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La Madre Matiana: Prophetess and Nation in Mexican Satire

2011; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 68; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1017/s0003161500006763

1533-6247

Edward Wright-Ríos,

Cuban History and Society

On July 1, 1917, a publication calling itself La Madre Matiana hit the newsstands in Mexico City. The newspaper promised a bold take on politics and society, and its masthead revealed a mission both madcap and grandiose: “A prophetic, truth-telling newspaper; it will block the sun with a finger, bark at the moon, and serenade the morning star.” This earnest but rather comical statement of endeavor appeared in each issue, and Mexicans of the time would have seen in addition an irreverent parody in the publication's name. The periodical's founder, Angel Prieto, had appropriated a clairvoyant character from popular lore to serve as his paper's alter ego. He chose well—the prophecies of madre Matiana had provoked Mexicans for over half a century and gained renewed prominence during the Mexican Revolution. In the years leading up to the newspaper's emergence, various publications had revisited the Matiana legacy.