Jacales in Mexico and South Texas

Jacal, pronounced [ha kol], is a word adapted from Nahatl, language of the ancient Aztecs who ruled Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries before being conquered by the Spanish. In Nahuatl, the word is “xacalli,” with xah- meaning “adobe” and -calli meaning “house.”  Most jacales were literally huts of various sizes and construction. Jacales…

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