Faces of San Miguel: Luis Felipe Rodríguez Palacios, Our Valuable City Chronicler

By Natalie Taylor. Photo by Lander Rodríguez

Since antiquity the role of a chronicler has been to record events as they occur, and arrange them chronologically. Although similar to a historian, the difference is that a chronicler remains an impartial observer of past and present events, without offering opinion and perspective. Some of the most ancient documents feature a semblance of what a chronicler does with lists of slave owners, kings, and monetary transactions. Such are found in Middle Eastern clay tablets and Egyptian stele as far back as 3100 BCE. In the 5th century BCE, a Greek chronicler recorded local histories and traditions. It was during the Roman Empire that true chroniclers appeared, designated by the Caesars to record their victories, accomplishments, and possessions. This tradition continued with emperors and kings who wanted the same, particularly the kings of England and Spain. During the first half of the 16th century, the Spanish king Charles V assigned a chronicler to the expeditions into the New World to thoroughly record all events.

Toribio de Benavente, one of “the twelve” Franciscan monks who arrived in New Spain in 1524 may be considered one of the first chroniclers. He gathered news about people, their customs and habits, along with information about animals, plants, and minerals.

Although chroniclers were commissioned from time to time by the viceroys, there was no such permanent post in San Miguel until Roberto Lambarri de la Canal. Born in San Miguel in 1900, he became the first official city chronicler in 1976 and remained in that post until his death in 1988. He left behind “Prontuario,” a listing of important Sanmiguelense families of the 18th and 19th centuries.

The second city chronicler was Antonio Barajas Becerra, born in San Miguel de Allende in 1908. He published a biography of Ignacio Allende, and a handbook with information about the city’s economic development. Barajas died in 2003 and was followed by Cornelio López Espinosa who remained in that post until his death in 2011. As the fourth chronicler, López, had many important publications, the major one being a comprehensive history of San Miguel, including its traditions and customs.

The fifth, and current chronicler is Luis Felipe Rodríguez Palacios who has now held that post for 15 years. Born in San Miguel, he has spent his entire life here and has meticulously researched the history of the city; in particular documenting various festivals and rituals that are still part of the community. Rodríguez has written much over the years—articles on his Cronista de San Miguel blog, either about specific churches and their history, or famous local people, including writers, artists, and political figures. The site provides excellent background for anyone searching for historical data. He has also published a book about the Locos parade, a city event that dates back to the 17th century.

Digging into the past is a difficult endeavor; fraught with confusing narratives and disputes. It is not easy to pin down dates and details of events that go back centuries. When confronted with such hurdles, the chronicler uses a number of steps in an attempt to find the truth. One such example has to do with the date of San Miguel’s original settlement. The official story is that an evangelizing friar built a church in what is now called San Miguel Viejo in 1542, with the help of natives. But there are descendants of other tribes that disagree. They contend the event took place almost ten years before, and the friar was someone else. Not only do they give the year, but also the month and day on which it took place. No written documents affirm this, their contention is based on oral history. Certain clues dispute their assertion, such as friars or bishops involved, who were either never here or were not bishops at the time. That is strong evidence to the contrary, and common sense makes suspect exactitude in five centuries-old tales.

A city chronicler’s search for the truth can cause displeasure when challenging the beliefs of a group. Recording the past a certain way can benefit some and harm others; as the phrase “history is written by the victors” indicates, it can portray a biased version of history.  In the true tradition of a city chronicler, Rodríguez continues collecting data, sifting and discarding what is questionable, and in doing so provides invaluable information for historians about our remarkable city.

You can read the numerous chronicles on his blog: Cronista de San Miguel de Allende

cronistasanmigueldeallende.blogspot.com

www.natalietaylor.org