Travelers to the Other World: A Maya View of North America

Part I: Journey to the American West

Part I Journey to the American West • • • 73 Journey to the American West let’s inform you, let us chat with you a word or two about how we took a trip to gringoland long ago. I, Antzelmo Péres, will inform you. We left our home in Zinacantán Center on the nineteenth of October, 1963. I, Romin Teratol, went far away, to the United States, as they say, because my compadre Lol, [pronunced Low –l] who lives there, took me.1 My compadre Lol arrived to pick me up on Saturday afternoon, the nineteenth of October. He arrived at five o’clock in the afternoon. When he arrived at my house, he found me drunk. When he arrived at my house, he found me asleep. I thought I was supposed to meet him early Sunday morning in Na Chij, because I was going to pass by Stzellejtik to talk to my mother-in-law. But no, he arrived to pick me up on Saturday. That’s why I wasn’t ready. And also because I had gone to pray to Our Lord. I left Saturday afternoon, and I never said goodbye to my father. 74 Part I I got ready in a rush. While I was getting my things ready, Maryan Kachu arrived with two cokes, because he wanted me to buy him a pistol in Mexico City. Then we left in the car. I was feeling a bit tipsy. We went to drink some cane liquor at Antun Chayna’s store. After we left Antun Chayna’s store, we met the mayor coming out of the house of Old Palas Jmulinero, the miller. It was during the magistracy of Chep Telakrus from Paste and Old Palas was one of his constables. “Where are you going, Lol?” asked the mayor. “I’m going to San Cristóbal,” Compadre Lol said. “Well, I’m going to San Cristóbal with Old Palas. Won’t you be so kind as to take us along,” said the mayor. “Then please bring us back to the Ventana Pass. I’m going quickly to get my robe.” “Well, I guess I can,” my compadre said. Chep Telakrus went to get his robe and then we drove to San Cristóbal. It was already dark. I asked the mayor why he was going to San Cristóbal. “Ah, we’re going to talk to Daniel Sarmiento,” he told me. I didn’t ask him anything more. The mayor and his constable were going to talk to a lawyer , because that was when they were quarreling with Old Yermo from Na Chij, and Chep Nuj and Maryan Komis. As for us, me and Compadre Lol and Antzelmo went to the ranch to leave a few things there. Then we went to my room in San Cristóbal to pick up my fiddle and Antzelmo’s guitar. After that we took the 75 Journey to the American West mayor back to the Ventana Pass. He paid us ten pesos for the ride. When that was over, we returned to Compadre Lol’s house and spent the night. I was still a bit drunk.2 We spent the night in San Cristóbal. Early the next day we left at six o’clock in the morning. I left my home on the twentieth of October. The next day, at six o’clock in the morning, we left San Cristóbal in Compadre Lol’s car. We stopped a while in Naben Chauk. Compadre Lol was going to talk to Lol Romin, but he wasn’t there. Then Old Xun Vaskis passed by. “Where are you going Romin?” he asked. “We’re going to Tuxtla,” I said.3 “Lord, you may never know where you’re going to die!” he said.4 “Perhaps God doesn’t want that to happen, sir!” I said. “Well, take care of yourselves, then. Please bring back what I asked for. Compadre Lol will tell you all about it.” But my compadre Lol couldn’t remember what it was he was supposed to bring back for Old Xun Vaskis. “We’ll talk together just before the Fiesta of San Sebastián.5 Take care!” I said. We took to the road. Me, I was feeling terrible from the hangover. Now at that time there was a tiny cantina below Rejino’s house, below 76 Part I Sek’emtik. I told Compadre...