Life in the Mountains

By: Antonio Conchas

Hometown: Jalisco, Mexico

 

Hace como two weeks I went to Jalisco a el pueblo de donde son mis padres. I went for 5 days for Semana Santa. During that week el pueblo that I visit has a tradition where people put on masks and carry whips. En la plaza se junta la gente in the perimeter with a open spce in middle donde esta gente con mascara golpea a la gente con los whips. Es todo voluntario, los que se animan go into this open space where they only receive a small stick to fend off the whip. It obviously hurts getting whipped so la gente se emborracha o toma una droga que se llama peyote. El peyote Es una droga natural that grows in the mountains of mexico. El peyote es usado mucho by a tribe called Huicholes. It is used during their rituals. Ayuda a dormirte el cuerpo para que no sientas pain. 

 

Since I like to experience muchas cosas diferentes decidi tomar el peyote y comermelo. One of my good friends down there me ofrecio peyote y me lo comi. After fifteen minutes empeze a sentir el efecto. My whole body went numb and I felt very good y feliz. Fue la primera vez que e probado peyote and I really enjoyed it. Sentia el cuerpo dormido and it enhanced my drunkness. So despues de que tome eso me anime a meterne al middle of the crowd to get whipped. I can still feel the lain with every whiplash. Pero el efecto de el whip pegandote en la espalda, estomago, piernes y brazos te dejaba con dolor but wanting more. The pain you felt con cada golpe era como una adiccion. Cada golpe dolia pero I found myself wishing the next one would hurt even more. Eso me hace pensar en la vida, that even if you going through painful situation in life there you can always find a way to channel that pain to a way that you smile through the pain enjoy the moment.