NET Playhouse; 190; El Teatro Campesino

The land of the San Joaquin Valley may be rich and fertile to sun, but to a composino who works this land it yields up only harshness to be free as the air forever changing to be as the dove forever flying the words of this song may seem soft and reflective but they speak in anguish when I was a boy my mother would tell me take care my little son don't get in trouble and now that I am older these words paint me for life is long and I pass through it

my work is a whirlwind The man is Augustine Lyra, a former farm worker. He is part of a young generation of Mexican Americans, Chicanos, acutely aware of the brutal fusion of their Indian and Spanish cultures. He has found his voice through performing with El Teatro Capacino, a theater committed to social change.

The images about Teatro Capacino are rooted in the cultures of a buried past. Its devices are direct and derived from a tradition used to further a political end. The resurrection of a powerful identity that is, Chicanos. The El Teatro Capacino came into being as a response to a political situation, actually based on the reality of the theater members, all young guys, all Chicanos.

My own personal involvement is something much bigger than what I am. The creator of El Teatro Capacino, Luis Valdez, and what we are striving to create is a theater that is bigger than anyone single person. Chicanos, Chicanos, Chicanos, Chicanos, Chicanos.

What is going on with you? This is for you and us, as we are now. Don't believe the help of the end of the show. Help us with this world God. World God. World God. The Teatro has its roots in Lauelga, the strike led by Cesar Chavez against California great growers. During the past five years and into the present, Lauelga has been struggling to organize agricultural workers. But the strike has been more than a protest against working conditions. It has unified Mexican Americans. It has been a challenge to the Anglo system and the declaration of human rights. The way that it developed out of Delano was that I realized actually from the very first night when I had a meeting with farm workers.

I was telling them about the Teatro and what a great Teatro we could have with the represented farm worker realities. That there was no use talking to them about it. The only way to do it, to pull it together was to have them act it out. Boy, there it is, there it is. The first actors were not really actors at all. They were political acts. For example, we were on the picket line just after I moved to Delano. And the growers had put up some signs right along the side of the vineyard saying red, comey agitators get out. And I remember that Cesar asked me if there was anything we could do about that particular situation. I mean in the Teatro.

So what we did is we got our signs out and we stood directly in front of the growers. And everything that they said, we said, if they said get out, we said get out. And as they said, shut up, we said shut up. And as he said, we don't call a cop, we say we don't call a cop. And eventually they got so the old thing retreated into the vineyard, you know, and left us alone. And that has really been the basis of anything that we've ever done with the Teatro. Don't talk about it, do it. I guess it's our standing motto. We had the Teatro Campasino, the farm workers theater from Delano, California. And we've come here this evening to tell you the story of our strike, our Welga and of our union, the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, AFL CIO, let by Cesar Chavez. In 1967, El Teatro Campasino was invited to Santa Barbara. Public television take that performance at the peak of the Teatro's involvement with the strike. Okay, so tonight this is going to be our story. These are our songs. This is our theater.

Everything that you see here this evening, on this stage, everything that you hear, it's all by and for farm workers. The actor who emerged directly from the strike, all of the actors are somehow involved in the organizing campaign where farm workers were worked in the fields. This is our story. Okay, so we're the Teatro Campasino, a theater that bases itself on four characters. And who are they? Well, there's the Esquirol. Now, the Esquirol is the scab, the strike breaker. We encourage audience participation, by the way. The scab, the strike breaker. The word Esquirol is new to the Mexican-American vocabulary. Almost two years ago, when we went out on strike, we used to go out into those vineyards and we'd see them, you see? We'd see a scab hiding behind the vines in place. We'd see him and say, hey you! Esquirol, get out of there! And maybe he didn't know what the word meant, but he'd react because it sounds dirty, you see. Very effective word. Esquirol. Then we have Wilgista. It means the striker. The farm worker that put his neck up on the block, fighting for better life, not only for himself, but for generations of farm workers to come.

And we have the Patrimoncito. That means the little boss. The word is ironic. It means the grower. There are no little growers. There are no little bosses. There are no small farmers. That we're fighting against anyway in California. We're combating corporations. And that's part of our story, too. Then we have the Contratista. That's the farm labor contractor, probably the most hated man in the entire structure. Because he's the middle man. He calls himself a business man. He's usually Mexican. He gets Mexican workers, or Negro workers, or a white person who gets white workers, etc. Or Filipino, you know, with this corresponding group of workers. And so he betrays his own race. And he's not only hated for that, but he's hated for his skill, which is not very much of a skill. Because his skill is the ability to go into any slum in any of these little towns that dot highway 99 in the California of the San Joaquin Valley, or in Rio Grande Valley anywhere, his skill is can go into the slum with his truck, get it filled up, and then put all of those people out to the field where he and the growers can take advantage of him.

So those are our four major characters. We're going to work with them, work around them, work through them, out. And it's my property. And possession is ten tenths of a law. And they're right, boy. But let me tell you, boy, I'd give all of this away. You would? I'd throw it all away. Throw it away. That's right. I'd throw it all away, boy. I never promised to know, but it would get you. I would give you a secret, boy. Sometimes I'd sit up for my office, and I think, I wish I was a Mexican. You want to be a Mexican, boss? Just one of my own, boy. Try to truck, come out here, the vineyard, well the leaves, the saw, earth, underneath the blue sky, the white clouds, the little birds. Here I got it, good. The best things in life are free, boy. What do you want? You want to sneak into union? You want more money? I want more money. You want my problems? Is that it?

Let me tell you, boy, if I had the power, if I had the power, will I have the power? Boy, how would you like to be a grower for a day? Me? Yeah. All is a teeny-winged baton, isn't he, for sure? No, I don't want that battle. No, baton. I don't want that battle, baton. It's a fast road, sweetheart. Yeah. Actually, we had a lot of trouble in the beginning, because we had to teach farm workers how to play the grower. They tried, but they couldn't, and this was a matter of spiritual development. To be able to be the boss, you have to have a certain mental and spiritual attitude that you can, in fact, control. After they get to work in it, talk to the government already telling you what, boy. That's the real one, you. That's right. The length of it is scary. Wait a minute. Here, take my jacket. No, I can't take your jacket. That's your best, breathe, jacket. No, I can't take it. No, no, no. No. No. Oh, no, no. Step, buddy.

You have to be a Mexican. Come on, boy. Let's have a look at you. Hey, what happened? It's been an industrial accident or something, boy. Forget it. I'm good at catching. A standard straight one. That's right. Straighten up your titles, boy. Look rough. Look neat. Look rich. No, I still need something. I need. Why do I need? What? What do I need? We may need a bash. What? What do I need? No. Baton, please. No, Baton, don't hurt. Baton, you look like me. Really? Yeah. You look like me. Yeah. How about it? It looks like a Mexican. Come on, boy. How'd it feel? How'd it feel? Hey, you look good, buddy. On the work, boy.

What'd you do that, boy? I'm the boss here, remember? You're the best, boy. Boy, is he that car right here, boy? Yeah. Well, that's fine. Oh, you're up here. Go ahead. Are you all right, boy? I like psychotronomy, really. Boy, see that here, boy? With that LBJ wrenched out, ho? Well, that's mine, too. Yeah, all right. It's a ham, this guy. Respect, boy. It's due to you, see? The Lord, blood, hair, boy. Let me wait a minute. Well, she's mine, too. That's my wife. Oh, what? Ah, not it. The car, the house, the hill, and the chariot. Don't do your crazy. I'm not going to let you do it. This is hard work. How much you paid me here anyway? 25 cents an hour, boy.

I was paying you $1.10. I got problems, boy. Boy, I like that name, boy. I think I'll call you boy, boy. No, no, no, no. I think this is gone for nothing. You know, those damn strikers are right. You can't do this for less than $2 an hour. No, no, boy. I think you better give me back my things. Don't you dare touch me, spec. Don't touch me, you lex. Come on, give me the dollar. I'll burn it. I'll burn it. I'll burn it. It's bad. He tried to steal my car. He tried to burn down my legs, yeah. He tried to ruin my house. I'm going to let you go. I've been trying to raise my voice. No, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no. What are you doing? Who it is? I think he's the man. I think he's the man. No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Please, please, please.

He's not here. He's not here. He's not here. Oh, come on. That silly thing didn't fool me for a minute. I knew who was there all the time. But I've been away in 30 years to get it that drawer for what he did to our strike. You know, where's the union office Union office around here these days. Tanya under a peed. Well, let's go on dance, see, huh? So all of them are the most important weapons to non-violent weapons. Instruments in any strike, in any cause, in any movement is the picket side. So we wrote a song to this valuable weapon. We call it the picket side. From Texas to California, farm workers are sput away.

The growers are crying. They're sick and tired of strike. I carry it every day. It's with me all my life. We have more than a year fighting with this strike. One rancher has already died, and another has become a grand mother. They say I'm very bothersome. A loud mouth and a rubber out there. But Juarez was my uncle, and Jeff Kata was my father in law. And now I'm organizing all the workers in the fields. But many just keep on eating tortillas with chili peppers.

There are many who don't even understand the one gives him advice. The strike is good for all, but some pretend to be stupid. I carry it every day. It's with me all my life. We have more than a year fighting with this strike. We have more than a year fighting with this strike. La Quinta Temporada, which means the decision.

Hello, American, big, con vanimorico, Ralph de Guelda, Coca-Cola, California. I come from Mexico. Vengo de México. Oh, got it, wait. Who's here to work? You. You. My friend, my amigo. My name is Don Coyote, and I am a labor contractor. And you were looking for a job, right? This summer is coming fast. Loaded with money, with money hanging on around it and through it. And you're going to get rich. And all you have to do is just catch us. So what do you say, Tato? Tato de Mar. Deal is a deal. What? Yes, sir. Is it your name? Do you have the summer crew ready to share? Right here, sir. Hey, well, I don't much care what it looks like as long as you can pick. He's on your left.

Summer, come on out here. I'm coming. Oh, yeah, I got that. So agile and you. And so summer yields its financial rewards. But not to Don Sotaco. The money slips through his fingers and finds its way into the hands of the boss. As usual, order comes and goes, and his condition grows more desperate. By the time winter returns, everyone has it made, except Don Sotaco. Money, money, thank you, Patroncico. Money, money, money, money. Will you take a check? Cash. Well, all right. Give. Here you are. That's it for me. I'm going to lock a pool call until next spring. I am going to miss Vegas.

You have to live before me. No, no, no, no, no. We want keys to that. You're hungry on cue. Hey, what are you doing here? Who are you? No? I'll go away you're anything like that see right get out of here Here I'll be back Oh Here I bring you through you must not let this happen to you You must fight for your right. Yes, I want to want to get rid of you I'm a least covenit of one is Miguel Ricancio

I'm going to fight for your right I want to see Don Sotaco takes heart from the words of la primavera and begins to fight back for the first time in his life And before the return of winter malgray in Vierno Moral support has come to his aid in the form of the church The spirit of the labor movement and the pride of his race the Mexican people I am the spirit of Pancholias the Oh

Wait Well, I think I might find more find a little better Look mark for money. Hey, come on. Oh, I know I don't have any more money. Oh, I don't have a reason but I don't have any more I'm además of him You Help me sign a contract, film un contrato. All right. No, but these guys are coming, Patron. I saw one TV bus sign. Please, Patron, don't sign. I help you learn the best.

I've got a lot of work back, Patron. Run! Run! Run! I don't wanna get on this. I don't wanna get on this. I don't wanna get on this. What are you talking about? Witters got you. Witters passed you ass. Lache, Doug, him. He says the fifth season. They're only four. Someone showed justice. I'm innocent. Give someone shut us. Who took the contractor? You tell Melvijay to drop them. Oh, super, please. We shall not be happy with just like a dream. That's landing by the water.

We shall not be happy with just like a dream. That song and you and the song were back and white together. You lay over the Mexican border and give them photos. We know this thing is next week. We shall not be happy with just like a dream. That's landing by the water. We shall not be happy with just like a dream. That's landing by the water. We shall not be happy with just like a dream. My intention is from the very first time that I'd gone to Blano to organize El Capro. It had been that theater could be used seriously to further the purpose of the political cause. It could possibly be the constructions of political necessity that make up so much of what the union has to do day by day. It was never really possible to become a theater company. And so, in the hopes of achieving a real theater company, we knew that we had to separate from the Welga so that we could develop as a unit and organization of our own. We shall not be happy with just like a dream.

On the camposinos, of course, we've never really left the camposinos. We're still in a basically camposino area. But I think that made a difference with our travels to the southwest. We became aware that there was a different movement developing it with larger than the farm workers movement. That has now since become the Chicano movement, the Rasa movement. And I remember talking to the members of the theater at that time and telling them there's going to be a Rasa movement and we're going to start relating to it. That's when the idea of a theater of our own, the Chicano theater began to emerge in my head.

That's what we're here for. We've got to respond to reality. We stop responding to reality, then we stop being a theater. What has happened to the Rasa and the Vario today, the reasons that Pachucuza is they are, the reason the camposinos are as they are and they think as they do is because certain events have made us that way. It was the last four or five hundred years. All of that needs, I think, a fully developed theater and art form utilizing all the devices possible to be able to express what we see. The calavera or the skeleton is a figure that's very close to the Mexican people. At this whole tradition, we decided that our band would be calaveras. But at the same time that it represents a defiance to death,

it also represents rebirth, and that's very important with us. I see it as one long continuum. You can't imagine the civilization that was driven underground at the time of the conquest of Mexico. In the Aztec year of Ceacadol, which was called 1519, Baragavatos and Agotropinus, there was a great civilization in the central valley of Mexico called Denosti Plana. The chief of this great civilization was a noble prince and religious warrior called Montesumascha for your team, El Segundo. El primero, el caper de mi capito, mi abuelito. Its warriors had conquered almost the entire world.

Many crimes in many cities lived in fear of Montesumas, only the mayas of Yucatan had not been conquered by Denosti Plana. All these crimes have been conquered by the Aztecs, so instead of fighting Montesumas, they fought each other. Our puppet shows, of course, deal with the same things that are actos deal with, except, of course, the techniques are a bit different. Puppets are extremely mobile. You can pack them into a suitcase and take them anywhere and present a show, and you can knock puppets around a little bit more, you can show up, and even kill a puppet. Hey, your mama! Go for your queen! Come on! Come in! Happy, baby! Give me a seat, baby! Come on! God of all, say the number that we choose! Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes! Oh, man! You can't do that with an actor.

Not yet, anyway. We developed most vendidos shortly after we left the Lainon. It involves new characters that we hadn't dealt with directly. The whole concept of vendido had been concentrated in the character of the scab when we were in the Lainon. Now we saw the concept of vendido in a broader perspective. It was possible to have a sellout in politics. It was possible to have sellouts in the war on poverty. It was possible to have sellouts really throughout the whole barrio. And so we spread the horizons of the teatro into the whole barrio and across the whole southwest. We posed new problems and then tried to find solutions for them. We still hang on to the signs in the actors because that's the quickest way to identify a character. Hang a sign over his head and boom, he doesn't. Ira, avera. They're tired Monday, now theyée.

Well we're ready for another day. All I need now is a customer. Good morning! We were looking for a Mexican fucker-types for the administrative product. You've come to the right place. This is Honest Harry, you Mexican lot. Yes, indeed. What would you like to see? Oh, we've been looking for someone, Swann. Uh-huh. Jabbaneer. Someone, Dawg. But of course, not to Dawg. Perhaps, Bage. Bage, just the tone. Yes. Anything else? Oh, he definitely has to be hard. We're doing this. Hard working. Madam Sainte, out of the word, I have just the thing. Step right this way. Madam, here it is. Introducing to you the 1969 Farm Worther Model. Let me show you some of the features on this model. First of all, look at the large somewhere. You work into that. And any kind of weather at all. Yes, indeed. And the guarantee, three years, two bliss, what do I see? Oh, they do look terrible, indeed. From the rain tire. And he's a little charmer. Would you like to meet him? Yes. All right. Waiter, the D.S. and you'll eat that. Oh, how sweet.

Yes, indeed. In the words of our fine governor Murphy, he's built close to the ground on. Yes. Would you like to see him work? Oh, yes. He can really work hard. A little demonstration for the lady. Hi. Yes, you see him there picking grapes. He also picks cotton. Oh, yes, versatile, yes. He also picks melons. That's his slow speed. This is fast speed for early in the season. Oh, yes, yes. Hardware. Let me show you some of the hidden features on this model. All right. Now, look at this right here. As you can see here, the small holes in the arms would appear to be pours. However, those are not pours. Those holes are put there for a purpose by the factory. You see, early in the morning, when it's cold and sluggish, and this model has trouble moving through the vines, those holes to create an oily, greasy substance, which is out of the model to slither and fly to the vines easily. How interesting. Yes, indeed. And anything else you'd like to know? Oh, yes, the economical. It's the economical way, Madam. This is the Volkswagen of Mexicans. He can be run on pennies a day.

Yes, pennies a day, where you can feed him beans and tortillas, or tortillas and beans. But, Madam, let me point out that there is a maintenance feature you have to be aware of. Yes, indeed. There's one thing he's got to have. And that's chili, chili, morning, noon, and night. God knows what they do with it, yeah. But to have this, there's a maintenance feature you have to be aware of. Once every six months, you have to change the oil filter. Oh, well. Well, what about the story? Doris, Madam, yes, indeed. You are a smart chopper. Storage is a very easy thing with a smile. You can keep him under this little hat out in the weather, or Madam, you can put him in an old shack, or an old shed, as most of my customers do. Six or seven of them in an old shed doesn't make any difference at all. That is typical, yes. Well, there's just one more thing. Doesn't he speak English? Does he? He speaks English. Yeah. And no, Madam? Oh, no, no, no, no, it's a just one. You put him away, put him away. Oh, well, all right, fine. I don't think you understand what we need. Maybe I should get a little more sophisticated. Well, you could. But we're looking for someone a little more sophisticated. sophisticated, a sportier model. Yeah, something more.

I'm a urban. I live in type, I think that's just the thing. Step right this way, Madam, right this way. Look at this. This is the new 1969 fast-back model. Let me show you some of the features on this one. Now, look at the high-race magnesium shoes, the competition, mill-flake charge, whose paint job a little poof in the front isn't that cute. This is the 1969 Johnny Pachuko model. What was that? That Madam was the urban shuffle. Ah, what does he do? What does he do? Why? This model, Madam, is an action model. He's equipped to live in city life. He nights bikes. Yes, indeed, and he also dances. Angel, baby, my angel, baby. And, Madam, he also gets arrested, but not without a struggle. I didn't do it. I didn't do it. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. He just plugs. Hey, well, Madam, there is an alternative feature, which I think will be very interesting. What is this model is by linguals? Finding. Yes, he also speaks English. Would you like to meet him in a little charmer? I'll say a few words, Johnny.

Ah! I've never been so excited about my whole life. Oh, well, no, you just want to do whatever you want. He learned it in your school. Oh. Well, Madam, he is economical. Yes, he is economical. He can survive on hamburgers, taco bell tacos, cheeseburgers, galawaii. I just want to have an expensive day. Yes, indeed. But to keep him running smoothly, Madam, you have to add a little cannabis and crankcase. Cannabis? Cannabis? Yes. Yes, girl. Yes, girl. Ah, pot. Pot? Marijuana, Madam. Ah! Isn't that a guess-a-law? Yes. But you can substitute always a little glue. Ah! That is a guess-a-law. No, he just wasn't too. No, Madam. Well, Madam, he has another feature which I think will be very interesting. Yes. This model, Madam, has a built-in inferiority complex. Let me show you how it works. Hey, Ging, will you think you better than me or Quack? Yes. This feature makes him very popular with police departments while they went through two or three hundred of these just last week. You can kick them or beat them around. They make a wonderful scapegoat.

Yes, indeed. Give it a little try. No, I really show. Oh, sure, Madam, it's a devastating trigger, Ma'am. Ah! He feels so wonderful. Ah! He feels so stressed. Ah! That's enough, Lady. Don't ruin the merchandise. Yes, Madam. He has one more feature which is very important. Yes. This model, Madam, is self-supporting. Yes, of course. Yes, indeed. He also steals. Yeah. He just let it be. Ah! Get it back. Ah! We got out of here in the state government. Now he just won't do you. Just put him back. Well, all right. If you could tell me a little bit more about what you were looking for. Well, we were looking for some a little more traditional. Traditional. Yeah. Classic appeal. Yes. Romantic. Oh, I think you know what you're looking for. Yes. A lover time. Yes. I thought you'd get to that. Can write this way, Madam. I think we have just the thing for you. Now, introducing for you the 1969 Revolu scenario. Yes, indeed. Let me bring him out front for you to see. This is the indoor Mexican Revolutionary. Oh, yes, madam. Oh, yes, madam. Oh, he is, madam. Nice look here. Yes, he comes with it without a mustache. Wow.

Let me show you some of the features on this model. Yes, indeed. The fine unibody construction. Hmm. Before we'll drive the positive traction rear end, if you know what I mean. He's an action model, madam. Action model. Yes, he rides and hunts and shoots and kills. He can lead a revolution or follow a revolution or watch a revolution. Here, watch him ride. Oh. Wasn't that smooth. Wow. This makes you very, very popular, madam. For movies. What he was in. Viva Zapata. Viva Via. Via rides. Oh, yes, he has all of it. Oh, well, let me show you what he does. Viva Via. Oh, is he rather loud? Yes, madam. But don't have a volume control. Very eloquent, yes. Wasn't that fine. This feature makes him very popular. For television commercial. Television. I'm sure you've seen this one. Is there a funeral on theater now? Oh, yes, yes, yes. I've seen that one. Was it better class? Yes, it's just one thing. It's the economical. Economical. Yes, madam, he is. This model runs on a steady diet. Yes. Of tequila and raw meat. Tequila and raw meat. But it's not rather cannibalistic.

Oh, no. Wendy makes him such a great lover. Mama thought that. Of course, thought the end of a company. Oh. Oh. And how? Wasn't that smooth performance? Well, it was a little nice, yeah. Yes, madam. There's one other feature I'd like to bring out. This model has tremendous traditional appeal. Traditional appeal. Traditional. Prestige appeal. This model was a genuine antique. It was made in Mexico in 1910. Made in Mexico? In 1910. Yes, it was made once in Guadalajara. Twice until late. Look at Harry, I was under the impression. He was like, U.S. Potter. No! He just woke me up. Put him away. Put him away. All right, fine. Is there anything else you might like to say? Well, it's too eating Mexican, such as these. But there's one important thing. Is that he'd be American. American. Mexican. But American. Yes. But it's best my lunch. I'm American, but American. Madam, I think I have just a thing for you. If you'll wait right here, I think it'll be worth your time. What you think, Madam? Yes, indeed, I will. I'll be right back. Yes, indeed. Oh, here it is. Introducing for you, Madam. The new 1969 and a half Mexican-American.

Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. There! Look at that, isn't that something? Wait! Have you been hiding him? Well, madam, we don't bring him out for just. Anyone! Look at the five clean, smooth, classic lines. This model, madam, has the same smooth lines as our Anglo-Model. And, of course, he comes in another darker shade. Naga Hyde, leather, or leather, ever. Oh, Naga Hyde, miss. All right, let's just write that down. Look at him. He's kind and thrifty. A cheerful, brave and revered, regular boy scout. He's well-bred, and he's clean. Clean, laddy. Can I say clean? Just smell. Oh, tobacco, my favorite. Yes, and did I say he was well-bred? Yes. He is indeed. He has the equivalent of a college education. Would you like to meet him? Yes. He's just a little charmer. All right. George? We call him George. George. This is Ms. Martinis from San Francisco State. Oh, Ms. Martinis. What a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Oh, absolutely charming, Mr. Harry.

Yes. Well, it's one thing. How does he function in government programs? Government programs. Why Madam? This model was developed for government programs. Yes. You know the EOC? EOC. The OEO. OEO. The EOP. War on poverty. War on poverty. That's him. Yes, indeed. How does he function on boards? Function on boards. Why Madam? He functions very well on boards. He functions on school boards. Yes. Draft boards. Taco Quattro. Well, how did he function on boards? Politics, then. Politics. Why Madam? I might say that this is a political machine. A political machine. He was developed for that kind of thing. Why he even gives political speeches? Would you like to hear what? Yes. All right. A little demonstration for the lady. George, do your stuff. Mr. Chairman. Members of the board. Honored guests. Ladies and gentlemen. Oh. I come here as a Mexican-American to speak to you about the problems of the Mexican. The trouble with the Mexican is that he is lazy. That's right.

He doesn't want to go to work. That's right. He doesn't want to go to school. That's right. He hasn't learned how to think back in America. America. America. America. God bless America. God bless America. God bless America. Oh, he is patriotic, Mr. Harry. Yes, indeed. Just one thing. Is the economic. Is the economical. Yes, Madam, he is. Once you know the steady diet. This model runs on a steady diet. It does bark like indoor bread. TV dinners. Corn beer. Apple pie. Apple pie. Only mom. Only mom. But Sarah Lee will do in a pinch. Yes. But he is also programmed, Madam, to eat Mexican food on ceremony occasion. If an overdose will foul up his exhaust. Oh, yes. Just one more thing, Mr. Harry. How much do you want for him? Ah, no, you'd get to that. Well, Madam, for you, we know you don't have a choice. There's not too many around. Mm-hmm. $15,000. From there, I'm Mexican. Oh, Mayor Mexican. Madam, are you kidding? We had to melt down two revolutionaries in a machuco to build this model. What do you want? Revolutionary. That smells like a horse.

Or a farm with arthritis. Or a cow killing. But you go. Yeah, you do have a point. Mm-hmm. All right. I'll take him. You will? There's your money. Thank you. If you mind, I'll fire you. You're right ahead. Would you like to take him with you? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Governor Regan's having a lunch in this afternoon and a lot in faith in the crop. You know, always looks nice. May I try a mod before I go? You are smart, Robert. Go right ahead. Hey, hermanos. I've arrived at the hour of the period of our rights. Get up, you son of a bitch. What did he say? Something's happened to him. Oh, something about dogs standing up for your rights and that's taking up arms. I don't know. Do you know something wrong with him? He's thrown in or something. Madam, I have nothing to do with the bugs that come from the factory. Here's your model. You take care of it to try another control. This is a bad miracle between you and town! Get up and have another dance! For the roles you've always asked for! Morganis has left! That's right, little girl!

Night and night! That's what she's doing! It's for a new purpose. A new longing for you. Hey, man, how come I always have to play that damn mess? It's an American. Well, that's what you'll get for finishing life. Hey, man. Why keep this up, man? We're going to be rich. You think we're not machines? Hey, y'all, you better take him over to the chop and get it. What are they doing here? You better take care of him. Oh, you give us half a time to do this for me. Come on, hurry. Come on, hurry. You know what? This is the best motto we've got. I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, I hum, heum, heum, life hum, for I hum, heum, heum, the money hum, heum, a ha, The theater itself is reality, what we portray on stage is reality is museum this comes directly from the people. Lten reach you, what you play, what we portray on stage is reality is museum this comes directly from the people. I'd like to read you a poem I have here. The word chewy in the Patuco language stands for Jesus Christ. A lot of Patuco's have no communication with heaven,

or believe less in God. This is a poem called, hey, chewy. This is chewy. Can I talk to you? Okay? Thanks. I'm not going to ask you why it rains, man, because I know, or why the grass is green. I know, or why the blue sky. I know, but why is it that men hide behind ridiculous symbols of deceit? Why the red, white, and blue? I'm a Mexican. Why the American heritage? I'm brown. Why the fine speeches at election time? And then afterwards, nothing. Nothing, the mother. Oh, and why chewy? If you tell me, man, why do they hide behind the flag of the United States of America? And why, while in hiding, steal, lie, cheat, kill, rob, murder, plunder, rape, overtake, and suppress? Oh, and why the American government, it killed my mother,

and chew it. Why am I not free under the American flag? Huh? Why? Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, chew, yeah. I know, I know. I know, I know. In a terminal in all over town lies the prime body of the mine They're 27, they've gone to heaven, Killed far away in Vietnam. Welcome home, Richard Gump, Welcome home. Welcome home to a hero's brave.

You have done your duty, You have killed and destroyed. Now let's have you know, We've been told this Mexican boy, He said a miracle on his name. He never had a noble mind. And your mother tried to keep you alive. He read this, she was so hard on her own. But the money she made was somehow never enough. Hell, hell what was her reward? Now she's a man. Should he have to kill, In order to live like a human being in this country? They will come Richard Gump, or they will come.

They will come for your body sooner. Your military recovers, What they respect, They will all be there round, All looking at best, They will bury you best out to me. Now we should have met. You have to kill, In order to live like a human being in this country. We learned that the basic political reality With respect to change in the Southwest was economics. In order to be able to deal with economics, You've got to have people with certain measure of education And certain knowledge about the way the American society works.

Our link here is far as the chicken of movement is concerned. The student in the college who is learning How the society is made up and how it functions. Ever since we started developing actors, One of the things we have always tried to do Is indicate some kind of solution to the problem That the actor presents. The solution may be nothing more than continuing to struggle It may be nothing more than spirit. But what we really tried to do in reality within the actor, And within the theater, Is to develop a concrete political answer Which is our responsibility to the movement. We must have political answers. Solutions that we can offer our people If we're going to do our job. You cannot have political advancements Without some kind of economic advancement. Economics is tied up with politics. That's one of our basic messages now. The whole situation has gotten more subtle, more complex. And I think that our representation of these different characters Has also gotten more subtle and more complex. It's only more complex backstage in terms of the technique

And the craft representing these characters. We're getting more and more into costume. And so we've had to sacrifice at points a certain immediacy. Although we're also, of course, into full characterizations In terms of play as in the shrunken head of Panchavia That we're going to be presenting. The theme of Panchavia involves the legend of Panchavia Who was assassinated in 1923. And then three years later was disinterested and had his head cut off. The rumor when I was a kid was that the gringo Stolen the head of Panchavia. So in later years I saw this as a very powerful symbol For a possible cosmetic comedy rather than Satirical comedy. There's a lot of cosmic comedy in Panchavia. The figure of the head became the character of Belarminum Who's the oldest son in the family. The oldest son being as part of the tradition Everything the most important son who's going to lead and yet here The most important son in the family is a freak.

Is a disembodied head. And he symbolizes the powerlessness of the migrant family Come from Mexico to work in the fields in this country. He has nobody so is unable to move to society. He can only scream, he can only laugh, he can only eat. Everybody eats. And at once it is a horrible and yet a very funny, Cosmically funny image. And all the members in the family relate to the head. Mingo the son who comes back from the army is prepared to change the head. Just as he's prepared to change the family. Look at you. Look at this place. Well it's not going to get me down. I earned some skills in the service. And I'm going to put them to use in the best place I know to get ahead. Where? The field. The field. The field. The field. The field. The field. The field. The field. The field.

The field. The field. The field. What you ever done. I mean it. Stop it. You drop out. You high school drop out. You know what's going on? You don't even enough life. If you're old man I think I want to. The parents react in their own individual way. The father is convinced that the head is a local or a mistake. This is very much the way the father feels about his own life. He drinks, he's a winner. He presumably fought in a revolution. He has come here and he has found nothing but exploitation. Damn, right. $6.50 a quart. It's better than that 35 cent craft you've been drinking. From now on, it's only the best for us. But we've got to be realistic. Plan everything out. OK, Tomahawk, you'll be working with me. You got a job. Charles, that's a good way of working on this thing. You mean I pause the only one working? No, I don't work near a bingo. And how do you support yourselves? I've got a million dollars on my part. You can fit the whole world well, not the welfare. Where is there? And then there's the mother who's all forgiving, all suffering.

And she'll love the head no matter what it is. Thank you so much. How come you're going back to the future, sir? Nobody's got a rich in death, can they? Oh, no. Well, thanks to this old man and this old lady who was smart enough to cross the border, we live in the land of opportunity. The land I risked my life for. The land where anybody could start the bottom, even in the field, and become a rich man before he can save. Ah! Oh, my goodness, it's quite a fine thing when you sit for the old lady. Now, the old lady can stay and look at the holy day. All right, with the sien. And give me a few more. No matter what makes you see her. Wait a minute. Wait a minute, ma'am. For the last time, who's in there? You're older brother, for the lamino. Older brother? I don't remember no other brother. What's wrong with the Montgomery Shows? What's that look with my old woman? He said, oh, you should know. She used to play with him when you was little. Don't lie to me, ma'am. Are we so poor we've got to take him to the settles? Or maybe that guy's a wet-back, you're hiding.

Maybe he's talking from Joe's show. I'm not suffering from nothing, ma'am. OK, then, it is the god of nothing. Cool it, ma'am. Well, ma'am, is that guy a wet-back? No, he's your brother to Edmond. Brother, huh? We'll soon find out. Ah! He ain't got a body. He just has a head. Muscidice and I, liberty. Atierra, citerreno. He can't be a dickena. When camposinos laugh, that's something that we do either in Pancho Villa or in the actos. they're really reacting to their whole reality. And there's very little in their reality that is actually funny in a relaxed kind of a sense. It has to be a humor that is very close to even crying. You can almost weep. And there's good question. Why in the fall of the

Texas and Utah, California, Wyoming, and Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico. All our lands of the Southwest have been lost, and our people find themselves pleading to the government. In New Mexico, Tiharina has raised arms to reclaim the land. There it is, and here they have us, with our culture trampled and speaking English.

We have a saying that's repeated in the play that is no shame to be a thief if you steal from a thief, and this was the case in Mexico, I'd say this has been the case in the Southwest. We've had our land stolen, we've had our culture stolen, and what is now called the Southwest used to be the North of Mexico, in fact used to represent half of the national territory of Mexico. This is the area of course that Chicanos have grown up in and have moved into following the migrant path, and over the years become dissatisfied with calling this the Southwest. When you say Southwest, you are inadvertently saying that you're looking toward Washington, DC, and since Chicanos didn't want to look toward Washington, DC anymore, they changed

the name of the Southwest to Astlan, the Aztec take their name from Astlan, a Spanish gave it to them, and so we feel that it represents a new nation, an unrecognized nation, it represents our desire for autonomy. America, I remember you, America, from the first bloody sweat of our birth amid dirt and leaves. We sprang forth, spawned forth, slithered forth, brown and shining in the dim light of Akales, within your eyes and European skulls and black hair, a plane with microcosmic life, hope, Esperanza, we were the blood of two worlds brought together, born of a rape in the dust of Mexico, Chile, Peru, and topped the memory of Galicia, Andalusia, Castilla, and below the fear of gods with Siloposti, Watlicue, Descatlipoca, and between the memory

and the fear, we came forth alive with tongues crying out, we were the sun, spiked with infinitesimal radiance, the sun contained as in the ancient fistful of human heart, breathing, breathing, receiving, proceeding, bleeding, el puñal sagrado de la vida, and the earth, la tierra with ours, then a voice ran out among the bushes and the trees, like a deadly ocelot, pounding his clawed paws on the grass clumped ground, swinging right, then left, then pausing, then rushing forth, with powerful thighs to leap upon its victim, misty soul! We had been named the half-breed raster by our fathers, when they, with our mothers, had barely matched half with half, to bear in us a race of whole human beings. A splon belongs to those who plant the seed, water the seed, and gather the crops, and

not to the foreign European. We do not recognize profitious frontier, on the bronze continent, brotherhoods united, and love for our brothers, makes us of people whose time has come, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, who exploits our riches, and destroys our culture. With our heart in our hands, and our hands in our soil, we declare the independence of our misty soul nation. We are a bronze people with a bronze culture, before the world, before all North America, and for all our brothers on the bronze continent, we are a nation, we are a union of free people, we are a plant, for the race of all, we are a nation of free people. We are a union of free people, we are a union of free people, and who struggles against

the foreign Urgavacho, we are a union of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho,

we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavacho, we are a nation of free people, and who struggles against the foreign Urgavales,