Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Balance
Balance in the Tropics
There are over 10,000 Roman Catholic Saints and Mexican cities and villages celebrate the history of almost 6,000 of them in pastoral festivals to
mark the seasons. My little village is celebrating our saint’s day this weekend with the traditional crowning of the queen, horse races, athletic
contests, a fishing tournament and special Catholic masses.
These are tough time for the people of Mexico and I’m a proud witness to the resilience they show; it can’t be easy to keep a smile on one’s face when
all you have to run on is hope and faith. My neighbors have been in a survival mode for over a year now and a new-comer might not even catch a hint of
that as they watch the noisy celebration of the first rains.
We are not alone. Almost every village and villager is affected. Many stands and tiendas have closed or only bother to open when under certain
circumstances they see people out and about. Even that has slowed because of the stifling heat and humidity brought on by afternoon thunderstorms near
the mountains.
Maybe for a lot of Mexicans and their villages this particular passion play is merely a variation on a theme – perhaps there have been hundreds of
years, seasons and fiestas with very little to celebrate. The heat brings the rains and fish while tourists run back to the cool, taking with them
money lost forever to the whims of the weather or the pressures they themselves face back home.
I think my Mexican neighbors know all about this balancing act. So why is it they do not husband their resources during the rest of the year? Perhaps
it is because no two years or seasons are the same. Their hope seems to buoy them all up like their fishing boats and they believe providence will
provide if they can just survive, hang on a little longer.
Last night, from my darkened bed I could hear the music from the cancha and I could almost feel the sweat, see the smiles of young men and women
dancing with the same passion they felt a year ago to the day. This time I hope they are right. This time I’m afraid we are going to need a lot more
rain, a lot more beer and even some more saints.
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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Yes. Mexican people find so much to celebrate where we see so little.
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bacquito
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 3-6-2007
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Mood: jubilado
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I think many Mexicans are so used to inflation that if they have a peso today they spend it because it will buy less tomorrow. Things are changing but
it takes time. I have members in my wife's family that will not put money in a bank.
bacquito
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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Here's an idea: perhaps bringing garden seeds and building a garden at neighbors homes or your own and involving neighbors is an excellent approach
toward helping each other-Not too mention sharing recipes and ideas for using local grown items.
There may be much to learn about the Summer and Winter seasons-about watering, building shelters for plants from sun and wind and methods to get water
to plants, for example bringing old hoses and leftover sprinkler drip system parts and gardening cloth and frames to cover beds.
In addition, purchasing chickens, making hen houses, encouraging incubation of fertilized eggs and purchasing corn meal food for them could be a
community effort toward self-sufficiency.
Many people already have gardening/farming skills and can teach each other, while others have much to learn-together we can build support networks
that increase neighborhoods durability and self-sufficiency.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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Squirrels rule the world
| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
I think my Mexican neighbors know all about this balancing act. So why is it they do not husband their resources during the rest of the year? Perhaps
it is because no two years or seasons are the same. Their hope seems to buoy them all up like their fishing boats and they believe providence will
provide if they can just survive, hang on a little longer.
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Typically, cultures living in subtropical/tropical climes do not horde. Food is generally in abundance. Coupled with a belief system that emphasizes
giving over saving produces a perfect storm of unpreparedness.
Belief that 'providence will provide' insures believers an accelerated opportunity to meet their provider. 
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Bajame
Nomad
Posts: 458
Registered: 6-12-2005
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Mood: Baja Dreamin
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Great idea! There is a patch of land across the street that might work very well as a community garden. Plus rain bird donated so much equip to my
friends that watering will be no problem.
We all want a peaceful world, filled with love and laughter, but we fill ourselves with anger and hate trying to fiqure out how to achive it.
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