Often when I go on vacation, I
like to read a novel set in the area we will visit. I’m just a geek like that. It’s a great way to learn about the people,
the culture and the voice of a region.
This summer our family is visiting Mexico . We will be in an old colonial town in the
central part of the country - a place that I don’t know that much about. I decided to read a Mexican novel to get in
the mood for our trip. I really haven’t
read too much Mexican literature…Like
Water for Chocolate not withstanding.
I decided to give The Hummingbird’s
Daughter a try. It turned out to be
the perfect book for the job.
The Hummingbird’s Daughter is a
novel set in the pre-revolutionary days at the turn of the 19th century. It’s the story of a girl named Teresita who
is born to an illiterate Indian mother in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. She has
no idea that she is daughter to Don Tomas Urrea, the rich ranch owner. As a
small girl, Teresita is taken in by the ranch’s curandera or healing woman and
taught all about how to heal the sick and pray for those who can’t be
healed. Pretty soon, it becomes evident
that Teresita has the healing touch and is able to work miracles among the
sick. Before long the ranch is
overwhelmed with pilgrims who want to be healed and the Mexican government
feels the need to step in to control what they don’t understand.
Teresita is a true historical
figure in Mexico . She is known as The Saint of Cabora. She is also Luis Urrea’s real relative. He grew up hearing family legend about her
and decided to hunt down her story all over the Mexico
and the American Southwest and write a book about it. He then breathed life into Teresita and the
real characters of her story with the voices of Mexico ’s
people and the gritty, bloody landscape of her country.
I think that often books about Mexico
give a one dimensional view of a people and culture that is so rich and
beautiful. With the plethora of “Mexican”
restaurants and news stories about drug wars around, we Americans get a flat
view of Mexican culture. Urrea expanded
that view and brought it to life.
Because his novel takes place in the past, we learn about all the
different Indian groups and factions that make up the present day Mexican. I
learned about the culture of the vaqueros and the rich landowners, their servants
and the bands of bandits and rurales that rode the countryside in those
days. Through Teresita’s eyes we learn
about the folk medicines and remedies that saved people and the strict Catholic
theology that ruled the lives of those who lived on the ranches.
I liked the book very much,
however the ending left me sort of cold.
I think Urrea could have woven his characters together better to build
suspense for the climactic ending, I
thought that once Teresita became the Saint of Cabora, her story was less
interesting and her voice became muted among others. Her relationship with Huila the curandera, was
my favorite part. I really liked the
voice Urrea gave Huila and liked how she wielded her power and femininity over
the bull headed men she took care of. Meanwhile
Teresita herself is not the pasty-faced haloed saint that we think about, but
one with lice in her hair and dirt under her nails. I like that.
In the end, my takeaway from this
book is how enjoyable it is to read a novel in preparation for a vacation. If you’ve never done it before, I highly
recommend it. Whether it’s a trip to the
beach two hours away or to another country halfway across the world, an author’s
researched snapshot into a place or subject, can give you a primer on what to
expect when you get there. You will have
a greater understanding and appreciation for the place, not to mention, it goes
a long way to helping you get excited for your big trip.
