FIRST MESTIZO.

["Steve G. Apodaca" <sgapodaca@...>]

I just wanted to write something that I found out recently while 
reading Historia de la Conquista de la Nueva Espana, by Bernal Diaz 
del Castillo. Perhaps many of you know about this story, but anyways, 
it is about the first mexican mestizo. It was not, like I used to 
believe, from the union of Cortes and la Malinche, but rather of 
another espanol way before that.

The story says that when Cortes first landed on the Yucatan peninsula, 
he heard the news from the indian translators that two espaniards were 
slaves in that area. He sent for his rescue, and paid a ransom to 
their masters for their freedom. One of them was a priest called 
Jeronimo de Aguilar. As soon as he was freed, he went to look for the 
other espanol. This is what the book says:

"When he had read the letter and received the ransom, he carreid the 
beads delightedly to his master the Cacique an begged leave to depart. 
The Cacique gave him permission to go wherever he wished, and Aguilar 
set out for the place some fifteen miels aways where his comrade, 
Gonzalo Guerrero, was living. But on hearing the contents of the 
letter Gonzalo answered: 'Brother Aguilar, I am married and have three 
children, and they look on me as a Cacique here, and a captain in time 
of war. Go, and God's blessing be with you. But my face is tattooed 
and my ears are pierced. What would the Spaniards say if they saw me 
like this? And look how handsome these children of mine are! Please 
give me some of those beads you have brought, and I will tell them 
that my brothers have sent them from my own country.' And Gonzalo's 
Indian wife spoke to Aguilar very angrily in her own language: 'Why 
has this slave come here to call my husband away? Go off with you, and 
let us have no more of your talk.' Then Aguilar spoke to Gonzalo 
again, reminding him that he was a Christian and should not destroy 
his soul for the sake of an Indian woman. Besides, if he did not wish 
to desert his wife and children, he could take them with him. But 
neither words nor warnings could persuade Gonzalo to come. I believe 
he was a sailor and hailed from Palos."

I know, this story is not from our target area. I just wanted to let 
know those who did not know how the mestizaje in Mexico started.

P.s. Read this book. You'll love it, but be warned that there will be 
some words and phrases you will have trouble to understand. Have 
patience, it is worth it.