RECORDED STATEMENT Q = Jesus A. Diaz A = Tomas Olivas Fierro B = Unidentified Male Voice C = Unidentified Female Voice D = Unidentified Male Voice TRANSLATION/TRANSCRIPTION OF A SPANISH TAPE (TRANSCRIPTIONIST'S NOTE: DUE TO POOR RECORDING QUALITY, THERE ARE MANY INAUDIBLES THROUGHOUT THE TRANSCRIPT.) Q: What is your name? A: Tomas Olivas Fierro(sp?). Q: Where were you born? A: Here in Rio San Pedro. Q: Where were you raised? A: Here in Rio San Pedro. Q: What and what year were you in the Bracero Program? A: (Inaudible). C: 1955. A: Uh-huh (inaudible). Q: 55 and then how old were you when you were in... A: 23. Q: Bracero Program? 23 okay uh and were you married? A: No single. Q: You did not have any children? A: None. Q: How did you know about the Bracero Program?
A: It is just the Bracero Program they contacted us from the United States that they needed Braceros and we were contracted. We were contracted for three months those are how long the contracts were made for. Q: And why did you make the decision to enter into the Bracero Program? A: Because of poverty because (inaudible) because we did not have (inaudible) there was no way to make a living. Q: And where were you living before you went to the United States as a Bracero? A: Right here (inaudible) in Rio San Pedro. Q: What type of job did you have here before you left? A: Farmer. Q: How do you remember how you prepared yourself to go to the United States as a Bracero what did you (inaudible)? A: They contracted you in the (inaudible) so you could go in so you could go over there. B: No but preparations what what did you take what did you... Q: And how did you prepare yourself to go? A: Well my little backpack and the clothing that (inaudible) there was no special preparation. C: (Inaudible). A: Yes yes that is where you go to to get contracted. Q: Did you have... 2
B: What did you have in the backpack? A: What? B: What did you have in your backpack? A: Just clothing. Q: (Inaudible). A: Huh? Q: (Inaudible). A: No nothing nothing. B: Just clothing? A: Uh just clothing you had to put everything in there everything you put in your kitchen stuff and everything and your bedding and everything. Q: And what did you what did you imagine that you were going to do there? A: Well just work just work it was the... B: Did you imagine that you would be treated well? A: No well yes I mean we did not know what we were going to find. Q: Did you imagine that it was going to be good job? A: Yes of course because that is where you got money. C: (Inaudible). A: Well there. 3
C: (Inaudible). Q: Okay and well apart from clothing did you take any other things? A: Nothing. Q: And why did you not take anything else? A: Because it did not (inaudible). Q: What were your experiences going to the border? A: Like what like like what do you mean? Q: Uh like what occurred to you over there what happened to you over there that made you decide that you did not want to do it anymore. A: No well (inaudible). D: (Inaudible). A: No no I mean... D: (Inaudible) put a powder all over your body so that (inaudible). A: They would take you and put a powder on you... D: (Inaudible) fleas. A: To kill the fleas. Q: Oh they they deloused they deloused you. D: Uh-huh they deloused us. A: Yes yes yes. D: (Inaudible). A: Exactly completely. 4
C: (Inaudible). A: It was a mess there. Q: What what did he say? D: (Inaudible). Q: (Inaudible) I mean (inaudible). A: No (inaudible) I was lucky. Q: They (inaudible) what? C: (Inaudible). A: (Inaudible). B: They did treat you well? A: Yes and I I did not have to go through that thank God I did not. Q: And when you were over there well did anything happen to you any incidents? A: No nothing nothing... Q: Nothing? A: Normal nothing nothing. Q: Okay. A: Why am I going to complain for no reason. C: (Inaudible) in other place? A: Excuse me? C: (Inaudible)? A: To everyone. 5
Q: And how was your experience compared to you what imagined, in other words if you imagined that it was going to be a good job how was it when you finally got there and you saw that it was different from what you had imagined? A: No well since the moment we arrived they told us that the job is for irrigation and cotton picking (inaudible). C: Or beets. A: Yes some people would get sent to Colorado to do beets but I got only only cotton and nighttime irrigation. Q: And where did you live? A: Uh they had big barracks. Q: Barracks? A: Like for 10 or more people according to how many... C: They were made of wood. A: They were made of wood (inaudible) was burnt. B: How did it burn? A: Well one of the one of the young men one of my co-workers left the stove door open. B: Yes. A: And went to work and the barrack caught on fire and they came and told us that it had burnt... B: The whole house was lost? A: The whole thing. B: The whole thing? 6
A: It was all made of wood. C: It was all made of wood. A: All wood uh-huh. Q: okay and... B: And then how how did you... A: They transferred us to another barr- to another room while we (inaudible) and then they went back to their houses. They told us all to be careful with the stoves (inaudible). B: And and did they get any or (inaudible). A: No? B: No. A: No they did not get angry. Q: And how were they made of wood? A: Wood. Q: And were they big? A: Yes there were barracks that could fit 80 or 50 (inaudible) I mean they were on top of each other but you could fit at least 150 Braceros in there. B: And how many (inaudible). A: One. B: Only one? A: Only only sometimes we slept three to a bed. B: So you slept in the same... A: Exactly (inaudible) three. 7
Q: And the roof what was it made of (inaudible)? A: Wood well wood... Q: Everything was wood? A: Everything everything was pure wood that is why it burnt so fast. But (inaudible) with a kitchen and bedrooms and stoves and tables and everything they gave you everything. Q: Uh-huh and (inaudible) where did you work? A: In Artesia, New Mexico that was the first time and then in Pecos. Pecos is the part I was in. Q: And Pecos, correct? C: Pecos, Texas. B: Pecos, Texas? C: (Inaudible). Q: (Inaudible). A: We were we were a long (inaudible) San Pedro. Q: Uh and what did you do? A: Pick cotton (inaudible) pick the cotton. B: What was the other place? A: Artesia. B: Artesia and what did you do in Artesia. A: In Artesia I did irrigation at night and (inaudible) cotton. B: (Inaudible) cotton. A: Uh-huh. 8
Q: What did you like and what did you not like about the job? A: Everything everything I like everything why am I going to say that I did not everything. It was the job that we had to do and (inaudible). B: What did you not like? A: Huh? B: What did you not like? A: Well no no no I liked everything just fine. B: And there was nothing bad that happened no fighting? A: No nothing I did not have any fights with the employers or anything not at all. B: nothing? A: Nothing. B: There was (inaudible) that you did not like? A: No everything was fine. Q: How were your wor- your employers or other people that were supervising you? A: We had yes we had the employer but there was the one who was like the manager. Q: And how did he treat you? A: No he treated us fine he treated us fine. B: Did he treat you... A: The foreman. C: The foreman. 9
A: The foreman. C: The foreman. B: Did the foreman treat you well? A: Yes he treated us fine well he was (inaudible) apart but the foreman treated us very well he treated us very well. B: Uh how did the (inaudible) the foreman? A: What? Q: How did they give you orders for working? A: They (inaudible) some jobs (inaudible) let us do this guys because he spoke very little Spanish and (inaudible) but he spoke little Spanish but (inaudible) everyone to work. But yes they treated us very well they treated us with uh everything was fine. Q: How were the work conditions? Q: (Inaudible). A: How was what? Q: How were the work conditions? A: No it was just working with the irrigation and and the cotton picking. There were no problems with anything. Q: (Inaudible) and what day that they gave you (inaudible) or gave you the most work? 10
A: No it was all the same we never had uh they never had to punish us. The hours that they gave us (inaudible) if it rained a lot then (inaudible). Q: And how much rest time did you have? A: For what? Q: For... A: There was no work only on Sunday. B: Only on Sunday. A: Only on Sunday. Q: And did they give you any time during the week to eat or (inaudible)... A: Yes (inaudible) yes. Q: And how long did they... A: One hour for lunch. B: One hour for lunch? A: They always gave one hour for lunch. B: What what did you do on your day off? A: Well wash clothing (inaudible). B: What? A: (Inaudible). B: You washed the (inaudible)? What did you do for fun or what did you play? A: Dice. B: Dice? 11
A: Or cards that is all that we had. B: And did you go anyplace? A: Right there right there we would get together (inaudible) a lot of us. B: No but did you go anywhere to... A: (Inaudible) to to the town? B: Yes. A: To the town? B: Any (inaudible)? A: No on Saturdays in the afternoon we would (inaudible) for a drink and the cantinas (inaudible) we would go to the cantinas (inaudible). Q: And is that what you did for fun? A: That is all we had what else. (Inaudible) ranch to do the work for the... Q: Who did you leave at home when you went over as a Bracero did you did you have a mother or a family? A: Yes yes yes. Q: You left your mother and father? A: Yes well (inaudible). B: And not your siblings? A: Yes them also. Q: And how many siblings did you have? A: (Inaudible) only one. 12
Q: Only one. A: Yes only one. Q: And when you left your family how did they how did they respond did they think it was a good idea? A: No (inaudible). A: No (inaudible). Q: He was single. A: (Inaudible). A: (Inaudible) in any case you do not know if you are going back or you are not going back. C: (Inaudible). Q: (Inaudible) and then um how did you communicate with your family. A: Just with letters with mail. There were no telephones like there are now. C: (Inaudible)... A: There were no telephones. C: (Inaudible). Q: How often? A: What? Q: How often did you send them a letter? 13
A: Every eight days I would (inaudible) every eight days (inaudible). B: And was the mail good at that time? A: Yes it was very good it was very dependable then. B: And in Mexico also? A: Yes the same the same. Q: And when the Bracero Program ended what did you do? A: Return to Mexico. Q: And what did you think? A: Well it was going to be it was going to be bad because there was no more work what else? B: So the program helped you a lot? A: Excuse me? B: It helped you a lot? A: Yes a lot. B: And with that money did you buy a lot of (inaudible) or what did you do? A: Well I went to (inaudible) and I bought some (inaudible). B: Uh-huh. A: I bought some (inaudible). Q: What was the best thing about the program? A: The best thing about the program? Q: (Inaudible) the job? A: The job just for so one could (inaudible) so we could. 14
Q: And the dough. B: Or what you liked about it? A: Yes. B: The dough? A: That is right. Q: How much did they pay you? A: At that time they paid us 30 pesos. Q: (Inaudible). D: Pesos? A: Yes. Q: Per month? A: Huh? Q: Per? A: Each week. B: Each week. A: Each week. B: Or $30.00? A: Yes $30.00 it was... Q: (Inaudible) and each week. A: Each week every eight days. B: $30.00? (Inaudible). A: Yeah. B: They paid you $30.00 (inaudible). 15
A: Yes that is what they gave you $30.00 you earned per week. B: And (inaudible). A: It is just that everything was very inexpensive. B: Yes. A: Yes. A: (Inaudible). A: In one week you did not even (inaudible) you earned 55 cents daily (inaudible). A: No (inaudible) the ones from here. A: They earned they paid them (inaudible). Q: And and what was the the worst or the hardest thing about the Bracero Program? A: Well it was the sadness because you were going to suffer because you knew you were going to suffer but you did not know how. It was sad because you had to make food and wash and everything because it was (inaudible) man and woman. You left work and you would (inaudible) and you would have make dinner. B: You were missing a wife? A: (Inaudible). 16
Q: What are your thoughts on immigration especially from Latin American now based upon your experiences what I mean is if that Bracer Program existed again would you like to enlist again and go back? A: Yes yes I would like it. Q: And what did you learn from the Bracero Program? A: Well just work in the United States that was the only thing well jobs that we had not done before. B: Like how to irrigate? A: Yes yes yes (inaudible). A: And how to pick cotton they give you some long sacks and (inaudible) and you fill them (inaudible) and then you took them to get weighed and you emptied it into the into the truck where the cotton went. Well it was good (inaudible) we worked. B: And the the irrigation work what was that like? A: Well there were nights where we did suffer. B: Yes? A: Yes and this is why if it rained a lot (inaudible) and you could not take a (inaudible) or a tarp to (inaudible) you would just stand there and put up with the rain. And the rain would stop and we would (inaudible). B: You would be wet? 17
A: That is when we most suffered. B: Only then? A: Only when it rained. A: So then would not sleep and they would not work (inaudible)a tarp to and they would sleep and they did not want the irrigation to stop it needed to continue even if it was raining we had to give it water. That was all when it rained was when we suffered the most. B: You did not suffer more with the cotton? A: What? B: With the cotton? A: No. B: Your hands did not get get... A: No. B: Or were you wearing gloves? A: Yes they gave us some. B: Gloves? A: Yes (inaudible). B: And did you use them or not? A: Yes yes when you (inaudible) the buds you would use the gloves the only thing (inaudible). B: Oh... 18
A: You could not grab the bud with the gloves on so you needed to grab it with your hand. B: It it did not hurt your hand in any way? A: No. Q: (Inaudible) so nothing happened to your hand or... A: (Inaudible). B: And other people? A: (Inaudible). B: Uh-huh. A: But not me I did not have (inaudible). B: On the other side the money that you sent from the United States to Mexico? A: What about it? B: They would pay you? A: Yes (inaudible). B: What do you think about what is happening now? A: Well I believe something is very bad. B: Very bad? A: Yes why do not they give them (inaudible). B: Uh-huh. A: (Inaudible) United States how much they got from them. B: Yes. A: And they still do not want to give (inaudible). 19
B: Uh-huh. A: I think that is bad. D: My son told me that in Chihuahua that the lines are (inaudible) he he fell and he died... A: There are so many people have died there there is hunger (inaudible) to go to Chihuahua... B: Uh-huh. A: Do do a protest for that. B: Why do you think that (inaudible) with his money? A: (Inaudible) for him. B: Oh. A: Because it was proven that the government and I do not I do not know what government was in power at that time bought land with that money and the the (inaudible) did not give us anything at all. B: Uh-huh. A: (Inaudible) look when this (inaudible) arrived they wanted (inaudible) 100,000 pesos (inaudible) and (inaudible) little by little until the (inaudible). B: 4,000 per month? A: Well they told me that (inaudible) 4,000 every two months. B: Uh-huh. A: (Inaudible) that is was per year. (Inaudible) so who knows I really do not know. (Inaudible) it was the gringos when 20
the contracts ended they sent all that money to Mexico all of it all of it and the government kept it. Q: (Inaudible). A: (Inaudible) yes in 64 was the (inaudible) at that time they would send the money (inaudible). B: In 64? A: In 64 they closed down the contracts and you could not go in. (Inaudible) and the poor people that (inaudible) that is wrong that is wrong. Now another thing is (inaudible). B: Never. A: (Inaudible) pay by check (inaudible). B: Do you want to say anything else? A: Huh? B: Do you have anything else? A: (Inaudible). B: We can end now but if you want to add more... A: No no that is all. Q: (Inaudible). TEAH01_209 21