Primitivo Bustamante

Primitivo Bustamante

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee: Primitivo Bustamante was born on June 10, 1952, in Coahuila, Mexico; he had four brothers and four sisters; his father worked as a bracero during the late fifties in California, New Mexico, and Texas; despite being encouraged by his father to attend school, he left after the sixth grade, because he didn’t like it; his father eventually returned to México where he continued working in agriculture; Primitivo immigrated to the United States in the seventies, and consequently, all his children were born there as well.

Summary of Interview: Mr. Bustamante discusses his family and childhood; during the late fifties, when he was about five or six years old, his father worked as a bracero in California, New Mexico, and Texas; as a young boy, he recalls his father explaining what it meant to be a bracero; despite being encouraged by his father to attend school, he left after the sixth grade, because he didn’t like it; he goes on to describe his father as a very hard working man who never let his family go without and who constantly set a good example for him; although his father could not read or write, he always found someone to read and write letters for him; he would also send money orders home via registered mail; with the money he sent, his wife was able to buy beds, tables, chairs, and other such furnishings for their home; when he returned to México, he would bring gifts for his children and stay for about three or four months before leaving to work again; on one occasion, his wife went with him to Texas and had a child while there, but she returned to México shortly thereafter; he eventually returned to México, where he continued working in agriculture; Primitivo immigrated to the United States during he seventies, and consequently, all his children were born there as well; he concludes by describing how proud he is of his father and his legacy of hard work.

García, Myrna

Bustamante, Primitivo

2005-09-01

Bracero

Cristóbal Borges

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

spa

Primitivo Bustamante

García, Myrna

Cristóbal A. Borges

Institute of Oral History, The University of Texas at El Paso

Mini Disc

1:02:11

24 bit
96 k

García, Myrna

Bustamante, Primitivo

Chicago, Illinois

[Mins 0:00-5:13 Background and Family Life] Primitivo was born in June 10, 1952. He has spent most of his life in the US. He comes from large family in a small town. His father used to work in the fields in the US. Primitivo remembers that his father went to California, to Texas, and to various other parts of the United States. On his return he would bring presents back for his children. Primitivo has two brothers and a sister living in the US, he also has a brother and a sister living in Mexico. Primitivo finished primary school in Mexico but hated it and quit despite his parents’ protests. He had most of his schooling opportunities in the US and now regrets not having gone to school.

[Mins 5:13-9:11 Early work life] Primitivo didn’t want to work but his parents who were very harsh/strict forced him to get a job. He now thinks that his parents’ harshness wasn’t so bad because he was very lazy and would not have survived otherwise. His first job was in LA in 1970 in Kentucky Fried Chicken. He then took a job (also in LA) in the Bell Air Country Club, which paid him $1.65 per hour. He thought it was a lot of money and with little money he could buy what he needed.

[Mins 9:11-10:24 Move to Chicago] In 1973 Primitivo went to Chicago and worked in restaurants. Initially, he didn’t like the city because of the snow. He had gone to Chicago only for a two-week vacation because his brother lived there. In those years it was easy to find work and he decided to stay in Chicago. His daughters were born there.

[Mins 10:24-12:08 Current Family Life] His younger daughter studied, the eldest one got married instead. His younger daughter is a teacher now and Primitivo feels that all his effort was well worth it.

[Mins 12:08-13:34 Studying/Working] Primitivo had opportunities to study in California and Chicago but didn’t take them. Even his supervisors at work encouraged him to study and he had time to do it, but he didn’t want to. He worked at the Club from 8am to 4pm and did not have to pay for housing. Some days he went to school but the students there just had fun and didn’t learn anything.

[Mins 13:34-20:59 Reading, Writing and Work] Primitivo’s daughter sometimes wanted to quit school. It was very hard for her because she studied far away from home. Primitivo convinced her to stay in school. Her other daughter now regrets having quitted. Primitivo doesn’t know much English but knows how to fill out work applications which has proved useful; his friends have had problems with this. Primitivo believes his job is not very well paid. Thus, he regrets not having studied, especially after his father really encouraged him. However, he asserts that even though he barely knows math “they do not fool him” in money issues.

[Mins 20:59-24:43 Primitivo’s father was a bracero] Long inaudible question. Primitivo never came as a bracero. Woman intervenes in conversation but not very audible. When Primitivo was approximately 16 years old his father came as a bracero and told him about conditions in the US. Thus, Primitivo was encouraged to migrate. Even though his family always had enough food thanks to his father’s work, they were still very poor. Primitivo thought that because he was younger than his father he had a better chance to come to the US. He considers himself to be unchanged from this migration except for his increased resources.

[Mins 24:43 -27:31 Father’s legal status in the United States] Primitivo used to ask his father about being a bracero. His father explained that one went to the border where there was someone who hired people and somehow managed to bring them legally to the US. His father did not regularize his residency because he didn’t want to. He now comes to the USA with a visa. Primitivo does not understand why he didn’t regularize his papers or why he or his brothers didn’t try to convince him that this was a good idea, especially to get social security. He would have gotten approximately 30 years of social security benefits, but no one tried to regularize his status.

[Mins 27:31- 28:53 Primitivo and the Baracero Program] Primitivo never came as a bracero; he knows that many people complain about the program now for not getting benefits. Primitivo was approximately five years old when his father came as a bracero.

[Mins 28:53-32:16 Letters and Education] When Primitivo’s father went to the United States he had to ask someone to read and write the letters from and to his family. That is why he encouraged Primitivo to learn how to read and write. Primitivo’s father only knew how to sign his name. He could calculate money matters and knew the different American coins and bills; he was not fooled in money matters.

[Mins 32:16-35:19 Family matters and Migrating to the US] Primitivo’s mother came to visit his father and they had a child who was born in Texas. However, they both left because Primitivo’s mother received a telegram saying that her mother was very sick. Thus, Primitivo’s brother, who was a US citizen, was raised in Mexico until the family moved back to the US, at which time his brother was 15 years old. When Primitivo’s father came back he told Primitivo stories about where he had been and related his adventures. His father went to California, Amarillo in Texas, Las Cruces in New Mexico, and Chicago. His parents communicated through letters, but it was very hard.

[Mins 35:19-38:08 Father’s bracero travels] Primitivo’s father used to bring clothes and money, for him and his siblings when he came back. Primitivo’s father always worked in agriculture; he would go to the United States for three or four months and would then go back to Mexico. Primitivo considered his father’s travels to be good because he always came back happy and with presents.

[Mins 38:08-40:25 Crossing the border] Primitivo doesn’t know where his father crossed the border. Although he remembers that the last time he came to the US he crossed it through Ciudad Juarez. His father came to the United States for many years; he would stay there for three or four months, and would then go back to Mexico. His travels were dictated by seasons.

[Mins 40:25- 41:55] Inaudible question; the answer makes little sense.

[Mins 41:55-46:37 Money] Primitivo’s father sent money using a money order. His mother then went to the mail where they had a list of the people who had received money. People in the town knew when money arrived for others and would inform them. For Primitivo, the arrival of money signified more food. When his father left they stayed in the same home—where his sister now lives. Primitivo’s mother did domestic work at home. Once his father became a bracero, Primitivo’s mother started buying more things including a bed for them to sleep in. Thus, Primitivo was happy his father left as the money he sent allowed them to buy basic things such as beds, tables, and a chair. Primitivo wished that his father stayed in the United States for longer periods of time, but he was always sent back after four or three months when the seasons were over.

[Mins 46:37 -48:03 Payment] Primitivo thought that it was “his turn” to come to the United States in order to repay his father for what he had sent. He and his parents managed to survive even without schooling.

[Mins 48:03-50:05 Other braceros from the town] Primitivo’s father engaged in the bracero program with some people from his same town in Mexico including: Benito Nuñez, Demecio Gonzales, and Maldemero Nuñez. These men were all drunkards, but Primitivo’s father wasn’t.

[Mins 50:05- 55:30 Drinking] Primitivo did take up drinking for a while until he had a wife and daughters. The last time he saw his mother he promised her that he was going to change his life. People were surprised by Primitivo’s change. He told his wife that he was going to stop drinking for her and his daughters because he knew it wasn’t good. He used to associate drinking with being a real man, but he now longer does. He is now happy without alcohol and has grandchildren.

[Mins 55:30-01:00:25 Migration] When Primitivo’s father ended his final contract he didn’t attempt to go back, even though it would have been easy to regularize his status. Primitivo had an uncle whose boss help to regularize his papers. However, Primitivo’s father didn’t try to do this and instead went back to Mexico. Primitivo’s father kept coming to the US even after 1957, when Primitivo’s brother was born in Texas. However, he then did not fight to stay in the US or to get his social security. Back in Mexico he worked in agriculture, but it rained a lot. Once, Primitivo was helping his father in the fields, but they lost all they had worked for because it didn’t rain. This experience led Primitivo to live in the US. His wife and daughters also prefer to live in the US.

[01:00:25-01:02:11 Family/Money/Migration] Primitivo was proud of his father who came to the US and sent money back and wanted to follow his steps. His father saved all the money he could and sent it back. INTERVIEW CUT.

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