La Talega is the annual gathering place for hundreds of families, some of whose members have migrated to the United States in search of better opportunities. In this community, generations converge during the Christmas holidays and especially on Migrant Day.
The community’s wide cobblestone and dirt roads, which appear deserted for most of the year, now serve as a parking lot for at least a hundred vehicles, mostly large pickup trucks, all immaculately cleaned and ready to receive a blessing. They all bear foreign license plates, predominantly from Texas, California, or Illinois.
At noon, Mass began to commemorate the day and also to celebrate the first anniversary of the majestic church, which was built with contributions from the community’s migrants.
The church atrium was transformed into a huge event hall to accommodate some 1,500 guests. The entire community and residents from other rural areas gather here for the celebration. The menu includes rice with mole and chicken, charro beans, all cooked by the women of the community; there’s also carnitas that the men are preparing in five or six copper pots set up on the main street, almost directly across from the church and right where, at breakneck speed, a crew of workers is assembling a huge stage for the evening’s dance.
After Mass, the parish priest walks through the streets sprinkling holy water on the large trucks. A huge yellow Hummer “that looks like a Transformer” stands out next to the church. It’s not the only imposing one; there are also Escalades, Suburbans, Tahoes, Jeeps, and other high-end brands, some used for work and others not.
The proud owners give their trucks a final wipe down before the holy water falls on them. They’ve also prepared the offering they’ll give to the priest for the divine intervention on their vehicles. They hope to return safely to the other side, and that’s priceless.
The tables in the atrium are already full, and the parade of waiters with dishes and drinks is barely keeping up. Likewise, the women tirelessly serve plates of mole and rice. “Make sure you have plenty of chiles and salsa,” one of them says. In the background, the mariachi band ‘Aguascalientes,’ invited to liven up the feast, plays.
The carnitas are ready, and the cooks invite everyone to try them: “Grab, grab! Pork rind, pork shoulder, pork belly, whatever you like.” Everyone gets a taco, even the sanitation workers and police officers who will be on guard throughout the party and into the dance.
After the feast, many return home to rest and come back later for the dance. Many others have already warmed up and, with beer and tequila, will wait for Impakto Dominante and Grupo Texano, the musical groups in charge of closing the grand migrant celebration, to take the stage.
Source: periodicocorreo
