About a land with no Messiah

Almost a year after Obama’s landslide victory for president of the United States people are still waiting for the change they were promised and although one of his campaign slogan’s was Yes We Can, the Muslim community wonders: Can he really? VANESSA BUENDIA investigates.







I rang the doorbell and waited until a shoeless man confronted me. “Hello, I’m here to see Ismail Patel,” I said. Then with a grin on his face he took me inside the premises and asked me to wait.

The office seemed practical rather than beautiful. In fact there was not much decoration around. One could call it simple or humble. The only decoration I found was a scale model of Mecca on the side, a fixture I had previously found in other Islamic organisations.

While I waited I glanced over the pamphlets that were on display. Titles like Israeli War Crimes, Gaza: The Full Story, Isolating Bethlehem and Israeli Apartheid Policies caught my attention. However, Mr Patel did not give me enough time to feed my curiosity and quickly saw me through to a meeting room while offering me a glass of water.

He was born in Malawi therefore the South African apartheid seemed to be going on in his backyard while he was growing up. A Muslim by birth, he first visited Palestine 12 years ago as a student and the situation there shocked him so much he has since been dedicating his life to trying to help it.

He seemed calm and serene and although I knew he was a busy man he made me feel like he would give me all the time I needed. He had no problem with explaining in detail his perceptions and in fact he gave me the impression of enjoying himself while trying to educate others.

After a short introduction we moved directly onto the pressing subject.

He started by explaining that Israel is trying to have a maximum amount of land with a minimum number of Palestinians on it so they can achieve a Jewish majority and therefore call it a Jewish state.

He added: “Unfortunately, intrinsic to that ideology it means that in order to achieve that they have to employ policies that violate human rights. From simple intimidation, to apartheid policies, to almost ethnic cleansing.”

Although these first statements did not seem to surprise me at all, the term apartheid used in connection to the Israel-Palestine conflict was not a familiar one from previous interviews with other experts.

He explained: “You have policies within Jerusalem which are outright apartheid where Palestinians cannot live in certain areas, they have to carry certain cards, they can’t use certain roads and they do not have access to their holy places.”

According to the foundation’s own literature, “A state becomes apartheid when it has official policies of racial segregation involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against another race of people.”

Former US president Jimmy Carter once wrote that Israel was “a system of apartheid, with two peoples occupying the same land but completely separated from each other, with Israelis totally dominant and depriving Palestinians of their basic human rights.”

Problems in the region in relation to human rights and war crimes have been discussed for a long time now. Israel at one time or another has been accused of: willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, causing great suffering, unlawful deportation or transfer, depriving people of fair trials and destruction and appropriation of property.

Most recently in the last strike against Gaza during operation Cast Lead last December, Israel was accused of using white phosphorus to attack the civilian population. So the question arises, how does a country get away with all this?

The Israel-Palestine conflict has officially existed since May 14, 1948, when Israel declared its independence. From a religious point of view the Zionist political movement argued that Jews from around the globe were entitled to that land because it was stated on the Torah that God had promised it to them. In a more secular opinion, after the Second World War the Jews needed a place where they could feel safe.

However, as the land was already occupied by Palestinians war did not take long to arrive.

By 1964 the Arab population created the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, which claimed it wanted to destroy Israel. Yet in 1967 the Jews showed the world just how strong they were by beating the Arabs in the 6-day-war, which ended in the occupation of most of their territory.

Mr Patel explained that after Israel declared independence many Palestinians were forced out of their own houses and most Palestinians still carry the key to the house they left in 1948 or 1967.

Therefore in retaliation 11 Israeli athletes were kidnapped and killed by a militant group led by Yasser Arafat during the 1972 Munich Olympics. This action was internationally categorised as a terrorist attack and led the West to believe that Palestinians in general were a dangerous population.

However, by 1987 the Middle East confronted itself in a war called Intifada which in the end damaged Israel’s image when pictures of young Palestinian boys throwing rocks at Israeli tanks surfaced in the worldwide media.

During all this time the US has played an important part.

It has supplied Israel with arms and weapons. However, by 1993 Bill Clinton decided to negotiate both with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat. Back then a peace agreement seemed close by but when George W. Bush’s administration came it halted all progress and war broke again in the region.

In Palestine feelings of hatred and revenge are not hard to find. So much that Hamas, the ruling political party of Gaza, stated in their charter: “The day that enemies usurp part of Muslim land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Muslim. In face of the Jews' usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised.”

However, Mr Patel explained on several occasions that no serious Hamas politician uses the charter for negotiating, as it would go against Muslim principles. He said: “For an Arab to be anti-Semite he is no longer a Muslim full stop. I would say they are anti-Israelis and anti-Israeli politics.”

And the Israeli politics focus on creating an exclusively Jewish state, which obviously creates concerns among the Muslim population. As Mr Patel explained: “The problem is not the Jewish-Muslim relationship. The problem is colonialism and the political project for Zionism. The problem occurred in the Second World War when the Zionist movement wanted to create an exclusive Jewish state because they did not go to Palestine as equals, they did not go there as refugees, they wanted to create an exclusive Jewish state.”

Jewish beliefs say that Israel is the Promised Land and the place where the Messiah will come to save them. Muslims believe Palestine is where the prophet Mohammed will come on judgement day. Although a religious Messiah has not yet arrived a political one took the oath of president of the United States last January.

During his inaugural speech president Obama said: “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.” This statement alone gave hope to many Muslims who previously felt ignored by the West.

Shortly after, President Obama carried out a speech at the University of Cairo on June 4. In this speech he stated “let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn its backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.”

But just because he talks about the problem, it doesn’t necessarily mean he is really going to act on it.

Mirza Abbas Raza, a Minister of Religion for the Al Zahraa foundation in Nottingham said it is very difficult to trust what president Obama is saying. He believes the Arabs would say: “Oh yes! He is a nice man but he does not have enough power to really implement his ideas.”

He added: “In relation to Obama’s policy for Palestine they have to recognise the choice of the people in Palestine. They have to consider Hamas as a political wing. Otherwise it’s not possible unless they really sit with Hamas and come up with a solution and Hamas is for the two-state solution.”

But the fact still remains that the American government like most of its European allies see Hamas as a dangerous terrorist group, which supports suicide bombers. And although their politicians seem willing to negotiate there is no denying their charter still mentions Jihad. Therefore people still consider them dangerous.

Mr Abbas Raza said: “Many scholars today prohibit all activities that are carried out under the name of Jihad by terrorists.”

However they do still exist. Whether or not they are financed by Hamas or by small terrorist groups that are outside the ruling party it is still unknown. The fact is Israel claims that its land has been a victim of suicide bombers and illegal rocket launchings on its civilian population.

Mr Abbas Raza said that this is the result of ignorance among the Muslim population. He added: “They buy suicide bombers. They say paradise is promised for you and at the same time when you go away I will give $10,000 USD to your family and they can live well. So if a person who is deprived of everything, who has nothing in his house and has no hope even if he worked for 100 years to earn that much amount of money and at the same time he is promised paradise, what do you expect him to do?”

Mr Abbas Raza said that to start working on a solution both parties must also start working on toning down the inflammatory language. He said that when Obama is saying that America was wrong the Arabs should have to calm down as well.

However, Mr Abbas Raza is more concerned with what will happen with Israel. He feels sorry for the Jews. He said: “I’m more concerned about the Israelis, with their behaviour they will destroy themselves.”

He added: “We find that the Israelis are doing exactly the same thing that they have been through because they have suffered.”

Yet speeches and promises have not seemingly helped the civilian population.

Othman Salim, a Palestinian working for the Muslim Hands foundation as the sponsorship manager for programmes in the Middle East said: “We Palestinians don’t believe it’s a religious problem. We have lived with the Jews for centuries. It’s a political problem.”

It is a problem that has led to numerous deaths on both sides of the conflict and increasing poverty for the Palestinians. According to Mr Salim more than 80 per cent of the Palestinian population depend on humanitarian aid and charity for their survival.

The Muslim Hands foundation provides Palestinians with aid through various schemes. Among the items they give them are olive trees, which are their main source of livelihood, they help rebuild schools, they help orphans and they are also there during and after emergencies. They have become a common fixture in refugee camps.

Mr Salim claimed that after 50 years of conflict the number of Palestinian refugees had risen to five million who currently live in terrible situations. He explained: “In some of them you see 20 people living in two rooms. I have seen people live in the kitchen or the bathroom because there is no space.”

He added: “I think the situation of the refugees is something beyond our imagination.”

During the December conflict Gaza was (and still is) under siege and the borders were closed. Therefore their main problem was getting aid across to help wounded civilians.
Mr Salim said: “I think now Mr Obama has the responsibility of putting more pressure on Netanyahu to at least help the Palestinians either in Gaza or the West Bank.”

John Shemeld, co-coordinator for the Nottingham branch of Stop The War Coalition, told me about an incident in which a group of Jewish settlers occupied a block of land in the middle of the market in Hebron. The army was commissioned to protect these settlers in case of any violence, however it seemed to him that provocation came mainly from the Jewish population.

He said: “They continually harass their neighbours. They just provoke the Palestinians by throwing their rubbish out the window, which drops on the market. You never see that on the news.”

The violence has not only brought poverty to the region but also an increasing death toll. According to B’Tselem, an Israeli organisation with the purpose of supplying the world with information on the occupied territories, Israelis killed more than 3,000 Palestinians while Palestinians killed only 136 Israelis from September 2000 to last December.

However, Palestinians have been accused of a deep hatred towards Jews. Mr Shemeld said: “I hesitate to call them anti-Semitic. They hate what is happening to what they see as their kin in Gaza. They hate what has happened to them so much that they think all Jewish people are devils.”

Mr Shemeld said the situation is so bad that there are also many Jewish people, especially in Britain, who hate what Israel is doing.

Mr Shemeld described Gaza as “a big prison camp totally surrounded by Israeli jets, tanks and all armed to the teeth with the highest technological weapons.

“Inside the prison camp, from time to time the prisoners will try to fight back. They fire these rockets and these rockets are not guided in any way they are just big fireworks.”

He added: “It is kind of like throwing stones at prison guards.”

Mr Shemeld believes the United States could find a solution to the conflict quite easily. He said: “If Barack Obama wants to stop the settlements in the West Bank and the blockade in Gaza he could do it very easily by saying that’s the end of your Apache helicopters.”

Back in Leicester Mr Patel called Obama’s speech in Cairo a breath of fresh air. He said America is the only player in the international community, which can create a scenario in which it becomes a burden for Israel to maintain its land. Still, he mentioned that there are certain factors that America must take into account if they really want to help the Palestinians.

He added: “America first and foremost must understand that the Palestinians are not going to go away, they will no be subjugated and they will not be wiped out.

Fortunately for the Palestinians the international community has woken up to their plight.”

Secondly he argued that America must also realise that Islam and the western democratic system are not on a collision course. “They can live parallel,” he said.

Mr Patel claims that the speech still lacks substance because it was contradictory on a political level. He said: “Although it is welcomed I feel that the central tenants of American foreign policy and the grievances that are felt by the people in the Middle East have not been addressed.”

In the Israel-Palestine case these grievances can be pinpointed to the legitimate and recognised existence of both countries. Although many Arab states still have not recognised Israel, it has kept Gaza under siege for more than two years and only recently has the Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of recognising Palestine as a separate state.

However, Israel’s recognition of Palestine will only come with several conditions.

Mr Patel said: “You can’t say that we give you the permission to be a state on the condition that you do not have borders, you don’t have an army, you cannot have direct international links, you do not have control of the air, you do not have control of the sea. What is that state worth? It’s not worth the paper it’s written on.”

He added: “If you believe in other people as people you leave them to do whatever they like.”

He believes that power is very corruptive and when it is all concentrated in one country it will lose all the parameters of norms. That is why he believes Israel will not negotiate on anything.

He added: “Israel has no sincere commitment towards peace, it has no respect for the Palestinian people as human beings.”

The situation still seems far from a solution and the land, which has searched for a Messiah for centuries might not have found one in Obama.

After I had taken an hour and a half of Mr Patel’s time I thought it was time to leave.
However, he still took the time to recommend books, which were ironically written by Jews.

Finally, when I asked him if he had ever sat down with Israeli authorities in their homeland he said he couldn’t. It turns out this man who has been advocating for peace as a living is blacklisted by the Israeli government. Apparently he is considered a terrorist threat.

On my way home I couldn’t help but find the idea amusing. After all Mr Patel was so calm and serene during the whole interview. He never lost his temper or got frustrated. I found it very hard to think about him with bombs strapped around his chest waiting to detonate them in the name of Allah.

His whole persona simply reminded me about what my newfound friend Rizwaan Araf told me when I started my research. He said: “A true Muslim will always be calm and collected and think how will they help the situation.”






Panel:

What is Jihad?
There are mainly two main types of Jihad.
• The most important one is the greater Jihad, which is defined as a personal spiritual struggle of self-improvement.
• The second is the minor Jihad or military Jihad, which is more commonly known by the West. It is a holy war, which according to the Koran, must follow certain rules:
Muslims cannot attack the opponent’s women or children, they cannot cut down trees, they cannot loot and they cannot destroy their houses.
If their opponent is running away they cannot attack or run behind them, and they cannot attack or kill them if they are injured.

(All names correct)

A little something in Spanish...

LAS CANTINAS: La experiencia del México Viejo

“¡Chicos del INSEN!”, dicho a manera de brindis y un toqueteó de copas. Con eso me recibieron la primera vez que entré a “El Nivel”, la cantina más antigua en los registros del Archivo General de la Nación. El motivo de esto se debía precisamente a que la mayoría de los comensales en el lugar tenían entre 40 y 60 años, sin embargo, ya fuera sentados en las mesas o recargados en la barra, todos degustaban sus bebidas favoritas y se entrelazaban en charlas amistosas, risas y anécdotas.
Las personas más jóvenes ahí éramos mi amiga y yo, no obstante, decidimos acercarnos a la barra, pedir un par de cervezas y darnos la oportunidad de conocer a cuanta persona se animara a acercarse a nosotras. “Mi hijo no quiso venir porque decía que aquí no iba a haber muchachas, pero cuando llegue a casa y le diga que conocí a dos niñas muy guapas, se va a querer dar de topes…” comentó Lourdes Anaya quien muy decidida con su traje sastre, recargó su pie sobre el descanso en la parte de abajo de la barra y tomó un gran trago de su bebida.
La aseveración de su comentario era fulminante, en todas las cantinas que visitamos era extraordinariamente raro encontrar a personas menores de 30 años, a pesar de que Rubén Aguirre Morales, dueño de “El Nivel”, aseguró que sí lo visitaban muchos jóvenes.
Hoy en día la tradición mexicana tan típica de visitar las cantinas se ha ido desgastando en un recuerdo del pasado común de nuestra historia patriótica. Sin embargo, según Jorge Garibay existen 120 cantinas en el centro de la ciudad de México que fueron fundadas entre 1905 y 1915 y más de 164 que fungen con el giro mixto de cantina-billar en las cuales se puede encontrar desde un pulque curado, hasta un buen Chivas.
Actualmente existen imitaciones de estas tradicionales cantinas que son visitadas por la juventud y quienes creen que han visitado una cantina real. No obstante, estos lugares de recreación parecen más estereotipados para los turistas y para sacar dinero, que lo que realmente es una cantina mexicana.
Por ejemplo, a manera de tradición en las cantinas se sirven botanas por cada copa que se consuma. Estas botanas pueden variar desde unas enchiladas hasta una suculenta paella y son derivadas de las tapas españolas. Pero si uno se encuentra en “La Cantina de los Remedios” que se encuentra sobre insurgentes y que es un nuevo tipo de cantina, usted correrá con suerte si se le sirve unos cacahuates recién tostados.
Entonces es evidente que la tradición cantinera real se ha ido muriendo y que se ha ido traduciendo para una juventud que solo va a un lugar a tomar y a dejar a un lado la música, la plática, la comida, los toques eléctricos y demás cosas que constituyen realmente a una cantina.


De la taberna y el tendejón a una cantina


Escuchar a Chavela Vargas nos recuerda al llanto de una cantina. Su voz rasposa por el tequila y los puros nos dan la sensación e imagen de un comensal postrado sobre la mesa con los ojos rojos e hinchados y en la mano su mezcal. El lugar se vislumbra lleno de humo y mientras unos apuestan su quincena en un juego de cartas, alguno suelta un balazo en busca de aquel que le robó a su esposa/novia/amante. La cantina es el lugar donde los hombres solían irse a desahogar y celebrar sus días más felices con sus amigos ya sea acompañados por música de mariachi o una buena marimba.
No obstante, el término es relativamente nuevo ya que solo ha sido usado desde el siglo XIX y aunque antes, nos cuenta Garibay, existían establecimientos similares eran llamados tabernas, tendejones y vinaterías. De hecho, la tradición de la bebida en México surge de la época colonial con la llegada de los españoles, fueron ellos quienes lo instauraron como parte cultural de la Nueva España y aún existe en la Biblioteca Nacional el primer registro de importación de vino a México.
Por lo tanto, podemos observar que la tradición cantinera y bebedora del mexicano es puramente mestizo, ya que los indígenas no acostumbraban a beber o a emborracharse ya que era duramente castigado. Sin embargo, con la llegada de los españoles y la posterior creación de una nueva identidad mexicana, nació el ahora típico tributo a Bacco.
Es así que la historia de las cantinas en México es tan antigua como la colonia y ha sido tradición de generaciones vivir la experiencia de ella. La tradición ha sido tan típicamente mexicana que inclusive el día de hoy existe un tour para ir a visitarlas que comienza en el centro histórico y cuesta hasta $85 USD lo cual incluye dos cervezas y una visita a la cervecería Modelo.
Los que disfrutan de este viaje al pasado en general son turistas que han leído en alguna novela mexicana de estos lugares o lo han visto en películas como la recientemente popular “Frida” de Salma Hayek.
No obstante, con este tipo de ejemplos podemos ver que las cantinas ahora sí están abiertas a todo tipo de público, cuestión que hasta hace unos 24 años no existía. Originalmente visitar una cantina no era tan fácil, generalmente la gente iba solamente a aquéllas que pertenecían a su grupo social o económico, y estaba fulminantemente prohibido la entrada a mujeres y niños a estos establecimientos, aunque hubo algunas como Frida Kahlo y Chavela Vargas que eran reconocidas en varias de ellas y que dejaron historias legendarias ahí.
No fue sino hasta 1982 que el gobierno mexicano decretó la entrada a mujeres y niños a las cantinas y esto causó que algunos establecimientos inclusive llegaran a cambiar de giro ya que sus comensales no querían compartir su espacio con las damas. “ ‘La Ópera’, en sus comienzos fue una confitería fundada por las hermanas Boulangeot y era exclusiva de los más altos niveles sociales. No obstante, unos años después de cambiar su ubicación (la original se encontraba en San Juan de Letrán, esquina con Avenida Juárez), por fin se trajo en 1932 la barra típica de caoba desde Nueva Orleáns y se convirtió en cantina. En la parte posterior de ella existía un privado exclusivo para las damas con una puerta independiente y en los taburetes había un botón que se apretaba cada vez que se requería del servicio de un mesero.”comentó Sergio Gonzáles, capitán del lugar. Sin embargo, cuando se le comenzó a permitir la entrada a las damas a las cantinas, entonces “La Ópera” cambió de giro y dejó de ser cantina para convertirse en restaurante. De acuerdo con él, el objetivo del cambio de giro se debió a que querían hacer un lugar más familiar para que los jóvenes pudieran ir a conocerlo y ver el patrimonio histórico que carga entre sus paredes, no obstante el intento ha sido fallido ya que el promedio de edad circunda entre los 40 y 60 años.
Historias similares a la de “La Ópera” existen varias, por lo que evidentemente al ver que los jóvenes no las visitaban se creó un nuevo nicho de mercado. El nuevo tipo de cantinas.


El Nuevo tipo de cantinas


De unos años para acá hemos visto nuevos establecimientos tipo cantina que han surgido por toda la ciudad. Desde “La Cantina de los Remedios”, “La Lagarquija”, “La México”, “La Camelia” etc. Sin embargo, estas pseudo-cantinas poco o nada de relevancia tienen con las originales.
Si uno va a “La Montañesa” en la calle de Palma, le dirán que la especialidad de la casa son sus mariscos, entonces mientras uno degusta sus bebidas le sirven tales platillos, al final paga lo bebido y sale del lugar con buen humor y una barriga llena. Sin embargo, si uno visita “La Camelia” cuya especialidad también son los mariscos debe de ir preparado para gastar gran parte de su quincena en una comida y bebida con el privilegio de tener vista al parque de San Jacinto.
Por otro lado, si uno va a “La Buenos Aires” puede esperar encontrar un asunto mucho más bohemio en donde escritores e intelectuales se reúnen a platicar e inclusive a veces a tirar las cartas o la ficha. Pero si uno visita “La México” podemos esperar ver a muchos jóvenes jugando JENGA en las mesas.
La cuestión es que en este nuevo tipo de cantinas el lenguaje cantinero se ha visto tristemente traducido a una pálida imagen suya. Los jóvenes prefieren escuchar los éxitos de Paulina Rubio que una marimba, rockola o mariachi. Las mujeres de mundo que podemos encontrar en “La Dos Naciones” son traducidas a muchachas adolescentes con una espesa capa de maquillaje y faldas cortas. Inclusive “La Camelia” de San Ángel, los viernes te recibe con una cadena en la entrada marcando su territorio como exclusivo, cuando la tradición cantinera hoy en día te remarca que es una tradición para todos los que gusten de ella.
El problema con esta evolución que parece natural es que la verdadera tradición puede terminarse por extinguir en su totalidad. Hoy en día las cantinas parecen más antros que cantinas. En una sociedad donde de acuerdo con la investigación de Eduardo Menéndez, acusamos que el factor principal en la causa del alcoholismo es el nivel social medio bajo, estamos viendo que estos nuevos tipos de cantinas están repletos con nada más que puro nivel social medio- alto o alto. Por lo que no es sorpresa también ver que los niveles de alcoholismo especialmente entre la juventud han ido aumentando.
Es importante notar que la tradición cantinera típica va mucho más allá del constante consumo de alcohol. Claro que es un factor importante, es más intrínseco, pero simplemente el hecho de que existieran las botanas nos hablan del hecho de que a las cantinas se iba a mucho más allá que beber. No obstante, esto ahora se esta perdiendo en los nuevos tipos de cantina, en dónde cada fin de semana vemos a los jóvenes salir en estados de alto consumo de alcohol y quienes prefirieron gastar su dinero en una cerveza más que en unas papas a la francesa que les pudo haber ayudado a evitar o por lo menos aminorado ese estado de embriaguez.
“Ahora estas cantinas no son del todo criticables, es evidente que gozan de buen ambiente y tienen su aspecto llamativo… Pero lo que sí es preocupante es que los jóvenes no conozcan una verdadera cantina” comentó Lourdes Anaya.
Cuando le pregunté sobre el por qué no acostumbraba de visitar cantinas al joven Jorge Estrada de 23 años, me respondió: “Es que el centro tiene mala fama de ser muy inseguro, además de que está muy lejos. Esta padre conocer, pero la verdad prefiero estar donde están mis amigos”. A la misma pregunta, Paola Herrera de 21 años respondió: “Yo creo que es por la música. A todos (los jóvenes) nos gusta el pop o el hip hop o así, para poder bailar”.
Así que evidentemente existen excusas y motivos para dejar que una tradición se vaya olvidando y que se vaya suplantando con pálidos reflejos. No obstante, esta en nosotros mantenerla viva.


De balazos, copas y otras costumbres


Al entrar en “La Ópera” podemos ver arriba de un taburete, incrustado en el techo, la marca de un balazo. De acuerdo con la leyenda, en su paso hacia el Palacio Nacional, el día que en se le tomara la ínfima foto en la silla del Águila, Pancho Villa aprovechó para pasar por ahí y dejar su recuerdo. Esta historia ha sido famosa por generaciones, sin embargo, se esta comenzando a olvidar. “Ya han llegado personas a preguntarme que si aquí habían matado a Venustiano Carranza, y cosas así sin lógica” comenta Sergio González.
Al desconocer nuestras cantinas comenzamos a desconocer también gran parte de nuestro patrocinio cultural e histórico. Al suplantarlo con pseudos cantinas, borramos el folklore de la mexicaneidad y nuestro mestizaje. Entonces incluso se llega a confundir a una cantina por un tugurio.
“Aquí en la Buenos Aires no contratamos a mujeres como meseras para evitar malos entendidos” nos dijo Jorge Muñoz el gerente del citado lugar. Él comenta que en efecto existe una falta de jóvenes que visiten de su lugar, ya que en particular recibe a intelectuales y escritores que viven por la zona. Sin embargo, sobre el tema, él argumenta que cree que los jóvenes no gustan de visitar su establecimiento debido a que son muy estrictos con el uso de drogas dentro de él. “Hay lugares a donde uno puede ir y nadie les dice nada si andan drogados, pero yo una vez tuve que sacar a un muchacho del baño por traer una piedra. Se les olvida que a una cantina se viene a beber y comer.”
Sin embargo, en “La Montañesa” muchos consumen piedra, siempre y cuando esta esté compuesta por anis, fermet y tequila. De acuerdo con el lugar, es la mejor cura que existe para la cruda y al igual que las demás que hemos mencionado, sufre de falta de juventud. Es posible que un día se encuentre uno a Itatí Cantoral por ahí comiendo, pero no es tan seguido que uno encuentre a un veinteañero. No obstante, observándola de afuera uno podría asegurar un viernes que ese es uno de los lugares más animados del centro y eso se debe a su fiel clientela que no la cambia por otra cantina de la zona.


De su historia y su presente


“Yo he trabajado en bares en Estados Unidos y en México y no existe nada como una cantina mexicana” nos explicó la señora Lourdes Anaya que siempre aceptaba un cigarrillo cada vez que uno se le ofreciera. La gran virtud de las cantinas mexicanas es lo rico de su pasado, es lo que las hace llamativas y es el mayor punto de atracción para atraer a jóvenes a conocerlas.
Simplemente si uno en una reunión saca al tema las anécdotas de las verdaderas cantinas de México como por ejemplo que “El Nivel” tiene la primera licencia registrada y que se llama “El Nivel” porque a unos cuantos metros, el urbanista de la ciudad, el arquitecto Enrico Martínez, decidió poner el primer nivel de México para poder medir las aguas en época de lluvia o que por ejemplo, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada, instauró un decreto presidencial que forzaba a que esa cantina estuviera abierta todos los días del año ya que una vez la encontró cerrada y no pudo comer y demás historias, con eso es suficiente para que todos los presentes le soliciten que los lleve a conocer tan maravillosos lugares.
Así sucedió en una reunión de una familia, en donde los jóvenes brindaban con una cuba en la mano, mientras su abuelo les comentaba de los lugares que él solía visitar de joven. “No es que la cantinas de ahora, nada que ver con aquellas a las que iba mi abuelito o mis tíos. Yo no sé porque no nos han llevado, pero deberíamos juntarnos los primos para ir a conocer y que mi abuelo nos de una guía. Igual y sí se acuerda bien de cómo llegar.” Comentó Paulina López al respecto.
Este precisamente es el propósito de las cantinas, es el romper barreras de edades, tradiciones e inclusive creencias y simplemente unirnos al escuchar un buen son, al brindar con nuestra bebida predilecta e intercambiar historias que pudieran marcar paso en nuestra vida. En “La Buenos Aires” por ejemplo, Jorge Muñoz nos comentó que así como se le permite la entrada a jubilados que van a escuchar jazz, también han entrado lesbianas y homosexuales, ya que ahí no se le discrimina a nadie. Porque el objetivo de una cantina, nunca fue la dividir a sus comensales, sino en encontrar un punto en común de todos ya fueramos mexicanos o turistas, “chavos del INSEN” o primerizos en la experiencia cantinera, el caso era pasársela bien. No obstante, como dice la señora Anaya “Tú toma la bebida, no dejes que la bebida te tome a ti” ya que ningún exceso es bueno pero tampoco es buena la abstinencia total, o el olvido de una tradición que se observa tan mexicana. Porque finalmente, aunque creamos que no pertenecemos a ese tipo de lugares, siempre encontraremos una cantina hecha especialmente para cubrir nuestras necesidades, y cuando la descubramos nos daremos cuenta de que el verdadero sabor del tequila o el mezcal no sale de la barrica en la que se fermentó el licor, sino sale del gusto de brindar con un recién conocido amigo que nos dio el consejo perfecto y que por casualidad o suerte ese día se recargó en la barra justo a nuestro lado y se tomó el tiempo de escuchar una de nuestras tantas historias y hacerla suya por un momento.

Her name was Lola...

Retro lifestyles have always been a source of curiosity and society still finds it difficult to understand the longing for the good old days. The people who live their life in the safe haven of the 30s, 40s and 50s are not always understood. They love the moral values, the music and the aesthetics. VANESSA BUENDIA goes in and talks to Joanne Massey, an inspiring woman in love with the romantic notion of a bygone era.




Her name was Lola...

She had a beaming smile with her lips delicately covered with red lipstick. Her voice was soothing and her home welcoming. She had managed to recreate every little detail of a 1950s house. She dressed in tight green pants and a black sweater. She ornamented her beautiful ginger hair with a flower and she had the poise of a lady. In one sentence it was like being greeted by Rita Hayworth. However even Rita once said that men used to fall in love with Gilda and woke up with her. But in Joanne’s case the illusion is complete everyday of the year, 24 hours a day. During the weekends she’s a singer mostly at charity events. And she has a stage name apt for a 1940s starlet: Lola Lamour. Notwithstanding the act doesn’t end after she gets paid, in fact she is not even acting. She’s actually only showing to the world who she really is: a woman with a glamorous sense of style and a beautiful voice. However she has a peculiar style, which resembles the magic of the silver screen of Hollywood’s golden years. And which has become her life. Ever since she was a child, Joanne felt passionate about the retro lifestyle. When she was around 4-years-old she used to visit her granddad who took care of her while her parents worked. She would spend her afternoon sitting on his knee while he played the banjo and taught her old war time songs. She grew up with it. Watching movies with her parents and hearing all the stories about famous Hollywood starlets. She paid attention when her parents told her it used to be a better time, a simpler time; a time that had already gone but still managed to survive within her. She said: “They thought those times were nicer and always spoke with some sort of fondness about them.” However being a teenager of the eighties meant being far away from the ideal world of the 40’s or 50’s when men used double-breasted suits and fedora hats and women wore simple perfumes like Midnight in Paris and carefully lined makeup. She could have gone with the crowd and used designer jeans or collected Sex Pistols albums but her teenage rebellion took her in the opposite direction. She didn’t want to be a punk she wanted to be like her idol Doris Day. While studying in an all-girls grammar school she definitely did not pass unnoticed. She said: “I probably stood out for being a rebel because I had huge black hair and loads of makeup.” But her rebellion did not stop there. Soon she enlisted her mother’s help in carefully tailoring her clothes in order to resemble the fashion of the era. And though at first her parents found their daughter’s passion for the past odd, they still gave her all the help and support they could give. Shortly after the clothes and the makeup were not enough for her so she tagged along with her older brother and discovered a whole new world. She discovered car shows and venues for people, that just like her, lived in the past and little by little she adopted it not only as a trend but as her own lifestyle. Though her look seemed to be very difficult to accomplish (after all even Rita Hayworth needed two assistants and 3 hours to get ready), she’s managed to master the art of period beauty. Joanne added: “People think it takes me ages to get ready but I can be up in the morning have breakfast, dress, hair done, make up done and out the door within half an hour.” Although being different came with a price: “You always get an amount of teasing or sniggering and all. I’ve always had that and you know just walking in the street you get people pointing at you or laughing or look at her hair or look at her make up or what is she wearing. You always get that in life with anybody who is a bit different.” In fact everybody has fallen victim of criticism in their life. It’s part of growing up. However Joanne and her husband Kevin have learned to live with it. They get criticized just because their fashion sense does not agree with what’s conventionally found at High Street. She’s glamorous in her personal attire and he prefers a Rebel without a cause look. She mentioned: “If we had a pound for the amount of times people have shouted ‘Elvis’ at him in the street, we would be very rich.” Kevin is as passionate of the retro lifestyle as Joanne and was a big fan even before meeting her at a 50s rock and roll dance. He also grew up with it as and has embraced the look and the music since he was a young lad. He said: “When I was young I was just in to older things. I was the last of a generation of children who used to play in the woods and play games.” He loves playing at gigs, working on his car and being handy around the house and he has a strong sense of pride on whatever he does. As any other guy he does not appreciate being criticized but he also understands where it comes from. He said: “A lot of people just go to work and come home and slump down in front of the TV and they literally don’t do anything. They haven’t got lives or they haven’t got the ability to be able to make their own minds up and decide what they want to do. They sort of do what they think they should be doing because their friends tell them that is what we do. And they probably envy us for at least having the conviction to be able to say we are into something and be proud of what we do and enjoy it.” However if it’s envy or fear of the unknown some people will still judge them. Most recently Joanne took part in a documentary in which the portrayal of her lifestyle did not resemble her life at all. She was unjustly categorized as a 1950s housewife with no other objective in life but to please her husband. In reality she has three jobs, which occupy most of her time, including her singing career that has taken her on tours around the country and demands heavy travel on her behalf. She said: “I sign nearly every weekend all over the country and I sing mostly 1940s stuff and in 40s events so I’m always dressed in period clothes.” And still she manages to keep a happy marriage and lives in the type of lifestyle she’s enjoyed. Still her camera appearance brought on criticism from complete strangers as she never even imagined. She said: “It’s a form of discrimination isn’t it? It’s like someone being horrible to somebody for being gay or someone being horrible to somebody for being black.” Her biggest critics assume her to be someone she doesn’t even resemble. Still she’s managed to “just turn off to it if people are small minded and can’t accept it.” Though her thoughts on the issue tend to be very reasonable. She believes that people shouldn’t discriminate against anybody. She added: “You should be free to do what you want. It’s supposed to be a free country. You should be free to live your life how you want to without people criticizing you when they don’t actually know anything about it.” Oddly enough she’s found that some of her harshest critics are teenagers. However she excuses their behaviour because “Maybe they don’t understand or they don’t want to understand.” Her policy is to respect others even if she is not respected. She believes in the beauty of being and looking different as an expression of oneself. She said: “I really just think it’s great! If you want to look different and express yourself like that just do it!” Yet not everybody is judgemental. Others are just curious about her. Nicola Vezpremi is one of her closest friends though she does not lead a retro lifestyle herself. In fact she didn’t even know the scene existed until they met: “Joanne opened my eyes to different scenes and people.” Since then she’s noticed that some people around her might be more open than those who have never known anything about the retro way. She says: “My family and friends are mostly very intrigued about all of it. They find it all very unusual.” And even some people are very enthusiastic about Joanne’s look because she reminds them of a beautiful time in which life was simpler. Joanne said: “A lot of elderly or middle-aged people think it’s great. Strangers in the street will walk up to me and say I think you look lovely.” And although criticism can be harsh nothing would stop Joanne and Kevin from living the way they love. Kevin said: “We only have one crack at life so you might as well live it like you want to live it.” Hence, they still keep their look; fashion and even the appliances they use at home all conform to their personal style. They’ve completely decorated their home retro-style. Many times they’ve had to fix some old appliances they’ve bought and have found clever ways to either adapt them to modern technology or simply just repair them. Though it may seem impossible to today’s handyman to repair a 1950’s refrigerator they have one in their kitchen running as if it were brand new. Joanne said: “In the past things were built with pride and things were built to last. People didn’t expect to buy a new fridge in five years time or ten years time. If they’d be saving up for that fridge it was going to last them for a long long time. They’d expect it to be there in 50 years time, which it is. Vintageing is good in that respect. Things were made very well.” Quality she believes is something that is lacking in today’s technology. She said: “If you buy new you tend to have to replace it quite quickly.” However kitchen appliances are only the beginning. Joanne has always had classic cars. She’s owned her 1965 Ford Anglia for 12 years and as a true fan of I love Lucy, she’s aptly named it Lucy. Joanne commented: “I’ve never had a new modern car and I wouldn’t want one. I love my car, I love it to bits and I think it’s great!” She will also generally try to buy vintage clothing to maintain authenticity in her appearance. However sometimes this is not as easy as it seems, so she’ll settle for garments that resemble the fashion of the era. She commented: “I really love sort of 1940s suits. I really like that look because you feel so feminine.” However she’s conscious of how difficult it is to obtain these garments which is reason enough to take extra care of them. As Joanne said: “I wouldn’t ever wear anything vintage to work because I wouldn’t want it to get ruined” Then again she’s an intelligent woman and perfectly knows that whatever she buys can become an investment opportunity because of their value as collectors items. She also has the advantage of old craftsmanship, which was known for its quality. However, as a couple they fully understand the rewards of modern technology. Kevin mentioned: “We don’t deny the 21st century because we obviously live in the 21st century.” And as such they use their computer to find clothes, appliances and even bits and parts to repair their cars. All the same modern designs tend to clash with their décor therefore they try to maintain modern equipment out of sight purely for aesthetic reasons. Though they still find DVDs, microwaves and such useful and appreciate their advantages. Consequently together they’ve managed to nail the look and feel of the 50’s. However it’s not all about the look. Living a retro lifestyle is also about the values of the era. Being a good neighbour, helping out the elderly, being gracious, supportive and friendly. People from the 40s and 50s were a generation that went through terrible wars so the sense of community was heightened. Family and friends were the most important things in life and a sense of innocence seemed to be characteristic. Rations were commonplace and people tended to enjoy simpler things in life without the economic resources of today. Joanne said: “It wasn’t the throw away economy we have nowadays. I think the community was a lot closer and people were generally sort of more looking out for each other and not so much looking out for themselves.” Still their values not only have to do with their choice in lifestyle but more to do with their upbringing. As Kevin explained: “I was brought up in a bit of a more old fashioned family. My mum and dad were quite strict. I’ve got those old fashioned values in me already anyway.” The values they refer to are as simple as helping older neighbours with the occasional odd job, looking out for others and even litter picking. Kevin said: “I just try to keep the neighbourhood clean and tidy, which a lot of people nowadays just seem blasé about it.” Another important value is being there for your loved ones. As Joanne’s friend Nicola said: “She’s very friendly, confident, very supportive of friends and helpful. She’s a great best friend to have.” As Kevin simply stated, it all boils down to doing whatever you can for society and live your life with consideration to others. According to him people do not do enough to better the situation they find themselves in. Kevin said: “You don’t have to accept your surroundings; you can do something about it.” According to them the world of today lacks most of these values. So much so that Joanne said she wouldn’t like to bring a child up in today’s society. For this reason, as a couple they’ve decided not to have any kids. They don’t agree with the consumerist values of the 21st century and plus they wouldn’t like to force their own lifestyle choice on a child who might not enjoy it as much as they do. However since before Kevin and Joanne met they lived within their own moral code and hence applied it to their relationship as soon as they got together. As Kevin explained: “Nowadays everybody is just sort at the pub all the time and just out for a drink with the lads and people there just expect them to pull a member of the opposite sex. There is no sort of commitment. It is just sex. They’re just a one-night stand. We had a proper courting relationship and then we got married.” And so their marriage has now lasted them more than 10 years and it looks like there is still much more to come. They still continue with all their hobbies and recently since the recession has hit the country, the retro scene has seemingly increased in followers. As Joanne explained: “I’ve seen an increase in people coming to vintage events. Especially the forties scene has gotten really big over the last few years. And I think because it’s a bit of escapism. It’s a nice day out” Consequently they have met people from all around the world who enjoy the same cars, music, aesthetics, clothing and style. Therefore in the process they’ve made lots of friends and travelled around the world to different events and gatherings. In time Joanne has achieved a fruitful singing career though she still remembers fondly her first gigs in gay clubs: “I think people thought I was actually going to be a drag queen and then I showed up.” However after lots of hard work she now finds herself constantly touring the country. She also has a beautiful marriage, and a home fit for the silver screen. She has gone a long way from that teenage girl with loads of makeup and tailored dresses who was teased everyday for her fashion sense. Her achievements are visible to anyone who gets to know her. She’s inspired respect and admiration from her loved ones. As her friend Nicola said: “I’m very proud of all that Jo has achieved.” On the other hand, Joanne is still very humble about her achievements and the only thing she has to say about her life is: “It’s a dream really.” If you wish to see Lola Lamour on stage please visit her website to find dates and localities near you: http://www.myspace.com/misslolalamour

Speak your mind here

SPEAKERS’ Corner in Hyde Park has long been a perfect example of freedom of speech in the UK, ever since the creation of the 1872 Right of Assembly of the Royal Parks and Gardens Act.
But now Nottingham has a corner of its own. There is no need to go all the way to London to search for the prized gem – now all anyone from the vicinity has to do is go down to the junction of King and Queen Streets near the Brian Clough statue and continue the great soapbox tradition.
So to have such an important place in Market Square establishes Nottingham as an upholder of the freethinking practice.
The city is no stranger to this. Up to the 1970s an informal speakers’ corner could be found in the heart of the square where people would debate on a series of issues. To have it physically established will give this local custom the seriousness and presence it deserves.
Historically, the speakers’ corner in London has brought together minds such as Marx, Engels, Lenin and Orwell and of course more than a decent amount of ramblers and lunatics claiming the end of the world is near.
Nonetheless, the importance of the speakers’ corner remains both as a symbol of democracy and righteousness and as a gateway of expression to anyone who feels compelled to share their thoughts.
Surely Nottingham will hopefully benefit a great deal from it.

Robin Hood will dominate skyline

IT’S fair to say that tourists visiting Nottingham generally come searching for some long lost relic about Robin Hood and his merry men. People flock to Sherwood Forest in hopes of finding the Major Oak after disappointingly finding out that the original castle in which the outlaw’s nemesis lived no longer exists.
But does Nottingham really need a 100-metre statue of Robin to have more tourists flocking in? In fact, would a simple statue of gigantic proportions be enough to attract tourists?
According to businessman James Mellors (correct), the statue could quadruple the number of visitors, so assuming his figures are accurate is Nottingham prepared to attend to so much tourism?
This scheme seems much more like a desperate attempt to catch people’s attention, which in the end could potentially turn the historic city into the laughing stock of the nation.
A statue of an outlaw taller than the Statue of Liberty placed in a city which battles with its reputation for crime? It sounds terribly ironic doesn’t it?
No-one can deny the iconic stature of Robin Hood but that wasn’t enough to keep the Tales of Robin Hood open and now we are expected to invest millions of tax-payers money in a statue.
The question arises what would the good-doer vandal do with the money? Help the most needed or give it to a businessman who wishes to leave a legacy behind?

The Freemasons did it!

Secret societies have been at the heart of conspiracy theories since the dawn of time. But the king of them all is a not-so-secret society at all. The Freemasons have been accused of causing revolutions, protecting the Holly Grail and creating a New World Order. VANESSA BUENDIA investigates the secrets behind Freemasonry.

The Freemasons did it!

WHILE I was walking up the stairs of Nottingham’s Grand Lodge my mind kept imagining an obscure shadow running out at night with highly confidential documents. Obviously these papers would change the future of mankind and hide the most strange and unbelievable facts from the world.
Men with aprons and secret handshakes would meet the courier at the end of his journey. He would then deliver the package and be greeted as the saviour of the New World Order.
By the time I actually walked into the reception and was greeted by the Provincial Grand Secretary, Bill Bradbury, I thought that maybe I had read way too many Dan Brown novels.
He was just a regular guy. The kind of guy I could imagine my father sitting down with to discuss the latest football match. He made it hard for me to include him in my knights’ templar fantasy. To tell you the truth I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
For more than 400 years the Freemasons have functioned as a fraternity in which only men are allowed to participate. For a long time they decided to keep whatever happened behind closed doors a secret. The new members had to promise secrecy upon punishment of bodily harm – though no-one really knows of anyone who has ever broken the promise and then had his legs broken because of it.
For this reason and the fact that many historical figures have belonged to the Craft is why many conspiracy theorists have blamed its members of the most outrageous events.
Who instigated the American Independence? The Freemasons. Who started the French Revolution? The Freemasons. Who protects the Holly Grail? The Freemasons. Who created the New World Order – whatever that is? The Freemasons. Who have overthrown governments, attacked the Catholic Church, dictate how the international financial markets work and posses a secret knowledge to dominate the world? The Freemasons.
Dan Brown has proven these theories not only to be appealing to the masses but profitable as well. By September this year he will release his new book entitled The lost symbol which according to him: “is set deep within the oldest fraternity in history…the enigmatic brotherhood of the Masons.”
Mr Bradbury said: “It’s a very easy thing to accuse the Freemasons and for a while we took it all on the chin. For a long time the word from London was that it doesn’t matter what people say we don’t respond.”
However the lack of response backfired and people believed more in the conspiracy theories than the truth. Therefore the Freemasons have now decided to open up to the public and anyone can come visit a lodge and inquire about what the Craft really is.
According to Mr Bradbury the fraternity started when a group got together in the 1700s when moral standards were so lenient that honest people found themselves wanting to meet others of similar backgrounds and interests.
That principle still stands today. “We are looking basically for men who are people of high moral standing, are working in the community and have good character. Race or creed are not a problem for us” he added.
Nevertheless as soon as the fraternity started congregating they found themselves a powerful and unexpected enemy: The Catholic Church.
Friar Michael Brown from St Barnabas Church said: “The Vatican thought that Freemasonry was anti-clerical. Alternatively they believed Freemasonry to be a naturalistic religion which means that the revelations come through natural things in the world and not directly from God.”
However Freemasons have stated that they are anything but a religion. According to their own literature “Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It demands of its members a belief in a Supreme Being but provides no system of faith in its own.”
Nonetheless tension between both organisations prevails to this century. Friar Brown stated that strain amongst them could still be found in the continent, especially in Italy. While in the UK the relationship between them has grown.
Friar Brown said: “In this country they reckon (The Vatican) Freemasonry isn’t quite as anti-clerical or anti-Christianity or atheist as in the continent.”
In fact according to Freemasons religion isn’t even a topic of conversation within the lodges. Mr Bradbury said: “We have two strict rules inside a lodge. You do not discuss politics or religion.”
So what is Freemasonry after all?
According to Mr Bradbury the Craft has three clear objectives: to bring like-minded people together, raise money and enjoy themselves while doing it. He said: “There are a lot of charities around who would be in a terrible state without the Freemasons.”
However secret handshakes, odd costumes, peculiar rituals and unusual symbolism are all part of any lodge and have been the basis for conspiracy theories. Seemingly they are all part of the secrets Freemasons don’t want to share so they can continue ruling the world. However Mr Bradbury explained that all of it including the ceremonies are just symbolic explanations for what they stand for.
In fact the Freemasons have opened themselves to the public so much that according to Mr Bradbury the only thing he was forbidden to tell me are the recognition symbols. In other words I’ll never know what the secret handshakes are all about.
Furthermore true to his word Mr Bradbury gave me a complete tour of the lodge. He even showed me the Grand Hall and old handcrafted aprons. Every symbol was just as exciting as I had imagined. The only difference now was that I finally knew that Freemasons were just a group of men who were not much different than the group of boy scouts they once were.
(All names correct)

The blue cactus pilgrimage

“Do you want to know what lies beyond the desert?,” she said.

I was young and adventurous so I was in no position to refuse the invitation.

“I want to take you there,” she added. “There’s something I want to give you.”

A few weeks later I found myself taking a seven-hour car journey with my friend to a place filled with magic, Huichol Indians and blue cactuses that could take you either to heaven or hell.

After parting from the main road for a couple of hours on a dirt trail we arrived to a handmade tunnel carved directly into the rock. We had been led there by a path which had a scenic mountain chain on the left and a desert plain on the right. Throughout our journey it seemed that an electric storm had decided to follow us.

Once we found ourselves at the entry of the tunnel there was no looking back.It was small and only one car could fit at a time. It was built about 150 years ago by silver miners from the area. It was damp, cold, dark and the end was nowhere to be seen.

Fear struck me as I thought the walls could crumble on us at any given moment but it was the only way into town. So I held my breath, closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

But the trip was meant to be experienced both physically and mentally therefore she held my hand and asked me to open my eyes. “Don’t worry,” she said. “This is my gift to you.”

Then the car plunged itself into one and a half miles of darkness forcing my heart rate to accelerate and my palms to sweat. Half-way down the dark shaft was an altar to the Virgin of Guadalupe, which gave me little to no comfort at the thought of getting stuck inside the tunnel.

But when finally my eyes squinted at the first ray of light a drunken taste of victory provided by a faux but innate survivalist sense invaded me.

That night after a wondrous dinner, which included cactus salad and mezcal we set off to sleep in an old hacienda that had been abandoned for at least a century.

I was spending the night in scorpion country so before I went to bed I checked every corner of the room and underneath my sheets but never felt completely safe. It was not until music played in the background and someone sung the pitch-perfect notes that I delved into the most profound state of relaxation that I had ever experienced.

By 7am my body was ready to head off into the desert or at least I thought so. The Huichol guide we had met the day before was outside the hotel waiting for us with a couple of very old and run down horses. “Bring lots of water,” he said.

As soon as we were ready he guided us through the main square and headed east to the last remaining houses of a town that had been forsaken a long time ago. Strangely enough, the architecture suggested a strong Arabic influence in a Mexican desert.

The guide explained: “They came with dreams of silver and gold and left once they dried up the earth.”

Within half an hour we were wandering in the footsteps of ancient Huichol gods in a semi-arid region. The heat proved to be a safe haven for cactuses and rattlesnakes. The soil was hard and dry and our only hope of survival was a man who walked alongside us in thin sandals.

For two hours we rode on wild horses and climbed a mountain range without even noticing it. Finally the guide instructed us to get off our horses for the rest of the journey had to be on foot. He tied them up to a small post in the middle of the desert and told us to watch out for rattlesnakes.

“If one comes along and crosses over your foot just don’t move. Let it pass,” he said to my complete and utter discomfort.

We finally arrived at the Cerro del Quemado, the place where the guide claimed God had been born from fire. The area was filled with Huichol art but we were asked not to touch anything.

From the plateau we could finally see it all. We could see the plains of Mexico that covered the land as far as the horizon while standing on the highest peak of a chain of mountains known as the Sierra Catorce and where the small abandoned town of Real de Catorce laid beneath us.

We had arrived at the place where the Huichol Indians believe lies the gateway to paradise, the staircase between the earthly and the godly. We had reached the land where thousands before us came to pray and search for divinity.

At that point, the end of our journey, we finally found ourselves worthy enough to be exactly between heaven and hell and with no other place we’d rather be.

It was that breath-taking spot, which became the best gift I had ever received.

Pandemic Panic… or not so much?

The world’s eyes are on Mexico but not because of its beautiful beaches. Swine flu has recently hit one of the biggest cities in the world and the World Health Organisation is calling for a global alert, however the famously stress-free country is still finding time to face adversity with humour. VANESSA BUENDIA tells us how people in the city are coping with the epidemic.

Pandemic Panic… or not so much?

ONE of the most common Mexican cures for flu is a shot of tequila and although the country has no shortage of the golden syrup, this time around it may not be enough.
More than 150 deaths in Mexico have been linked to swine flu. The disease has crossed borders and even oceans. The United States, Great Britain, Canada, Israel, France, Spain, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela and North Korea all have suspected cases and in some instances have confirmed that patients are infected with the virus.
Media outlets in Mexico stress every half an hour about security measures that need to be taken to prevent the disease. The military has been in the streets giving out masks and government officials have halted all school activities until May 6.
Although panic has overcome the media Jorge Paquentín Aguilar MD, marketing director for Grossman Laboratories in Mexico City, says: “The epidemic is unlikely to reach a pandemic. More so if reasonable health measures are taken and cases are treated at early stages.”
More than 70 per cent of restaurants, cinemas, museums, bars and nightclubs have temporarily closed under government orders. Football matches are being played behind closed doors. Streets that are usually filled with commuters are now deserted during rush hour and public transport might be asked to stop running for a few days if the problem keeps escalating.
For a city with 20 million residents this means chaos. Commercial losses have been calculated to exceed £38m in less than a week. And to add insult to injury, an earthquake of 5.7 points in the Richter scale hit the city while the Health Department chief, José Ángel Córdoba Villalobos, was giving one of his daily press conferences since the epidemic started.
So how are people at ground zero coping with the situation?
Fernanda Obregón (25) and her boyfriend, Ricardo Madrazo, who are both entrepreneurs, stocked up on goods at the weekend in case the supermarkets were asked to temporarily close down. She said: “When we got home we put on masks, gloves and cleaned all the packaging with Clorox.”
Lilia Nahon (28,) who works for Procter & Gamble but was asked to stay at home, said: “I’m really freaked out and so are a lot of people because there are a lot of rumours. Some people say the death count is a lot higher than what the media is saying and others say it’s all a lie like the ‘chupacabras’.”
The chupacabras is an urban legend that caught the medias’ attention more than 15 years ago. According to news reports it was a reptile-like animal that sucked the blood of livestock, especially goats. For a while headlines all over Mexico and Latin America spoke only of this vampire-like creature with a taste for domesticated animals.
Arturo Castillo (29), who works in the Electoral tribunal for the judiciary, says he has spoken to “people that don’t believe anything the media says and claim it’s just a decoy for the electoral campaigns that start next Sunday.” He also says some people “are extremely paranoid about the situation.”
Many of the city’s residents went online. María Elena Meneses, head lecturer for the department of information and society at the Technological Institute of Monterrey in Mexico City said: “Social networking has created an alternate and cathartic space for our emotion, indignity, uncertainty and need for banter.
“We have seen the creation of FluWiki to define swine flu. However it is written in English and insists it was a flu made in Mexico so almost no-one has bothered to edit the information. It has been the perfect space to share videos and news clippings from other parts of the world though it has also invited the most extraordinary conspiracy theories. There are accusations against pharmaceuticals, Obama and even aliens.”
But whether people believe the epidemic to be real or fake, Mexico as a whole has confronted the adversity with a peculiar sense of humour.
Last week a video was uploaded on Youtube entitled La cumbia de la influenza. A cumbia is a highly rhythmic song typical to the area and the lyrics of this one go as far as to say “And who is going to help us now? Call Superman. We will all be dead by the time Indiana Jones arrives. Because they say it’s the perfect flu but they don’t know that Mexicans live under smog.”
Motivational posters have been adapted and are circulating over the internet with funny pictures and humorous legends such as one that shows a couple covering their mouth and nose with a bra and reads: “Influenza. This is what happens when conventional masks are sold out.”
On Facebook people are showing off pictures wearing surgical masks, commenting on how bored they are, telling jokes about the situation, installing applications called boredom survival kits and even planning trips to nearby beach resorts.
Meanwhile the World Health Organisation has already raised the alarm from a level 3 to a level 4, which means the virus can now be transmitted from one person to another. In other words there is a significant upwards shift in the risk of a pandemic.
The international community in general has a growing concern for the situation and an end is nowhere in sight.
In the UK, Thomson has cancelled flights to Cancun until May 4 and tourists are being told to avoid travel to the country unless it’s strictly necessary.
Balkan countries have banned pork imports from the Americas and the Mexico City premier of X-Men: Wolverine has been cancelled.
However, although the Mexican economy might be severely damaged, Dr Paquentín believes Mexico is perfectly equipped to resolve the epidemic and says the way to prevent a pandemic is to continue with preventative measures and try to detect any possible cases on the early stages of the disease.
Yet the community as a whole also recommends a healthy dose of humour because in a country that has survived all sorts of crisis this too will pass.
So hours after yesterday’s earthquake a new joke was circulating the city faster than swine flu: “What did Mexico say to swine flu? Look, I’m shaking in my boots!”
(All names correct)