Swapmeet

 

The sun José

Buenos dias, said José after I presented myself as a student. The stars were looking at us from above, and they were glad to hear how José explained that he was born in Oaxaca, México. Suddenly, pen, paper, and a camera changed the mood in the room. Is this for the news paper? I speak very little Spanish, Mixteco is my first language. La muchacha that sells the wrestling masks speaks more Spanish than me. Maybe you should go talk to her.

The sun and the moon have become one, Mixteco is not spoken anymore by the son, and Spanish is not heard either. Only a voice in English that comes from the corner of the room can be heard, and José might deny that as well.

Mascaras y Rosarios

When you replace your rosario with a camera, Rosario won't speak to you. “I'm not the owner, I'm just minding the store.” She said she doesn't speak much Spanish either, even though she said she is from Nogales, Sonora, a Mexican border town 60 miles south of Tucson. Only she knows who is the person behind the mask.

Swap meet

All the colors get together here. You can find yours if you take a closer look. People say you are what you eat, and Hispanic-American food is full of color and flavor. Picking the right ingredients is essential in order to prepare a fine dish. People come to the swap meet to find fresh produce, just like a mercado. “Are you going to just take pictures?” said a young man in a jokingly manner, “You ain't gonna taste any flavor from those pictures, you gotta eat some fresh chiles to capture the flavor”. And so I got some bell peppers and jalapeños following the recommendation of the young man. I sure had a nice breakfast the next day.