No One Writes To The Colonel

At the age of 92, Big Mama, a woman regarded as the "absolute sovereign of the Kingdom of Macondo" (153) passes away on a Tuesday in September. After weeks of mourning, the crowds have left Macondo and the "President of the Republic and his Ministers" (153) have "regained control of their estates" (153), which once belonged to Big Mama's family.

Fourteen weeks prior to Big Mama's funeral and subsequent mourning, Big Mama had gathered her nine nieces and nephews to her side to express her last wishes to them. Big Mama never had children, though she has a legitimate family and sizable "bastard line" (155) of children fathered by the males of the Macondo family. That morning, 100-year-old Father Anthony Isabel had come to Big Mama's mansion to perform extreme unction for Big Mama. Now, Father Anthony and Big Mama's family wait, fatigued, for her to share her will and pass away. A group of "peons" (154) rest in the central hall, waiting to spread word of Big Mama's passing to "the four corners of the huge hacienda" (154). Big Mama's eldest nephew, Nicanor, a military official, goes to look for a notary to officiate Big Mama's will.

Big Mama's impending death weighs on the entire town of Macondo, which was "founded on her surname" (155) generations before her birth. Big Mama has consolidated her family's wealth and land so that everyone in Macondo believes she owns "the waters, running and still […] the district's roads, telegraph poles, leap years, and heat waves" (155). When Big Mama sits on her balcony in the evening, even in her advanced age, she seems to be "the richest and most powerful matron in the world" (155). Because of this, it hasn't occurred to anyone in Macondo, except her family, that Big Mama could be mortal. Big Mama herself believes she will live to be more than one hundred years, just like her maternal grandmother.

During the weeks before Big Mama's death, their family doctor, whom Big Mama has ensured will be the only doctor in Macondo, treats her with "mustard plasters and woolen stockings" (155). When the doctor gets summoned to Big Mama's, he comes to her house in his pajamas, "leaning on two canes" (156). The doctor soon realizes that he's reached the limits of his medicine and will need to call either a barber, in order to let some of Big Mama's blood, or Father Anthony Isabel, to exorcise her. The doctor sends Nicanor for Father Anthony. Ten of Nicanor's men carry the elderly priest up to Big Mama's house.

The procession reminds the people of Macondo of "another era" (156) when Big Mama's birthday celebrations were dayslong "tumultuous carnivals" (156) for the whole town. The festivities would end with fireworks and a huge party at Big Mama's house for "legitimate members of the family" (156) and also "the bastard line" (156). At those birthday parties, Big Mama would preside over the function propped on linen pillows, her fingers adorned with rings. At the night's end, Big Mama would throw coins down to the crowd below.

Those parties, however, stopped years ago, due to "successive mournings" (157) in the Macondo family, and "political instability" (157). Younger people in Macondo never get to see Big Mama at High Mass, "enjoying the privilege of not kneeling" (157) because of her dress. Older people, though, remember Big Mama's elaborate funeral procession for her father.

It's only the bells of the Viaticum, or a person's final Eucharist, that convince everyone that Big Mama, despite her grandeur, is mortal. Big Mama lies in her bed, "bedaubed with aloes up to her ears" (158). Father Anthony asks for help when performing extreme unction as Big Mama's kept her fists balled to prevent anyone taking her rings. Big Mama calls them "highway robbers" (158) when they try to open her hand. When she sees Father Anthony's "sacramental implements" (158), though, Big Mama says with "calm conviction" (158) that she's dying. She then takes off her big diamond ring and gives it to Magdalena, her youngest niece, who's "renounced her inheritance" (159) to become a nun.

Big Mama asks to be left alone with Nicanor to "impart her last instructions" (159). She tells Nicanor how to conduct her affairs, dispose of her boy, and perform the wake. Big Mama warns Nicanor to keep "everything of value under lock and key" (159) during the wake because lots of people come to wakes to steal things. After these commands, Big Mama makes her final confession, "sincere and detailed" (159), then takes her final Communion. Finally, she asks to be moved to her "rattan rocker" (159) so she can "express her last wishes" (159).

With the notary present, and the doctor and priest as witnesses, Big Mama lists off her possessions. Big Mama's property takes up an area "without definite borders, which comprises five townships" (159). Only tenant farmers, of which there are "three hundred and fifty-two" (159), work the land. Big Mama just collects the rent and receives produce and livestock as taxes during the harvest season. In addition to the land and its bounty, Big Mama mentions "three containers of gold coins" (160) buried in some unknown location in her house during the War of Independence. Big Mama passes on a "chart kept up from generation to generation" (160) of where the treasure might be located.

Three hours later, with all her material possessions enumerated, Big Mama and the witnesses sign the document. After this, Big Mama raises herself up "on her monumental buttocks" (161) and lists her "invisible estate" (161). This includes "free elections[…]beauty queens[…]huge demonstrations[…]the Supreme Court[…]statements of political support" (161). Big Mama belches loudly and expires in the middle of her list.

That afternoon, the newspaper publishes a front-page obituary for Big Mama, featuring a photograph of her at age 20, "enlarged to four columns" (162). Not knowing Big Mama, many people who see the obituary believe Big Mama was "a new beauty queen" (162). People the country over, however, regard Big Mama's death, "sanctified by the printed word" (162), as a tragic passing with national implications. Even the President of the Republic, moved by seeing the nation's capital in mourning, decides he will try to attend Big Mama's funeral. Seeing an opportunity to gain popular favor, the president also decrees nine days of "national mourning" (164) and "posthumous honors" (164) for Big Mama "befitting a heroine" (164). However, the country's laws, "built by remote ancestors of Big Mama" (164), prevent the president from attending the burial. His lawyers, however, try to deduce a way for him to attend.

Word about Big Mama's funeral travels as far as the Vatican. From his window, the Pope watches divers search the lake for a decapitated young girl's head. Big Mama's obituary has knocked that story from the newspaper's front page. The Pope recognizes Big Mama from a "hazy daguerreotype" (165) he was shown the day he became Pope. The next day, the Pope begins his journey to Macondo.

The Pope, Big Mama's family, and all of Macondo wait "interminable weeks and months" (167) for the funeral. Big Mama's now-embalmed cadaver lies "mummifying" (167) as the family awaits news from the president. Finally, they receive word that the president has "in his power the extraordinary prerogatives" (167) that permit him to attend Big Mama's funeral.

On the day of the funeral, carts crowd the streets of Macondo, selling food and other small items. People have come from across the country to attend the funeral, including "veterans of Colonel Aureliano Buendía's camp" (167), whom have overcome their "centenarian hatred of Big Mama" (167). The veterans have come to ask the president for their veterans' pensions. The president, "bald and chubby" (168) appears before the crowd, many of whom knew of his inauguration but had never seen him. In addition to the political and religious elite, "national queens of all things" (168), like coconuts, yucca, and kidney-beans, attend the funeral.

During Big Mama's funeral, the "common people" (169) are so dazzled by "the show of power" (169) that they don't notice Big Mama's nieces and nephews begin to dismantle and divide up her house as soon as her casket leaves. The sealing of Big Mama's tomb brings with it a proverbial sigh of relief. The Pope feels he's served his purpose on Earth, the president feels he can now "govern according to his good judgment" (169), and the beauty queens believe they can now marry, "be happy" (169), and have children. The "common people" (169) feel they can set up their homes "where they damn well pleased" (169) on Big Mama's "limitless domain" (169).