February 2001 Vol. 4, Issue 41
	Editorial
February 2001 Vol. 4, Issue 41	Welcome to the February 2001 edition of El Mesteño. In this issue David A. Champion, Jr. of Weslaco, Tx. writes about the historical event that took place on the national mall in Washington D. C. last summer. David organized nine vaqueros, seven from the Rio Grande Valley and two from the Mexican state of Chihuahua, to make the trip to D.C. and demonstrate their vaquero traditions to the world at the Smithsonian Institution’s Festival of American Folklife. In our agostadero section I uncovered what I believe has been an error in official state papers and maps. The agostadero Las Cuatitas of don Andrés Treviño has been called Las Comitas in state documents and maps for over 100 years. In the original Mexican handwritten land grant it distinctly reads Las Cuatitas four different times. We take a look at the very unique cemetery monuments of the Woodmen of the World organization. These monuments are in the shape of tree trunks and were very popular in the early 1900s. In our music section we cover a story on corridos, the ballads that tell the oral histories of our ancestors. While in Mexico City over the New Year, I was lucky to be at the National Museum of Anthropology In Chapultepec Park while the Totonaca Indians of Papantla, Vera Cruz were performing their ancient ritual of climbing a tall pole and spiraling down from the top in a circular fashion. A very solemn ceremony. If you recall the old caravana de artistas from Mexico and South Texas, you’ll enjoy reading about the Alameda Theater in Falfurrias, one of the main places where the stars would perform. If you are driving past Falfurrias, take a detour and take a look at the Alameda on West Rice street before it is demolished. There’s much history that took place there from the late 1940s to the 1970s. This month is also the annual South Texas Ranching Heritage Festival in Kingsville. Check out our back page for all the details. Hasta la próxima, Homero S. Vera
February 2001 Vol. 4, Issue 41	In This Issue page Features 4-5 Vaquero Tradition represented in Washington D.C. 6 Vaqueros in D.C. & Old Time Vaquero Honorees at South Texas Ranching Festivals 8 Agostadero Las Cuatas 15 Poem - ¡Que Suerte He Tenido de Nacer! by Alberto Cortez 16-17 Woodmen of the World Tree Stump Memorials 23 Teatro Alameda - Falfurrias, Texas page  Music 18 Corridos page   Happenings 13  Calendar of Events  page  Departments 9 Map of Agostadero (Las Cuatas) 11 El Mesteño Bookstore 12 Horse & Cattle Brands-Duval County, Texas 1876 - 1882 14 Proverbs - Books 19 Nature - Salt Lakes 20 Recipes 21  Internet Links 22 Mexico — Voladores Totonacas
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