“ Qa´j Q`iij Taa´ Teko`”, Good afternoon Don Diego, “Qa´j q´iij Numaam” Good afternoon grandson, replies the grandfather; on April 16 at 3:45 in the afternoon, in the narrow corridor of Don Diego's house, logs that seem to have a symmetry, placed one after another from the ground to cover the walls; the smoke from the griddle and the few reflections of the sun seemed to form the cinnamon color that faded into the darkness that formed the humble house, causing the touch of antiquity.

Despite the space and age, the old man with his notebook, cardboard sheet, marker and pen in hand, draws and writes the names and surnames of the people of 1935. Nowadays, there are people with similar names, that is namesakes, this reflects the continuity of the cultural root.

The first block was the entrance of San Juan Jurisdiccion with San Pedro La Laguna. It started from the current LIRIOS DE LOS VALLES Church, crossing the street from the cemetery to the house of TAA´ CRUZ, there were only two Families (Xo´r Warkis=Jorge and Pala´s Pantzay= Franciasco); Across the street including the corner from the current house of TAA´ LU` TEMO` to the Bethel Evangelical Church, there were 7 families. (Pal Cholotiya´, Palin, Cho´r, Kel Hernández, Lix Cholotiya, Xuan Mendoza).

It was already 5:00 in the afternoon, the sun begins to remove its rays, Don Diego, almost finished the most inhabited area possible in 1900, "The town center", starts from the current house of TAA´ LU` TEMO doubles with TAA´ CALIXTO, up to the Blade, there were 11 families. (Lix Perez, Likox Mendoza, José Mendez, Ku´Yojcom, Teco Hernádez, and in the current house of Don Ángel Hernández there were only two houses that belonged to the lords: Pala´s Ujpan, Tin Ujpán, and on the other side of the street, lived 3 families, Xuan K´i´q, Teko Temo´. Me´n Temo. And in La Cuchilla, Mr. Diego Pérez, namesake of the current old man.

From the Eben-Ezer store, to the San Simón brotherhood, encompassing the Betania neighborhood, before the first cemetery was located on the little hill; in that block there were 4 families. (Diego Perez Ramos, Lix Qochee´, Juan Mendoza Cholotiya´, Pal Mendoza; the current block of the Library and the municipality, until the Lema´ Association, there were 3 families. (Lix Mendoza, Ku´ Mendoza, Ku´, Q´ anajaay, Si'ly Xuan Sumoza); next to it was the Catholic church, the only one at that time.

The hill of Don Delfino until the exit to San Pablo, 3 families occupied it; and in front of the current brotherhood of San Simón, Taa´ Tin Piiza´r was the owner of a greater part of the land, where his parents currently live, in that sector there were three more families. (The brothers Esteban, Ku´, Lix Mendoza).

At 6:41 in the afternoon, finally the last sector of the sketch, from the exit to San Pablo to the Oscar Azmitia Institute, was inhabited by 4 families (Nicolás Méndez, Andrés and Domingo Vásquez ).

“The houses were small, 4 to 5 yards square, their walls made of corn cane, sometimes lined with mud (Bajareques), their roofs thatched, there were two or three houses made of adobe ; two to 6 people lived, our beds built with pitchforks and plump sticks "says Don Diego Pérez Méndez.

In addition, it describes the costumes of the inhabitants, the women dressed in red shirts with white stripes, black haircuts and normally without shoes; the men wore a white shirt and pants with a red sash and their feet sometimes covered by leather shoes.

Late at night, the old man does not stop talking, and mentions that he was mayor from 1972 to 1974, he was also Justice of the Peace for two years. With his wrinkled face and with great confidence he expresses: “I WAS A WORKING MAYOR, BETWEEN POOR AND CAME OUT POOR…. I AM NOT THE SAME AS THOSE OF TODAY”

According to the old man's sketch, he reflects around 46 families that inhabited the town of San Juan La Laguna in 1935; the predominant surnames were Hernández, Cholotío, Pérez, Mendoza, Ujpán, Yojcom, Ramos, Pantzay, Temó, Bajlom, Monroy, Waskis and Mendez.

In 1935 the town had few families, currently there are approximately 7 thousand inhabitants.

Source: Blog Historiador Nativo