“El Coyote»: California’s «Western» and «Pulp Fiction» in Spanish

The novels of El Coyote were a huge hit in post-war Spain, from the late 1930s and early 1940s to the 1960s, reaching into the Hispanic Americas not only in literature but also in the burgeoning Mexican film industry.

Nevertheless, these types of novels (known in the United States as «pulp fiction») were often associated with «minor literature,» though it’s unclear what exactly defines «major» or «minor» literature. The truth is, we are dealing with a highly attractive format, rich in descriptions and narrative skill, weaving well-crafted stories within a carefully studied «universe.»

Speaking of this «universe,» it can also be placed within the «western» genre, as the story of the Wild West is, after all, a Spanish story, and everything that comes from there bears this reference.

This is something that many filmmakers, who went to Spain to shoot their films, captured perfectly:

In fact, these settings were used to film the later El Coyote films in Spain.

El Coyote is the most famous creation of Spanish writer José Mallorquí, who immersed us in the world of California’s Creoles, the descendants of the Spanish pioneers who were there long before the United States was formed. José Mallorquí was a skilled and talented writer who captured the psyche of a population often overlooked by both writers and historians, using lively and engaging language.

Even within the realm of fiction and artistic liberties, El Coyote, reminiscent of Zorro, transports us to a story and an identity that resonates with us as Hispanics.

Moreover, Mallorquí touches on an important issue: the land ownership titles of Hispanic families in California, particularly during the Gold Rush, which dramatically changed the American landscape with the expansion of the Stars and Stripes. Under the Mexican Empire, the Mexican Republic, and later the United States, many Hispanics found themselves dispossessed of land and culture that had once been their own.

Rediscovering the adventures of El Coyote presents an opportunity to, even in the realm of fiction, place ourselves within the Hispanic experience of California specifically, and much of the United States in general—where Hispanics, far from being newcomers, have always been integral to the culture.

And certainly, there seems to be more interest in recovering this Hispanic past from Americans than from many Spaniards and Latin Americans.

José Mallorquí drew inspiration from something that truly exists and is alive, crafting his powerful fiction from it. If only many today would follow this example and take inspiration from history to create great fiction! It’s all a matter of doing it.

 

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