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Boshvideo
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Roadside memorials
Driving many miles on Mexico 1 in the last few weeks I was struck with the amount of roadside memorials. I was thinking about all the stories that
could be told about why thery were there.
Does anyone know of books or documentaries on this subject?
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DENNIS
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I once wrote a story called, "A Cross On The Side Of The Road." If I could find it, I would make it available. It wasn't meant for publication and
that's good because it turned into a ramble. Fifty some pages. I enjoyed writing it so I threw out size restrictions. As most know, fifty pages of
anything fit nowhere.
That's not what I wanted to say. What I wanted to point out was the prolifiration of roadside crosses in the US. I've even seen them on I-5.
Gee. I wonder why.
[Edited on 8-21-2007 by DENNIS]
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danaeb
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Bosh - where's the trip report? You're gone for two weeks and all you bring us is a picture of a fish taco?
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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Ken Bondy
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Does anybody know Hector's story? It's certainly one of the most creative and ambitious of all the Baja memorials:
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loretta
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no kidding..........got a be a great story to go with that one
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Boshvideo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by danaeb
Bosh - where's the trip report? You're gone for two weeks and all you bring us is a picture of a fish taco? |
I promise to get my trip report posted by weeks end. Thanks for not letting me get lazy.
I'm really interested in any information on these memorials.
It\'s easier to get forgiveness then permission.
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DianaT
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I recently read about a graduate student who was doing a thesis on these memorials, but I believe it was in Arizonia.
It would be quite a project for someone, but it would be interesting to know the story behind each one. One thing we have noticed, both when we lived
in Calexico and when we traveled Baja, that offen a memorial is put up for a gringo who dies on the highway, but often it is not kept up---a cultural
difference to be sure.
Recently we noticed the cross with an American flag where the motorcycle rider was killed between Jesus Maria and Guerrero Negro----we wonder how long
it will be kept up.
Diane
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Boshvideo
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I agree, it would be most interesting to know the stories behind each one but a near impossible task. I would consider doing a video documentaty but I
feel it would lack any depth without the insightful stories.
It\'s easier to get forgiveness then permission.
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MrBillM
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Dead Mexicans
About twenty years back, during a discussion of Mexico and Baja with a management employee at GTE, he made the (serious) comment that he had visited
Mexico ONCE and was amazed that the people just buried their dead right next to the roadway.
It was difficult not to laugh, but discretion dictated not correcting him.
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bajamigo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jdtrotter
Recently we noticed the cross with an American flag where the motorcycle rider was killed between Jesus Maria and Guerrero Negro----we wonder how long
it will be kept up.
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There's a memorial in Punta Banda, along the Z road, commemorating the death of a young American man two years ago. It is sporadically maintained, I
believe by the guy's friends.
The story is as ironic as it is tragic. Three young men were renting a house on the sand spit and decided to have a bash in Ensenada. They drove into
the local village, Cantu, to call a taxi to ferry them around. As they returned to their house to await the taxi, the car went off the road into a
lagoon, where the poor guy drowned in about three feet of water. He was 26 years old.
[Edited on 8-21-2007 by bajamigo]
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loretta
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Descansos ("resting places")
Just some links of interest on the subject..............
http://photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=97863
http://jsr.fsu.edu/Volume7/McNearney.htm
Very common in Native American culture as well............ Montana, Washington, Idaho and Wyoming and most of the midwest this is common to see
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Boshvideo
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Interesting.... many thanks. This would be a perfect project to take on. Just as long as there is a space to pull over and a chance at shooting some
video with out getting nailed by a bus.
It\'s easier to get forgiveness then permission.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Does anybody know Hector's story? It's certainly one of the most creative and ambitious of all the Baja memorials:
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Baja Angel and I stopped for a close up look at Hector's monument on our way to L.A. Bay to visit with Mike and Mary Ann
http://vivabaja.com/1005/
Here's one of the three pictures on that web page...
[Edited on 8-21-2007 by David K]
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docsmom
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I've seen lots of them in BCN, and an equal amount in So. Nevada. The northernmost I've seen was in Seattle. Each time they remind me to be grateful
to be in the present moment, and to be with a loved one.................
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Keri
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Loretta Thanks for sharing
Very interesting. I have a friend that takes photos of the shrines. She may put them in a book. I sent the links to her also. k
[Edited on 8-21-2007 by Keri]
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woody with a view
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| Quote: |
Just as long as there is a space to pull over and a chance at shooting some video with out getting nailed by a bus.
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sheesh, it is mexico afterall! living on the edge.......
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toneart
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Does anybody know Hector's story? It's certainly one of the most creative and ambitious of all the Baja memorials:
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Hector was a truck driver. Hector bought the farm. Hector was loved.
That's all I got but I'm sure there is more.........
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Zgringo
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Here's what I can tell you what I know about them. A friend of mine (Mexican) was killed in a auto accident and his family come up to San Felipe and
built a memorial at the site he died at. They believe the soul hangs around till the body is buried and they want them to know they are loved. Then
there's 10 days from the time of death the family and friends gather at church and do the rosery for a hour or so. The family mourns the death for 30
days and the wife for a year. After that there name is never said again as it might bring back the spirit. The thing after that is on the Day of the
Dead some family members will place flowers on the grave.
In my travels threw out Mexico it seems they all die in car accidents. Lots of crosses.
Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes.
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CaboRon
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Very ineresting custom. Loretta the links were facinating.
- CaboRon
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Alan
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I worked many years on the I-15 in the Mojave Desert as a firefighter. It didn't take long to realize that if people would plant a tree instead of a
cross the Mojave would be a rain forest in short order. 75% of all the fatalities were caused by ejections simply because people wouldn't use
seatbelts. (Caltrans doesn't allow the memorials).
Even if you don't care about yourself think about the person that has to come clean up the mess and buckle up!
[Edited on 8-21-2007 by Alan]
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