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vii s a young boy growing up in Placitas, New Mexico, I remember attending burials of elders who had passed away in our community. I was very much impressed by the perfect respect exhibited by the members of La Sociedad de Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos1 during the ceremonies they performed at the gravesite. The hermano who delivered the eulogy and read the resoluciones de condolencia did it in such a way that it produced goose bumps on those of us in attendance. All of the society members wore a siempreviva leaf, an evergreen representing fraternity, pinned next to the devisa on their clothing. As the formation of members walked around the grave, each hermano placed his leaf on the coffin of the departed member and then bid his last farewell: “Hermano, descanse en paz” (Brother, may you rest in peace). I also remember the anniversary dances at the meeting hall of local Council No. 14, an affiliate of La Sociedad located nearby at El Rito, New Mexico. The members started the dance by entering the hall in formation and singing the official La Sociedad hymn. It was very moving to hear those strong baritone voices all in unison:¡Juremos ser LIBRES Let us pledge to be FREE Y viva la UNION! And long live the UNION!¡Que viva la LIGA Long live our LEAGUE DE MUTUA PROTECCION! OF MUTUAL PROTECTION! Defendemos su Bandera We defend her Flag Con nuestras Fuerzas y Unión With all our Strength and Unity Defendemos su Bandera. We defend her Flag. FOREWORD A viii Foreword I recall that the dances used to be announced in the community by what was called “sacar el gallo,” where a horse-drawn wagon led a parade of society members and musicians, usually a guitar and a violin and sometimes an accordion, playing the polkas and corridos of the times. This was done on Saturday morning to announce social events such as La Sociedad’s local anniversary program to be held later in the day followed by a public dance in the evening. At the dance, the band was set up on a makeshift stage at the front of the meeting hall, and the walls on both sides were lined with wood-crafted benches. These benches were reserved for the young girls and their mothers. The men gathered and stood inside the main entrance of the hall, from where they would come out to escort female partners onto the dance floor. Because it was not good etiquette to stand up a suitor, the taking out of a good dancer or attractive partner became like a first-come, first-dance contest. Consequently, the young men made a beeline to dance with the most popular girls. I remember that women did not pay to come into the dance, but neither did the men. The method of collection was done during the dance. The band would pause in the middle of a dance piece, and members of La Sociedad who were assigned as bastoneros would come out on the dance floor and collect a dime from each male dancer. This was done for every dance, so the gentleman who danced all night had to have a pocketful of dimes. The rules of chivalry were enforced by the chief bastonero. No one was allowed to smoke while dancing, and the men were not allowed to dance with their hats on. Women had to be walked back to their sitting places. Men who refused to abide by the rules were politely escorted outside. When men greeted one another, they would tip their hats or remove them completely if they shook hands. This respect between gentlemen is still promoted and encouraged by the hermandad of the society and is very much part of our heritage that needs to be preserved. My family has been involved in La Sociedad for four generations: my grandfather , Tomás Campos; my father, Victor Trujillo; myself; and my own son, Lucas Trujillo Jr. Together, we have more than one hundred years of fraternity . In my case, I formerly served as an officer of the Concilio Superior, and since 2001 I have served as the president of the Cuerpo Legislativo Superior. The rich heritage portrayed in this book is truly an integral part of our Hispanic culture and a legacy for our youth and children. Rogelio Briones, president of the Superior Council from 2001 to 2005, took the initiative in 1993 to make it possible that our history be recorded...

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