , he would teach him many things when he became a young boy.
Jose Chuc accepted gladly Silvano's offer and together they began the preparations for the baptism that would be in Chuum-Poom, the most important church in the zone.
They would travel before hand to make arrangements with the priest and the chief Kituk.
Silvano wondered what would be of those white men who had sought refuge there a few days after Jacinto's birth? Surely he would speak with them again, and maybe they could explain to him why they hadn't killed him.
The grain on the corncobs was dry now. The days of the new atole and the "is-waaj" and the tamales of new corn had passed. The corn stalks had been bent, the shed was ready to store the harvest, the corn both for food staple and that which would be used for seed the next year.
Now he could make the trip to Chuum-Poom to prepare the baptism. It would be after the cabañuelas that was after the full moon of the new year.
Silvano and Maria Jose Chuc and his wife, Jacinto’s sister, family members, the most important friends and the authorities of Tok'tuunich marched to Chuum-Poom, after the new-year's day.
There was an almost full moon on the horizon to the west when they went out of the village. It wasn't so early, but the sun didn't even come out completely when it was full daylight, and there was some fear that a cloud burst could take them by surprise because it was the month of the cabañuelas.
It was cold, but a few minutes after beginning the march, the mules as well as their masters had warmed-up. It was nice weather for traveling.
The tiny Jacinto slept bundled up, and covered with Maria's rebozo. The march went without incidents, except for an hour of rest at mid-day to eat and let the heat of the sun pass over their heads, without any hurry because of the little ones who went mounted with their mothers. Long before sunset they entered Chuum-poom, then they separated, looking for hospitality with their friends.
José Chuc and Silvano had gone to Chuum-Poom during the last moon. After greeting some friends, they went to the church, permanently watched over by guards armed with rifles. They took off the "xana-keuelob" and with profound respect and in silence, barefooted they entered in to the hut, where behind a division, was one of the sacred "crosses". The "cross" of Chuum-Poom. With great devotion, they kneeled and whispered their prayer, just as they had done for three generations, their fathers and the fathers of their fathers.
In the half- light, the silence and the aroma of the "copal " that they burned along with the smoke of the candles that they offered, gave a feeling of submission, and gratitude and respect to the only God of their people represented by the cross hidden behind the rustic enclosure.
After their visit to the church, they went to the house of the chief and authority Ki'tuk, to whom they presented their respects and asked for his authorization for the visit and the baptism, a routine for his which approval was taken for granted.
The commander Ki'tuk, sitting on an old trunk was removing the grain from the corn cobs from the last year's harvest with his family, because the corn from the last harvest should be stored when the existing storage was exhausted. When Silvano and Jose came in, he gave them a friendly look, and smiled at them. The women and children hardly even lifted their heads and went on with their work.
-Good day, commander Ki'tuk. May God , preserve you and the holy cross protect you.- Silvano put his hand into his " sabucan" and took out a packet of tobacco and a bottle of anis which he respectfully offered to the chief.
-Allow me to offer you these modest gifts as a token of friendship and good will and respect-
- Thanks for the gifts, brothers from Tok'tuunich. my thought is that your families are in the grace of our Lord in good health and prosperity-to what do we owe the visit of the Ek's to our village? -
-My "compadre" is of the Chuc family and, I; sir, am Silvano, the eldest of the Eks of Tok'tuunich-
After a very brief pause, he continued -we have come to you to baptize my first son and to ask you, also the leaders of the village, to honor us with your presence at the ceremony, which will be, with your permission, after the full moon-
-It will be as you desire and arrange with the priest of the village. You should be in agreement with him for everything that will be necessary-he answered and getting up, invited the visitors to come into the main room, speaking with everyone about matters of common interest. An hour later more or less Silvano and Jose left slightly under the effects of x-taabentun that they had been drinking during the conversation.
He will be baptized as we had planned. We will rest for today, and the day after tomorrow, we will return to Tok'tuunich-said Silvano.
Compadre -said Jose- before that, let's go to visit our friends. Maybe they would like to share a bottle with us.
-Where will we get it?-
-I have it here, in reserve, compadre- and smiling cunningly, he pointed to the bag where he carried his clothes. The compadres went to the house of a friend, where they went on drinking.
Damian Barrera noticed the presence of Silvano and Jose. He tried to remember, because Silvano's face seemed familiar. Suddenly, everything was perfectly clear. He was the máasewáal of the encounter who had led them away from his town, and nevertheless, had showed them the way, involuntarily but directly to their destination. Thanks to him, they could reach Ki'tuk, their goal since they had left Zací. He saw him with Jose when they had gone to the church and later leaving the house of the chief. Since then something made him keep track of them.
When he saw them drinking alcohol with their friends he prudently went back to his house. He knew about the spite and hate that had accumulated against the white man, and he, after all should be prudent with this máasewáal that he had had in the sights of his "30-30". The next day, when they were still recovering from their binge, he saw them again, in the little square. Then his glance briefly crossed with Silvano’s.
It was a quick but significant glance. As he was going away, Barrrera heard foot-steps behind him and looking around, he recognized Silvano. He stopped because he understood that Silvano wanted to talk to him. When he was close, and after they both stopped, they looked unblinking at one another until Barrera broke the silence as he had done the time on the path of the encounter, on the evening before the birth of Jacinto.
-Do you wish to speak to me?-
-I know that you were accepted here in Chuum-poom answered Silvano. Besides Vega, who is one of us because he lived here since he was a boy, I don't remember any other ts'uulo'ob living here among our people. Baatab Kituk must have had a very powerful reason to accept you. If he was done it, it is well done. I only want you to tell me why you didn't kill me back there at our first encounter.-
-We aren't killers, we do not kill for the sake of killing, neither you nor our own people. If we have killed it is because we, like you, do not accept injustice or slavery. That's why we fought in Zaci, and that's why we escaped, since the government forces defeated us.
I didn’t have anything against you then, neither I do now. On the contrary, if you people hadn't accepted us, we would have been dead now one way or another.
Silvano listened attentively as he had done on the other occasion, at their first encounter.
-Some time if God is willing - he answered - we can talk more,- without waiting for an answer, he turned his back and broke off the conversation, walking away from Barrera.
Damian thought about the man's motives for wanting to know why he hadn't fired. Perhaps some other time everything would be cleared up between them.
The three ts'ulo'ob saw the group come in, and they heard about the party and the baptism, that would be the next day. Their wives informed them that they too would participate in the ritual with the other women of the town. It would be a happening, according to what they said.
There would be plenty of turkey and pigs to be used for the piib, honey anis for everybody, and without fail, of course the baalche.
The next day, the interior of the church was completely occupied by the families of Tok'tuunich and by the people of Chuum-Poom.
The religious songs had finished and the assistant of the maasewaal priest burned the incense, its aroma saturated the interior of the big hut when Jacinto was taken in front of the priest who practiced the ritual with great devotion.
Only the voice of the maasewaal priest could be heard speaking in the Maya language sprinkled with words of the sacred scriptures in Spanish. When he received the baptismal waters, Jacinto whimpered a little. His mother, filling his mouth with her maternal nipple when the ceremony ended quieted his cry.
After a few complementary prayers, everybody or almost everybody, left slowly, and went to the house where they would celebrate the new Christian.
Damian, Miguel and Carlos, the tsu'ulo'ob were discreetly leaving with their families when Silvano approached them and said.
-Today is a day of rejoicing for my wife and my family and my friends. It is the will of God that I could see this son of mine. All of the village will accompany us to celebrate it, and you are now a part of the village. If you wish, you can go, or let your wives go.-
Before the answer, he turned and looked at his wife and son, and the group that was leaving.-I think- said Damian - that we shouldn't pass up this invitation -and he added - we wouldn't want them to take it as an insult. We should let them think that we are assimilated. We shouldn't miss the opportunity-what do you think?.
Carlos nodded his head as Miguel said- besides, we don't always get a chance to eat " reline Negro " or drink a good anis, let's celebrate with them, but just this, let's be careful not to get drunk, some bad feelings could come to the surface. We should leave right before the spirits heat up from the x-taabentun.
Let's go to the "xunan," we really deserve it, for holding out all this time.
The women made tortillas in groups of two or three around the "comal" scattered around the yard, under the fullest trees. The men dug up the turkeys placed in piib since the night before.
The bottles of x-tabentun and the gourds of baalche were uncorked and shared among the groups that had formed in animated conversation.
The three ts' uulo'ob talked, sitting on small treetrunks while their wives participated in the making of tortillas with rest of the women.
Silvano approached them with a bottle of x-tabentun offering it to them, while in the other hand he held a jicara with " baalche," - l like it better because x-tabentun has a bad effect on me.-
Don Silvano- said Damian- -we want to thank you for your invitation. If you would like to drink with us in honor of you newly baptized son, it would be true pleasure.-
n spite of his stern expression, Silvano couldn't avoid a spark in his eyes, that was caught by the ts'uulo'ob.
- Later, because l have to see to my companions and friends.. -. the three ts'uulo'ob exchanged knowing glances. By mid afternoon, the liquor began to have its effect. The groups raised their voices. It sounded like arguments were breaking out, so the three ts'uulo'ob prudently agreed to retire discreetly from the party. In the early hours of the night, Damian , in his hammock, heard the not far away shouts of joy at the celebration of the birth of Jacinto.
CHAPTER VI
Index
ESCAPE AND SACRIFICE
Many months had passed from the time the tsu’ulo’ob arrived in Chuum-Poom, days after the rebellion of Valladolid on June 4, 1910, until the retreat of General Bravo from Santa Cruz, when the Revolution government ordered its evacuation and it was handed over to the Cruzo’ob. When the ts'uulo'ob heard, they desired ardently to return to their homes in Valladolid. During all this time, the white men worked in their fields and participated in all of the activities of the village, except in the ¨safeguard¨ of the ¨church¨ since they were excluded because of a religious taboo. No white man could be worthy to be a custodian of the ¨sanctuary¨ of the Talking Cross.
Miguel and Carlos had children with their máasewáal wives, but not so Damian Barrera whose mate had not conceived. Ki'tuk, from the beginning, had placed a tight watch over their movements, in the village as well as in their milpas and they never had at their disposition, the weapons which had been taken away from them when they were captured. They only ate meat like venison, wild pig, turkey or pheasant when they took part in the ¨puuj¨as beaters or when a family member of their wives was paid for some game animal.
The vigilance became even stricter when Ki’tuk heard that ts'uulo'ob had abandoned Santa Cruz. He suspected and intuitively knew the thoughts of the three ts’uulo’ob and their desire to return to their homes. He placed them under extremely tight surveillance and the towns of the area were put on alert and instructed to kill them if they escaped from the town. Ki'tuk and the other Maya chiefs decided, not to go back to Santa Cruz. El Baalam-naj had been spoiled and desecrated. After that it had served as a prison, and many prisoners had been killed inside of it. It was said that the ¨Cross¨ would never go back there.
Besides, everybody agreed that only the inaccessible jungle could give security, isolation and opportunity to go on being independent of the government of the ts’uulo’ob.
Commander May and the other chiefs already were making deals to exploit the chicle and lumber with the ts’uulo’ob. They were considered traitors by Ki'tuk and the other chiefs. It will cost them a lot someday - They thought.
While the days passed, Damian was developing a plan to return to Zaci.
Whenever he had an opportunity, he would analyze the options and difficulties, as well as the possibility of making a successful escape from Chuum poom.
Carlos wasn't very enthusiastic about the plan. He, even frankly declared that he would stay with his wife. They were very fond of one another, and she was expecting another baby, However, he offered his help although he asked for absolute carefulness; he reminded them that if they were discovered, they would be killed without remedy, also she was sure that because of his wife's family and his loyalty to the village that they wouldn't kill him.
More than two years had passed since their arrival in Chuum-poom when they found themselves together in the little square of the town sitting in the light of the full moon.
I believe-said Barrera- -that we can not put off our departure. The rumors are confirmed; the revolution is within the government, we can go back to our families .
We have to go back to our people, at least I will run the risk. Tell me, Miguel, will you go with me ?
- I'm with you compadre, he answered .
-I won't go-put in Carlos- I have thought about it a thousand times. Here, I have peace and tranquility that I have never had, I could never abandon my pregnant wife and my unborn son. -I know that I am running a great risk- he continued- but I think I'll make it. I believe that you two are running a greater risk. I don't see many chances that you will be able to escape.
-Which way will you go? - toward Valladolid you will have to get by Tok’tuunich and Ti ho suco and other towns, toward Santa Cruz you won't stand a chance, you would have to go Chetumal, I don't see how - but it is decided, and may God be with you.
We will go directly to Valladolid, but we will avoid the most used paths. If we, make it to Ti ho suco, we will be safe- said Damian. -and with what weapons will you survive? - you won't be able to get enough food without a shot gun at least- said Carlos.
We will have to depend on Vega -interrupted Damian- I'll ask him for his shot gun and we will stage a robbery so they won't accuse him of being an accomplice -it is our only chance of getting a weapon-.
Carlos kept silent while Miguel and Damian went over the details.
They would accumulate supplies and water in the milpa. An old carbide lamp would be very useful during the first night of their escape, their old boots would last two or three days at least.
And so they revised the whole plan a thousand times. days later, on a very dark night after sunset Damian and Miguel sneaked toward their milpa. Later, their wives, afraid because of their absence went to Carlos house. They were surprised to find him alone, because the three were always together. Carlos informed them of the situation and convinced them of the need for silence for as long as possible. They would tell the "baatab" that they had thought that their husband were getting drunk in Carlos house. So it would look like they didn't know anything. Carlos couldn't get to sleep during the first hours. He imagined his friends in their desperate escape toward far away Zaci.
He guessed at their anguish, the crazy race against time, their advance in the dark and the thousand dangers around them. Almost at dawn, he fell asleep.
When he woke up, a group of guards armed with rifles and machetes was next to his hammock.
In an instant, he understood that it had all been discovered. Pretending to be ignorant of the facts and simulating to be calm Carlos asked.-To what do I owe your presence here in my house with guns ?. Did something happen?- .
The head guard said dryly.- Get dressed, commander Ki’tuk is waiting for you. -Carlos got up and dressed quickly. An instant later he was standing in front of Ki’tuk.
- Your friends did not keep their word- - it is my fault because I broke our laws. I assure you that they will not escape and my men will kill them. All the villages have been advised. They will not escape, as for you, you will be the bull in our bullfight, as we had warned you
Carlos felt a chill at the thought, not of his death, but of the "banderillas".
-Kituk- he answered calmly
-I want to tell you, if I didn't escape it is because I want to stay here with my wife who is expecting a baby and with my son, I preferred to run the risk of dying here than to escape with my friends. I am not afraid to die, but I ask you to let me live for my children.
Ki’tuk listened to him, apparently unmoved. In his mind, he admired Carlos.
-The sentence will be carried out at once.
The shouting of the máasewáal outside the house of the baatab made him imagine what was coming .
His decision was instantaneous. He grabbed a carabine from the closest guard. He pulled the trigger of the "30-30" but before he could fire the máasewáal’ob jumped on Carlos with their machetes.
In a few seconds, Carlos lay at the feet of Ki’tuk dying from the many machete wounds, meanwhile, Silvano was playing with little Jacinto in the patio of his house when he was advised of the escape of the ts’uulo’ob. He knew what that meant, everybody must take part in the hunt when he listened to the "baatab" who instructed the máasewáalo'ob to cover the zone, he imagined that the only road that the fugitives could take, would be the one to x-ho'otsuck or maybe father to the east, the roads that led to the small villages around Zaci.
There was only one direction; and surely they took it, that had decided to go as fast as possible to their home town. If they had almost a days head -start on their hunters, they couldn't be very far away even if they had walked all night The order was to take them alive.
That would not be difficult if they caught them up because they wouldn't be armed. -My compadre Jose and I will cover the path that goes to Chemax, suggested Silvano. Jose Chuc agreed, the two were habitual buddies.
- Everybody, leave at once, with only the most necessary. If we wait, we won't have as much chance to catch them-- emphasized the "baataab." He formed groups of three, pointing out the different routes to be covered. If anyone found traces, he would come back to report and reorganize the hunt.
Silvano, Jose and another máasewáal left with water and food for three days. If they could not do anything in that time, it would useless to continue.
Damian and Miguel didn't stop for a second during the first night, nor during the next morning. On the march, they ate the hard piimo'ob and drank water, around noon, beaten by fatigue and need for sleep, they decided to rest for two hours.
While Damian dissolved in a jicara the "pakeyem" with salt, sitting on a rock in the shadow of a shady "pukte" Miguel gathered some branches to lay down on the ground.
-We'll both sleep at the same time, it's better that way. I don't think there will be any danger we have at least a sixteen hour head- start.
When we pick up the pace again we'll recover our advantage. We need to get our energy back-
- If we can keep up this pace for three days, they'll never be able to catch us-said Miguel.
In a few minutes after drinking the "pozole," they both were sleeping soundly in the shade of the abundant "pukte" tree.
The carabine that they had taken from Vega was at hand, together with the "chuuj" and the "saabukaano'ob of supplies.
When they woke up, the sun was filtering through the branches of the trees toward the west. They jumped up, at least four hours had passed.
They picked up their gear and restarted their march, worried now and with all the vigor they could muster.
Where were they? wondered Damian. He was sure that they had left the path leading to Tok'tuunich and Chun-yaxché to the south.
They were going directly north, the sun setting to the west. In a few minutes more they would light the carbide lamps, they were waiting as long as they could to save fuel.
If we keep up this rhythm, in two or three days we will reach safety-- said Damian.
May it be God's will- answered Miguel-until now we have a good start but don't forget these damn Indians are great walkers. We shouldn't be over- confident, and they continued walking, as they had been doing almost until dawn when they ate again, and rested for two hours, more or less.
Silvano and Jose had made no mistakes, the second day wasn't over yet when Silvano who was leading the way discovered the first sign. The marks further on convinced him that they were on the right track. Turning to his compadre, he said:
-Jose, you and I will go on ahead, let "P’uus" -(that was what they called the third man of their trio) let him go back—P’uus went back along the way, while Silvano and Jose continued their forced march. More than forty-eight hours had gone by since they had left their village to hunt down the ts’uulo’ob, when both of them stopped brusquely, at the sound of a not far off shot gun fire.
They removed their sandals so they wouldn't make the slightest sound, with extreme caution, they sneaked through the big trees by the narrow path. Finally they heard foot steps at a short distance: It was a question of waiting for an opportunity. They waited patiently.
Damian and Miguel stopped to rest in the shade for a little while. It was almost noon they were worn out from the effort and anguish .
They didn't hear anything , until Silvano's voice less then five meters away surprised them.
-Don't move-said Silvano while he and his compadre pointed their "30-30" at them .
After that the ts’uulo’ob recognized Silvano, the same Indian, that they found when they were looking for Chuum-poom more than two years before.
Damian and Miguel didn't move they were expecting the worse.
-Well-said Damian- now you have us at your mercy- will you kill us?. If you are going to have to, do it here, because we won't move one step back- saying this, he expected more máasewáalo'ob to appear. He didn't think they were the whole party.
Silvano didn't answer, he turned to Jose -pick up their weapon, be careful, if one moves, kill the other one. Jose picked up the shot-gun and stepped back.
You should know that your friend was killed the same morning that they discovered your escape, you, too, will die.
Nothing, matters anymore Silvano- -said Damian- - we knew that if we failed we would be killed, but we can't live our lives with you; I don't guess you can understand that. We have families and we have to go back to them-.
Silvano remembered the first encounter when this white man could have killed him, but they didn't. He remembered his only son, Jacinto, who he would never have seen, if this Ts’uul had shot him.
It was a great confusion, for a moment, he didn't know what to do- and if I let them go? -they surely will be able to make it to their homes.
After a few seconds he told Damian
Two years ago, you could have killed me but you didn't. We too have feelings. I will not kill you, but your friend here will go with us.--Damian immediately understood the nobility of the máasewáal.
-Silvano, I couldn't live in peace if, like a coward, I abandoned my friend. Either let us both go or we will both stay and be killed.--
Silvano listened and admired the gesture. At the silence, Miguel spoke.
-Get out of here now, Damian, you mustn't sacrifice yourself for me, besides, you can tell our families what happened. that way, they won't have to live with doubt of whether we survived or not.
Silvano didn't understand since Miguel was speaking Spanish, but he knew what they were talking about.
No, Miguel, either both of us walk out of here or none of us Pick up your gear and let's go, and be ready for a shot in the back. If they don't shoot, we'll be safe.-
When the two bent over to take their saabukaano'ob, and water, Jose lifted his carabine, and aimed at Miguel.
Let them go, Jose-ordered Silvano .
He took Vega’s carabine, and taking a couple of steps, he said to Damian . -Take it, you will need it further on.--
Damian took the shot-gun, and overcome to the point of tears, could only babble a couple of words.
-Thanks, I'll never forget this.-
- We're even, I don't owe you and you don't owe me- answered the máasewáal.
Damian and Miguel took up the march again a few steps beyond, Damian stopped and turned to look at the two máasewáal. For a few minutes Silvano sustained his gaze, then Damian went on his way.
Would they ever see each other again ?.
CHAPTER VII
Index
BLACK SMALL POX
How many years ago had the federal soldiers left Santa Cruz? Silvano tried to remember exactly.
Was it 7, 8, or maybe 9?
There hadn't been any special events in the town since General Bravo left Santa
Cruz and after him the ts’uulo’ob, leaving the town practically abandoned which
was purified by the torches of the Cruzo'ob. The tranquil existence of the
inhabitants of the tiny village of Tok'tuunich, passed among the harvest cycles
which had been abundant during these years.
There was plenty of the golden grain, and the domestic animals reproduced abundantly.
They traded peacefully with the river communities of Rio Hondo, interchanging goods to satisfy their needs, tools, ammunition, clothes and the most indispensable things for their simple way of life.
The little Jacinto grew strong and healthy in his family group and with the other children of his age, he ran, and played in the streets and yards. It was time to chase, branch in hand, the multicolored butterflies that gathered in the puddles of the quick cloudbursts of the end of the dry season. The entire family, men women and children moved toward the milpa at first light to plant corn, squash and chile taking advantage of the wet earth, or to transplant the plants that had been seeded with dry soil.
Silvano Ek watched little Jacinto playing with his little friends in the center of the small square in front of their house.
Maria, his wife, dedicated herself to her housework in the little kitchen, while Leonor, Jacinto's sister; five years younger entertained herself close to her mother. After Leonor, Maria had not conceived again.
Going to the door and scrutinizing the sky looking for signs of rain, Silvano saw his inseparable amigo, Jose, his son's Jacinto's godfather as he came near. He said without greeting- bad news Silvano, do you remember the rumors from our people who'd been in contact with the chicle cutters of the coast and the ones who have dealings with the generals?
-- I remember well compadre, what is it that worries you? As long as they don't invade our land and they pay us for the right to the chicle? I don't think the fight among them will affect us. -
- Well, maybe this time it will affect us- emphasized José. You know that some of our people go father on when they deliver merchandise and go to Santa Cruz, to Tihosuco, to Tepich, and some have ventured to the towns near Zaci, and they don't just bring back alcohol, but they also bring back diseases. That's what I'm talking about when I say there is bad news. They say, and it looks like it is true that there is small pox in some towns to the East. Nobody knows who brought it, but if it's true, we have to be very careful. Remember what the grandfathers told us about small pox and cholera, that sometimes attacked our cities .-
Silvano Ek listened with attention. He knew that if what his compadre was saying was true, it would have serious consequences.
The towns of the "Cruzoob" had been decimated generation after generation by these diseases in the towns of Tihosuco, Saban, Ichmul and others that often changed hands.
How many years had it been since they suffered small pox?
He remembered that his father told stories of the horrors of the disease, that very few survived and that the fever and the sores rotten the bodies, finishing off entire families. That the people, who were defenseless at the attacks of the diseases could only abandon their homes and burn them, then flee to the mountains with their few belongings until the epidemic worn itself out. Then they would have to wait until the months of sun and rain had purified their town before rebuilding their homes.
We will have to take this matter up in the counsel. We will have to send one of our own to find out what the General knows about this if it turns out to be true, all we can do is wait and prepare to emigrate as far as we can.
And where will we go compadre?
I don't know, but if it is necessary, we'll go South, maybe on the other side of Icaiche where the "isolated ones" are, even beyond where our people have their villages in Belice and, why not? maybe even to the very region of Peten in Guatemala.
The two friends were silent each one deep in his own thoughts, with their minds in past times and the changes there would have to be in their peaceful existence if there really was an epidemic.
That same night Silvano talked with the " baatab" of Tok'tuniich. We won’t be able to rest until we know if it is true what they say about the epidemic in the villages near the coast, to the east of Zaci -he reflected while Silvano listened to him with attention- it will be necessary to send a couple of our "own" to find out.
Would you go Silvano?-
-I'm ready, I only need to choose a companion-.
-Choose one of the people, and tell me when you decide.-
Silvano thought of his inseparable friend Chuc.
-First thing tomorrow, I'll talk to some of them.
It would be better if they go of his or her own free will-since everybody is afraid of the disease. -
- It is the best Silvano, you're right-
When Silvano and Jose, along with two young men, left the village, they went loaded with many supplies, tobacco, liquor and ammunition for their carbines. Two pack mules saved them from the bother of carrying the supplies themselves. Except of the gourds of water and the carbines, they would be free for the long ride, they didn't know how long they would be gone.
The first day they went toward the north, along the path that went to X'ho'otsuuk and beyond, they could take the short cuts that led to the towns to the east and south of Zaci. It was a normal day and when they were tired, they made camp for the night in small clearing sheltered by and improvised roof of branches of palm leaves. They built a fire to prepare a hot drink and to heat up the " x-cacatokab" that would give sustenance to the meal. During the day, even though, they had been alert, they hadn't been able to get any piece of meat worth while. Besides, they were carrying dry meat and salted venison.
The next night Silvano and Jose and their companions stayed at a beautiful lagoon, the same where Jose and Silvano's son, Jacinto, would rest, years later, on their way home after finding in X-ho'otsuuk, the first teacher of the zone.
They enjoyed naked a refreshing bath, after taking the burdens off their beasts, giving them water, and tying them up to graze on green leaves.
Compadre -said Jose- shall we go to X-hootsuuk or shall we keep going North to the towns near Chemax.-
- We'll keep going North and later East, I think in two or three days more, somebody will be able to tell us if the disease is here or not- .
- Ok. And if the answer is no, we'd better go directly to the coast looking for the people who have been working near there. They should know.
When the two máasewáalo’ob arrived at a small community situated several leagues from Chemax, the terror that the inhabitants had been victims of the disease invaded them.
-Shall we go in or wait for someone to come out?- said Jose.
- This is what we came for compadre. Here they should be able to give us news of the disease. Let's go in-.
A middle-aged máasewáal crossed their path when they entered the clearing where the huts stood.
-Good morning-answered the other.
-We are passing through here - trying to find something out for our "baatab"-- said Silvano.
-We got news- he continued -that there is smallpox in these parts and many must have died-
--There is no disease here --he answered-- would you like to come in and rest?--
. Jose and Silvano, taking off their hats, entered the humble hut. The animals were tied up outside under a nearby tree.
Silvano sat next to his friend on a big rock ready to drink a refreshing
"pozole". He consumed the content of the jicara in a few gulps, and then he rinsed it out with water from his gourd. Another couple of sips of water to rinse his mouth and he spoke to the máasewáal who lived there .
-How far is it to the closest town?--.
-Far, very far, more or less 10 or 12 leagues to the West and to the North. There are several ranches on the way where we trade with Chemax, sometimes we go to Kanxoc or Chichimilá, almost never to Zaci .
-Are you going there?--.
- No, we came from the south, looking for news. They said that there is small pox in this area, that many people are dying-we want to know the truth so we can prepare-.
-That's what people are saying, now that the disease has broken out, and many have died, we are afraid to go . Are you planning to go on?-.
-They said that the disease came with the soldiers that a general brought from far away, but we don't know if it is true small pox?. --
-That's what they say--
-We have to keep going until we find out-
-Why don't you wait here -my brother should be back soon -he took some quintales of chicle to sell at the chicle center. He should bring news-
-When is he coming back?
- In two or three days, he's been gone a week now. You can wait here, you can sleep in the shed.
Silvano exchanged a glance with his compadre and answered , We'll stay, if it isn't any bother-
Two days later, the traveler arrived. In the chicle center they informed him that the people were being vaccinated against the disease because it had broken out in Zaci.
At this news, Silvano and his companion began the journey back to their village.
There wasn't any reason to go on. The trip was fast with one night's rest.
When he arrived at Tok'tuniich, they went to the house of the "baatab" who they reported everything.
-We will take precautions Silvano, during two or three months we will avoid traveling to those parts.
- It would be better to wait until we are sure that the danger has passed.
Silvano went to his house when his wife and children were already waiting for him. The little Jacinto now six years old, hugged his legs to welcome him.
CHAPTER VIII
Index
TRIP TO BELIZE
Jacinto was 16 years old when he left Tok'tuniich for the first time without his family -until then his excursions had been with them. They visited chuum-poom, once a year, at the time the religious feast of the village or also to "X-ho´otsu´uk o Señor" at the north west and west to buy goods or to visit the "J-meen". They were two days journey by horse, the whole family went, his parents, his grandmother, his older sister Maria and his little sister Leonor. The women sitting on the mules, the men on horse or on foot. They left at the crack of dawn and stopped in x-pich, a small ranch situated half way between Tok´tuunich and Chuum-Poom. They were 9 leagues along a rocky path that crossed dense jungle. Mainly clumps of Ramon tree and shade trees. They left from X-pich the next day, the jungle was dense and they went by the edge of two savannas a half league each one, in the evening of the second day of the trip two very long days or three normal days. Usually only Jacinto and his father went. They bought machetes, hatchets, cloth, colored thread and ribbons, that his mother used to make clothes. The sandals and hats were things that they couldn’t overlook in the purchases, and most important was the Santa Maria rebus for Jacinto´s mother when the harvest was good and if there were skins to sell or trade.
In X-ho´tsuuk, Jacinto´s father didn´t drink alcohol, because he had come to buy supplies. The "x-taabentun" wasn’t left out however; when they started the trip back, a couple of drinks were customary to stimulate the trip. They bought metal caps, gunpowder, ammunition and their cartridges and at least a load of patents for the carbine. These trips and when he went out to the milpa or hunting were the only times that he left the village.
One night, Jacinto´s godfather visited the house under the light of a full moon.
I have to go to the other side of the big river, beyond Bakhalal. Do you remember the last time when we went to visit my father more than five years have gone by. I don’t even know if he is alive and I want to see him again before he dies.
I think he’s more than 80 years old, the other time I saw him, he still cut the grass, his sight was bad, that’s why I want to see him again, it might be the last time I do.
Jacinto´s father answered.
To see your father again, the only way you can do it is to go visit him, at his age, every year could be his last. besides, I remember his promise not to come back to this side of the river. you must remember better than me his words and talking with him, will freshen the memories of everything that happened when they had to flee to the other side of the river, besides at his death you will be the head of the family here and he will tell you what he wants done with his belongings. I won’t be able to go with you -he went on.-I have many commitments, but why don’t you take your godson-Jacinto is almost a man, he has to start to walk on his own and he could start by visiting the family on the other side. The Ek aren’t just a few on the other side of the lagoon of Bak´halal. Jacinto is strong, he could accompany you in your long trip. Besides it’s time that he began to feel like a man. Let’s use this trip.
Ok compadre-answered the godfather I will take my godson and we will visit the family. I plan to leave three days from now.
Tell my " comadre " to prepare his clothes and his supplies and tell him to sharpen his machete and get ready.
It was the year 1926 when Jacinto Ek and Jose Cruz his godfather decided to make the trip of almost 80 leagues from Tok´tuunich to Belize.
The route to Belize was along the old paths that old ones had made in the pilgrimage to the south escaping from the white man . These paths and roads crossed the narrow way of the railroad from Decauville that from Vigia Chico, in the Bay of the Ascension, served to communicate the coast with Chan Santa Cruz, now Carrillo Puerto. The days of 8 to 10 leagues would let them arrive at the northern extreme of the lagoon of Bak´halal. Following a path along the western edge or sailing in canoes they could get to the river Chaak and by it to Rio Hondo.
Up river, the canoe would take them to the community of Pukté, passing many chicle workers and lumber camps, on each bank of the river from the village of Pukté, another day would bring them to San Francisco.
When the day came, they left the village very early, before dawn, Jose Chuc was already at the door with mule loaded down.
Jacinto could hardly eat, he felt his heart beating hard in his chest. The night had seemed endless, he hardly had slept at all thinking about the trip and the place he would see many times, he had heard the adults talking about the big lagoor of Bak´halal, with many colors of water and of how clean and clear it was. He had heard how the grandfathers of his parents had fought in the Great War against the tsuuloob, of the fort that was nearly destroyed and how it took the white people a long time to recover it. That and many tales of the old ones were passing through his imagination.
He picked up his pack, his bag and his "chuuj" and his newly sharpened machete and put them on the mule as his father had told him to.
The morning was partly cloudy the sun hadn’t clearly visible in first light of dawn until they were half a leagues from Tok´tuunich. The dew on the leaves dampened their pants and shirts from time to time.
The whole forest was music to his ears the "chichimbakal " the "x-kook" the "tsuulsay" the " chakts´fits´ib" let their gay and varied chirps be heard. Gradually the jungle was full of them; the "chachalacas" started their noisy chatter. Their gabbing sometimes surprised from a few meters away.
When the first rays of the sun began to filter through the branches of the trees, the path was becoming less clean, often they had to jump over a small trunk or cut some branches with their machetes: it had been a while now since they left behind the path or cut-offs that led to the milpas of the town. The quick and firm pace took them through the jungle, the tree were thick, Ramon trees " pukthes" " ja´abino´ob", "chacche", "zapotes", "moras" "rowood","granadillos". palms inter mixed with some dominating the others. The mosquitoes didn’t bother them much although they didn’t leave the mules in peace. Jacinto didn’t feel tired. his body was as light as a feather in the wind. The cool morning air caressed his face and arms and only after chopping away some branches with his machete did he begin to feel a little hot and sweaty.
His feet automatically adjusted to the irregularities of the rocky terrain, Jose Chuc went ahead of the mule and behind her, Jacinto brought up the rear. The only baggage that each one carried was a small "sabucan" hanging from his shoulder. In his right hand, Jose carried his shut gun, although he frequently changed it to his left hand and rested it on his shoulder. When the sun had gone a third of its course they had covered almost three leagues.
José Chuc was alert in his path and watched the trees. He was almost five "mecates" ahead and told Jacinto to catch up. The first "K’aambul" o "Tu ul", that appeared would be their lunch, soon, a shot; Jacinto hurried to catch up and caught sight of his godfather disappear into the long grass, in a moment he came out with a "K’aambul" and put it "jiich" over the mule and said:
-Jacinto, I know you’re tired, but we have to go as far as possible before the sun gets hot, then we will rest, we’ll clean the "Kaambul" and we’ll make it in "piib", it will be our meal for today.
Godfather – answered Jacinto – I’m not tired, if you want we can go on.
Well- replied José – we’ll rest further on ahead, if I’m not wrong we are near a cenote, there we’ll cool off, drink water and eat, and in the afternoon we can have a bath. We have to rest to be ready because the days travel is long. It is almost 40 leagues to Rio Hondo and it will take us counting the layover in the villages that we pass along the way.
Jacinto-asked-how many times have you gone to Belize? Is the lagoon of Bak’halal pretty? Is it true that in Belize there are people black as night and some of them are giants?
José was pushing 50, but not a gray hair or a wrinkled gave away his age, he was short like his blood brothers and had the strength of a young man. This was his fifth trip to the South. His first has been when he was just twelve along with his parents and his brothers.
Afterward, his father, worn out by so many struggles with the white men had decided to abandon the land of his ancestors and migrate beyond the Great River to where the tsulo’ob wouldn’t attack them.
Many of his companions had done it and some had come back to tell them about the security and peace to work and live in. His brothers had fallen one by one the terrible encounters of the "caste war". José Cruz’s father only wanted peace and quiet and bread for his children. The previous trip had let him learn the paths of the jungle and avoid contact with the white me who exploited the lumber and chicle. Only diseases, mainly the ke’el had slowed them down . His blood brothers, those who had accepted the dealings with the "white men" and had intermixed with them paid a high toll to the gonorrhea, not a few of them had the permanent scar of the "chicle-tree fly". The money they received at the end of the season was spent in getting drunk and smoking marijuana at Payo Obispo. Jose knew about it and he feared and hated it and avoided them. Jose was thinking about this and many other things as he tied the kambul to his mule. He could guess the emotions and feelings of his godson, he reminded him of this first trip with his father and mother and sister and brothers, he, Jose Cruz, might be visiting them for the last time.
-Your questions are many and the trip is long- answered Jose, and started off his march, followed by his mule and godson. Jose felt his legs slightly tired when the irregularities of the path or a fallen tree made him jump over. His firm and rhythmic pace showed that he was used to long hikes. He walked to and from the milpa everyday. Jacinto felt tired from the hike too and although he was strong and long walks were also a routine, his resistance was not as that of his godfather’s. However his desire to advance more and more didn’t let him ask for rest. They had walked more than a league from the place they had killed the pheasant. Many animals had been in their line of fire: the t’ul, the t’suuk, the tzo, the chachalacas, the tsuutsuyo’ob, the sakpakalo’ob and even a yu’uk that ran like a lightning after its surprise.
Jose hadn’t shot them because he only killed for food. The shouts of the sarahuatos and the chirps of the K’oocha’ob and the k’ili’ob, the strident noises of the baach that sounded the alarm for the rest of the jungle dwellers. Everything was like music for Jacinto.
Jose stopped for an instant at the foot of a tree, a "pi’ich", so broad that its branches covered more than a mecate. He recognized it by the mark in its trunk. He drew his machete, and going into the vegetation, chopping the branches, he said to Jacinto.Two mecates to the North, we will find the cenote, hang on tight to the mule, so that it doesn't get her rope twisted up in the bushes.
As they got closer the smell of fresh grass and the humidity stimulated their desire to drink water, they descended until they were in sight of a cenote that had traces of a centuries old cut stone stairway. One part still had its dome and ancient stalagmites pending from it. The Big ceiba tree around the cenote giving shade where their ancestor had quenched their thirst, it was there that Jacinto and Jose drank.
Is this the only cenote ? –asked Jacinto-
No to the east going toward the sea there are three more, towards the South we will not find anymore cenotes like this we will find the great lagoon of Bak’halal, but we won’t be without water because the land is rich in lagoons and water holes. The stone were cut by the old ones and not far from these waters there are "kuuyo’ob" and big stone buildings that they had abandoned before the tsu’uloob came, but these places are sacred and the spirits that inhabit them, the "aluxo’ob" live in them.
Jacinto listened to his godfather’s words with great respect. Something that he couldn’t understand makes him afraid, as if the inheritance of his blood, remembered the splendor of his ancestors.
José Chuc’s words took him out of his deep thoughts –gather woods to make a fire, while I unload the mule–
When Jacinto returned, the mules had been unloaded, and the feathers of the pheasant were scattered around; carefully he put the dry wood between three rocks, his godfather gave him a "jirich-hoop" his grandfather was skillful to light a fire with a flint- stone. Soon the dry leaves were burning, and with the vigor blowing of Jacinto the wood caught fire. José cut sticks, assembled quickly a tripod and a grill. In a few more minutes, patiently both of them turned the different parts of the pheasant over and heated their tortillas. It was a tasty meal, spiced with salt and chile.
Livening the bonfire with a lot of wood, they made their "beds" a few feet away.
Not only would the fire take away the cold of the night, but also it would keep the animals away.
-I was your age- José started to talk – when I traveled these roads; - then I was more or less as old as you are now. My grandfather was killed in X-hotoosuuk, when the people from Zaci took and burned our village in revenge because they had been expelled so many times. My father, swore, as did the others, to avenge the death of his people and from then on there was no rest for us. I remember the long walks and the long months when only the old people and the handicapped, women and children worked in the milpa. My father was almost always with us to cut down the milpa. Twice he was wounded by bullets, and only God knows why he didn't die; only his faiths and the herbs of the "J’men" sustained him. There were many years of struggle, there were few families that hadn’t lost all the men who could use a machete and a rifle. My father, as did many others, convinced them that the struggle was useless. Hungry and unarmed, were abandoning the town which they had won with their blood. We thought that on the other side of the Bak’halal lagoon, beyond the river, we could live and work in peace. They were many that traveled this road and many that never made it to their destination. My father made it, and since then he has lived there.He pointed his finger to the south. Jacinto was listening silently and respectfully; his lips didn’t open, not even once to interrupt the story of his godfather until he paused, José Chuc, asked Jacinto again,- Is it true that the land where we are going doesn’t belong to us and the tsu’uloob have blue eyes and hair like the sun?-Is it true?- insisted Jacinto- and that black people work for them?. . . and our people who live there. . . are they like us?.-
José thought about his answer, slowly he began his story again,
–You know that where we are going is called Belize, also British Honduras, but any name that they called it will not make us forget that it is the land of our ancestors, even beyond the three big rivers that go from west to east. To where we could never go – He pointed to the southwest horizon – the land belonged to the ancient Mayas and we are their descendants.
His eyes shined with pride. The men who enslaved us gave the land to the English to exploit precious woods, lumber and the resin from the trees and the "ink", but for us it is the same land that we live in.
After a brief pause, he continued- the English are taller than we are and their eyes are blue or green, mostly. They have all the important jobs and they are the owners of all the land and everything and they live off the work of the other people.
There are many blacks. They are called that because their skin is blacker than you can imagine, they are tall, much taller than we are, they have very strange customs and speak a language that we don’t understand. But they are like us because they have to work hard and they are very poor and don’t have anything, but we are free and they aren’t. When they don’t obey the white man’s law, they get put in jail and are hanged in a thing called the gallows. It is not the same with us, and although the English helped us by selling us weapons when the grandfathers rebelled, it is also true that they won because they took over those lands. Besides we have somewhere to go if we aren’t happy. But the blacks don’t. They said their country is very far, so far that we can’t measure it in leagues, and it is on the other side of the ocean, where the sun rises. They can’t go back to their home, and they have accepted it.
Jose stopped telling his story for a few moments.
Our grandfathers and our fathers fought for our freedom, and even though they almost wiped us out, we are free, we have our chiefs and our laws; our priests teach us the religion of our ancestors. Never forget our customs, Jacinto, they are the customs of our fathers and our ancestors.
The darkness was complete, only the light of the bonfire broke it. The "Kookayo’ob" chirped in the blackness of the bush, the buzzing of a bat passing near interrupted the noises of the jungle. The strident cries of the "sarahuatos" and the roar of the tiger were overcome by the sleepiness of Jacinto. Soon he was fast asleep.
He slept so soundly that he didn’t notice that his godfather had fed the fire and removed the rest of the pheasant from the fire so it wouldn’t burn, and had laid down on the palm branches, with his machete ready and his gun shot loaded at his side in case of any emergency. Soon they were both soundly asleep. At dawn, they would continue their march to the south toward Belize.
Jacinto and his godfather’s second day’s walk was six leagues. From dawn, with the sun to their left, until the evening, when it set, the two moved rapidly ahead over the old path.
They only stopped at midday while the sun passed over head, so not to feel its rigor as intensely. A herd of wild pigs made them stop, while it crossed the path a little while before the end of their day. With a sure shot, Jose bagged a beautiful specimen for that night’s meal, they prepared parts of the meat to roast and salt. So they would be sure to have meat for the whole journey.
On the third day, they crossed the road from Chan Santa Cruz to the Bay of Ascención, detouring slightly to the west to avoid the Savannah whose high grass and swamps would make the march difficult, they continued to the South.
On the fifth day of their journey, they arrived to the surroundings of the lagoon of Bak halal , There Jose would decide whether to continue on foot or by canoe along the east shore of the great lagoon, always toward the South, to Rio Hondo, it was a two day journey avoiding the chicle swamps.
The rainy season was over and the bright sun shone in its splendor. Jose decided to continue on foot after spending the night on the outskirts of a small ranch where a family gave them hospitality
Jacinto’s .amazement was limitless. The immense lagoon with its calm, multicolored water: blue, green and sometimes white, filled his senses. They refreshed their bodies near its shore. Jacinto ventured only about a mecate since he wasn’t an experienced swimmer. Jose Chuc watched calmly, looking at the horizon, letting his thoughts drift back to the first time his eyes had seen this beauty. He knew that his ancestors had lived next to these waters. A silent witnesses, many "Kuuyo’ob" were scattered along its shores especially near the fort of Bak halal. That was their day of rest. At noon they filled themselves with tortillas, beans, scrambled eggs, without missing the beaten red chile.
They rested all afternoon and at night, when the sun went down, they ate "pibinal", atole made with fresh corn and "is-waaj". The supplies were prepared to continue the trip in the morning. That night, when the moon came out, Jacinto stayed at the edge of the lagoon for a long time letting his imagination wander freely into the past and the future.
The sixteen leagues of the road along the lagoon form North to South were covered in two long days. Jacinto looked at the fort of Bak halal from the top of a ramon tree, in a small hill at the edge of the lake.
He knew the story of how his ancestors had fought in the stone fort, the same one he was looking at, as if the years had not touched it.
Jose didn’t want to go into the town of Bakhalal. So they went around it on the west side, going south one more day until they reached the Rio Hondo. Toward the East the Chac star guided them to a ranch near the lagoon of Waay-piix, Jose negotiated with the owner of a canoe, and he took them up river. On three occasions, they hid in the big three roots to let a small motor boat, that maintain the communication in the river, pass. Jacinto looked at them in amazement. The noise of their motor was a new sound to his ears. They overnight at the banks of the river during the day to rest and eat. At night, they would talk about the events of the journey, at the heat of the fire. Animals that Jacinto had never seen before received their names. What amazed him the most were the manatees. He was surprised by their size and their agility. More than once they discovered a tiger or a deer drinking at the water edge.
Flowers of shapes and sizes he had never seen delighted his senses, but what
he admired the most was the majestic tranquility of the river, whose bottom was
not visible. He was afraid to swim in it. Turtles and aquatic birds came out in
each curve of the river. Jose didn’t have difficulties getting a deer, or
pheasant, turkey or Jaleb, or pizote. Jacinto admired the abundance of animals.
He had never imagined anything like this.
At dawn, they continued up river, toward the Southeast rowing vigorously.
It was past noon when they abandoned the canoe, hiding it among the tree roots, and tying it. They took the path that led to San Francisco.
A brief journey, Jose and Jacinto arrived at the village of San Francisco located a league South of Rio Hondo. When they arrived at the outskirts of the town, Jacinto tried to imagine that it would be different, however with the exception that the vegetation was a little higher, the jungle reminded him of his homelands.
On the paths near the town they found the first villagers returning from their work in the milpas.
His godfather exchange greetings with them asking them about his father. The first news was to his liking. Now he knew that his father was alive and in good health. Jacinto noticed his godfather’s happiness and rejoiced in it. It didn’t take them long to arrive at the threshold of the village and when he saw it, Jacinto understood that the inhabitants were his same people.
He observed the yard, the walls, the house of palm leaves, sticks and mud, and arriving at the center of the village, he was surprised to see the women talking around the well. They interrupted themselves briefly to answer the courteous greeting that Jose and Jacinto directed to them as they passed close to them.
With firm steps, both went toward one of the yards located on the west side of the square, surely, thought Jacinto, it would be Jose’s father’s house. The surprise caused by their arrival, was soon erased by the happy reception of the old man and his family. In the face of the old man whose eyes shone with tears of immense emotion was apparent, Jacinto was moved by this emotional escene and thought of his parents who were so far from there, at his home in Tok’tuunich. In a few minutes the women of the house entered in feverish activity. They prepared the meal, while one of he women milled the fresh nixtamal, with a hand mill stone.
In less than an hour, the visitors had been refreshed by a warm bath and were sitting around a small table in the kitchen accompanied by the old man. When the meal was served, they devoured it hungrily, the old man watched them calmly.
Don Felipe Chuc, over 80 years of age lived a quiet life in the town of San Francisco. The main trunk of the family had lived comfortably with one of his daughters, and his son-in-law and the young widow of one of his grandsons who he had put under his protection two years before because he was left alone with two small children. His many relatives, who at harvest time gave the old man corn, beans, and money to help him until next harvest, supported him. Don Felipe wasn’t completely inactive and in his yard he took good care of the animals, the fruit trees and his seedlings of tomatoes, chile and other crops. This didn’t just keep him busy, but it also helped him in the family income.
In his work mainly the young girl who had the bad luck to be widowed two years before helped him. A "four nostrils" snake had bitten her husband. Don Felipe was a member of the village council of San Francisco, he enjoyed the respect and affection of the others and his yard was a place of constant hospitality for travelers.
During dinner they talked about everything they had to talk about. Jacinto listened attentively, the only thing that distracted him was the young girl with her beauty, more than once their eyes met and she smiled sweetly and discreetly. He felt sympathy and pity for her when he know that he was a widow. After dinner they went to sit in the doorway of the house in front of the square sitting on chairs made of deer hide. A gentle breesze cooled the evening while the conversation continued without interruption between Don Felipe and Jacinto’s grandfather. Lola, the young ma’asewaal, served hot coffee in white jícaras. Jacinto felt a little tired, slumber was dominating him as the first star appeared in the sky. When he thought that he thought that he could not hold out any longer, his godfather got up to go in to sleep. He said good night to the old man and a few minutes later he was sleeping soundly in the back hut, which had been prepared for him. He slept as he hadn’t slept for a long time.
CHAPTER IX
Index
HUNTING
A light noise interrupted the sound sleep of the visitors. It was just beginning to get light when the aged father of Jose Chuc gently pushed the door from the outside, entering the hut where his son and the young Jacinto slept. When he saw that the hammocks were moving the old man spoke –Good morning son, good morning Jacinto. Did you sleep well? Excuse me for waking you up, but after you went to sleep last night, some friends and family came to invite you on a "p’uuj" that they have organized in your honor. I did not want to wake you. I can understand you needed to rest so I accepted for you. I hope you won’t let me down. Their intention should be a motive of satisfaction for all of us.
Jacinto became alert as he listened to the old man. He really felt like sleeping more, but he understood that his godfather couldn’t refuse, so he got up quickly to fold up his hammock and get himself ready. His godfather spoke to his aged father.
It will be a real pleasure to take part in the "p’uuj", it will be dawn soon, we have to hurry.
In the main house breakfast was being quickly prepared, a few minutes later they were enjoying a hot meal. Then they prepared the shotguns and the gourds for water, the "mecapales" and the "pozole" for the battue, which could go on until midday. Lola gave Jacinto a "sabucan" with supplies and with a kind smile, she wished him good luck in the hunt.
The square of San Francisco was in a row before dawn. The beaters had already gathered when the morning star rose to top of the trees and dawn break. The dogs were restless and barked nervously as if they felt the adventure.
The aged Don Felipe went with his son and Jacinto to where the group was waiting for them. After the old man wished them good luck the group left in good spirits. An hour later the straight line of hunters and the "malixo’ob" moved rapidly away from the village toward the Southwest to a clump of ramon trees just a league away where there was an abundance of deer, wild pigs, pheasants and turkeys, that would soon be prey for the shooters. The march went quickly and quietly, interrupted only by some funny story of things that had happened in other occasions. Jose and Jacinto could hear some of the anecdotes, flavored with good humor and wit, and made them chuckle.
When the rays of the sun filtered through the thick foliage, the rhythm of the march was reduced. Soon the chief of the beaters stopped and gave the instructions signaling with his hands the way that the beaters should go and the area that they should cover. A little less than half of the group went into the ramon forest, each one calling the dogs, that followed them barking loudly. The men tried to keep the dogs quiet threatening and scolding them. A few seconds later the group of shooters entered into action, when they no longer heard the march of the beaters. Without wasting any time, they advanced toward the South posting themselves in places previously assigned by the beat leader, where they will receive the animals. Jacinto and Jose were given the best places since they were the guests. They placed themselves at a distance of 5 mecates from one another. In less than half an hour everything was ready for the battue.
Jacinto was used to this, he squatted, behind the trunk of a beautiful "chakaj" tree, cleaned his gunshot and after preparing he loaded it with a 5 deep.
He looked carefully around him recognizing every detail and getting oriented. He imitated a partridge. He whistled to the east, when he received an answer, he whistled to the west. He kept absolute silence and quiet and straining his ears, he tried to listen for the shouts of the beaters and the barks of the dogs in the distance. Meanwhile in his mind, he went over that things that had happened since he left his village Tok’tuunich. He imagined that he was in the woods around his village he observed the vegetation and mentally compared the songs of the birds, the chatter and the strident noises of the parrots. Suddenly all the creatures were silent as he heard far off, the clamor of the beaters extending through the south-east side.
For an instant the imagine of Lola crossed his mind, surprising him extraordinarily.
The barking of the dogs was getting louder, on and off, as did the shouts of the beaters, it seemed like they were going directly toward the middle of the line precisely where Jacinto and his godfather were. Then the clamor pointed toward the east, he wasn’t too happy about that because the sunlight would be directly in his eyes. He though that if an animal came that way, he would have a hard time aiming at it. The noise was coming toward them again. There wasn't any doubt, and calculating the distance it could be more than 10 or 15 mecates from them. Then Jacinto the loud flapping of wings over the branches of the tall trees from the noise he figured that it was a flock of peasants. He tried to distinguish among the high vegetation some siluette but he didn’t see anything. A few second later, he heard 5 shots fired almost simultaneously, with tensed nerves he was scrutinizing the ramon forest, when he saw a "habente", coming directly toward him, but still out of range of his shot-gun habente. He cocked his gun, but the deer detoured toward the east, and as he had feared, leaving him with the sun in his eyes. The shot from his godfather’s rifle and the sound of the animal thrashing in the brush, let him know the animal didn’t get through the line of shooters. Instants later, shots more or less nearby, guaranteed that the "beating" had been a success.
He hadn’t had an opportunity and was a little disillusioned, when the sound of flapping wings made him look up, where he could distinguish of beautiful "K’aambul". Carefully he aimed and fired. The animal fell to the ground. Jacinto breathed deeply with satisfaction at having bagged something. After a few minutes more of waiting, he realized the "beating" was over. Soon everybody was gathering, bringing the game animal two deer, seven peasants, one (tejón) and three wild pigs were the morning’s booty.
CHAPTER X
Index
JACINTO AND LOLA
Before noon, the hunters were back in San Francisco with their loot, which was taken to the "Ripio" of the old Chuc. Some men cut up the pieces others brought the firewood, the stones and dug the holes to make the "piib". In less than an hour, it was all buried and cooking, and except for one man who stayed to look after the cooking, the hunters went to their homes to rest. The piib would be taken out in late afternoon, and the smoking delicious smelling meat would be shared equally among the participants.
Jacinto took a bucket and went to the well. From faraway in the light of the declining sun, he could see the silhouette of Lola at the spring where she was filling her clay pitcher. He hurried to get there. When she started to draw up the water and as she pulled on the rope, Jacinto put his bucket down. He felt his heart beat wildly.
They hadn’t said a word to each other all day. Then Lola spoke to Jacinto
-Did you have any luck in the "puuj"?
-I only killed a "K’aambul" I almost had a chance with a deer, any way the "puuj" was a success and we got a lot of animals.
-I saw them, when you arrived- interrupted Lola, then she went on –Tonight we’ll eat venison-thanks-she said smiling as she filled her water pitcher, and walked away gracefully carrying the pitcher on her hip.
Jacinto didn’t answer, and didn’t move for a while watching her walk toward the house. His heartbeat slowed quickly, as he filled his buckets and went to the house to take his bath.
While he was savoring the venison broth, Jacinto didn’t resist the temptation to look at the young girl. He blushed inside when their eyes met. He remembered that in his village, his young friends make jokes about his shyness with the girls. Until now, he had never felt attracted to any girl.
Since the young maasewaal girl, was older than he was, he saw her as out of his reach. Never had he felt anything disagreeable and lovely at the same time. His manly instinct, at its peak of development, made him admire the women. He enjoyed her nice, graceful smiles, her black, black hair the tone of her smooth skin, the firmness of her breast, and the sensually of her brown arms. The second night they hardly spoke. In the intimacy of the hut, while everyone was asleep, the young boy daydreamed, thinking about the beauty and loveliness of Lola, the young widow.
From the third day, Jacinto entertained himself visiting family, distant relatives now, descendants of the Eks who migrated to this zone in the last century after the Caste War. However, he didn’t desire anything more than company of Lola who in a few days had noticed how attractive she was to Jacinto. Her instinct, asleep since she was widowed, woke up at the innocent thirst of the young boy, and she desired his company as well.
She was ashamed of herself for her desire but her hot, young blood drove her toward the young man without remedy.
There were unforgettable days for Jacinto. He enjoyed them, as he never had, and not surprisingly, what he enjoyed the most was his relation with the young lady.
He feared the moment of his departure and when his godfather made commentaries with respect to the preparations for the trip, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
A few days before, Jacinto was staring at the horizon when Lola surprised him at sundown, when the breezes began to blow off the Caribbean.
-Jacinto you are sad - as I am for your return to your home. I know that we will never see each other again, and that it won’t be long before you forget about me and about our days together. - The young man felt a knot in his throat that didn’t let him answer for a few seconds.
-Tell me- He finally answered- Why should I go, why shouldn’t I stay and be happy with you? - I thought it would be hard to say, I don’t want to leave you even though I know that I don’t have any right to stay with you. I don’t want to leave you alone and I feel very sad that I am not older so I could tell my father what I want- The boy stuttered slightly. The indian girl put her hand softly on the boy’s lips, to made him be silent, she put her other hand on his arm, tenderly pressing it as she interrupted him.
-Stop! You will make our separation more painful. You will forget me because you will find another woman who will be yours forever. As for me, I will never find anyone to love me like you do. You have brought me back to life. You woke me up from a dark nightmare in which I have lived since I became a widow. I will never forget you, even though we will never see each other again.
-I won’t go – protested the boy- I will speak to my godfather and if he tries to make me go back, I will tell your grandfather.
-You will go – said Lola-That’s the way it should be-
Jose Chuc’s arrival interrupted the dialogue. A painful silence was apparent as they separated discreetly.
That night, after dinner, Lola spoke to him at the first opportunity.
-Before you go to sleep, we will meet next to the ceibo, wait for me when your godfather is sleeping-
Jacinto didn’t answer,his heart was beating, too fast.
He laid down as if to sleep. He felt the time pass slowly as he waited for his godfather to fall asleep. When he was sure he was sleeping, he silently slipped out of the house, and went straight to the back of the patio.
There at the foot of the ceibo, Lola was waiting for him.
When he saw her figure in the half light, Jacinto could hardly move.
The young indian took the boy’s hands within hers and placed them on her breast. Jacinto put his forehead on her head as she let her soft tears slip onto his young shoulders.
Silent moments passed until Lola whispered to the boy.
-Hold me !, hold me ! –
CHAPTER XI
Index
THE RETURN FROM BELIZE
Jacinto didn’t remember the trip back to Tok’tuunich. Those days of crossing through the jungle passed vaguely in his imagination not even the sights around Baakhalal left clear memory. He vaguely remembered his godfather insisting that he eat, he felt sick. The memory of Lola didn’t leave his mind and in his dreams, with feverish excitement, he felt her in his arms as he did that night, before they left.
When they got to their village, everything seemed different. When he was leaving for Belize, he imagined that his return would be big moments for him. But it didn’t happen like that. He surprised even himself when he calmly answered the questions of his friends and talked about his adventures on that long trip.
Some nights later, at the door of his house, Jacinto’s father spoke to Jose about the trip.
-I see my son very changed he is sad since his return, tell me if I am wrong-
-You shouldn’t worry and if I am not mistaken- you should think about finding him a mate.
-Jacinto’s father looked questioningly at Jose- who answered the unasked question.
I think, compadre, that Jacinto needs a mate, he has left a part of his heart faraway, in the lands to the south, with a niece of mine. That’s why we came back a head of time, she wouldn’t be the right woman for him, she is older that he is, and she has two small children.
Do not be surprised by the way he is acting. If you understand me now you will agree that you must find him a mate as soon as possible.
Silvano meditated for a moment.
I guess you’re right, besides I was hardly his age when I married his mother. I will talk to him, the first chance I get.
Jacinto was already a man, in spite of his 16 years. His friends were mating, the boys at about sixteen according to the custom of their parents, and the girls at 13 or 14.
So it had been for two generations when they were almost wiped out by the war, the cruel jungles and the diseases. They had been decimated and reduced to a few hundred and the "nojoch" tata of chance Santa Cruz made them mate almost as children the peace, the isolation had work favorably they worked hard in the fields and when there was a good harvest, they had a good year. Chaak had been good to them for seven years in a row. The storage fat and the "primicias" and the feast were celebrated religiously.
The young maasewaal wasn’t surprised when his father told him that it was time to find a mate, and he had come to an agreement with the Báatab that his daughter Carmen would be Jacinto's woman. It was an honor for the family, it would be a motive of pride and satisfaction for both families.
Silvano Ek had visited the Báatab expressly in his house with his wife and offered in sign of friendship a bottle of Xt'aabentun which they drank from small white "jicaras" until they almost finished the bottle.
The Báatab was happy because the Eks were a well known family among them, were high ranking officials who had distinguished themselves in combat including a chief whose company fought at Tihosuco when the ts'uulo'ob took it for the last time before abandoning it . Many of them had settled on the other side of the Big River, preferring to flee than to be put down by the ts 'uulo' ob.
They agreed on the gifts to be given to the girl's family, and Jacinto would work 50 mecates for the Báatab as the price for the bride since Carmen was a healthy, beautiful and hardworking young girl, according to her father.
Carmen was little over thirteen years of age when her parent told her about the wedding and instructed her about the obligations and duties of matrimony.
Jacinto accepted without much interest because the memory of Lola was still fresh. But he was disciplined and obeyed the will of his parents.
The months passed quickly without and idea of exact time. He was occupied in the work for the Báatab and in the building of the house, along with his family. Soon it was harvest time, time for the wedding. The indian priest united them in matrimony. The wedding feast lasted all day with plenty of food and drink. Since the wedding of the Báatab's daughter was an event and friends came from the other villages.
On their wedding night, Jacinto thought of Lola. The bashfulness of his wife contrasted with his first love. But the youth of the couple made the memory of that adventure seemed confused and far away. In few days his interest was coming back and joy of life was invading him. Jacinto and Carmen became one more family in the small village of Tok'tuunich.
CHAPTER XII
Index
DAY OF THE HOLY CROSS
The heat inside the hut seemed infernal, although the sun hadn’t come out yet. The sky was covered with thick, low clouds that slowly moved toward the west. There was almost total calm. The branches and leaves were still. Even the animals were sleepy by the calm in hours, which normally were animated by the hustle and bustle of the village. In the woods around the town almost complete silence reigned. Some women, bare breasted and sweaty, were at the cenote pulling their pails to fill up their clay water-jugs.
Jacinto got up grouchily; he had slept badly, as had almost everybody else. He went out to the patio to a big "basin" where he poured a "jicara" of water over his head to refresh himself. Meanwhile, Carmen was sitting in the hammock, carefully combing her straight, black hair that flowed over her bare back and shoulders.
From outside Jacinto said, "we will begin to shuck the corn to seed the milpa, I’m sure it will rain and rain hard."
" Isn’t today, the day of the holy cross?" asked Carmen.
" Today is the day. Don’t you see the rain in the sky?"
" I hope to God it doesn’t fail because it would be a bad sign for our milpas, but I’m sure it won’t fail. So we should have enough corn ready to plant 100 mecates of "x-nuk-nal", we will also plant a little "x-mejen-nal" maybe 10 mecates."
While Jacinto thought out loud, Carmen livened the coals, which the night before she had buried in the ashes of the fire, using an old "huano" fan, yellow from the smoke of the firewood. She took the "comal" and after cleaning it, she took a "leek" with last night's tortillas out of a "sabucan", which was hanging from a rafter. In an old coffeepot, she put water to boil for the coffee. In a few minutes the breakfast of fried beans, coffee and plenty of toasted tortillas was ready.
Carmen and Jacinto sat around the small table. While she heated the tortillas they talked about the weather and the planting.
They spent the whole morning, removing the dry corn from the cobs. While the noon meal was cooking, they went outside to feel "the wind of the rain". In a few minutes, the wind turned into a heavy rainfall. It rained all afternoon and everyone was happy. Once more the tradition was fulfilled. It rained on the third of May.
In the following days, Jacinto and Carmen spend the whole day, almost from dawn until dusk, planting and planting. In less than a week the milpa was ready. There were good signs: it rained every afternoon, although not as intensely as it had done on the Day of the Holy Cross.
When they were finished, they took the meal for the "owners" of the fields, according to a tradition, which had to be kept so that their ancient gods would be generous and favorable. Corn atole, tortillas, "pozole", and chicken tamales were offered according to a rite transmitted repeatedly from generation to generation, from fathers to sons. After a few hours, the spirits of the milpa had tasted the essence; then the family ate the food.
A few days later, at the edge of the milpa, Jacinto contemplated the land and the burned rocks. He smelled the wet, humid odor, characteristic of the burned earth. He gave thanks to God for the planting and prayed silently that the milpa would yield a good harvest so they would have corn for the whole year.
Jacinto had planted 100 mecates o