Encarnación
Jalapa
His name was Encarnación. He was a man somewhere between 50 and 60 years old, a very light skinned Indian with oval face, aquiline nose, and a pointed grizzled beard. His hair receded from the high forehead and framed his face with grizzled locks. His eyes were brown and not the inscrutable black of the Indian. They could dance merrily when he talked. He was the strong man of Jalapa – the chairman of the guild of cargadors – carriers of heavy burden. I have seen him carry a small piano on his back – the weight suspended by stout ropes running thro’ a wide leather band which was anchored across his forehead – the age old method of the Indian for transporting heavy objects. He would proceed under this burden at a steady trot – never stumbling.
Beast of burden? No – most emphatically. Just the best cargador in the world – He carried his burden as St. Christopher had carried the weight of his Lord – the weight of the whole world.
Encarnación, about 1920 |
Encarnación was very proud of his craft and as head of the
guild he was an important person. People listened to him when he spoke – and it was
he who was responsible for keeping "apprentices" up to scratch. Young boys
learned from their fathers how to carry loads – proceeding at the little jogtrot
which the Mexican Indian has used for countless generations. After a particularly tiring haul of luggage or furniture Encarnación accepted with pleasure whatever liquid refreshment might be offered him. I have seen him mopping his sweaty brow with on of those Mexican cotton bandannas – a deep rose rather than scarlet – and waxing quite merry over a glass of beer. In fact I have seen him very merry indeed. |
But there was another side to him – he was deeply religious – and would tell with great pride of how he took the part of one of the apostles at the representation of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday. (Our parish of San Jose was a poor one and many of the parishioners were illiterate – which accounted for the acting out of the Biblical events – rather than the m[...] preaching about them.
Encarnación had for years taken the part of St. Peter – and I now find myself wishing that he might have crossed the path of Rafael or Michelangelo – for he was the very emodiment – physically – of this dear and simpatico saint. I am sure St. Peter must have been [........] their all welcoming – as Encarnacion slipped across the threshold of Eternity.
This page was last updated on Sunday, April 11, 2004.
This page is maintained by Ben Muse at benmuse@alaska.com .