Etymology fascinates me. I am no expert in philology, by any means, but I can be lured down a sidetrail in a flash by someone dangling the historical and cultural origins of a word. Thus with the Mexican Spanish slang word chingon. Essentially, chingon is “badass,” but it’s got a vulgar edge to it, as in “fuckin’ badass.” It’s not clear where it derives from — but I read a theory the other day that I love… so I’m running with it.
So this theory goes, Mexican Revolutionaries 1910-20 bastardized the English “machine gun” to Machín-Gon, and machine gun operators were … chingon. I have my doubts as to whether this theory holds water — it might be as full of holes as a train car hit by heavy fire from a Maxim or Hotchkiss Machín-Gon. Nevertheless, I love it, and I am adopting it as folklore that oughta be true, even if it ain’t.
The legendary merc Tracy Richardson agrees:
So does Pancho Villa, who definitely was chingon.
And, I now have an opportunity to once again plug one of my favorite albums — Chingon’s Mexican Spaghetti Western. As a range/workout soundtrack, it’s, well chingon.
*
I have gone rather far down the trail in pursuit of a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I won’t call it a sidetrail, because it is actually in the x-ring of my current reading on insurgency and counter-insurgency and Continuity & Persistence in Frontier Partisan conflict. Of course there is a multitude of sidetrails to be found in this territory, and one has me set to take up a book recommendation made on these pages 10 years ago.
I was reviewing an old post on John Henry Patterson a few weeks ago. Patterson is best-known as the slayer of the Maneaters of Tsavo (as portrayed in the enjoyable movie The Ghost & the Darkness). Patterson was also a committed Zionist, who led Jewish Legion fighters during World War I. Those fighters became the hard corps of the Haganah and other Jewish militias.
On that decade-old post, Steve Bodio recommended David Lambkin’s novel The Hanging Tree. And I decided it was well past time I took him up on it.
Dig the caper:
Palaeontologist Kathryn Widd is in the Kenyan wild investigating hominid skull fragments. She becomes intrigued by a 1908 safari and the British nobleman who died mysteriously. The further she probes, the more deeply she is drawn into past lives and ancient, mysterious forces of violence.
When palaeontologist Kathryn Widd is called to the Kenyan wilderness to investigate a set of hominid skull fragments, she little suspects how profoundly the journey will change her. As she studies the ancient fossils, she becomes intrigued by the tale of a 1908 safari and the British nobleman who died mysteriously near the site of her dig. The further she probes, the more deeply she is drawn into past lives and a world turned upside down by ancient, mysterious forces of violence.
Surrounded only by the vast wasteland of African desert, her forgotten sexuality is gradually reawakened – first by Marion Macmillan, the neglected wife of Kathryn’s alcoholic colleague, then by the mystic nomad Daniel Tregallion. As the academic significance of the findings begins to attract worldwide attention, Kathryn finds herself drawn into a vortex of dark passion, native curses, and devastating political violence.
It has paleontology, good guns, Patterson flashbacks, and the scariest Somali marauding “Wanderers and Nomads” in print. And a whole lot more!
I really need an immersive read right now — and this looks like it’s all that.
Quixotic Mainer says
Chingon post! If pictures were allowed I would include Ole Rico Fardan hip firing a Lewis gun as a show of solidarity!
My college roommate actually introduced me to Chingon the band after he picked up on my frontier obsession .They have quite the sound!
JimC says
I wish they’d give us another….
Quixotic Mainer says
Absolutely! I thought you could hear echoes of Chingon on The Book of Boba Fett soundtrack, which Rodriguez worked on. After all, that’s a space western on an epic, if at times, goofy scale.
Sadly for now, I think that hope is best relegated to “things that really ought to be done” box. Right along with a comeback for black pepper jack doritos, and Ruger bringing back the 96 with Glock mag compatibility.
David Wrolson says
Well, just ordered The Hanging Tree.
Should hit the X-Ring and it will jump to the top of the TBR pile.
Digging into PC Wren a little.
As GMF certainly knows his Wren-I can’t believe I have waited this long.
I started with “Cupid in Africa” which is a WW1 East Africa story on Kindle. I really like it so far.
I ordered the Beau Geste trilogy with the idea that it could be my “Harvest” book-to read when I am unloading trucks and such. But, the font is too small for that purpose.
JimC says
HT is already compelling.
Reese Crawford says
“Me and ol Bill there, we both come from Georgia….”
Seems like I read something in one of Capstick’s books about Patterson forming a square, bayonets in, around a superior officer for a derogatory comment towards his Jewish troops.
JimC says
Well played.
tom taylor says
i had a surprise many years ago when i was talking spanish to an undocumented alien from mexico. i had many conversations with him prior to this one but we got into the subject of cartels. he assured me he was quite familiar with cartels and how they threatened his culture. in the conversation i was describing some of the mafia mafiosos. i said there was one who was really bad. his name was al capone, when he suddenly burst out in overpowering laughter. i carried on with the conversation but left wondering what was so hilarious when i mentioned al capone? it was only much later i realized why he burst in laughter, el capon in spanish and is a castrated rooster! a capon, a rather old description not too familiar to most in these “advanced” times…….
when i say “threatened culture” above, i am talking to a tarahumara (full blood) indian from copper canyon, chihuahua, mexico. he’s somewhere in his 50’s and he walks from the arizona border to central arizona. tarahumara is probably the most remote tribe in the americas. many of the tribe don’t associate with mestizo mexico. he was quite unusual,
JimC says
That’s great stuff. El Capon…
geometry dash says
I have no idea!
Block Blast says
These photos are truly historic.
RUNT Por Placa says
This Pictures Are Really Nice !!! Appreciatted
Simit por placa says
I very heart touching scenes