The story goes that the reason the church was built in Jocotepec is that the patron of the hacienda always rode to church on Sunday morning and that he always made it just to the present day site of Jocotepec as the last bell rang for Sunday mass. In those days, the church was located in present day Jaltepec on the mountain above El Chante. There’s still a church there, but many years ago the main church was moved down the mountain for some unknown reason. But all this was before the dawn of ejidos and the abandonment of the haciendas.
In those days, a hacienda was an entity unto itself. It existed by the will of the patron and those who were privileged enough to work for or with him, reaped the benefits of his will. Those who crossed him reaped the benefits of his ire. It was not uncommon for the patron to banish someone from the hacienda by having him, his family, and his belongings deposited at the entry gate. He was then told that he could work anywhere he wanted. But where could he go? He would have no money, no family, no land, and therefore, no future. To return to the hacienda meant certain death. The displaced one would have to depend on the kindness of strangers.
This little snippet of history is but a glimpse into the vast complicated culture that is Mexico and because of the historic nearness of these type of events they still affect everyday life, especially in business transactions. Pity the newcomer from the great hacienda up north.
In many ways the newcomer embodies the attitude of el patron and at the same time the banished. He has money and he nearly always demands that things be done his way or he won’t part with any of his hard-earned money. No fool this “nouveau” patroncito. It may be surprising that the newcomer from the great hacienda up north has so much in common with the patron of days of yore, however the new patroncito may do well to consider that his predecessor was rejected by the Mexican people.
The new patroncito presents a quandary to the present day Mexican folk. On one hand they are culturally bound to “attend” the newcomer to make him welcome, and on the other hand, they are culturally allowed to take advantage of his ignorance and his money because they don’t have all that much themselves.
If the new patroncito proves himself to be “educated” then he deserves respect. Education in this instance has nothing to do with schooling but rather refers to an understanding of politeness in matters social. This new displaced person must show patience, perseverance, and make a concerted effort to fit into the local fabric of life to be considered “educated”.
These things are impossible to achieve without speaking the language, knowing the culture, or getting out and visiting with the folk. One can be considered educated and still not speak the language well. If someone makes an honest effort he will be forgiven his linguistic errors. If someone makes an honest effort to pay his Mexican dues, to become something in business, he will be accepted. If he tries to stand on his position back at the hacienda Norte he will be fair game.
The hardest step for the new patroncito to take is to become part of the fabric of life in his new home. The biggest hurdle of all is to adopt a humble attitude. In Mexican culture, the most heralded attitude is humility. If one is displaced and dependent on the kindness of strangers then he must perforce, be humble. A measure of greatness in this culture is humility. An acceptance and willingness to ingratiate oneself with others through humble greetings and polite action defines the education of an individual.
No one wants to know what you were back on the great hacienda. They want to know that you are willing to be part of this pueblo where you now live. They want to know that you will attend the parties, be godparents to the children, provide help when you can, and humbly accept your part in effecting the changes that this pueblo deserves.
It is common to say that we are guests here in Mexico. While there is a sense in which this is true there is also a reality where it is not. We are not guests as much as we are part of a community. It is our duty to learn the customs of this community and adapt ourselves to those customs. It is not acceptable to set ourselves apart from the community in any fashion. It is better to be a displaced person than a patroncito. Patroncitos will be shunned. Displaced persons will be attended.
