Castellano, José (Tecolote, NM)

Authors

1140 1. 024

Document Type

Audio

Publication Date

1979

Comments

(Approx. year recorded) Ranching, Cabras, Vacas, His grandfather raised crops and they lived on the  'Cosecha' [harvest]. He continued his grandpa's job in the ranch, then he went got a job in Santa Fe. He was raised by his grandparents. Talking about las Mercedes [Land Grants]. He lives in la Merced de Tecolote where people are free to run their ranches unlike other Mercedes where people cannot do the same as in Tecolote. Reies Tijerina and his advocacy for land right and freeing the Mercedes from government restrictions on land use. Las mercedes de Anton Chico y la Floresta in the sierra are fenced and controlled by the government, so local people could not benefit from the land. He thinks that people need to unite to fight against the government to get back their lands. La llegada de los Tejanos y la pérdida de tierras por la falta de pago de tazaciones [property taxes], the role of Lorenzo Delgado in the loss of Mercedes [lands loss], loss of part of la Merced de Tecolote close to el Salitre owned by a white man [un Huero], and the politics of personal benefit by politicians while people kept losing their land rights. The delay in solving the struggle against land loss since the 1930s. Boundaries of la Merced de Tecolote, close to la Merced de La Manga, La Lagunita, Santa Rosa y la Merced de Las Vegas. Conversation continues and ends about the stagnant situation of the Mercedes loss, people not fighting for their land rights and comfort of receiving welfare.

Recommended Citation

Anselmo Arellano collection (MSS 1140), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University Libraries, University of New Mexico