jueves, 31 de octubre de 2013

UN POCO DE MI VIDA V

La raza a la que pertenezco, diò comienzo con un mito y su caìda con una profecia. El mito: Un aguila con  las alas abiertas devorando una serpiente sujetada por sus garras, mirando al sol, posada en un nopal, en un islote de un gran lago. Desde ese momento visionario, el pueblo mexicano se empezò a desarrollar y debido a su valentia, arrojo y bravura en los combates pronto conquistò otros territorios, formando alianzas con los reyes de Texcoco y Tlacopan, llegando hasta tierras de Guatemala, Nicaragua y Honduras. La gran ciudad-isla de Tenochtitlan, contaba con una poblaciòn superior a los 150 mil habitantes y los tributos que obtenìan de los pueblos sometidos, servìan para sostener a  todos sus habitantes...Solo que todo eso, provocaba mucho antagonismo con los pueblos sometidos...

La profecia: Los Aztecas se sabìan invasores bàrbaros de las tierras que pertenecìan a otras civilizaciones mucho màs desarrollados que ellos. Supieron adaptarse y asimilar lo mejor de esas costumbres tradicionales, sobre todo  las de los señores Toltecas ( hombre culto y sabio ) de Tula y  la de los señores de Teotihuacan ( ciudad de Dios ). Adoptaron las divinidades tradicionales del Anàhuac y Huizilopochtli fue adorado tanto como Tlaloc, dios de las lluvias y de la agricultura de las nuevas tierras...Tambièn erigieron un templo a Quetzalcòatl (serpiente emplumada) dios adorado en la hermosa y gran ciudad de Teotihuacan que habìa arribado a tierra firme procedente del mar, siendo un hombre blanco y barbado. Preservaron la profecia emanada de la lucha entre Tezcatlipoca y Quetzalcòatl. Esa disputa hablaba sobre la preferencia de los sacrificios humanos, Quetzalcòatl se oponìa a ellos, pero fue derrotado y finalmente tuvo que huir rumbo al Golfo de Mèxico, dejando la promesa y la amenaza de un retorno...Cuando Hernàn Cortès, aparece en escena, frente a las costas de Tabasco, Moctezuma Xocoyotzin enviò mensajeros a ataviar al conquistador con las vestimentas del hombre-dios, creyendo que se trataba de èl, que tambien era de tez blanca y barbado, dàndole la bienvenida. Sus asesores adivinos, le hicieron creer que se trataba de Quetzalcòatl  y que habìa retornado a anunciar el fin del imperio mexica. Cortès y sus hombres, interpretaròn muy hàbilmente la profecia, sometieron a cautiverio al rey tenochca y fue asì que se consumo la catàstrofe final de mi gran raza...

Durante los siglos, IX,  X, XI, XII, hasta finales del siglo XIV, en nuestro continente, existieron culturas muy sobresalientes, por ejemplo la Olmeca, la Maya-Quichè, la Zapoteca, la Totonaca, laTarasca,  la Tolteca. la Teotihuacana, Fueron culturas con una cosmogonìa propia, con escritura, con sistemas numericos y geomètricos, con calendarios y organizaciòn polìtica y social, muy definidas, Se trataba de culturas con rasgos de desarrollo muy comunes. Por supuesto que hubo otras, que no lo alcanzaron y que incluso no fueron trascendentes. Pero una de las màs sobresalientes, fue sin duda la Chichimeca-Mexica que desde un modesto origen y mediante guerras y alianzas, asi como adaptando las herencias culturales màs sobresalientes de otras, lograron consolidar un gran y extenso imperio, basado en un sistema de intercambio de mercancias, comunicaciones y un regimen tributario muy bien organizado. Todo eso, hizo florecer a MEXICO-TENOCHTITLAN que solo pudo ser  vencido con los aliados indìgenas resentidos por el sometimiento, con estrategia de una potencia extranjera, con un alto desarrollo bèlico, covirtièndo nuestros territorios en un Virreinato de España.

Se supone que el advenimiento tardiò de las hordas salvajes rumbo al Nuevo Mundo, atravès del estrecho de Bering, y el aislamiento de esas culturas que se desarrollaron en este parte del planeta, fue uno de los grandes motivos que privaron de lo adelantos que los seres del Viejo Mundo obtuvieron, otorgàndoles mayor acumulaciòn de conocimientos, sobre los nuestros. El desarrollo en estas tierras, fue tardìo: No existìan instrumentos de metal, mucho menos armas de fuego, habia carencias de animales de carga, la rueda tampoco existìa. Todo ese atraso con respecto al Viejo Mundo, al arribo de los españoles, fue una gran desventaja para poder defenderse de los embates de una conquista irremediable y determinante.

El origen del universo y de la propia humanidad, para los Aztecas, estaba fundamentado en la religiòn: Tenìan creencias supersticiosas muy crueles y sanguinarias. Creìan que el mundo estaba dominado por fuerzas sobrenaturales y habia que celebrar ritos en todas las actividades humanas para ser protegidos por sus dioses. Muchas de esas deidades representaban fuerzas naturales: Tlàloc, dios de la lluvia. Practicaban el culto a los muertos, enterràndolos en los pisos de sus casas veneràndolos con alimentos y objetos queridos de la persona muerta, colocados sobre las tumbas y creìan en la inmortalidad del alma. Rendìan culto a  los elementos como: La tierra, el aire, fuego y agua. Adoraban al Sol, la Luna y otros astros. Creìan en la leyenda de los cinco soles  que habla de cinco periòdos en los que la humanidad ha transitado y durante los cuales ha reinado una deidad. En cada sol todo ha concluido con un cataclismo y los hombres han desaparecido. Con cada sol naciente, todos volvìan a renacer con la dominaciòn de una nueva deidad. Ahora segùn la leyenda Azteca, vivimos en el quinto sol que perecera a causa de un gran terremoto...Obligaban a los esclavos y prisioneros a ofrecer al sol su cuerpo y su sangre para saciar su sed. Esa idea los condujo a realizar sacrificios humanos y la antropofagia. Estas ideas cosmogònicas se encuentran relatadas en el calendario Azteca. Contaban con muchos sacerdotes y hechiceros a los que deificaban cuando morìan...

Segùn los codices existentes, Tezcatlipoca (espejo humeante) y Quetzalcòatl (serpiente emplumada) originaron el mundo. Cuenta la leyenda que en el inicio solo existìa un oceàno primigenio y que ahì vivia un monstruo llamado Cipactli. Tezcatlipoca ofreciò su pie como carnada o señuelo y el monstruo emergiò y se lo comiò. Entonces, Tezcatlipoca y Quetzalcòatl se apoderaron de èl y lo extendieron para convertirlo en la tierra. Sus multiples ojos, se convirtieron en estanques y lagunas y sus fosas nasales son las cuevas. Para resarcir el daño que le hicieron al montruo, Tezcatlipoca exige ofrendas humanas...

Los mexicas, son considerados como el pueblo elegido por el Sol, garantizando su recorrido por el cielo y alimentàndolo. Huitzilopochtli afecto a los sacrificios humanos, fue la principal deidad Azteca, al vencer por traiciòn a Quetzalcòatl, deidad pura y espiritual, al cual engañò al hacerle tomar una bebida embriagante. La madre de Huitzilopochtli, fue la Coatlicue-madre tierra-, quièn lo concibiò quedando embarazada con una bola de plumas o algodòn azulino que cayò del cielo mientras barria los templos. Coyolxauhqui, una de las hijas junto con sus cuatrocientos hermanos, decidieron matar al niño por considerarlo una deshonrra familiar, pero Huitzilopochtli naciò y matò a todos convirtièndolos en las estrellas del firmamento y despuès a su hermana, tomando una Xuhcòatl- serpiente de fuego-, dàndole forma de hacha y la venciò con enorme facilidad. Ella quedò desmembrada al caer por las laderas de un cerro y èl tomò la cabeza de su hermana y la arrojò al cielo, con lo que se convirtiò en la Luna, siendo Huitzilopochtli el Sol...Quetzalcòatl al ser expulsado de Tula, por haberse olvidado de sus deberes sacerdotales, engañado por los demonios enviados por Huitzilopochtli, que lo incitaron a emborracharse, se transformò en la estrella de la mañna que aparece muy temprano al lado del volcàn Popocatèpetl...

El callejòn se iba quedando vacìo cuando empezaba a entrar la noche. La verdad, no era nada seguro transitar por èl. Algunas personas lo tomaban como atajo para empezar a introducirse al barrio bravo. La calle de Peralvillo conectaba con muchas otra calles y nuestro callejòn conectaba de manera directa con ella viniendo desde Parcialidad y eso ahorraba un poco de tiempo en vez de tener que irse hasta la calle donde se encontraba la Iglesia de Santa Ana y luego de manera directa al mercado de Granaditas y de ahì, conectar con muchos otros sitios como la calle de Toltecas o la de Aztecas, plagadas de vecindades, que de hecho estaban consideradas como las de màs alto riesgo y peligrosidad. Estas se ubicaban en el mero centro de Tepito.

Existìan varias leyendas en el callejòn de Carbajal: La de la Llorona que decìan deambulaba por la calle en las noches. Se trataba de una mujer que en la època de la Conquista, mata a sus hijos y vagando por las calles oscuras, llora  y pena por ellos...Se cree se trata de la MALINCHE  (bautizada por los españoles como Marina La Lengua), que traicionò a su pueblo sirviendo de interprete y traductora a los  conquistadores, facilitàndoles nuestro sometimiento... De ella se decia en el barrio que durante las noches, aparecia por las vecindades gritando: ¡¡¡Ay, mis hijos, ay mis hijos!!! La Llorona se ha mantenido viva desde tiempos inmemorables por tradiciòn oral y existen varias versiones de ella, dependiendo de la regiòn en la cual se cuenta la historia...A mi en lo particular si me asustaba y no sè por què, pero la vendedora de cremas de mi vecindad, Doña Marina, que habitaba en nuestro patio trasero, se me hacia muy igualita a la Malinche: En todo se metìa, con todos tenìa que ver, llevaba y traìa muchos chismes y en algunas ocasiones,  hasta me querìa embadurnar  la cara con sus cremas que màs bien parecìan licuados de mamey, las hacia de colores, blancas, verdes, rosas
- A ver, te pongo un poco cariño-me tomaba la cara, jalàndome de la oreja-.Mira que partida tienes la piel, niño...
Para mì eso era un suplicio, pero la soportaba porque era muy atractiva y tenìa unos pechos bien grandotes en los que me recargaba para que me untarà sus menjurges. Pero, olìan muy feo, estaban perfumadas  con mucho olor a flores... Esas cremas, me resultaban horribles...
Otra de las leyendas en mi callejòn, era la del ¨Hombre del Costal¨. Mi abuela a cada rato me la recordaba
-Quiero que sepas, que por aqui, en la calle, hay un viejo todo sucio y feo, que se lleva a los niños que andan de vagos en la calle y los mete en un costal.
Eso para mi resultaba aterrador, y lo peor, es que en el barrio si algo abundaba, eran los viejos sucios y feos por todas partes. Luego al salir a jugar, nada màs me andaba cuidando de que no me fueran a atrapar esos viejos.¡¡¡ Pinche abuela me espantaba mucho con las cosas que me decia!!!...

La mujer de blanco, era otra de las historìas tradicionales: Se trataba de una mujer bella, que flotaba en el suelo y se les aparecia a los hombres solteros, incitàndolos a la traiciòn . En muchas ocasiones, lleguè a escuchar a las señoras decirles a sus esposos
-No se te ocurra meterte con la mujer de blanco, eh!, le dices que estas casado...No se te vaya a olvidar!
-Jijoles!-decia yo para mis adentros-. Pues con razòn, yo he visto que varios señores del callejòn, se meten con otras y no precisamente estàn vestidas de blanco y ni siquiera se esperan a que sea de noche...Què cosas!!!

En alguna ocasiòn, de un de repente, arribaròn muy de mañana al callejòn, varios trabajadores del gobierno capitalino, para dizque pavimentarlo. Hicieron sus trazos y càlculos por todas partes y dieron iniciò a lo que en pocas horas parecìa todo un bombardeo àereo.
-Oigan, que demonios estàn haciendo!!!-decian airadamente muchos de los vecinos-.Ni siquiera nos dieron aviso de que vendrìan a escarbar por todas partes. Ya acabaron con todas las banquetas!!!
Excuso comentar que todo eso terminò en una batalla campal contra los inocentes trabajadores, que no tenìan idea de dònde se habìan ido a meter.

Les arrebataron todas las herramientas, las caretillas, las palas, los sapapicos. Los descamisaron, los agarraban de los pelos y los zarandeaban; hubo heridos, lastimados, rasguñados. Fue toda una trifulca como a la que ya estaban muy acostumbrados cuando se enfrentaban las vecindades. Sòlo que en esta ocasiòn, todos se unificaron y lucharon conjuntamente contra esa turba de trabajadores que acabaron  huyendo despavoridos hacia los terrenos baldios de los estacionamientos de los ferrocarriles...Durante varios dìas, las autoridades, llevaron a cabo una serie de consultas en el barrio, para alcanzar la paz y la tranquilidad, convencièndo a los vecinos del callejòn, que todo iba a ser para su bien y que se terminarian las tolvaneras en el callejòn, pero que tenìan que aceptar las molestias transitorias. El acuerdo fue que la gente participarìa en las excavaciones y las modificaciones y que se les tenìa que pagar por ello...Todo eso fue para mi, una experiencia inolvidable:
Apenas llegaba de mi escuela, para ese entonces, asistìa a una primaria particular ubicada en la Calzada de Guadalupe-que a la fecha existe- Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, misionero Franciscano,historiador y defensor de los indigenas, me cambiaba de ropa y me iba corriendo a tomar una pala para excarvar en el callejòn. Me sentìa un trabajador que estaba haciendo algo por embellecer mi barrio. Un dìa, sabado, que todos emepezamos a cavar muy temprano, pues no habia actividades escolares, alguien gritò que bajo el suelo, se veia la parte de una canoa
-!!!Aquì hay una canoa!!!-fue un tremendo grito que se debe de haber escuchado hasta el jardin de Tlatelòlco, que se encontraba a espaldas de la escuela Secundaria de la calle de Parcialidad...
Todos corrimos a ver el descubrimiento. De inmediato, se acercaron los ingenieros y topògrafos y con mucho cuidado, fueron desenterrando lo que a todas luces, era una canoa completita de puro acero.
Dieron parte de inmediato a las autoridades y en cuestiòn de una hora màximo, la reliquia, ya habia sido trepada a un camiòn y trasladada quien sabe donde, porque jamàs se supo nada de ella. Corrìa la versiòn en el callejòn, de que no era de acero, sino de oro puro, pues los mexicas no conocìan los metales...Excuso decirles en lo que fue convertido nuestro muy amado callejòn: Vinieron vecinos de otras zonas del barrio a querer escarbar  en donde se les ocurrìa, para tratar de hallar oro o plata o piedras preciosas...
-Oìgame, esta usted rascando casì en mi puerta!!!-decian muy molestos y enojados los vecinos a los intrusos-.Vàyanse de aquì, malditos, ràsquense la cola!!!
Las autoridades tuvieron que acordonar el àrea para evitar saqueos y pleitos. Pero como nosotros vivìamos allì, seguìamos cavando, respetando el acuerdo.En una de mis excavaciones, me encontrè con varias figuritas de barro, muy bien elaboradas, representando a unos guerreros aztecas, unos silbatos muy curiosos,como de pajaritos panzones,  hechos tambien de barro y algunas puntas de flechas y cuchillos de obsidiana negra. Las manos ya se me habìan lastimado bastante, incluso un dedo se me infectò y tuve que retirarme cuando mi abuela descubriò que tenia pus en el dedo gordo, precisamente en donde se me apoyaba el palo de la pala...La pavimentaciòn, llegò al fin a nuestro callejòn, era el iniciò de la modernidad que aùn tardarìa mucho en establecerse en el barrio; y asì,  todo volviò a la normalidad, sin que nadie hubiese encontrado oro o plata, ni mucho menos piedras preciosas. Pero, eso sì,  nos pudimos dar cuenta, que conviviamos con nuestros antepasados, quienes habian habitado los lugares en los que ahora estabamos ubicados nosotros...


martes, 29 de octubre de 2013

UN POCO DE MI VIDA IV

A finales del siglo XIV y principios del XV, las dos grandes potencias de aquellos entonces en el Viejo Mundo, el Papado y los Imperios, pierden fuerza. Una nueva clase social, la de los burgueses, va a entrar en escena y se empezarà a gestar el capitalismo, creciendo el comercio y las ciudades: Es la era de las innovaciones y de los descubrimientos. Declina en mucho la etapa del oscurantismo, pero no desaparecen la servidumbre ni la Santa Inquisiciòn contra los herejes y da comienzo paralelamente la Edad Moderna: El progreso, la comunicaciòn, la razòn y el humanismo, hacen acto de presencia en todo su esplendor. Aparecen en el panorama, Dante, Petrarca, Giotto Bottichelli, Lorenzo de Medici, Torquemada, Leonardo da Vinci, Miguel Angel, Rafael Sanzio, Maquiavelo. Se desarrolla un movimiento intelectual y artìstico que se inspira en la antiguedad clàsica. Aparece la imprenta. Es la sublevaciòn de la humanidad de aquellos rumbos, contra la reglamentaciòn y la rigidez feudales. Es el primer vuelo del ser humano, hacia el goce de la vida, hacia el saber, hacia la confianza en si mismos. Se investiga y se expresa con audacia la verdad de la vida y la muerte, alejados del concepto de Dios y la Biblia, como habia sucedido durante largo tiempo en la Edad Media fundamentada en la Escolàstica, la alquimia y la astrologìa...

En nuestros territorios americanos, corriendo los años de 1440,  Nezahualcoyotl ( coyòte en ayuno), señor de Texcoco, poeta, erudito y arquitecto, aporta sus creaciones y escritos, destacando las reflexiones que hace acerca de la vida:
                                                            ¨¿Acaso de verdad se vive en la Tierra?
                                                             no para siempre en la Tierra:Solo un poco aqui.
                                                             aunque sea de Jade se quiebra
                                                             aunque sea de oro se rompe
                                                             aunque sea de plumaje de Quetzal se desgarra
                                                             no para siempre en la Tierra: Solo un poco aqui ¨

Los Mexicas Tenochcas, mis antepasados, fueron el grupo Nahuatl màs importante en el Mèxico Prehispanico. Provenìan de Aztlàn ( lugar de blancura o lugar de garzas). Fue un pueblo de acciones y hechos dignos de admiraciòn. Eran heròicos y realizaban sus mejores esfuerzos ante situaciones adversas y peligrosas. Fueron la potencia màs poderosa de mesoamèrica, portadores de las grandes culturas del continente amèricano, al aventurarse a conquistar territorios fuera de sus regiones naturales, alcanzando territorios màs allà de Guatemala y Honduras. Eran amantes de los mitos, de las leyendas, de la astrologìa, los libros, las danzas, la mùsica y la poesia.

La forma bàsica de organizaciòn, era el Calpulli. Consistìa en un clan o grupo de familias, las cuales solìan tener un ancestro comùn y se dedicaban a los oficios como la orfebrerìa, tallado de piedras, tejidos, medicina, comercio o a la agricultura. Sus integrantes, colaborabàn  estrechamente entre si y se protegìan mutuamente. El gobierno de la comunidad estaba en manos de un Calpullec, elegido entre las familias, contituyendo el mando total. La tierra era en su mayor parte, propiedad del Calpulli. El Calpullec la entregaba en parcelas a los jefes de las familias. Vivìan de su producto, pero no la podìan vender, ni dejar de cultivarla. Alguna parte de la producciòn, estaba destinada a sostener servicios pùblicos, religiosos o administrativos. Sobre esta base estaba edificada toda la piramide social que se desarrollò con bastante rapidez. Con ese poderìo, se fortaleció una aristocracia guerrera y administrativa que vivia del trabajo de campesinos obligados al pago de tributos al gobierno. Existieron esclavos, en su mayorìa prisioneros de guerra, destinados para el sacrificio a los dioses. Otros, por no solventar sus deudas hasta pagarlas. Los que habìan cometido algùn crìmen y aquellos, que se habìan vendido a si mismos, por encontrarse en la miseria. Eso sucedìa cuando escaseaban los alimentos o por las sequìas. Los esclavos debìan realizar trabajos para la clase gobernante y entregar productos de sus cosechas, asì como edificar palacios y templos.

La ciudad de Tenochtitlan, sede del poder mexica, fue de una belleza imponente, edificada sobre basamentos piramidales o cònicos. Estaba embellecida por varias piràmides recubiertas de pinturas en las que predominaban los colores rojo y azul cielo. Estos edificios, ùnicos en el mundo de aquel entonces, se levantaron por todas partes, como la del Templo Mayor, localizada  ahora en el centro de la ciudad, a un costado de la Catedral. Allì, fue hallada Coatlicue, madre de Huizilopochtli, principal dios de los mexicas. Su cabeza, està formada por dos serpientes, su falda tiene entretejidas varias serpientes y sus pies representan garras que simbolizan fuerzas naturales, la vida y la muerte y la unidad del mundo.

Los gobernantes se construìan palacios, vivìan de manera independiente. Existìan tambièn construcciones de habitaciones populares, en las que convivìan varias familias. Esas habitaciones, tenìan un gran patio al centro que operaba como espacio de reuniòn para conversar o llevar a cabo festividades o ceremonias. Afuera de la ciudad, se encontraban las viviendas de la gente comùn y màs allà,  las chozas de los forasteros. Los campesinos, vivìan dispersos en difrentes zonas en la campiña.
En el principal centro urbano, existìan unos ejes centrales, llamados calzadas que partìan del centro de la ciudad, hacia los cuatro puntos cardinales...

Los mexicas, llegaron a dominar de manera sobresaliente la herbolaria, identificando y aprovechando muchas plantas utilizables con fines medicinales y curativos. Conocieron las plantas de poder y los alucinògenos que usaban en sus ritos y ceremonias religiosas, para entrar en comunicaciòn con sus dioses. Los baños de temaxcal ( templo de vapor) eran muy socorridos y estaban manejados por brujos y hechiceros, ahì usaban directamente las plantas medicinales o de poder alucinògeno...Eran muy supersticiosos, aplicaban, la magia, las limpias y la astrologìa. Creìan que la vida de las personas estaba regida por la fecha de su nacimiento y la posiciòn de los planetas; habìa dìas favorables y otros nefastos para realizar determinadas actividades y se podìan escoger fechas adecuadas para realizarlas sin riesgo. De ahì la importancia del Calendario Azteca para tomar decisiones. Creìan en multitud de dioses que regìan los distintos aspectos de la naturaleza y de la vida humana.

La educaciòn mexica, estaba diferenciada por clases sociales. Los niños a la edad de seis años, se preparaban en el Tepochcalli: Desempeñaban tareas sencillas. De mayor edad, se les entrenaba para ser guerreros, valientes y obedientes. Las niñas se preparaban para realizar tareas domesticas y llevar una vida recatada. Los hijos de los nobles, asistìan al Calmecac, recibìan una educaciòn para llevar a cabo funciones de gobierno y mando. Existìan tambièn, casas de canto ( cuicacalli), mùsica y danza. El ideal educativo era: ¨Hombre maduro de corazòn firme como la piedra, corazòn resistente como el tronco de un àrbol, rostro sabio¨...

Para los mexicas-tenochcas, un rito muy importante, fue el de los sacrificios humanos que realizaban para agradar a los dioses, alimentarlos o enviarles mensajes: Se trataba de guerreros capturados en las guerras. Cada año se sacrificaban en Tenochtitlan miles de prisioneros, asi abastecian a Huitzilopochtli de: ¨Tortillas Calientes¨ ( guerreros sacrificados) para cuando quisiera y se le antojase comer. La Triple Alianza (Tenochtitlan, Texcoco y Tlacopan ) tenìan convenido el rito de Las Guerras Floridas, donde el juego se trataba no de realizar conquistas, sino de tomar prisioneros para ofrendarlos a los dioses. En algunas ocasiones, la carne de los sacrificados era consumida para lograr una estrecha relaciòn con la deidad a la que se le habìa ofrecido el rito.

Respecto a los mexicas, existen contradicciones entre las interpretaciones de los datos, pero todo apunta a la identificaciòn de una cultura altamente desarrollada, con grandes conocimientos que incluìan la astronomìa , la elaboraciòn de un sistema calendarico de gran precisiòn, acompañado del invento de la escritura y la forma de anotar nùmeros, glifos y realizar operaciones de altas matemàticas, calculando fechas con extraordinaria exactitud y anotarlas .

La elaboraciòn de sus construcciones y la realizaciòn de sus trabajos, demuestran la existencia de una sociedad organizada, capaz de coordinar la labor de centenares o miles de personas y la fuerza de un grupo gobernante estable que otorgaba uniòn y cohesiòn. Las experiencias acumuladas, asì como las formas de vida y la mentalidad que se crearon en aquellos entonces, constituyen una importante raìz de la idiosincracia del pueblo mexicano de hoy...

Recuerdo que por el barrio, atravesaban unos tranvìas de color crema  con lìneas verdes a los costados. Sus trayectos iban de la Villa de Guadalupe a Azcapotzalco, pasando por la calle de Peralvillo. Cruzaban todo Tepito y luego se introducìan en un tramo por el barrio de la Lagunilla y de ahì se iban por la Calzada Mèxico -Tacuba hasta llegar a Azcapotzalco. En uno de esos tranvìas, solicitaba al operador que me dejarà cantar. Subìa y me acomodaba en uno de los escalones de la bajada y cantaba La Cama de Piedra y Pancho Lòpez. Escogia ese lugar porque desde ahì nadie me veìa ya que me daba mucha pena hacer eso, pero ganaba algùn dinero que me servìa para pagar las tortillas o invitar los refrescos a la hora de la comida en mi casa. El trayecto lo hacia completo de ida y vuelta y me llevaba como una hora y media lograr esa meta.
-¿Quièn comprò refrescos? -preguntaba la abuela en tono inquisitivo-. Raùl le contestaba alguna de mis tìas...
-¿No estaràs robàndote nada verdad?
-Ay, mamà!!!-le increpaban mis tìas-. Hizo algunos mandados y de seguro le pagaron algo. ¿Por què tendrìa que robar?...
De todas maneras a mi abuela no le hubiese parecido en lo absoluto que yo estuviera cantando en los tranvìas. Ella siempre decia que trabajaba para que no nos faltarà nada y que nosotros no debiamos alejarnos del callejòn porque era muy peligroso. Ademàs que deberìamos de estudiar y no andar de vagos de aqui para allà.  El viaje hasta Azcapotzalco si era retirado y habìa muchas pulquerias y borrachos. Varios operadores ya me conocìan y hasta me cuidaban, pero no dejaba de ser peligroso aventurarse a ir tan lejos. A mi me gustaba mucho comprar los refrescos, me hacia sentir grande e importante al compartir el fruto de mi trabajo, fuera el que fuera. Llegaba a juntar con la cantada como un peso, cada refresco costaba  veinte centavos, el peso me alcanzaba para cinco. Me gustaban los  ¨orangechitos¨, los producia la Sidral Mundet y eran muy sabrosos. Los compraba en la tienda de Don Chano que tenìa un perro chaparro y feo que siempre me ladraba el maldito; en alguna ocasiòn, llevaba yo una resortera  y sin que nadie se diera cuenta, le di un resorterazo, pero para mi mala suerte, se me cayeron todos los refrescos que me habìan puesto en una caja y las ligas de la resortera quien sabe como se le enrredaron en las patas traseras al animal y como arte de magia, se estiraron y con el palo del mango,  recibì un tremendo golpe en uno de mis ojos que me dejò viendo miles de estrellas que tardaron en desaparecer, varias horas, Pinche Perro!!!

La vida en el callejòn de Carbajal, para mi, era todo una agasajo: Jugaba al trompo, al balero, al yoyo, que nos cambiaba la Coca Cola por algunas corcholatas y veinte centavos en los camiones repartidores, eran de plàstico macizo rojos y se llamaban Duncan, eran muy bonitos y hacerse de uno de ellos daba distinciòn en la pandilla.  Tambièn jugabamos a los huesitos, que los sustraìmos al comer chabacanos y con agua que pintabamos con una pastillas de colores, los teñiamos de rojo, verde y amarillos. Los rojos valìan màs que los otros y los apostabamos echando volados con alguna moneda. Pero lo que màs me apasionaba, era jugar a las canicas: Haciamos un cìrculo y colocabamos ahì la entrada que podia ser desde una cànica hasta las que quisieramos y sòlo podìan jugar los que tuvieran esa entrada. Se trataba de sacar tantas canicas como pudieramos, sin quedar atrapado al pegarle a la que queriamos sacar del cìrculo; si nuestra canica permanecia en el cìrculo, deciamos ¨Ahogado¨ y perdiamos todas las canicas que hubieramos apostado, sin oportunidad a continuar jugando...En otras ocasiones, jugabamos al ¨Hoyito¨ que consistìa en hacer entrar a la canica en un hoyo y entonces uno se convertìa en un poderoso ¨matòn¨ que con sòlo pegarle a otra canica, podìa hacerse de ella, siempre llevando el juego hasta que se fallaba al no darle a la canica del contrario y entonces otro podìa intentar accesar al hoyito  cambiando al matòn y asi sucesivamente. En el juego gritabamos: ¨ no robes mano ¨ que consistìa en alargar la mano màs de la cuenta al tirar y ¨Safin safado, no es perdonado¨, cuando por error al hacer el tiro de la canica, se les safaba del dedo. Y si por equivocaciòn  alguien se volvìa a meter al hoyito gritabamos: ¨Ahogado¨ y  perdìan el juego retiràndose...El tiempo transcurria rapidamente sin darnos cuenta y mi abuela me iba a buscar para darme de zapes por no hacer la tarea de la escuela, como si eso fuera muy importante o valiera màs que mi juego...Entre mis recuerdos, aùn conservo algunas de mis hermosisimas canicas que se llamaban àgatas, hechas en Alemania de un solido vidrio...Maldita tarea, horrible escuela!!! Què demonios se le metìan a la cabeza a mi abuela? Maldiciòn!!!

El callejòn, estaba integrado por varias vecindades: La del 7, la del 10 y la del 14, en esta ùltima, vivìan los màs aguerridos y era la de mayor poblaciòn. En cambio la nuestra estaba compuesta por sòlo cinco viviendas cuyas puertas daban a la calle y habia otras dos en el interior, en el patio trasero.
Una pertenecìa a Doña Marina, mujer guapa, de buen cuerpo, esbelta, de enormes pechos, que se la pasaba fabricando en un cuartito, cremas para la cara, manos y cuerpo, para luego irlas a vender a cualquier lado que se las compraran, llevando y trayendo chismes de todas partes, era una especie de correo humano. A esa señora, siempre la veìa con toda la cara grasienta, embadurnada de mascarillas de todo tipo. Le gustaba hablar mucho, parecia toda una guacamaya y como se la pasaba con mis tìas chismorreando, acababa por marear a mi abuela ponièndola muy de malas, lo cual eso a mi me perjudicaba, porque entonces los permisos para salir a jugar escaseaban o de plano no los habìa.
- A esa mujer, no le para la boca-decia muy molesta mi abuela-. Y ustedes para colmo-refirièndose a mis tìas- que le hacen la segunda, ni crean que les va a aumentar la belleza con sus mentadas cremas esas...Cualquiera que se unte manteca de cerdo en la cara, se le pone tersa la piel ¿No?-remataba.
Se daba un pequeño silencio
-Pero mamà, No, por Dios!!!-la defendìan ràpidamente las ingenuas de mis tìas-. Esas cremas son muy buenas y a ti porque ella te cae muy mal, pero las deberìas de usar tù tambien, tienes la piel muy maltratada, mìrate en el espejo, te ves màs grande de la edad que tienes...
Ese tipo de comentarios, tambièn hartaban a mi abuela y las cosas se ponìan color de hormiga en la casa, yo solo alcanzaba a taparme los ojos con las manos, ay, mis tìas...
-Tiempo habrìa de  yo de tener, pero para dormir!!!-gritaba muy fuerte mi abuela- que esa falta de sueño que me cargo desde hace un buen rato, acaba con una con cremas y sin cremas!!! ¿Verdad, vanidosillas?
-Si, mamà- finalizaban derrotadas siempre mis queridas tìas y yo con el riesgo de no poder salir, ¡bah!

La otra vivienda, pertenecia a una anciana chapada a la antigua, siempre vestida de negro. Su figura era de bruja.  Se peinaba de chongo alto y su cabello era color plata.Ese chongo espantoso que se hacia en la parte alta de su cabeza, parecìa màs bien, un nido de pajaros o de viboras. No usaba aretes, ni ningùn otro adorno.  Su rostro era adusto y no emitia ningùn gesto, su mirada era lejana. La verdad, no parecia mujer. Era la dueña de todo ese conjunto habitacional. La gente le tenìa miedo y solo la observaban en su lento caminar por el callejòn, cuando salìa a hacer algunas compras, cosa que era de vez en cuando. A mì me pedia con frecuencia que le hiciera algunos mandados, como ir a comprar verduras y huevo en la tienda del ¨Buzo¨ que se encontraba en la calle de Peralvillo, junto a la pulqueria de la esquina, dando vuelta hacia la izquierda. Ella me daba 20 centavos por cada mandado y me comentaba que lo hacia porque yo no le robaba y siempre le cumplia con todos sus encargos. A mi ella no me daba miedo, pero si me impresionaba mucho su aspecto personal, sobre todo su vestimenta toda de negro, zapatos, medias, falda, blusa de mangas largas, todo de negro; su pelo cano peinado en chongo alto, toda ella me parecia horrible y ademàs anciana, pero eso sì, derechita, derechita como un palo y muy limpia. Daba la impresiòn de estar viva, porque caminaba, pero tambien de estar muerta, porque lo hacia con mucha indiferencia, como si nada existiera, solo aquello que su lejana mirada imaginaba. Se levantaba a las cinco de la mañana a barrer y regar el piso del callejòn que no tenìa pavimento. Nunca, que recuerde, dejò de hacerlo, ni tampoco nadie osaba en asaltarla, capaz que les respondia con un maleficio o algo parecido, engarrotàndolos...

La escuela primaria a la que asistìa, se encontraba enclavada en la Colonia exhipodromo de Peralvillo -en esa Colonia iba a vivir años adelante-. Era una escuela pùblica, grande, con dos patios. Concurrìan niños de mayores recursos econòmicos y con otros valores. Mi abuela no querìa que estudiaramos en nuestro barrio, decia que allì, todos eran unos salvajes. Lo que sucede, es que a mi tìo Ortiz- se llamaba Roberto, pero yo me referìa a èl por su apellido y asi se le quedò, les hacia gracia-, en una muy desafortunada ocasiòn, unos terribles compañeros de su escuela Secundaria, la que estaba  precisamente ubicada en la Calle de Parcialidad, jugando, jugando, lo atraparon y le hicieron una maniobra en su columna vertebral y se la fracturaron...Fue tremendo todo eso, mi abuela demandò al Director de la escuela y los alumnos fueron expulsados del plantel. De ese asunto tengo recuerdos muy borrosos, estaba aùn màs pequeño, aunque recuerdo el arnès que mi tìo tuvo que usar por un largo tiempo.

El horario de la primaria, era de 8 de la mañana, a 12.30 del dìa. Me llevaban y me recogìan mis tìas, Chela y Rosita. Cruzabamos la glorieta de la Ronda y luego tomabamos el camino de la Calzada de Guadalupe y ya nos introducìamos por la calle de Peralvillo en el barrio. En los alrededores, habìa varias vìas de ferrocarril y ahì estacionaban algunos vagones que ya no operaban o estaban en reapraciòn. Toda esa zona, digamos de la parte trasera del Barrio de Tepito, eran solares, donde merodeaban muchos pordioseros o malvivientes. Ahora ahì, se encuentran construidos los edificios de la Unidad Tlatelolco, pero anteriormente, en mi època, eran una especie de patio de vagones del ferrocarril de la estaciòn Buena Vista que se ubicaba a un costado de la Colonia Guerrero, justo bajando el puente de Nonoalco-Tlatelolco, hacia mano izquierda. Era menos riesgoso, tomar el camino por la glorieta de la Ronda y luego continuar rumbo a Peralvillo que irse directo, ahorràndose un poco de tiempo, pero teniendo que transitar por esos terrenos baldios y altamente peligrosos. Llegando al callejòn, me sentìa como pez en el agua y lo primero que hacia, era dejar mi mochila a mis tìas e irme derechito a la vecindad del 14-que por cierto olia muy feo, por tener los wc a la entrada-, para ver a doña Paola que a esa hora, màs o menos la una de la tarde, estaba haciendo unos sopes para la comida del ¨Tanis¨, su hijo que llegaba como a las dos. La vecindad del 14, era muy grande, tenia un gran portòn de madera a la entrada, que permanecia abierto durante todo el dìa pero que en la noche lo cerraban a piedra y lodo y quienes llegaban tarde, tenian que pagarle una cuota al conserje para que les permitiera entrar. Los sanitarios se encontraban justo ahì -las viviendas no contaban con baño propio-, en un espacio entre la entrada y el patio, como para que el mal olor se ventilara con la corriente de aire, pero la verdad, màs bien se esparcìa y estaba impregnado  en las paredes. Era tremendo todo eso. Luego seguia un gran patio, el cual tenia al centro unos grandes lavaderos, con una pileta comunal, de donde las señoras hincadas, con unas latas de aluminio, de esas donde empacan las sardinas, tomaban el agua para llevarla a su lavadero echàndosela a las ropas que estaban lavando. Alrededor, del gran patio, se encontraban las viviendas, eran unos cuartos,  no muy amplios, con su puerta de entrada, un espacio pequeño como de cuatro pasos y luego la habitaciòn cuadrada, de techo alto, en la que apenas cabìa un pequeño comedor con  sus sillas, una vitrina y otra pequeña mesita, con el tapanco arriba para las camas. No habìa espacio para la estufa, si acaso una parrilla de petròleo o de gas. Eso era todo. Habia muchos cuartos como esos en toda la vecindad, que contaba con un segundo patio, tan amplio como el primero, pero sin pileta para lavado de ropa. Ese patio lo usaban, para hacer sus fiestas y reuniones...

Doña Paola, sacaba su anafre y su comal, y ponìa afuera la mesita, con sus sillas y ahì en ese espacio exterior, comiamos sus riquisisimos sopes. A mi me gustaban mucho los de salsa roja. Torteba la tortilla con sus manos, las hacia redonditas y luego las colocaba en el comal hasta que se cocian. Despuès las colocaba en un tortillero envueltas en una servilleta roja, evitando asì que se enfriaran . Cuando llegaba el ¨Taniz¨, sacaba las tortillas y les daba unos pellizcos a todo el rededor, para evitar que se derramara la salsa, que podia ser verde o roja y les colocaba su cebolla picada y su queso, esos eran los  increibles sopes, de doña Paola.
-¿Ya llegaste, zangano?- me decia-. Yo ni sabia que me queria decir con esa palabra. Ella nada màs se reia a carcajadas. Despues llegaba el ¨Taniz¨ que era uno de mis idolos del barrio, era muy bueno para los golpes, no habia nadie que le ganara y eso que existìan otros en el callejòn, tambièn muy buenos para pelear. Yo era de sus prefridos y me sentìa bien poderoso al ser su amigo. Nadie se metìa conmigo, sòlo los de mi edad o un poco màs grandes, pero nadie abusaba de mi, por mi amistad con èl. El ¨Taniz¨ trabajaba en una empresa de articulos electricos, tenia como 23 años, era fuerte y bien parecido, su piel no era morena, sino rojiza, muchas chicas lo buscaban, pero èl, era muy serio y bien portado, no fumaba, ni tomaba, hacia mucho ejercicio. Casi no hablaba, nada màs se sonrreia con mis puntadas y que su mamà a cada rato me decia: Zangano y se botaban de risa los dos...

Las otras vecindades, la del 7 y la del 10, estaban mucho mejor presentadas. La mejor era la del 7, incluso por sobre la nuestra. Tenia tambièn su gran portòn de madera, un amplio pasillo a la entrada, su patio y las viviendas, eran mucho màs amplias con dos o tres recàmaras y baño interno incluido. Los inquilinos si querian, podìan hacerle su tapanco. Algunas de ellas daban a la calle. En esa vecindad, compraba unos cubitos de hielo de sabores con un palito al centro, como si fuera una paleta, los hacia una viejita que vivia sola. Los daba a cinco centavos. En una de esas viviendas, vivìa mi madrina Delfina. Se podìa entrar a su casa, por el patio o por la calle. Nosotros, casi, viviamos frente a ella. Se dedicaba a la compra venta de objetos y a prestar dinero. Ademàs, adivinaba la suerte y hacia lìmpias con hierbas y vendia mejunjes y veladoras para los amorios y para tener dinero. Mi madrina, era  gorda, gorda, alta, de tez morena y pelo corto color plata. No era fea, su cara redonda, con sus ojotes negros, sus grandes aretes y siempre muy limpia y arregladita. Tenia a su disposiciòn varias personas que la auxiliaban en todos sus asuntos personales; una era la mamà de Sergio y la otra, una hija adoptiva, Irene. Sergio era como su secretario particular que recibia a los clientes, pero en verdad ni ayudaba en nada y si gastaba dinero. Tambièn estaba Rene, un morenito, otro hijo adoptivo, hermano de Irene, que era muy estudioso, asistìa al Politecnico Nacional, pero a la vez tambièn muy rebelde y latoso, me molestaba bastante ese personaje. Siempre me le trataba de esconder para evitarlo. Mi madrina tenia dinero màs que suficiente. Trabajaba mucho y al parecer lo hacia muy bien, pues el dinero le sobraba hasta para prestarlo a rèditos. Nos ayudaba para comprar alimentos en varias ocasiones. Ella era mi madrina de bautizo, de ese que mi abuela habìa dicho que no valia, porque habia sido en grupo y con otros niños y adultos sin bautizar...Para mi. la madrina Delfina, representaba un ser màgico todo poderoso que dominaba otras dimensiones y a los espìritus. Sabìa que siempre nos apoyaba en todo, pese a su caràcter duro, mandòn e impositivo...Yo quise mucho a mi madrina Delfinita, la admiraba...

La vecindad del 10, era un edificio de dos pisos. Tenia dos departamentos al frente, uno a cada lado de la puerta de hierro de la entrada. Dentro, venian los pasillos y a cada uno de los lados las puertas de las viviendas que eran amplias con un pequeño patio y con escaleras internas para subir al sgundo piso. Esa construcciòn por dentro, parecia un laberinto oscuro, pero estaba bien distribuida. En uno de los departamentos de la entrada, vivìa Kiko y su mamà doña Paula. Kiko era trabajador de una empresa de dulces y chocolates llamada Lux. Tenìa su camioneta de reparto, de esas grandes cerradas, donde transportaba sus productos para surtir a  todas las tiendas del barrio. Siempre que me acercaba a saludarlo, me obsequiaba un caramelo. Eran unos cilindros como de  cinco centimetros, con una lìnea blanca que iba dàndole vuelta. Me gustaban los amarillos y los rojos, esos eran los màs sabrosos,  La gente los molestaba con frecuencia. Ellos eran norteños, gueros y altos y les hacìan la vida pesada. Kiko, tendrìa algo asi, como 25 años. Era galàn y las chicas  lo acosaban  mucho, eso prendìa a los muchachos del barrio que no perdìan la oportunidad para estarlo fastidiando y azuzàndolo para pelearse con èl. Estaba fuerte, el cargar cajas le habia desarrollado su cuerpo. Pero nunca se peleò con ellos, a  pesar de que un dìa de plano le rompieron el parabrisas de su camioneta. Era muy precavido y sabia que lo atacarìan en grupo y si podìan hasta se lo cemerìan vivo. Mejor era llevarsela bien con ellos, ignorarlos y ponerles mucha distancia.

En alguna ocasiòn, al llegar de la escuela, salì al callejòn a jugar. Ya habìa pasado a la casa del ¨Taniz¨ y tratè de observar si los sopes ya estaban listos. Desde los lavaderos, vi que doña Paola, no habìa ni siquiera sacado el comal, parecia que no se encontraba en casa, cosa que se me hizo extraña; ademàs, que al entrar a la vecindad, las señoras de los lavaderos, se me quedaban viendo de manera rara y con rostros agresivos. Fue por eso que me retire de inmediato y mejor me fuì de ahì. Al estar jugando a las canicas con mis amigos, de repente se escucharon unos gritos muy fuertes y salieron corriendo muchas señoras y hombres de la vecindad del 14, armados con palos y cinturones, al tiempo que otro grupo de gente, tambièn aparecian igual de armadas, corriendo de las vecindades del 10 y del 7. Se enfrentaron todos contra todos en el centro de la calle, pero era tanta la confusiòn, que se golpeaban los unos contra los otros, sin saber ya a quienes agredìan. Se supone que la lucha era los del 14 contra los del 7, apoyados estos por los del 10. Pero a la hora de los golpes y los garrotazos, eran todos contra todos...Fue una trifulca que duro varios minutos. El espectàculo fue mayùsculo, sorpresivo, muy interesante y muy emocionante, pero a la vez triste. Por supuesto que hubo varios heridos. Llegaron las ambulancias de la cruz roja y las patrullas de policìa, porque don Chano, les habìa llamado por telèfono desde su tienda. Nadie daba crèdito como se podìa convivir y sobrevivir en el barrio. Apenas si me diò tiempo de recoger mis canicas de lo ràpido que sucediò todo. Se supone que habìa una organizaciòn civilizada, pero la verdad, es que viviamos como guerreros bàrbaros, cuidàdandonos unos de otros, al dìa, con muchas carencias y multiples necesidades, en un Mèxico que trataba a toda costa de ser pacìfico y avanzar, pero creo que nuestro pasado aguerrido nos condenaba a ser los que eramos, muy peleoneros, sin saber para que luchabamos ni por què, como si se tratra de guerras floridas para atrapar prisioneros y ofrecerlos para alimentar a los dioses... Nunca se supo el motivo de la lucha en el callejòn, varios de los heridos eran mis amigos y eso me hacia sentir muy mal y triste, nuestro lema era: Sàlvese quièn pueda!!!

A BIT OF MY LIFE IV

In the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century , the two great powers of those then in the Old World , the papacy and the Empires , lose strength . A new class, the bourgeoisie, will step in and will start to take shape capitalism , growing trade and cities: is the era of innovations and discoveries . Declines in a stage of obscurantism , but do not disappear servitude or the Inquisition against heretics and starts alongside the modern age : Progress, comunication , reason and humanism, make an appearance in all its glory . They appear in the picture , Dante , Petrarch , Giotto Bottichelli , Lorenzo de Medici , Torquemada , Leonardo da Vinci , Michelangelo, Raphael , Machiavelli . We develop an intellectual and artistic movement inspired by classical antiquity. Appears print. It is the uprising of the humanity of those directions, against feudal regulation and rigidity . It is the first flight of the human being, to the enjoyment of life , to knowledge , to trust in themselves. It investigates and boldly expresses the truth of life and death, away from the concept of God and the Bible, as had happened for a long time in the Middle Ages based on the Scholastica , alchemy and astrology ...

In our American territories , running the year 1440, Nezahualcoyotl ( Coyote fasting ) , lord of Texcoco , poet, scholar and architect , brings her creations and writings, highlighting the reflections which makes about life :
                                                            ¨ Do they really live on earth?
                                                             not forever on earth : Just a little here.
                                                             Jade even breaks
                                                             gold even breaks
                                                             plumage even tears Quetzal
                                                             not forever on earth : Just a little here ¨

The Mexica Tenochcas , my ancestors , were the group Nahuatl more important in prehispanic Mexico. Came from Aztlan (place of whiteness or place of herons ) . It was a village in actions and deeds worthy of admiration . They were heroic and made ​​their best efforts to adverse situations and dangerous . Power were more powerful in Mesoamerica , carriers of the great cultures of the American continent to conquer territory by venturing outside their natural regions , reaching beyond territories Guatemala and Honduras . They were lovers of myths , legends , astrology , books , dance , music and poetry .

The basic organizational form was the Calpulli . Consisted of a clan or group of families , which used to have a common ancestor and were engaged in trades such as goldsmith , stone carving , textiles , medicine , commerce and agriculture . Their members , working closely with each other and are mutually protected . The government of the community was in the hands of a calpullec selected from families contituyendo total command . The land was mostly owned by the Calpulli . The plots calpullec handed it to the heads of families. Vivian of your product, but they could not sell or cultivate stop . Some part of the manufactoring , was intended to support public services , religious or administrative purposes. On this basis was built across the social pyramid was developed rather quickly. With that power , strengthened warrior aristocracy and administrative work of peasants lived obliged to pay taxes to the government. There were slaves , mostly prisoners of war, destined for sacrifice to the gods. Other , not to cover their debts to pay. Those who had committed a crime and those who had sold themselves , to be in misery. That happened when little food or droughts. The slaves had to do work for the ruling class and deliver products of their crops , as well as build palaces and temples.

The city of Tenochtitlan , Aztec seat of power , was a stunning beauty , built on pyramidal or conical bases . It was embellished by several pyramids coated paintings that dominated the red and blue colors . These buildings , uniques in the world at that time , stood up everywhere, like the Templo Mayor , now located in the city center , next to the Cathedral. There, was found Coatlicue , mother of Huitzilopochtli , chief god of the Aztecs . His head is provided formed by two snakes , her skirt has woven several snakes and feet symbolize claws represent natural forces of life and death and the unity of the world .

The rulers built palaces, lived independently. There were also popular housing construction , where several families lived . These rooms had a large courtyard in the center that operated as a meeting to discuss or conduct festivals or ceremonies . Outside the city , were the homes of ordinary people and beyond, the huts of strangers . The peasants lived difrentes scattered areas in the countryside .
In the main urban center , central axes were called roads that led from the city center , towards the four cardinal points ...

The Aztecs came to dominate herbalism outstandingly identifying and exploiting many plants used for medicinal and healing . They met and power plants that used hallucinogens in their rituals and religious ceremonies , to enter comunication with their gods. Temaxcal baths ( steam temple ) were rescued and were handled by witches and sorcerers , ahì medicinal plants used directly or hallucinogenic power ... They were very superstitious , applied , magic, and astrology clean . Believed that the life of the people was governed by the date of his birth and the position of the planets were days and other nefarious favorable for certain activities and could choose suitable dates to perform safely. Hence the importance of the Aztec Calendar to make decisions. They believed in many gods governing different aspects of nature and human life.

The Mexican educaciòn was differentiated by social class. Children at the age of six, were prepared in the Tepochcalli : They played simple tasks. Older age , they are trained to be warriors , brave and obedient. The girls were preparing to perform domestic tasks and lead a modest life . The sons of noblemen , attended the Calmecac , get an education to carry out the functions of government and command. There were also , homes ridge ( cuicacalli ) , stereo and dance. The educational ideal was: Mature man in heart ¨ firm as stone , Heart strong as a tree trunk , face wise ¨ ...

For the Mexica - Tenochca important rite was that of human sacrifice performed to please the gods , feed or send messages : They were warriors captured in wars. Every year in Tenochtitlan were sacrificed thousands of prisoners , so catering to Huitzilopochtli : Hot Tortillas ¨ ¨ (warriors slaughtered ) for when you want and eat he pleased . The Triple Alliance ( Tenochtitlan , Texcoco and Tacuba ) had agreed the rite of Floridas Wars , where the game was not making gains , but taking prisoners to the gods ofrendar . Sometimes the sacrificed meat was consumed to achieve a close relationship with the deity he had been offered the rite .

Regarding the Mexica , there are contradictions between the interpretations of the data, but everything points to the identification of a highly developed culture , with great knowledge included astronomy , elaboraci calendrical system of high precision , accompanied the invention of writing and how to enter numbers , glyphs and perform higher mathematics , calculating dates with extraordinary accuracy and reported.

The elaboraci of its buildings and the realization of their work , demonstrate the existence of an organized society , able to coordinate the work of hundreds or thousands of people and the strength of a stable ruling group that gave unity and more cohesion . The accumulated experiences, and ways of life and mentality that were created at that time, is an important result of the idiosyncrasies of the Mexican people today ...

I remember the neighborhood, crossed some trams lìneas cream with green on the sides . His journeys were of Villa de Guadalupe Atzcapotzalco , through Peralvillo Street . They crossed all Tepito and then introduced into a stretch by the neighborhood ahì Lagunilla and rode through Mèxico - Tacuba Causeway to reach Atzcapotzalco . In one of these trams, I asked the operator shall cease singing. Up and I settled into one of the steps of the descent and sang La Cama de Piedra and Pancho Lòpez . I chose this place because from ahì no one saw me as I was very sorry to do that , but I earned some money to pay servìa invite tortillas or soft drinks when the food in my house. The full path to the round and took me an hour and a half to achieve that goal.
- Who bought sodas ? Grandma would ask inquisitive tone . Raùl would answer some of my aunts ...
- You're not stealing anything right?
- Oh, mamà ! - Aunts rebuked him . He did some errands and insurance paid him something. Why would you steal ? ...
Anyway, my grandmother would not like at all that I was singing in the trams. She always said that working for us not lack anything and that we move away from the alley we had to because it was too dangerous. Furthermore we should study and not go from here to allà bums . The trip to Atzcapotzalco if it was removed and there were many pulquerias and drunks. Several traders knew me and I even cared , but it was still dangerous to venture that far. I really loved to buy soft drinks , made ​​me feel big and important to share the fruit of my work , whatever it was . Reached together with the sung as a weight, each refresh cost twenty cents , weight reached me for five. I liked orangechitos ¨ ¨ , the Sidral was producing the Mundet and were very tasty . The store bought the Don Chano having a squat and ugly dog always barked damn , on occasion, I had a slingshot and without anyone noticing, I gave him a resorterazo , but to my bad luck, is I dropped all the soda that had put me in a box and the slingshot league who knows as it enrredaron in the hind legs of the animal and like magic , stretched and handle the bat , I received a tremendous blow to one of my eyes that left me seeing thousands of stars that soon disappeared , several hours , Click Dog !

Life in the Callejon de Carbajal , to me, it was all an entertainment : I played spin , the bearing , the yoyo , we changed the Coca Cola bottle caps and some twenty cents on delivery trucks were solid plastic red and Duncan called , were very nice and made ​​one of them was High Marks in the gang . We also played the bones , that sustraìmos to eat apricots and water that we painted with colorful pills, had them red, green and yellow . The Reds were better than the others and were betting flown with some coin throwing . But what fascinated me more was playing marbles : We were doing a circle and we would put the entry that could be from a marble until we wanted and could only play to have that input. It was to take as many marbles as we could , without being trapped to hit the we wanted out of the circle, if our permanecia marble in the circle, we said ¨ ¨ Choking and we lost all the marbles what we would have bet , with no opportunity to continue playing .. . at other times , we played the Hoyito ¨ ¨ which was to make the marble into a hole and then one became a powerful ¨ ¨ bully that just hit another marble , could be made of it , always taking the game to that failed by not giving the opponent the marble and then another access the dimple could try changing the bully and so on. In the game hollered : do not steal ¨ ¨ hand consisting reach out more to the account to pull and Safin safado ¨ , ¨ is not forgiven when accidentally shot to make the marble , safaba them the finger. And if someone accidentally put the dimple again hollered : Choking ¨ ¨ and lost the game ... Time transcurria retreating quickly without realizing it and my grandmother was going to look for me in zapes for not doing homework , as if that was important or was worth more than my game ... Among my memories , I still have some of my fantastically beautiful agates marbles that were called , made ​​in Germany of a solid glass ... Damn task , awful school ! Què demons were putting it head to my grandmother ? Damn !

The alley was composed of several neighborhoods : the 7th , the 10th and 14th , in the Later lived the more seasoned and was the largest population. Instead ours consisted of only five houses whose doors faced the street and had two inside , in the back yard .
One belonged to Doña Marina , woman beautiful , full-bodied , slender, with huge breasts , who kept making in a small room , face creams , hand and body , then irlas to sell to any side that bought them , gossip ferrying everywhere, it was a kind of human courier . To that lady , always with his whole face looked greasy , smeared with masks of all kinds. He liked to talk much , and seemed all of a macaw as he spent with my aunts gossiping , just by my grandmother putting stun very bad , which harmed it to me , because then the permits to go out and play or just plain scarce there were none.
- That woman , not for her mouth really upset my grandmother was saying . And you to top - referring to my aunts - that make the second , or believe that they will increase their insults beauty creams such ... Whatever you slather lard in the face, smooth skin puts No? - topping .
It was a small silence
- But mamà , No, by God ! - The naive quickly defended my aunts . These creams are very good and you because you drop it really bad, but you should also use tù , your skin is very battered , look in the mirror , you look more large old you ...
That kind of comment ', too gorged to my grandmother and things got ant color in the house , I just reached to cover my eyes with my hands , oh, my aunts ...
- Time enough for me to have, but to sleep ! Cried my grandmother very strong lack of sleep that I post for a while, just a without creams creams ! Right, vanidosillas ?
- Yes, always defeated mamà - finalized my dear aunts and I with the risk of not being able to leave ,bah !

The other house , belonged to an old fogy , always dressed in black . Her figure was a witch. They combed the high bun and her hair was frightening colored bun plata.Ese was done in the top of his head, looked more like a nest of birds or snakes . He wore no earrings, or any other adornment . His face was grim and not letting me gesture , his gaze distant . Not really looked like women. He was the owner of all this housing complex . The people were afraid and only watched their slow walk down the alley , he left to do some shopping , which was from time to time . A frequently mì pedia me to make him some errands , like shopping for vegetables and egg shop ¨ ¨ diver who was in Peralvillo Street , near the corner pulqueria , turning to the left. She gave me 20 cents per sent and told me that he did so because I did not steal and will always cumplia with all your orders. To me she was not scared , but I was very impressed by his personal appearance , especially their dress all in black, shoes, socks , skirt, blouse with long sleeves , all in black , his hair gray hair in high bun , all of it and it seemed to me ugly old woman, but that yes , straighter , straighter as a stick and very clean. It gave the print to be alive , because she had, but also to be dead because you did it with much indifference , as if nothing existed, only that which his distant gaze imagined. He got up at five o'clock to sweep and water the floor of the alley that had no pavement. Never, remember, he stopped , nor nobody dared to assault , they can respond with a spell or something, engarrotàndolos ...

The elementary school that I attended , it was set in the colonial exhipodromo Peralvillo - in that colony was to live years later . It was a public school , large, with two patios. Children concurred greater financial resources and other values ​​. My grandmother did not want us to study in our neighborhood , was saying that there were all savages. What happens is that my uncle was called Roberto Ortiz , but I referred to him by his name and so he was , made ​​them grace - in a very unfortunate ocasion , about his school mates terrible Secondary, the that was precisely located on Calle Bias , playing, playing , caught him and made a move on his spine and fractured it ... it was terrible all that, my grandmother sued the Director of the school and students were expelled campus . In that case I have very fuzzy memories , was even smaller , although I remember my uncle harness had to wear for a long time.

The primary schedule , was 8 in the morning , at 12.30 Last news . I had and I picked my aunts , Chela and Rosita . Crossed Round roundabout and then we took the path of Calzada de Guadalupe and since we introduced us Peralvillo the street in the neighborhood. Nearby, there were several railways and some cars parked ahì no longer operating or were in reapraciòn . The whole area , say from the back of the Barrio de Tepito , were solar , where many beggars or vagrants loitering . Now ahì , buildings are built Tlatelolco Unit , but formerly , in my època , were a kind of railroad coach yard of the station Buena Vista that was located next to the Colonia Guerrero, just down the bridge Nonoalco - Tlatelolco , to the left. It was less risky , take the roundabout way Round and then continue towards Peralvillo to go straight , saving a bit of time, but having to travel on these vacant lots and highly dangerous . Coming into the alley , I felt like a fish in the water and the first thing to was to leave my backpack to my aunts and go straight to the vicinity of 14 - which incidentally smelled really bad , having the toilet at the entrance - to see Dona Paola at that hour , more or less one in the afternoon, I was doing some sopes for food ¨ ¨ Tanis , his son who came as both. The neighborhood of 14 , was very large, had a large wooden gate at the entrance , which opened permanecia all day but at night it closed and bolted and latecomers , had to pay a fee to the custodian for let them enter . The toilets were just ahì - houses had no bathroom , in a space between the entrance and courtyard , so that the odor be ventilated with the air stream , but the truth is more well spread and was impregnated in the walls. It was tremendous stuff. Then was still a large courtyard, which had a large laundry center with a communal pool , where ladies kneeling , with aluminum cans , the kind where sardines packed , taking the water to take her laundry throwing it to the were washing clothes . Around the large courtyard , were the houses, were some rooms , not very large , with its front door, a small space of about four steps and then the square room , high ceiling , which barely fit a small dining with chairs , a cabinet and a small table , with a loft above for the beds. No room for the stove , a grill in case oil or gas. That was all . There were many rooms like that in the whole neighborhood , which had a second courtyard , as wide as the first, but no sink for washing clothes. That court used it to make their parties and gatherings ...

Dona Paola, took out his portable stove and griddle , and put out the coffee table and chairs and you find in the outer space, we ate their riquisisimos sopes . I really really liked the red sauce . Torteba tortilla with their hands, to plump and then placed them in the pan until cocian . Then placed them in a tortilla wrapped in a red napkin , thus avoiding to cool . When it came Taniz ¨ ¨ pulled tortillas and gave them some pinching all around , to prevent spilling the sauce, which could be green or red onion placed them and their cheese, those were the amazing sopes , Dona Paola .
- Have you got , drone ? - Told me . I did not know I wanted to say with that word. She just laughed out loud more . Then came the Taniz ¨ ¨ which was one of my idols in the neighborhood , was very good for hitting , there was no one to win and that there were others in the alley ', too good to fight. I was their prefridos powerful and felt good to be your friend . Nobody messed with me , just my age or a little more big , but nobody abused me , because of my friendship with him. ¨ ¨ Taniz company working in a Electrical parts , had like 23 years , was strong and handsome, his skin was not brown , but reddish , many girls sought him , but he was very serious and well behaved , did not smoke , or drink , to much exercise. He hardly spoke , nothing more is sonrreia with my stitches and your mamà all the time I said: Zangano and laughter were thrown from both ...

The other neighborhoods, the 7 and 10 , were much better presented . The best was that of 7 , even on our own. Had its big wooden gate , a spacious entrance hallway , your yard and the houses were much more spacious with two or three bedrooms and private bathroom included. Tenants if they wanted to , they could make their loft . Some rooms facing the street . In that neighborhood , bought some ice cubes flavored with a stick in the center, like a paddle, made ​​them an old woman who lived alone. The gave five cents . In one of these houses , my godmother lived Delfina . You could enter your home , on the patio or on the street. We almost , we lived across from her. It is engaged in the purchase and sale of objects lend. Also advises guess luck and to clean with herbs and concoctions and was selling candles for love affairs and to have money. My godmother, was fat , fat , tall, dark complexion and short hair silver. It was ugly , her round face with its black ojotes , large earrings and always very clean and arregladita . He had at your disposal several people who helped them in all personal matters , one was mamà Sergio and the other , an adopted daughter , Irene . Sergio was like his personal secretary who was receiving customers , but really no help at all and if you spend money . René was also a black man , another adopted son , brother of Irene , which was very studious, attending the National Polytechnic , yet also very rebellious and annoying , bothered me that character. I always tried to hide him to avoid it. My godmother had more than enough money . He worked hard and apparently did so well, as he had plenty of money to lend up to revenues. It helped us to buy food on several occasions. She was my godmother , that my grandmother had said no worth, because he had been in groups with other children and adults not baptized ... for me . Delfina Godmother represented a powerful magical being dominated all other dimensions and spirits. Knew always supported us throughout, despite His character hard , bossy and tax ... I wanted to love my godmother Delfinita , admired ...

10 The neighborhood was a two-story building . Had two departments in front, one on each side of the iron door entry . Inside, the hallways were coming and each of the sides the doors of the houses that were spacious with a small patio and internal stairs to climb to sgundo floor. That construcciòn inside, seemed a dark maze , but was well laid out . In one of the departments of the entrance, lived mamà Kiko and Dona Paula . Kiko was a worker in a candy and chocolate company called Lux . Had his pickup truck , one of those big closed , where carrying their products to supply to all the local shops . Whenever I approached to greet him, regaled me candy. Cylinders were about five feet , with a white dial was turning . I liked the yellow and red , those were the more tasty , people frequently annoyed them . They were northerners, and tall white boys made ​​life heavy . Kiko , would need something like 25 years. Galan was harassed and the girls a lot, that lit the boys in the neighborhood who did not lose the opportunity to be, teasing and fighting with èl azuzàndolo for . He was strong, the load cases we had developed his body. But he never fought them , despite a flat Last news broke the windshield of his truck . He was very cautious and wise that attack in groups and if they could live up to it cemerìan . Better to take her along with them , ignore them and put a lot of distance .

On occasion, to come home from school , I went to the alley to play. Had passed to the house of Taniz ¨ ¨ and try to observe if the sopes were ready . From the laundry , I saw Dona Paola, had not even taken the griddle , it looked like it was not at home, which made ​​me strange ; also advises that upon entering the neighborhood , laundry ladies , I remained seeing so rare and aggressive faces . That's why I retired immediately and better I got out of there . Being playing marbles with my friends , he suddenly heard a very loud screams and ran many ladies and men from the neighborhood of 14 , armed with sticks and belts , while another group of people ', too equally armed aparecian , running from the vicinity of 10 and 7 . They clashed against each other in the middle of the street, but there was so much confusion, that beat against each other , no longer knowing who assaulted . It is assumed that the fight was the 14th against 7 , supported these by 10 . But when blows and blows , were all against all ... It was a fight that lasted several minutes. The show was huge , surprise , very interesting and very exciting , but also sad. Of course there were several wounded. Came the Red Cross ambulances and police cars, because Don Chano , had telephoned them from your store. Nobody could believe as live and survive in the neighborhood. I hardly had time to gather my marbles at how quickly it all happened. It is assumed that there was an organization civilized , but the truth is that we lived as barbaric warriors , cuidàdandonos each other daily, with many gaps and multiple needs in a Mèxico trying at all costs to be peaceful and forward, but I think hardened our past condemned us to be the ones we were very quarrelsome , not knowing that would fight or why, as if flowery wars tratra to catch prisoners and offer to feed the gods ... We never knew the reason for the fight in the alley, several of the injured were my friends and I feel really bad and sad , our motto was every man for himself !



In the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century , the two great powers of those then in the Old World , the papacy and the Empires , lose strength . A new class, the bourgeoisie, will step in and will start to take shape capitalism , growing trade and cities: is the era of innovations and discoveries . Declines in a stage of obscurantism , but do not disappear servitude or the Inquisition against heretics and starts alongside the modern age : Progress, comunication , reason and humanism, make an appearance in all its glory . They appear in the picture , Dante , Petrarch , Giotto Bottichelli , Lorenzo de Medici , Torquemada , Leonardo da Vinci , Michelangelo, Raphael , Machiavelli . We develop an intellectual and artistic movement inspired by classical antiquity. Appears print. It is the uprising of the humanity of those directions, against feudal regulation and rigidity . It is the first flight of the human being, to the enjoyment of life , to knowledge , to trust in themselves. It investigates and boldly expresses the truth of life and death, away from the concept of God and the Bible, as had happened for a long time in the Middle Ages based on the Scholastica , alchemy and astrology ...

In our American territories , running the year 1440, Nezahualcoyotl ( Coyote fasting ) , lord of Texcoco , poet, scholar and architect , brings her creations and writings, highlighting the reflections which makes about life :
                                                            ¨ Do they really live on earth?
                                                             not forever on earth : Just a little here.
                                                             Jade even breaks
                                                             gold even breaks
                                                             plumage even tears Quetzal
                                                             not forever on earth : Just a little here ¨

The Mexica Tenochcas , my ancestors , were the group Nahuatl more important in prehispanic Mexico. Came from Aztlan (place of whiteness or place of herons ) . It was a village in actions and deeds worthy of admiration . They were heroic and made ​​their best efforts to adverse situations and dangerous . Power were more powerful in Mesoamerica , carriers of the great cultures of the American continent to conquer territory by venturing outside their natural regions , reaching beyond territories Guatemala and Honduras . They were lovers of myths , legends , astrology , books , dance , music and poetry .

The basic organizational form was the Calpulli . Consisted of a clan or group of families , which used to have a common ancestor and were engaged in trades such as goldsmith , stone carving , textiles , medicine , commerce and agriculture . Their members , working closely with each other and are mutually protected . The government of the community was in the hands of a calpullec selected from families contituyendo total command . The land was mostly owned by the Calpulli . The plots calpullec handed it to the heads of families. Vivian of your product, but they could not sell or cultivate stop . Some part of the manufactoring , was intended to support public services , religious or administrative purposes. On this basis was built across the social pyramid was developed rather quickly. With that power , strengthened warrior aristocracy and administrative work of peasants lived obliged to pay taxes to the government. There were slaves , mostly prisoners of war, destined for sacrifice to the gods. Other , not to cover their debts to pay. Those who had committed a crime and those who had sold themselves , to be in misery. That happened when little food or droughts. The slaves had to do work for the ruling class and deliver products of their crops , as well as build palaces and temples.

The city of Tenochtitlan , Aztec seat of power , was a stunning beauty , built on pyramidal or conical bases . It was embellished by several pyramids coated paintings that dominated the red and blue colors . These buildings , uniques in the world at that time , stood up everywhere, like the Templo Mayor , now located in the city center , next to the Cathedral. There, was found Coatlicue , mother of Huitzilopochtli , chief god of the Aztecs . His head is provided formed by two snakes , her skirt has woven several snakes and feet symbolize claws represent natural forces of life and death and the unity of the world .

The rulers built palaces, lived independently. There were also popular housing construction , where several families lived . These rooms had a large courtyard in the center that operated as a meeting to discuss or conduct festivals or ceremonies . Outside the city , were the homes of ordinary people and beyond, the huts of strangers . The peasants lived difrentes scattered areas in the countryside .
In the main urban center , central axes were called roads that led from the city center , towards the four cardinal points ...

The Aztecs came to dominate herbalism outstandingly identifying and exploiting many plants used for medicinal and healing . They met and power plants that used hallucinogens in their rituals and religious ceremonies , to enter comunication with their gods. Temaxcal baths ( steam temple ) were rescued and were handled by witches and sorcerers , ahì medicinal plants used directly or hallucinogenic power ... They were very superstitious , applied , magic, and astrology clean . Believed that the life of the people was governed by the date of his birth and the position of the planets were days and other nefarious favorable for certain activities and could choose suitable dates to perform safely. Hence the importance of the Aztec Calendar to make decisions. They believed in many gods governing different aspects of nature and human life.

The Mexican educaciòn was differentiated by social class. Children at the age of six, were prepared in the Tepochcalli : They played simple tasks. Older age , they are trained to be warriors , brave and obedient. The girls were preparing to perform domestic tasks and lead a modest life . The sons of noblemen , attended the Calmecac , get an education to carry out the functions of government and command. There were also , homes ridge ( cuicacalli ) , stereo and dance. The educational ideal was: Mature man in heart ¨ firm as stone , Heart strong as a tree trunk , face wise ¨ ...

For the Mexica - Tenochca important rite was that of human sacrifice performed to please the gods , feed or send messages : They were warriors captured in wars. Every year in Tenochtitlan were sacrificed thousands of prisoners , so catering to Huitzilopochtli : Hot Tortillas ¨ ¨ (warriors slaughtered ) for when you want and eat he pleased . The Triple Alliance ( Tenochtitlan , Texcoco and Tacuba ) had agreed the rite of Floridas Wars , where the game was not making gains , but taking prisoners to the gods ofrendar . Sometimes the sacrificed meat was consumed to achieve a close relationship with the deity he had been offered the rite .

Regarding the Mexica , there are contradictions between the interpretations of the data, but everything points to the identification of a highly developed culture , with great knowledge included astronomy , elaboraci calendrical system of high precision , accompanied the invention of writing and how to enter numbers , glyphs and perform higher mathematics , calculating dates with extraordinary accuracy and reported.

The elaboraci of its buildings and the realization of their work , demonstrate the existence of an organized society , able to coordinate the work of hundreds or thousands of people and the strength of a stable ruling group that gave unity and more cohesion . The accumulated experiences, and ways of life and mentality that were created at that time, is an important result of the idiosyncrasies of the Mexican people today ...

I remember the neighborhood, crossed some trams lìneas cream with green on the sides . His journeys were of Villa de Guadalupe Atzcapotzalco , through Peralvillo Street . They crossed all Tepito and then introduced into a stretch by the neighborhood ahì Lagunilla and rode through Mèxico - Tacuba Causeway to reach Atzcapotzalco . In one of these trams, I asked the operator shall cease singing. Up and I settled into one of the steps of the descent and sang La Cama de Piedra and Pancho Lòpez . I chose this place because from ahì no one saw me as I was very sorry to do that , but I earned some money to pay servìa invite tortillas or soft drinks when the food in my house. The full path to the round and took me an hour and a half to achieve that goal.
- Who bought sodas ? Grandma would ask inquisitive tone . Raùl would answer some of my aunts ...
- You're not stealing anything right?
- Oh, mamà ! - Aunts rebuked him . He did some errands and insurance paid him something. Why would you steal ? ...
Anyway, my grandmother would not like at all that I was singing in the trams. She always said that working for us not lack anything and that we move away from the alley we had to because it was too dangerous. Furthermore we should study and not go from here to allà bums . The trip to Atzcapotzalco if it was removed and there were many pulquerias and drunks. Several traders knew me and I even cared , but it was still dangerous to venture that far. I really loved to buy soft drinks , made ​​me feel big and important to share the fruit of my work , whatever it was . Reached together with the sung as a weight, each refresh cost twenty cents , weight reached me for five. I liked orangechitos ¨ ¨ , the Sidral was producing the Mundet and were very tasty . The store bought the Don Chano having a squat and ugly dog always barked damn , on occasion, I had a slingshot and without anyone noticing, I gave him a resorterazo , but to my bad luck, is I dropped all the soda that had put me in a box and the slingshot league who knows as it enrredaron in the hind legs of the animal and like magic , stretched and handle the bat , I received a tremendous blow to one of my eyes that left me seeing thousands of stars that soon disappeared , several hours , Click Dog !

Life in the Callejon de Carbajal , to me, it was all an entertainment : I played spin , the bearing , the yoyo , we changed the Coca Cola bottle caps and some twenty cents on delivery trucks were solid plastic red and Duncan called , were very nice and made ​​one of them was High Marks in the gang . We also played the bones , that sustraìmos to eat apricots and water that we painted with colorful pills, had them red, green and yellow . The Reds were better than the others and were betting flown with some coin throwing . But what fascinated me more was playing marbles : We were doing a circle and we would put the entry that could be from a marble until we wanted and could only play to have that input. It was to take as many marbles as we could , without being trapped to hit the we wanted out of the circle, if our permanecia marble in the circle, we said ¨ ¨ Choking and we lost all the marbles what we would have bet , with no opportunity to continue playing .. . at other times , we played the Hoyito ¨ ¨ which was to make the marble into a hole and then one became a powerful ¨ ¨ bully that just hit another marble , could be made of it , always taking the game to that failed by not giving the opponent the marble and then another access the dimple could try changing the bully and so on. In the game hollered : do not steal ¨ ¨ hand consisting reach out more to the account to pull and Safin safado ¨ , ¨ is not forgiven when accidentally shot to make the marble , safaba them the finger. And if someone accidentally put the dimple again hollered : Choking ¨ ¨ and lost the game ... Time transcurria retreating quickly without realizing it and my grandmother was going to look for me in zapes for not doing homework , as if that was important or was worth more than my game ... Among my memories , I still have some of my fantastically beautiful agates marbles that were called , made ​​in Germany of a solid glass ... Damn task , awful school ! Què demons were putting it head to my grandmother ? Damn !

The alley was composed of several neighborhoods : the 7th , the 10th and 14th , in the Later lived the more seasoned and was the largest population. Instead ours consisted of only five houses whose doors faced the street and had two inside , in the back yard .
One belonged to Doña Marina , woman beautiful , full-bodied , slender, with huge breasts , who kept making in a small room , face creams , hand and body , then irlas to sell to any side that bought them , gossip ferrying everywhere, it was a kind of human courier . To that lady , always with his whole face looked greasy , smeared with masks of all kinds. He liked to talk much , and seemed all of a macaw as he spent with my aunts gossiping , just by my grandmother putting stun very bad , which harmed it to me , because then the permits to go out and play or just plain scarce there were none.
- That woman , not for her mouth really upset my grandmother was saying . And you to top - referring to my aunts - that make the second , or believe that they will increase their insults beauty creams such ... Whatever you slather lard in the face, smooth skin puts No? - topping .
It was a small silence
- But mamà , No, by God ! - The naive quickly defended my aunts . These creams are very good and you because you drop it really bad, but you should also use tù , your skin is very battered , look in the mirror , you look more large old you ...
That kind of comment ', too gorged to my grandmother and things got ant color in the house , I just reached to cover my eyes with my hands , oh, my aunts ...
- Time enough for me to have, but to sleep ! Cried my grandmother very strong lack of sleep that I post for a while, just a without creams creams ! Right, vanidosillas ?
- Yes, always defeated mamà - finalized my dear aunts and I with the risk of not being able to leave ,bah !

The other house , belonged to an old fogy , always dressed in black . Her figure was a witch. They combed the high bun and her hair was frightening colored bun plata.Ese was done in the top of his head, looked more like a nest of birds or snakes . He wore no earrings, or any other adornment . His face was grim and not letting me gesture , his gaze distant . Not really looked like women. He was the owner of all this housing complex . The people were afraid and only watched their slow walk down the alley , he left to do some shopping , which was from time to time . A frequently mì pedia me to make him some errands , like shopping for vegetables and egg shop ¨ ¨ diver who was in Peralvillo Street , near the corner pulqueria , turning to the left. She gave me 20 cents per sent and told me that he did so because I did not steal and will always cumplia with all your orders. To me she was not scared , but I was very impressed by his personal appearance , especially their dress all in black, shoes, socks , skirt, blouse with long sleeves , all in black , his hair gray hair in high bun , all of it and it seemed to me ugly old woman, but that yes , straighter , straighter as a stick and very clean. It gave the print to be alive , because she had, but also to be dead because you did it with much indifference , as if nothing existed, only that which his distant gaze imagined. He got up at five o'clock to sweep and water the floor of the alley that had no pavement. Never, remember, he stopped , nor nobody dared to assault , they can respond with a spell or something, engarrotàndolos ...

The elementary school that I attended , it was set in the colonial exhipodromo Peralvillo - in that colony was to live years later . It was a public school , large, with two patios. Children concurred greater financial resources and other values ​​. My grandmother did not want us to study in our neighborhood , was saying that there were all savages. What happens is that my uncle was called Roberto Ortiz , but I referred to him by his name and so he was , made ​​them grace - in a very unfortunate ocasion , about his school mates terrible Secondary, the that was precisely located on Calle Bias , playing, playing , caught him and made a move on his spine and fractured it ... it was terrible all that, my grandmother sued the Director of the school and students were expelled campus . In that case I have very fuzzy memories , was even smaller , although I remember my uncle harness had to wear for a long time.

The primary schedule , was 8 in the morning , at 12.30 Last news . I had and I picked my aunts , Chela and Rosita . Crossed Round roundabout and then we took the path of Calzada de Guadalupe and since we introduced us Peralvillo the street in the neighborhood. Nearby, there were several railways and some cars parked ahì no longer operating or were in reapraciòn . The whole area , say from the back of the Barrio de Tepito , were solar , where many beggars or vagrants loitering . Now ahì , buildings are built Tlatelolco Unit , but formerly , in my època , were a kind of railroad coach yard of the station Buena Vista that was located next to the Colonia Guerrero, just down the bridge Nonoalco - Tlatelolco , to the left. It was less risky , take the roundabout way Round and then continue towards Peralvillo to go straight , saving a bit of time, but having to travel on these vacant lots and highly dangerous . Coming into the alley , I felt like a fish in the water and the first thing to was to leave my backpack to my aunts and go straight to the vicinity of 14 - which incidentally smelled really bad , having the toilet at the entrance - to see Dona Paola at that hour , more or less one in the afternoon, I was doing some sopes for food ¨ ¨ Tanis , his son who came as both. The neighborhood of 14 , was very large, had a large wooden gate at the entrance , which opened permanecia all day but at night it closed and bolted and latecomers , had to pay a fee to the custodian for let them enter . The toilets were just ahì - houses had no bathroom , in a space between the entrance and courtyard , so that the odor be ventilated with the air stream , but the truth is more well spread and was impregnated in the walls. It was tremendous stuff. Then was still a large courtyard, which had a large laundry center with a communal pool , where ladies kneeling , with aluminum cans , the kind where sardines packed , taking the water to take her laundry throwing it to the were washing clothes . Around the large courtyard , were the houses, were some rooms , not very large , with its front door, a small space of about four steps and then the square room , high ceiling , which barely fit a small dining with chairs , a cabinet and a small table , with a loft above for the beds. No room for the stove , a grill in case oil or gas. That was all . There were many rooms like that in the whole neighborhood , which had a second courtyard , as wide as the first, but no sink for washing clothes. That court used it to make their parties and gatherings ...

Dona Paola, took out his portable stove and griddle , and put out the coffee table and chairs and you find in the outer space, we ate their riquisisimos sopes . I really really liked the red sauce . Torteba tortilla with their hands, to plump and then placed them in the pan until cocian . Then placed them in a tortilla wrapped in a red napkin , thus avoiding to cool . When it came Taniz ¨ ¨ pulled tortillas and gave them some pinching all around , to prevent spilling the sauce, which could be green or red onion placed them and their cheese, those were the amazing sopes , Dona Paola .
- Have you got , drone ? - Told me . I did not know I wanted to say with that word. She just laughed out loud more . Then came the Taniz ¨ ¨ which was one of my idols in the neighborhood , was very good for hitting , there was no one to win and that there were others in the alley ', too good to fight. I was their prefridos powerful and felt good to be your friend . Nobody messed with me , just my age or a little more big , but nobody abused me , because of my friendship with him. ¨ ¨ Taniz company working in a Electrical parts , had like 23 years , was strong and handsome, his skin was not brown , but reddish , many girls sought him , but he was very serious and well behaved , did not smoke , or drink , to much exercise. He hardly spoke , nothing more is sonrreia with my stitches and your mamà all the time I said: Zangano and laughter were thrown from both ...

The other neighborhoods, the 7 and 10 , were much better presented . The best was that of 7 , even on our own. Had its big wooden gate , a spacious entrance hallway , your yard and the houses were much more spacious with two or three bedrooms and private bathroom included. Tenants if they wanted to , they could make their loft . Some rooms facing the street . In that neighborhood , bought some ice cubes flavored with a stick in the center, like a paddle, made ​​them an old woman who lived alone. The gave five cents . In one of these houses , my godmother lived Delfina . You could enter your home , on the patio or on the street. We almost , we lived across from her. It is engaged in the purchase and sale of objects lend. Also advises guess luck and to clean with herbs and concoctions and was selling candles for love affairs and to have money. My godmother, was fat , fat , tall, dark complexion and short hair silver. It was ugly , her round face with its black ojotes , large earrings and always very clean and arregladita . He had at your disposal several people who helped them in all personal matters , one was mamà Sergio and the other , an adopted daughter , Irene . Sergio was like his personal secretary who was receiving customers , but really no help at all and if you spend money . René was also a black man , another adopted son , brother of Irene , which was very studious, attending the National Polytechnic , yet also very rebellious and annoying , bothered me that character. I always tried to hide him to avoid it. My godmother had more than enough money . He worked hard and apparently did so well, as he had plenty of money to lend up to revenues. It helped us to buy food on several occasions. She was my godmother , that my grandmother had said no worth, because he had been in groups with other children and adults not baptized ... for me . Delfina Godmother represented a powerful magical being dominated all other dimensions and spirits. Knew always supported us throughout, despite His character hard , bossy and tax ... I wanted to love my godmother Delfinita , admired ...

10 The neighborhood was a two-story building . Had two departments in front, one on each side of the iron door entry . Inside, the hallways were coming and each of the sides the doors of the houses that were spacious with a small patio and internal stairs to climb to sgundo floor. That construcciòn inside, seemed a dark maze , but was well laid out . In one of the departments of the entrance, lived mamà Kiko and Dona Paula . Kiko was a worker in a candy and chocolate company called Lux . Had his pickup truck , one of those big closed , where carrying their products to supply to all the local shops . Whenever I approached to greet him, regaled me candy. Cylinders were about five feet , with a white dial was turning . I liked the yellow and red , those were the more tasty , people frequently annoyed them . They were northerners, and tall white boys made ​​life heavy . Kiko , would need something like 25 years. Galan was harassed and the girls a lot, that lit the boys in the neighborhood who did not lose the opportunity to be, teasing and fighting with èl azuzàndolo for . He was strong, the load cases we had developed his body. But he never fought them , despite a flat Last news broke the windshield of his truck . He was very cautious and wise that attack in groups and if they could live up to it cemerìan . Better to take her along with them , ignore them and put a lot of distance .
On occasion, to come home from school , I went to the alley to play. Had passed to the house of Taniz ¨ ¨ and try to observe if the sopes were ready . From the laundry , I saw Dona Paola, had not even taken the griddle , it looked like it was not at home, which made ​​me strange ; also advises that upon entering the neighborhood , laundry ladies , I remained seeing so rare and aggressive faces . That's why I retired immediately and better I got out of there . Being playing marbles with my friends , he suddenly heard a very loud screams and ran many ladies and men from the neighborhood of 14 , armed with sticks and belts , while another group of people ', too equally armed aparecian , running from the vicinity of 10 and 7 . They clashed against each other in the middle of the street, but there was so much confusion, that beat against each other , no longer knowing who assaulted . It is assumed that the fight was the 14th against 7 , supported these by 10 . But when blows and blows , were all against all ... It was a fight that lasted several minutes. The show was huge , surprise , very interesting and very exciting. Of course there were several wounded. Came the Red Cross ambulances and police cars, because Don Chano , had telephoned them from your store. Nobody could believe as live and survive in the neighborhood. I hardly had time to gather my marbles at how quickly it all happened. It is assumed that there was an organization civilized , but the truth is that we lived as warriors , cuidàdandonos each other daily, with many gaps and multiple needs in a Mèxico trying at all costs to be peaceful and forward, but I think our past seasoned condemned us to be the ones we were very quarrelsome , without knowing what or why would fight as if it tratra flowery wars to capture prisoners and offer to feed the gods ... We never knew the reason for the fight in the alley , our motto was every man for himself !