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Mexico's Masons Celebrate Holy Cross Day Amidst Hardship and Hopes for the Future
🇲🇽 Mexico /Culture & Society

Mexico's Masons Celebrate Holy Cross Day Amidst Hardship and Hopes for the Future

From El Universal · (43m ago) Spanish Mixed tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Construction workers in Mexico celebrate the Day of the Holy Cross, a traditional holiday for the trade.
  • Experienced masons like Martín Gutiérrez highlight the physical demands and challenges of the job, including harsh weather and clients who haggle over prices.
  • Despite difficulties, workers express pride in their craft, with younger generations like Jaime Salazar aspiring to learn and advance in the profession, though concerns exist about the declining respect for skilled labor.

In Mexico, the Day of the Holy Cross on May 3rd is more than just a holiday; it's a day to honor the resilience and skill of masons, the backbone of the country's construction industry. This year, as under a blazing sun in Nicolás Romero, State of Mexico, veteran builders like Martín Gutiérrez, with 25 years in the trade, spoke of the grueling realities of their work. They endure scorching heat and demanding conditions, often facing clients who undervalue their labor. Gutiérrez, who learned the trade from his father and has seen multiple generations of his family dedicate themselves to masonry, laments the erosion of traditional respect for the craft among younger people.

Not everyone gets into this job, sometimes they shy away from the work. Being under the sun's rays, we suffer a lot from the heat here, and sometimes the client doesn't see that and tries to haggle over the work.

— Martín GutiérrezA 25-year veteran mason describing the challenges of his profession on the Day of the Holy Cross.

Yet, the spirit of the trade endures. Jaime Salazar, Gutiérrez's cousin and apprentice for the past three years, embodies the next generation's ambition. He speaks with gratitude for Gutiérrez's mentorship and expresses a strong desire to master the trade, aiming to eventually become a contractor. However, both men acknowledge the pervasive issue of clients haggling over prices, comparing their rates unfavorably with less experienced workers who undercut the market. This practice, they feel, devalues the years of experience and skill required for quality construction.

It's nice, because one builds their own house.

— Martín GutiérrezExpressing pride in his work despite the hardships.

Originating from Mazatlán Villa de Flores, Oaxaca, Gutiérrez and Salazar are among the many who leave their home states seeking opportunities in places like the State of Mexico, which, according to the Secretariat of Economy, is one of the top states for masonry workers. The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) estimates around 204,000 people are employed as masons and construction workers nationwide. The Day of the Holy Cross serves as a vital reminder of the physical toil, the generational knowledge passed down, and the enduring pride these workers take in building the nation, brick by brick.

The custom is being lost; the kids are growing up, and it's not like it used to be.

— Martín GutiérrezLamenting the decline in younger generations taking up the trade.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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