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The Loafer and the Buzzard
- University of Texas Press
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The Loafer and the Buzzard () for our first play I suggested a folktale I had collected (Laughlin 1977) that was widely known in Mexico and Guatemala. Versions of what I call here The Loafer and the Buzzard (El haragán y el zopilote) had been recorded among the Yaqui of Sonora; Tlapanec of Guerrero; Mixtec of Oaxaca; Tzotzil of Chamula, Chenalhó, and Zinacantán; and among the Awakatek, Kaqchikel, Mam, and Tz’utujil in Guatemala. In the role-switching motif of this version, the Loafer, dressed as a Zinacantec, learns to his distress, including eventual death, that the Buzzard’s life is not so easy as it appears. On the other hand, the Buzzard, by his hard work, convinces the Loafer’s wife that despite his foul odor, he is a worthy husband. In the Mayan world, man struggles to raise corn, dependent on the good will of our Lord, the Sun. The Loafer addresses the Buzzard, named here “Juan,” with great respect, lest with his supernatural power the Buzzard cause him harm. The Buzzard, too, must seek permission from our Lord. This tale was familiar to all the members of the group. It required few actors, a limited script, and with the dramatic mask crafted by Ralph Lee, it would surely captivate the public. At a time when we were sorely in need of funds to continue in operation, we sent a proposal to a Catholic foundation in the Netherlands. A letter of recommendation from Bishop Samuel Ruiz, who later became the chief mediator between the Zapatistas and the Mexican government, seemed in order, so I instructed our Buzzard to accompany me to the bishop’s office next to the Cathedral of San Cristóbal. A madrecita, with some consternation, ushered us into Tatik Sam’s room, where he looked up, surprised, from his desk. When we explained our mission, he readily agreed and, indeed, attended our first performance that afternoon in the house of Diego de Mazariegos, the sixteenthcentury Spanish conquistador. [ ] monkey business theatre Residents of the Indian towns in highland Chiapas customarily wore, or still wear, clothing distinctive of their towns. This informs the costume choices of this and all the other plays. This play became an early favorite, especially among children, and was filmed in a natural setting by Carlos Martínez (Martínez 1993). His video was shown repeatedly on Chiapas television. See Montemayor 1996a for the Tzotzil and Spanish versions. [184.73.56.98] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 07:20 GMT) the loafer and the buzzard [ ] cast of characters loafer’s wife: Zinacantec clothing, with shawl neighbor 1: Zinacantec clothing neighbor 2: Zinacantec clothing neighbor 3: Zinacantec clothing loafer: Zinacantec clothing buzzard: mask, short pants, black cloak, huaraches buzzard man: same as Loafer buzzard man’s wife: same as Loafer’s Wife loafer buzzard: same as Buzzard Act I scene (A field near Zinacantán. A Zinacantec woman appears carrying a heavy load of laundry. Walking along, she addresses the public as if she were talking with her friends who accompany her to the river.) loafer’s wife: Oh, I don’t know what to do! Since we got married my husband never wants to work. He gets up very late and doesn’t even talk. It seems as if he is really tired. I make his coffee, I make his breakfast. He just eats. He doesn’t even look up. It seems as if he’s ashamed. Maybe it’s because he didn’t get a good crop of corn last year. This year we’ve had to get loans. I’m ashamed to ask for more from our neighbors. But what can we do? The hunger’s too much. I don’t want to talk to them anymore, because I know they’ll say he never works, he never does anything, that he just goes to sleep in his cornfield. I hope that isn’t so or how in the world are we going to be able to eat! When I finish washing the clothes, I’m going to pray to our Lord so my husband will come to his senses! (She exits.) scene (A Zinacantec man enters, wearing his work clothes, looking from side to side as if someone were chasing him. When he is about to flee, several men come in from the other side. They shout as he flees.) neighbor 1: You bastard, don’t you hide! When are you going to pay me for...