Rather than focusing on what this region has not, we chose to look at what is there in abundance –a good, strong life force. “Indigenous” means that men have lived in that location for thousands of years. What is their life? Miguel walks for an hour to catch a bus from Otatlan to Zacatlan. When that time is condensed into minutes in a speeding car along a good road, what will he lose? There is a community steam bath, temascal, built and used by all, cooperatively. Butchering the pig is done cooperatively by the whole village. People have to work very long hours to have enough to eat, yet they still find the time and need to paint. The women find the time and need to embroider and observe the specific patterns from their villages, which Mary Carmen explained to a fascinated audience. The hand spun wool and loomed cloth they wear is gorgeous and good protection against both heat and cold. Mary Carmen said it best, “These are not poor people. They are people without cash. They have a culture, customs, rituals, food, clothing and a language that serves their purposes.
Modern life can be helpful or destroy this independence and spirit of cooperation. Their “medicines from the garden” work, as we are just finding out, but our modern medicine is a wonderful thing for so many of life’s ills. Almost no one would wish to live without electricity, running water, indoor plumbing and a weather secure home, but It is our fervent hope that those who have the choice of blessings to receive will be wise enough to keep what is good and not take so much from our world that they lose what is uniquely their own.
No comments:
Post a Comment