New Haven Independent

Mestizo - A blending of cultures and races.
The majority of the towns that I visited were originally established by the indigenous people of Tlaxcala. Those towns founded by the Spanish were not as influenced by the indigenous culture. The debate about the impact of the Spanish colonization of America continues today in Mexico and indeed throughout all of Latin America.

Many Mexicans would considered themselves mestizo, that is to say, a mixture of indigenous and European race, though there are varying degrees, and indeed Mexico still has a large indigenous population. Their relationship with the Mexican government continues to be contentious, particularly in Chiapas and Oaxaca, where the rich and powerful have tried to suppress their demands for justice and rights, leading to periodic outbreaks of violence. (In Ecuador some 30% of the population is indigenous, have their rights secured in the constitution, and are a significant political power.)

Some years ago, I studied Spanish in Puebla, about 20 minutes from Tlaxcala. So I had a bit of a reunion with director of the institute where I studied, his family, and my host family at the time. In this photo, one can see the native and European influences on the people of Mexico.

There are small colonies of Mexican immigrants in other cities here in Connecticut who speak no or very little Spanish but their native dialect. Some time ago, I met a young man from Yale who studied linguistics. He told me that there are Italian dialects spoken here in New Haven that are no longer heard in Italy. Then and now, the phenomena of immigration impact us all on so many different levels.

Dr. Jaime Lara, a distinguished professor of liturgy, widely published, and recipient of a prestigious Guggenheim fellowship, has done extensive research in Latin America on the influences of native culture on Christian belief and worship. He alerted me to the phenomena of local lay leadership in the parishes where there is a strong indigenous influence.

The responsibility for the local church falls on a group of men called fiscales. They are lay trustees of the local Catholic parish, who exercise power over the temporal affairs, maintain the church building, and organize the various feasts and celebrations during the course of the year. In towns established by the Spanish, fiscales do not exercise the same power as their counterparts in the indigenous towns, who are considered equal with the local priest.

Some 20+ years ago, the first immigrants to New Haven arrived from Los Reyes, Michoacán and from Zacualpan, Tlaxcala, Mexico. I had the opportunity to visit the town of Zacualpan, where I was welcomed by the fiscales. Their office is symbolized by the staffs they hold called barras.

Each of the major towns from Tlaxcala represented in the New Haven area have replicated their own leadership structures. Despite the distance, ties are still strong to family, tradition, and faith.

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