shari - 7-18-2009 at 07:58 PM
Last weekend we attended a grand event...yet another touching encounter with the elders of baja...
Doña Maria is the oldest woman I have ever met and the most beautiful. She is gracious, fun and loving and adored by all who know her. She is my
husband Juan’s uncle’s mother in law and always asks for Juan to play the violin for her…so we had the honour of being invited to what we thought was
her 91st birthday. But when one of her family members arrived, we learned that she was born in 1908 making her 101!!
The story goes that Maria is getting ready to leave this earthly place. She asked that we all gather with her for Mother’s Day this year as it would
be her last with us. It was an unforgettable fiesta. She also requested that as much of her family as possible attend what she professed to be her
last birthday party. So they came in numbers from ranchos all over Baja California…from Ensenada, Mexicali, Abreojos, Tortugas, Asuncion, Vizcaino, La
Paz and Loreto. Many of them spent several days at Maria’s humble casita with a palm roof perched on a cliff in Piedras Negras in San Ignacio.
The visitors spanned 4 generations and it was a grand affair with family reunited after many years apart.
Tents were erected for shade, tables and chairs by Tecate of which there was an endless supply. A steer was killed to feed the masses and the kitchen
was a very busy place with huge pots of menudo and birria and countless tortillas. Music was very much a part of this gathering with family members
playing and singing and 2 bands were hired for the dance. I loved the trio who played traditional music with guitar, accordion and stand up
bass…classic baja ranch tunes unplugged. We danced for many hours barefoot on the cool dirt dance floor.
Everyone was so happy and loving..my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
Doña Maria was joined at the head table by her sister and two brothers who stayed awake a lot longer than I did…but snuck some catnaps in from time to
time in their chair…just resting their eyes!.
They were still going strong when we left just before dawn! I truly don’t know how they hung in there so long…Maria is a strong woman and certainly
didn’t appear that she would be leaving us anytime soon…but she may well have other plans.
She is my heroine. Oh how I wish I could be so loved by so many and celebrate a birthday in such grand style. Doña Maria….I salute you and wish you
well on your journey beyond.
DianaT - 7-18-2009 at 08:16 PM
Gees, with having her sister and brothers at the head table, she obviously has some really good genes going for her!
Hope she did not have to do a face plant in the cake!
Sounds like it was quite a celebration and well deserved!
Diane
BornFisher - 7-18-2009 at 08:50 PM
That put a song in my heart!
What a beautiful lady, maybe getting ready to go to the paradise we all dream about, she will never be forgotten and her spirit will live forever!
Curt63 - 7-18-2009 at 08:58 PM
Shari, You are a rich woman. Thanks for sharing your treasure with us.
Sharksbaja - 7-18-2009 at 09:07 PM
There are words for such an event should I ever be blessed with attending one. Words like grand and special. Thanks for sharing Shari. I like that,
"Sharing Shari" cause you do it so well.
Bajahowodd - 7-18-2009 at 09:39 PM
How wonderful. Thanks for sharing with us. Reminds me of a recent post about Mama Espinoza being honored in Ensenada. Makes me scratch my head how
these folks who live such a modest life in a harsh environment manage such long lives. Wonder if we gringos are doing something wrong. And could
there possibly be a better place to have such a celebration than the zocalo in San Ignacio? Fantastic.
[Edited on 7-19-2009 by Bajahowodd]
shari - 7-19-2009 at 06:15 AM
These are the kind of events that make baja so special for me and it warms my heart to share them with others...these people are such an inspiration
to me. It is always such a pleasure to watch how they spread the love not only amongst family but any visitor who wanders in too.
I wasnt able to photograph their living quarters due to the heat but was so impressed by the simplicity...i had to run to the river and stay in it a
good while...till dark when it cooled off. I just cant imagine how they deal with the heat there.
The location was perfect though as it was held where they live and there was lots of room for visitors to camp and park and it was private with lots
of noise till six in the morning...they took a short two hour nap and were at it again the next day playing music and eating and dancing...what
stamina!!! I cant wait to go back and photograph the place to share it with all of you...
ELINVESTIG8R - 7-19-2009 at 08:08 AM
Feliz belated cumpleaños to Doña Maria's on her 101st birthday bash in San Ignacio. Que linda!
Kell-Baja - 7-19-2009 at 01:20 PM
NICE!!!!! I bet she was wonderful stories to tell.
Bajahowodd - 7-19-2009 at 04:26 PM
I can't speak for Canadians, but I do know that the USA has nowhere near the reverence for their elders. It's undoubtedly the focus on family and
reverence for the older generation that helps make Mexico what it is. Don't want to go off-topic, but I really do think that the Catholic Church is a
big part of what we gringos have come to love about the Mexican culture. Unfortunately, evangelical, fundamentalist Christian types have been making
inroads within that culture. For reasons that escape me, it seems that these come-lately folks are touting a get rich credo. As a long time educator
in SoCal, I can speak from experience that for better or worse, the Mexican-American families are much more concerned about how well their children
"fit in", than their academic performance. At the same time, the Asian-American families' primary concern is academic achievement. I only share this
because I'm fairly certain that a major reason that so many folks on this board absolutely love Mexico, is because of the emphasis on family, and
social acceptance.
shari - 7-19-2009 at 06:38 PM
I agree...one of the gazillion things i love about Baja is that the familes are very united and spend lots of time together and support each other.
The parties are attended by the whole family...there arent "adult" parties...there are always kids of all ages running around.
The dances are attended by everyone so you can see who your daughter is hangin with
...there are few secrets and everybody watches out for the kids...taking care of the children is a community effort. It is lovely to interact with
people of all ages.
What a Lovely Tribute
Gypsy Jan - 7-19-2009 at 06:50 PM
Shari,
Thanks for sharing.
The Mexican extended family ethic has always impressed and awakened longings for the same thing in my life.
I really wish that us white bread Americans of origin would somehow learn to refocus away from the latest iPod and towards the real things that make
life worth living - long and well.
Thanks For Sharing Shari
amirravon - 7-21-2009 at 01:11 AM
Thanks For Sharing Shari ... make me miss baja
fishbuck - 7-21-2009 at 01:22 AM
Wow! That is truly amazing! She looks good for 101!
Dona Maria is living proof that Baja living is very good when done right.
I think my greatgrandmom made 100 and the greatgranddad was like 98. They lived in Eagle Co. When it was all farming and ranching.
Anyway, congratulation to Dona Maria!
She's doing it right!