Si eres pobre te humilla la gente/si eres rico te tratan muy bien/un amigo se metió a la mafia/porque pobre ya no quiso ser/ahora tiene dinero de sobra/por costales le pagan al mes (Los Tucanes de Tijuana, 2002).
“El Centenario” performed by the famous Mexican regional band, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, narrates the story of a humble worker whose social position produced multiple encounters of humiliation (2002). Nevertheless, his faith changed when he joined the mafia, as he acquired fortune, granting him respect, sophistication, and admiration (2002). Narcocorridos such as El Centenario construct an idealistic figure of the narcotrafficker: an individual that can obtain fame, luxuries, beautiful women and loyalty through illicit activities (Campbell, …show more content…
To illustrate, Javier Rosas’s song, “En la sierra y la ciudad (La China)” praises Calderon Ojeda for being unique, as she has become self-dependent and powerful: “señoras y señores ahora el canto es diferente/ahora va pa la las mujeres, pa una dama muy valiente/donde llega se respeta, lo que diga/en la sierra y la ciudad, yo soy la China/quien dijo que las mujeres no podían…” (2013). It can be argued that Calderon Ojeda is worthy of recognition as he position (as a trafficker) has awarded her with respect, authority, agency and courage—characteristics that are not associated with women (2013). At the same time that female traffickers are acknowledged for their independence, they still face oppression through notions of beauty, which entails having a “nice body,” blonde hair, and light-colored contact lenses (interview, 2016). La Mona or the Doll, as my aunt was called, become a mule as a way to escape her reality, as she lost her child at the same time she found her husband with his new male partner (interview, 2016). When she spoke to me about her experience, my aunt recalled that women that were “part of the business” were required to look “sexy” since they were the image of the organization as well as representative of their male …show more content…
Howard Campbell’s article, Drug trafficking stories: Everyday forms of Narco-folklore on the U.S.-Mexico border, provides a collection of stories that reveal the commonality of drug dealing and consumption (329). Campbell describes:
A woman sells heroin at nightclubs on the other side of the border. Despite being physically handicapped she sells out her product every weekend and picks up men easily because of the quality of her stuff. She feels that what she is doing is wrong but the cocaine she obtains helps her cope with her physical and emotional problems (330).
Without doubt, this account discloses that spaces such as nightclubs have become avenues for drug trade, which remain accessible and unquestioned. In addition, the woman from the example is a clear demonstration that drug dealing does not only generate profits, but can be used as an escape outlet, and is available to anyone regardless of their gender, age, and
“El Centenario” performed by the famous Mexican regional band, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, narrates the story of a humble worker whose social position produced multiple encounters of humiliation (2002). Nevertheless, his faith changed when he joined the mafia, as he acquired fortune, granting him respect, sophistication, and admiration (2002). Narcocorridos such as El Centenario construct an idealistic figure of the narcotrafficker: an individual that can obtain fame, luxuries, beautiful women and loyalty through illicit activities (Campbell, …show more content…
To illustrate, Javier Rosas’s song, “En la sierra y la ciudad (La China)” praises Calderon Ojeda for being unique, as she has become self-dependent and powerful: “señoras y señores ahora el canto es diferente/ahora va pa la las mujeres, pa una dama muy valiente/donde llega se respeta, lo que diga/en la sierra y la ciudad, yo soy la China/quien dijo que las mujeres no podían…” (2013). It can be argued that Calderon Ojeda is worthy of recognition as he position (as a trafficker) has awarded her with respect, authority, agency and courage—characteristics that are not associated with women (2013). At the same time that female traffickers are acknowledged for their independence, they still face oppression through notions of beauty, which entails having a “nice body,” blonde hair, and light-colored contact lenses (interview, 2016). La Mona or the Doll, as my aunt was called, become a mule as a way to escape her reality, as she lost her child at the same time she found her husband with his new male partner (interview, 2016). When she spoke to me about her experience, my aunt recalled that women that were “part of the business” were required to look “sexy” since they were the image of the organization as well as representative of their male …show more content…
Howard Campbell’s article, Drug trafficking stories: Everyday forms of Narco-folklore on the U.S.-Mexico border, provides a collection of stories that reveal the commonality of drug dealing and consumption (329). Campbell describes:
A woman sells heroin at nightclubs on the other side of the border. Despite being physically handicapped she sells out her product every weekend and picks up men easily because of the quality of her stuff. She feels that what she is doing is wrong but the cocaine she obtains helps her cope with her physical and emotional problems (330).
Without doubt, this account discloses that spaces such as nightclubs have become avenues for drug trade, which remain accessible and unquestioned. In addition, the woman from the example is a clear demonstration that drug dealing does not only generate profits, but can be used as an escape outlet, and is available to anyone regardless of their gender, age, and