Some nights later, Jacinto waked Marcelo up. Something unusual and unexpected must have happened, because it was very late. It must have been about two or three in the morning. The teacher reacted quickly. Jacinto's voice made him wake up quickly.

"Get dressed quickly, and let's go to my house....hurry !, for God's sake" -shouted Jacinto.

"What's going on"-answered the teacher, "Did something terrible happen?...Is somebody sick".

"Let's go, there's no time to lose, I tell you on the way. We have to act quickly. If I'm not wrong you are in grave danger let's go quick...let's go!"

Marcelo began to get more and more apprehensive as they advanced carefully toward Jacinto's house.

"What the hell you don't want to tell me? " "Why don't you explain?"

"Quiet, Marcelo, we are almost to my house. As they entered the house, Marcelo distinguished a vigil light, dimly lightning the shapes of Leonor and Carmen, standing and with deep worry reflected in their faces. Before they could ask, Jacinto said

"A few moments a go, a man from Chak-che arrived. The bataab had ordered that everybody in town must be awaken, and that we should be ready to leave for Chan Santa Cruz within the next hours. We are supposed to assemble the companies from all the towns en "Señor", I think, or close by, to be a day away from Santa Cruz. We're supposed to take our weapons and supplies for two weeks. Everybody is getting ready to go. Something serious happened, the elders are talking about revenge and about fighting again against the "ts’uulo’ob". They say the soldiers leveled the town of Chak-ché with bullets; that many died, including women and children. ...How can there be so much evil?...There is a rumor the lieutenant Yam had ambushed some white peddlers and killed them two leagues from the town and took the coins and gold that they had gotten selling in the towns around".

"They say," -Jacinto went on in a tone of anguish, "That when the guard went into the territory, they put up resistance, a gun battle broke out, and the town is surrounded; that's what they say. -And they have taken the lieutenant and many of the men and they are going to put them before a firing squad in Santa Cruz. Many escaped, and made it into the forest, and have spread the word in other towns where the companies have armed themselves and are hiding in the forest waiting for the orders of the "General". All the men over fifteen years old are to be ready to march to Santa Cruz . That's what they are saying."

Turning to the teacher he said.

"They'll come for you, Jose Marcelo, I have no doubt, that's why I went for you. We have to leave for X-hootsuuk, directly, or by taking a round about route. If we leave soon enough they will not be able to catch you. If there's danger, we'll go all the way to the coast, there we could get a fishing boat to Cuzomil or Payo Obispo."

Jose Marcelo listened to his friend silently. He imagined the situation.

Jacinto became silent, thinking about his next steps, before the baatab's guards came for his friend.

"For the moment they haven't thought about you", he continued, " but, don't doubt it, in a few more moments, somebody will ask about you if nobody has already. I fear for your life Marcelo, I am really afraid"

"Jose Marcel scrutinized Jacinto's face and then turned to look at Leonor and Carmen: he thought he saw tears in Leonor's beautiful eyes.

He felt a mixture of gratitude and fears before he spoke.

"I can well understand the seriousness of these moments and I thank you, you don't know how much, for what you are doing for me. I am sure they will be here in a few minutes, and whatever happens I don't want you to be hurt even a little bit, on my account. This is my problem and I have to face it alone. I beg you not to get mixed up in it. I am going back to the school, where I should be, there I will wait for them to come for me. God will decide".

Jose Marcelo turned around, heading to the door, but Jacinto, with a cat like jump, stood in front of the door, as he exclaimed:

"You won't leave, whatever happens. I promised your mother that I would protect you and I will keep my promise for as long as I live. They will think about it more than once before they come. I know what I am talking about."

At the firmness of the noble native, Marcelo hesitated, when he reacted, it was already too late. The sound of voices was coming closer every second, and it was getting stronger. A few instants later they were at the door. Jacinto didn't wait a second, he jumped two steps and got his "30-30" from the hook and cocked it; and loaded it with cartridges. Leonor, who was trembling, grabbed a machete. Carmen stood frozen in surprise and confusion. Marcelo raised his arms to stop them and the same time he was shouting energetically.

"For God’s sake! Don't you understand that what you're doing isn't going to solve anything? If they come for me or to kill me, they will do it in spite of anything you can do to help me. Please Jacinto, put your gun away, and you, Leonor, drop the machete, if they see you armed, they'll be madder than they already are".

Without waiting for their reaction Jose Marcelo went to the door and opened it at the same time as some of the men outside came forward, guns in hand to take him.

With a calm, firm voice the young man confronted them, speaking in Maya.

"You don't have to come for me that way. I will go before the baatab to see what this is all about. You don't have any reason to come into Jacinto's house".

The tall, strong silhouette, his calm tone of voice and his decisive gestures, as he advanced toward them, made them open a path, while he gently separated them. He walked directly to the baatab's house followed by the group that had stopped shouting. When they arrived at the house, the light of several candles lit up the inscrutable face of the baatab and the hard expression of the town elders. Speaking slowly, the baatab reproached.

"Your presence has been unpleasant since you arrived to our town. We have tolerated you, but things have happened that have filled us with indignation against the "tsu’ulo’ob" and you are one of them; that is why we have to talk..... The spirits of our grandfathers have spoken to us of revenge, to take revenge not only for those who fell many years before but also for those that died a few days ago in Chak'che from the soldiers bullets.

" The hatred -continued the severe voice of the baatab- and the shadow of death have extended through all the territory of the Cupulo'ob, and it will extend even beyond. The "nohoch-tata" has called for all the men who can carry a machete or an arm, the companies are preparing to march on Santa Cruz the way we did before you were even born.

Many of our people have been arrested and are there, their families tell us.

If they don't free them, we will have as a guarantee all of the "tsu'ulo'ob" that are in Maya towns, if they are hurt while they are captive, we will kill all of you."

Marcelo listened very attentively. What could have happened in Chak-che that made the troops use arms against the town? Why did they arrest the chief and his family? The indignation of these people was real, in their faces and in the hatred in their eyes their decision was reflected, and Marcelo did not doubt that something very serious was being planned.

The elders of the town were watching silently. The rural teacher in apparent calm contrasting with his inner anguish answered.

"I can understand how all of you feel, your indignation, your thirst for revenge, but even at the risk of making you more angry, I will say what I think. I know that you alone will not decide what all of the Mayan towns will do, that are marching or are going to march against Santa Cruz.

I know that there is a superior council and that the "nojoch-tata" will be who will have the last word. But I also know that your voice as "Baatab" of Tok'tuunich will sound louder if you speak what is right and this can stop the slaughter of many of your brothers like what happened many years ago when General Bravo closed your access to Santa Cruz with trenches. I am sure that something terrible happened in Chak-che because many people were killed and many others was been taken prisoners, so we must act calmly, now more than ever, if we are right. Twenty years have gone by since Santa Cruz was returned to you. The ones that govern us now in the whole country aren't like the ones who destroyed your trenches with cannonballs and leveled your towns and swept your people with machine-guns, and those who profaned, with their orgies and wild drunkenness and crimes, the sacred temple of Balam-nah, bloodying its walls and floor, those men are no longer there.

The government doesn't send soldiers with guns and bayonets, they send teachers with notebooks, pencils and books in our hands to bring knowledge to you the descendants of these people who were so great, who constructed Coba, Tulum, Uxmal, Chichen and many other town whose vestiges are found all over.

Why don't you ask your brothers in other towns? Why don't you ask if you are acting correctly or not? How are you going to hurt the "tsu’ulo’ob" if we don't have anything more arms than our hands and we have only the neighboring towns and ourselves".

Marcelo was silent for a minute while everybody listened. His silence and expression were eloquent, so taking the floor, he continued.

" Am I more tsuul than máasewáal, because my skin and eyes are lighter? my mother is "cupul" like you. If you doubt it, Jacinto has seen her in Zaci. We are of the same blood, and so are many of us of the great people "cupul". Ask those who have been there if they have been mistreated."

A short pause followed the words of the teacher. Those of the council listened without changing a muscle, or the stiffness in their faces.

"If you were right"- continued the teacher-, "Do you really expect the prophecies to be fulfilled and the English people will help you against the Tsu’ulo’ob? Do you think the moment has come to rebel and fight again? The time has passed, the time of the Mayas has finished, and these are other times, another era. We shouldn't fight because now nobody wants to enslave the only slavery that there is now comes from ignorance. We have to take our children out of ignorance, and give them knowledge and science as the old ones gave to us, the great Maya People. We must accept the change. Those who don't will become more and more behind and miserable. We must prepare ourselves to defend our land our customs, our forests, our children, and above all the memories of our grandfathers. But we have to prepare ourselves with knowledge and not with guns and machetes in our hands.

"Sir" -finished the teacher- "let me go with you, let me help you, I have the right because of the indian blood that runs in my veins, Cupul blood. If you don't believe me or think there is a lie on my lips, you can kill me at any time or right now."

The baatab remained silent for a few seconds before he spoke.

" You can go to your home now. In a few hours you will be ready to go with us."

Two days later, when the sun wasn't yet ablaze with the heat of mid-day, the company of Tuk'tuunich advanced amid the first gardens of the semi-abandoned town where all the companies of the Maya people had been concentrated. It was only four leagues from Santa Cruz. The numerous groups of "maásewáaloob" rested in the shade, with the mules tied up to ramon trees or willows. It was a small village, with its half-destroyed temple with traces of battles of the Great War. Its streets were full of weeds, and its stone fences broken down. One and another roofless house were scattered around the center of town. In small groups at the heat of the small bonfires the máasewáaloob warmed their food. They hardly lifted their eyes even when they were surprised to see Marcelo.

The arrival of the company was hardly noticed by the groups, occasionally old friends and distant relatives greeted them.

The company of Tuk'tuunich was formed by forty-six men, from young man of sixteen years old to some almost too old but still vigorous.

Their weapons were old English hunting shot- guns, some 30-30 rifles and machetes for cutting the chicle. On the mules, they carried supplies and food enough for two weeks.

Marcelo was alarmed although his face didn't show it. " My God, " he thought "I think all the Mayas of the center of Quintana Roo are here". He remembered the stories of his grandfather on his mother's side about the assaults of the town and the battles with the "tsu’ulo'ob", from where they returned with prisoners, many of them, women and children. He remembered what his teachers and the old men said about the caste war, about the fall of Valladolid, the evacuation of his native city, about the destruction of the temple that had been occupied. He remembered the dead, the mutilated, the hunger, the rapes that the old men of Tok'tuunich talked about.

He thought about the stories, the legends in all the towns, the abandoned fields, the ruins, the indians sold as slaves, the women and children whipped, he thought about all of that, while he looked into the faces of the "máasewáal'ob" on his way to the center of the town.

Now that he felt the reality of these men, angry and fearful at the same time, far from their homes, their wives, their children, their parents, he could understand better and fear more than an uprising.

What would happen if these hundreds would try to fulfill the ancient prophecies that someday they would again fight against the "tsu’ulo’ob" and that they would go back to Santa Cruz again, and from there, they would govern their own people from the sanctuary of Balam-nah? Had the elderly forgotten the cannons that had broken them into pieces on the way to Santa Cruz thirty years ago?

Will the pride, and the rebelliousness of their race pushed them one more time into a fraticidal fight?

The square of the town was almost completely occupied by the "máasewáal'ob". The companies of all the towns had arrived or were about to arrive. How many would there be in all? .

The baatab of Tok'tuunich with his main escort went to the house where all the chiefs were gathering to wait for the "General" who would arrive at any moment. Marcelo and Jacinto watched and worried.

"How long would the council take?"- Marcelo asked Jacinto while they stopped in the shade of a small oak, only five mecates from the site of the meeting of the baatabs, "Where are we Jacinto? What is the name of this abandoned town? Isn't it Kampokolché?"

Hours later a far away clamor outside of town was becoming more intense signaling the arrival of the general. The confused voices, the shouting for revenge, the heat of the alcohol, the insults toward the "tsu’ulo'ob" seemed to Marcelo, foreshadows of dramatic events. He went forward with Jacinto, mixing discreetly with a group who asked for the attention of the chiefs going to the main house. The guards held back the on lookers as the group disappeared into the house. Both walked away with the others of Tok'tuunich, to a place where they would rest after the long day.

The hours passed slowly, day and night. They slept outside, looking at the blue sky and the stars. Jacinto and Marcelo hardly spoke, each one deep in his own thoughts. Meanwhile, Marcelo watched, in his mind, all that his grandfather had told him about the Caste War three generations before.

The morning was almost over and both were returning from the cenote where they had bathed, when a messenger presented himself before the company of Tok'tuunich with the order that "the tsu'ul" come before the council. Marcelo hurried after him and a few minutes later, he was standing before all of the chiefs who silently were trying to penetrate into his deepest thoughts. The one who had been identified as the main chief broke the silence of the moment. He said to Marcelo "We want to hear you. Tell us about what you have said, without any fear, we will listen to you"

Marcelo forced himself to concentrate, putting his ideas in order. Although, he had thought about this possibility, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to convince the council, but he knew that his words might moderate the wrath of the group.

After a few seconds he spoke in Maya "I fear for those who might fall and for those who stay back there in the towns without fathers, without sons, without husbands. Also I am sorry because I know my words will hurt more than a bullet in the chest or the blade of a bayonet but I hope that before you decide to fight, we will think about what could be justice for all, "tsu’ulo'ob" and "máasewáalo'ob".

I see that the companies have gathered and I see in all their faces indignation, hate, spite, and desire to fight for want they consider honorable and just.

I can see that with one order they will all leave and die, if it is necessary. Maybe a great injustice has been done to those who have been arrested and taken to Santa Cruz - but I ask myself. Are you sure that an injustice has been done?

Have you heard the reasons of the authorities of the government for having done what they did? If we are just, we must listen to those who we accuse before we judge them. If they are to blame and have committed an injustice, then we should appeal and demand that things be done according to the law.

I know that this is painful for all you to accept the law of the white men. But the law is made for everybody, not just for them, and if there are bad white men, there are also honorable white men. If they have broken the law, we will talk to the governor and he will do us justice.

Our Government does not want anymore fighting between brothers, and we are brothers all of us, "tsu’ulo'ob" and "máasewáalo'ob". Our government doesn't send people with rifles to conquer the Maya people. Our Government sends teachers, many of us have the same blood as you and want to make ways to communicate with each other and finish this centuries-old isolation.

We must forget our differences and also the prophecies.

The English men will no longer come to help the Mayas with rifles and ammunition and fight without any more benefits to themselves than the chicle and the ink and our wood. That is a thing of the past. It is painful, but it is the truth.

Speak with those of the Government of Santa Cruz, they will listen to you, I am sure, and if they don't, go farther to Payo Obispo. If you think I am lying; aren't I in your hands?"

" You have spoken your truth" answered the baatab, "you can leave now".

The faces of the elders of the council remained unchanged, as unchanged as they were while Marcelo spoke.

As he left the house, he saw Jacinto waiting a few meters away with visible anxiety. The teacher walked toward him and both of them hurried away towards their company. Before Jacinto could ask, the teacher said nervously, "I don't think they listened to me".

"I think they did, Marcelo, just the fact that they called you before the council is very important. But let's not despair, in a few more hours, we will know what is going to happen. It is late, almost noon. We'd better rest and feed our animals. I am sure that by dawn tomorrow, we will be on our way to Santa Cruz."

In Santa Cruz, the town’s people were tense and worried about the recent events. The chief and relatives of Chak-che were prisoners at the Headquarters and the guard had been doubled; the situation had been reported by telegraph to Payo Obispo from where they expected reinforcement for the company of territorial guards. Many of the country people spoke of movements that had concentrated at four leagues from Santa Cruz, and to the south of town, they had blocked the road to Payo Obispo, and that they would attack the jail at any moment to free the prisoners.

These rumors caused fear and anxiety, and many planned to abandon the town.

One day before the reunion of the council, a strongly armed section of the army had arrived in Santa Cruz under the command of a captain. They had rapidly taken their positions and deployed guards on the principal roofs of the town, including the Police station and the center, fearing that from one moment to the next, the attack would begin.

The representative of the government called all of the authorities to a meeting to consider the situation, and to take emergency measures.

They knew for certain that Santa Cruz was surrounded and the roads cut off by the "máasewáalo'ob" who watched carefully over the roads and footpaths. The same troop that had marched from Payo Obispo to Santa Cruz had noticed the presence of sentinels hidden in the jungles and communicating between other another with bird calls. They felt their presence without even seeing them, revealing, themselves only by the strident call of the "pap" when it discovered them.

The scouts advanced with rifles ready to fire and the small column felt the tension during the march. The commander didn't feel safe during the last day of the march until he was inside Santa Cruz where he rapidly took up the positions. He informed the Representative that by the instructions of the governor, he would be in command of all the forces and that he would establish military control to avoid surprises. An emergency meeting was held, and it was decided to ask for a high official to come to negotiate and to say what to do with the prisoners. This was telegraphed to Payo Obispo while they remained alert and ready.

The sun had hardly risen when the emissary received word from the commander that a group of unarmed indians had arrived at the edge of town, and had asked to speak to the authorities. He went quickly to the police station where he found the indians in the company of a white man waiting for him. He went directly to the group as the commander and his assistant approached. Some of the employees of the offices came near out of curiosity. The white man who was with the indian greeted them courteously.

" Mr. Representative of the Government? I am professor Marcelo May of the town of Tok'tuunich. I come as an interpreter for the representative of the towns of the zone who want to dialogue with the authorities about the incarceration of the brothers of Chak-che."

" With pleasure professor", answered the representative, please come in to the office."

Inside the representative's office there was an expectant silence while the visitors sat down on chairs and benches, which were being brought in quickly. Behind the desk the representative, the commander and some employees and in front of it, the teacher and the small group of "máasewáalo'ob".

" Mr. Representative," began the professor, "I think we are all aware of the gravity of what could happen at the least incident or mistake. I will try to be clear and precise, and if you let me speak first about the matter".

"Go ahead please", answered the representative .

"Several hundred indians are around the town waiting for news of their companions who are prisoners here. We have heard of a massacre in one of their towns and that a grave injustice has been done. Their spirits are very exalted, although for the moment, they have been convinced of the need to clear the issue and obtain all the information about the incident, the antecedents, and what course it will take and what solution you think about the problem. They think that the action against them has been arbitrary, but they agreed that if there are guilty parties, they should be punished, but only the guilty should ones should be punished.

"A council of all the towns of the area has been held " continued the teacher, "and they have listened to my advise not to precipitate and make decisions, without knowing all the facts; so they would like to hear both sides, the authorities and the accused.

In a few words that is the situation. My personal opinion is that we should be very careful, and clear to avoid misunderstandings and the shedding of blood and anything else we have to regret"

The representative of the government and the lesser authorities listened to the young teacher’s words. The commander of the troop, an experienced officer, nodded in agreement on several occasions agreeing with the teacher. After the brief explanation, everybody turned to look at the representative waiting for the answer; they didn't have to wait long.

"Thank you very much, for your effort, professor, I can imagine that it wasn't easy to get them to listen to you. I want to explain through the Justice of Peace, who speaks their language very well, what happened and what has happened since the beginning and why we requested the aid of the military.

He is going to explain the whole thing in detail and in order, but I would like you to tell them that we haven't been arbitrary or unjust. We put them in jail in order to be processed, and until we can prove them either innocence or guilt, we can not sentence them or let them go.

They have not cooperated and they have refused to talk, and that has made everything more difficult and has slowed down the investigation. They are being held for armed resistance.

We don't even know for sure if they are the individuals accused of robbery and homicide. But let the judge explain things to them."

Marcelo briefly explained to the "máasewáalo'ob" and asked them to listen to the judge.

The judge talk for almost a half-hour, the whole time he was not interrupted by the "máasewáalo’ob" . Marcelo listened and was taking notes that would help him before the council of the Towns. When the judge finished his explanation, the teacher asked if there were any questions, the "máasewáalo’ob" remained silent. So, thanking the authorities for their attention, he left with them as quickly as they came.

A large number of on-lookers on the outside of the Police station, waiting anxious and fearfully, saw the group cross the small square and go to the east corner of the Baalam-nah heading North by the old road to Tihosuco.

"Señores", said the commander, "There's nothing we can do except wait and trust this young teacher whose good sense is evident and to whom, I have no doubt, the tatiches" will listen meanwhile, we should be prepared for any contingency."

Jacinto and a group of máasewáales from different towns waited less than one kilometer from Santa Cruz, when they sensed without even seeing them that their friends were coming back, their nervousness increased, especially Jacinto's who was worried for his friend, Marcelo.

Moments later, they exchanged greetings and continued walking fast, since they wanted to get back to the place of the council before the sun-set. There were five leagues ahead of them, and they had to hurry even though they were tired from the journey of the early hours of the morning.

Jacinto didn't ask any question waiting for a rest period when they would drink pozole. Marcelo's serenity gave him hope.

It was getting dark, when the group arrived at the outskirts of the town; in a few minutes the committee entered the house where the general and members of the council were waiting impatiently.

Marcelo informed them in detail of the meeting in Santa Cruz. He was interrupted several times to clear something up or to ask for his opinion. When he finished, he had renewed hope. He knew what it meant that they had listened to him. It was a good sign from any point of view. When he left the council, it was already late. He found Jacinto who had already heard about what had happened in Santa Cruz

He felt that there was hope for an arrangement, which would be honorable and acceptable to both sides. Completely exhausted and sleepy, he only exchanged a few words with his friend. Few minutes later he was deep asleep in the open air between two beautiful ramon trees where he had hung his hammock.

The general decided to suggest to the authorities in Santa Cruz an arrangement with the personal representative of the Governor. The teacher would be there as a translator. The decision made Jacinto and Marcelo very happy. This presented possibilities never seen before. Marcelo felt great satisfaction and renewed strength that encouraged him to keep on trying.

Three days later with all the transcendence of the encounter, the general and his council came into Santa Cruz Police station where they waited for the representative of the Governor and the other authorities.

The talks were laborious and difficult; finally they came to a satisfactory agreement. The Government exercised its authority with the acceptance and in the presence of the council and representatives of the town Chak-che. The ones who were found guilty were punished, and the innocent were set free. The sanctions were in agreement with the decision of the General and the council who could in this way exercise their authority. Those who didn't agree had a chance to manifest their grievances and norms were established to proceed in the future. The government in an act of good will, offered a sum of money to the families of the wounded to help them recover.

Main Page                           Chapter 19  ''Leonor and Marcelo''

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