Los "Rancheadores": porteadores de mercaderías en la Huaxteca

Abstract

All along the roads of the Huaxteca, and even inside the markets, the so-called “rancheadores” go by offering their products. They are known as “rancheadores” (“ranchroamers peddler”) because they move along from one place to another, offering their merchandises. Nevertheless, the concept of “ranchear” (“ranch-peddler”) conceals some substantial differences existing among the diversity of individuals who perform this activity. Which sorts of “rancheadores” are found in the Huaxteca and what are the differences among them? The analysis of the different types of “rancheadores” leads the observer to note the presence of intermediarios(intermediaries): “rancheadores” who buy and sell with the aim of obtaining a profit. Which conditions favor the presence and persistence of this type of merchants? Why do they perform this activity? Are they characters from the past who managed re-signifying this activity as a life-option? This kind of intermediaries buy both national and foreign industrialized products, which they offer to rural societies. This leads to the following question: Is “ranch-peddler” a way of connecting the global with the local? And, if this is so, we could also ask: Does what they offer lead to cultural homogenization?