Tlaxcala: forbidden to remember Cortés

For: Ricardo Coarasa (Reo photos)
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In few cities in the world is as revealing a statue of his idiosyncrasies as in Tlaxcala. Mexico is today what it is thanks, largely, the Tlascalans, whose ancestors were allied with Cortes to overturn the Aztec hegemony. His nobility married into the Spanish, germinating mestizo society that still exists. Five centuries later, however, their descendants, as Mexican as the most, have that episode of its history as a disgrace, to the point that the only memorial to what happened is a statue of Xicotencatl "Young", the son of the cacique who rebelled against the Conqueror and was hanged for it. Mexico is not ready to reconcile with Cortes, "With your other half", as he dropped the Mexican Nobel Octavio Paz, for whom "the hatred of Cortes is not even hatred for Spain, but ourselves ". And Tlaxcala, while this reconciliation occurs, continues to deny his memory many times as needed. "Forbidden to remember Hernán Cortés”, should warn visitors.

The old square of Tlaxcala invites pass the time, conversations swayed by the routine, to scrutinize strangers seeking anonymity in a shadow. The now Constitution Square (named in honor of "La Pepa") is plotted escruadra and bevel the image of urban Castilian of the time. It is a square with all of the law, where no fault or Palace of Government (political authority) or cathedral (spiritual authority) nor the essential source (gift Felipe IV).

The statue shows Xicoténcatl, so handsome and brave, that sublimation with which mortals usually adorn the myths

Like everything epicenter of power that boasts, the palace has stood the guy in front of Indian rebellions and even earthquakes. The toll: only part of the facade is original. But within a real treasure houses: Hernán Cortés himself painted by Desiderio Hernandez Xochitiotzin (local artist surnames explain by themselves the city's past), murals that portrayed in magnificent history of Tlaxcala. There's the old chief, almost blind, feeling conquistador factions Extremadura with just more important to seal the pact in history, not of Tlaxcala, but in all of Mexico. The 400 square meters of paintings do not include the burden of the murals dogmatic Diego Rivera at the National Palace in Mexico City, This is welcome. But the same hatching overflow of colors and vibrancy. This is not dead history, but very much alive.

A few steps from the Palace of Government, way to the Cathedral, I of the blue with the statue of Xicoténcatl, that follows, so handsome and brave, that sublimation with which mortals usually adorn the myths. Standing and ready for battle, Xicotencatl holds a shield in one hand and his gun in the other, a precursor of Terminator ready to avenge the insult of his father's Dangerous Liaisons.

His opposition to Cortes served as a passport to glory and as a moral alibi for the children of Tlaxcala

It is the eternal tug of war between the determination and courage of youth and old age serene pragmatism. It happens that the impetuous courage often leads to death, to the gallows in the case of Xicoténcatl, who deserted the troops as they walked toward hispanoindígenas Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire, to try to turn back to Tlaxcala and rebellion against the Spanish. His treachery was discovered in time and Cortes sent several emissaries to try to recapacitase, but the young man flatly refused. His father did nothing to save him. On the contrary, Cortes said that his son was not clean wheat, that was relying on him and tried to kill him. Neither one of the lieutenants of the conqueror, Pedro de Alvarado (loving sister Xicoténcatl, renamed Luisa), interceded on his behalf. He was hanged on a tree Texcoco, But his opposition to Cortes served as a passport to glory and as a moral alibi for the children of Tlaxcala could find a reason to be proud of his countrymen when they identify as malinchistas.

It is difficult to choose between two betrayals. The memory of Tlaxcala was required to decide between Xicotencatl "The Elder" -who after unsuccessfully raising battle Cortés decided to seal an alliance to attack Aztec enemies, Year after year captured their young blood to irrigate their pyramids and frying them to tax– and his son, that did not comply with the pact and tried to raise the Tlascalans against his father. Tlaxcala chose the latter, because the summary trial of Mexico to Cortes did not want to be condemned as required cooperative. There had been enough to Malinche, the Indian mistress of Cortes who was his interpreter during the early stages of the conquest, to stigmatize collaborating with the invaders (malinchismo it is still a synonym for treason in Mexican society).

The church is empty and the traveler appreciates that its doors are open wide, a custom hospital in Spain long ago lost

In the arcades of the square announcing the actions of a former contestant Big Brother Spanish, that is willing to undress in a show of "striptease". We changed the sword for the thong, which is not bad. Back in the old Convent of San Francisco (surrounded by a wall remembering its status as the convent-fortress) the first thing that strikes us is its Mudejar coffered ceiling, well-preserved. The church is empty and the traveler appreciates above all that its doors are open wide, a custom hospital in Spain long ago lost (perhaps prevent the uncomfortable visit Erik "El Belga" shift).

Xicotencatl looks at me sideways when going back to your side. His eyes, however, do not ask bout

Very close to the former convent is the Royal Chapel of Indians, built by the caciques of Tlaxcala in honor of Carlos V and where religious ceremonies were held for Indians. In a society where, from the start, interbreeding occurred (something that did not happen, should be remembered, in the colonies administered by His Majesty's) I can not believe that this separation of religion respond to a stigma. I prefer to think it was a way to attract the Catholic faith to the Indians, accustomed to outdoor celebrations, a less traumatic. I assume, course, I can be wrong.

I take leave of Tlaxcala, cradle of modern Mexico under protest, in the Posada San Francisco. Xicotencatl looks at me sideways when going back to your side. His eyes, however, do not ask bout. You should be aware that now come armed with only a thong.

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Comments (2)

  • Reinhard Huber

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    Dear Sir
    In the year of 1970 I was employed as an archaeologist by the German Science Foundation ( located in Puebla). In those days there was a small Museum in the city of Tlaxcala which was called then the House of Cortes. When I was again on a visit to your beautiful city of Tlaxcala in the year of 2006 I was not able to find this house anymore and no body knew about it. Even the tourist office did not know about it. Could you tell me what hapened to this place? For your help I’m very gratefull and many thanks in advance. Yours Reinhard Huber

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  • ricardo

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    Dear Reinhard: first at all, I´m not living in Tlaxcala. I live in Madrid actually. I wrote this article after mi visit to Tlaxcala in 2002 for writing «Hernan Cortés. The erased steps ». When I was there in the city there is not a house of cortes (like in Antigua, Coyoacan or Cuernavaca, for example). Anyway, I haven´t any notice about that. Cortes only lived in Tlaxcala a few days and there is not probably spaniard people built a house for him in the town. At least, his soldier Bernal Diaz del Castillo didn´t write about this house in his chronicle «True history of the conquest of New Spain». Best regards

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