CHEMA SKANDAL, 27
Vice: How did you become a skin?

Chema: It was because of a fanzine from Madrid. At first I didn’t know about the relationship between skins and reggae and ska, so I started to learn more by sending letters to people involved in the movement around the world.

Was there one particular song that made you want to be a skin?

“Ghost Town” by the Specials. It talks about Coventry and how there are no jobs, the youth are fighting, and their only choice is to remember the good times.

So why did you become a skinhead? Just because you liked ska?

Mainly because of the fashion and the music. But also because I identified with the the lyrics—the desire to have a future.

And was it also about being against racism?

This is interesting. We are in a country where racism is very different from racism in the Europe or the US. When you don’t have black or white, it’s more about classism than racism.

But every time I ask a skinhead here who their enemies are, they say it’s the Nazis. How can a Nazi be Mexican? There is zero logic to that.

I know! Nevertheless, Mexican Nazis exist. We call them morenazis! [A pun on the word moreno, which means “brown-skinned person.”]

And what the hell do they fight against?

Against the rich kids who believe that they are descended from the Spaniards—from Franco.

Wait, morenazis believe in Aztec supremacy?

Yes! They worship the flag. They think they are indigenous people.


CONTINUED
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