The Indigena

There are many places in Mexico that are beautiful, but tragically there are also things that would turn your emotions into an explosive volcanic eruption of complete anger! The government officials and residents of Mexico walk by these things daily not feeling any compassion at all!!

I lived in a small town just outside of Puebla, Mexico for a short while and saw such horrible things on the streets everyday. The one thing that enraged me more than anything else, was when I witnessed for the first time the ignorance of an Indigena. (Indian Person of Mexico) For those of you who are not familiar with the term Indigena ( 'indie henna' ), let me explain in my own words from my personal experience. These people are survivors of the wild so to speak, poor and very uneducated, but in no way dumb. They live humble lives and dress as if the world never changed. They're not use to modernization and are very satisfied with staying within their culture. They dress in clothing they make themselves which are very colorful and layered. The women usually have long hair that they braid into two pigtails. The woman usually wrap their infants in large scarves on their backs or sometimes swung low in the front below their chest. They sometimes are seen carrying baskets on their heads and are very well known for begging in the streets. They are not the cleanest due to living in such poor conditions such as the mountains or sleeping on the streets. They generally wash up at local grocery stores or you can find them digging in the garbage in the stall next to you. Their smell is horrible when you walk past them, their children also look filthy, covered in dirt. Even though their conditions of living are quite shameful, they stick together. They are tolerated by many people and by the Mexican government, but in no way, helped! I kind of think of them as Gypsy's.

Personally I strongly feel that these people could in fact be helped. The thing that worries me the most is their lack of knowledge on important things such as hygiene and manners. They could easily infect anyone around them, and spread illness. Many of them do not wash up and I have seen them use the bathrooms and leave without going near the sink. The government has a program DIF, that is somewhat like welfare and they turn a blind eye to these people! They use this program to help poor people that are considered 'NORMAL" versus these people who are stuck in the past.

While there are many Indigenas, not all are innocent, uneducated, poor beings. Sadly there are those who abuse to collect money, these Indigenas are VERY BAD PEOPLE! The government does nothing to protect the children involved in these horrific scams!

So what scams am I referring to?

I for the first time saw an Indigena with her child strapped to a wheelchair screaming, flailing her arms and legs around trying to free herself, (Obviously the child was not handicapped) as her mother ate in front of her hungry, urine soiled child! At that moment, I walked past to witness the mother pinch the child in her side below the ribcage twisting the child's skin almost all the way around causing the her to cry loudly in anguish. People that saw this fell for the scam and placed a few pesos in a small plate in front of the wheelchair that was on the ground. My anger swelled up into my throat I was furious with this woman, I wanted to choke that last breath out of her and tie her up in that chair!!!! I wanted to free this little precious girl that was born into such a horrific existence and take her with me! Instead, I kept walking like everyone else, thinking I can't give money to such a woman knowing it isn't going to the child at all!!! The police do nothing, because these people are allowed to pay a spot on the street to do this, and sometimes they are owned by bosses that pay to find crippled, blind, and helpless children, using them for profit!

Since then I have seen far too many of these situations and I am sickened that the government doesn't put an end to it! I am trying hard to find a way to help here in Mexico and I believe I will!

Author: Jacqueline Williams

(aka Fancy J London)

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