Gettin' Dirty

San Cristobal is a host to many active organizations and people. Yesterday we participated in a workshop put on by Jaguar de Madera, a local organization specializing in permaculture. Permaculture is a mentality of sorts based around the premise of observing nature and modifying your behavior and existence more along nature's patterns. What this means is to understand the relationship we as the human animal play on this planet. Respect must be given to all life forms great or small, and with the proper understanding these relationships can be harnessed and utilized for our benefit. The workshop focused on worms. Worms are our little unsung heroes of the dirt. Having virtually no defense mechanisms these creatures produce resources while consuming waste. Worms convert organic material into worm castings, basically its excretions, which is beneficial to plants, let alone they are useful when fed to animals such as fish and birds. Worms duplicate rapidly and only demand that the environment meets their needs. This is exactly what we learned about at Jaguar de Madera. Faith and I, along with a couple others, filled sacks with wood shavings for the frame of the worm bed we were building. We also added wood shavings to the floor of the bed with a slight incline. This is to soften the ground to not allow small rocks to poke through the plastic liner we added after and the incline is so that water can be drained. A PVC pipe is inserted at the base of the "bed frame" with a bucket on the other end to catch the valuable drippings. We then got fresh cow manure, how fresh you ask? So fresh the flies flew in our noses as we shoveled it, so fresh the top layer was cooler than the inner layers, so fresh.......enough? OK. Anyways, we shoveled, stacked, and wheelbarrowed loads of cow manure to create the bottom layer of the worm bed. Once fully spread around we added a layer of dirt, then another steaming layer of manure, and a last layer of dirt to top it off. The final part of our project was to add water to the worm bed to give it a thorough soaking. This process must be done for ten days to remove the harmful acidic material from the fresh cow manure. Once nicely rinsed the worms are introduced to their new home. Worms have the ability to double their population about every twenty days. In this perfect environment the worms will be consuming the cow manure and mixing the dirt creating nutrient rich soil. There are many different ways to work with worms and have a mutually beneficial relationship. At Jaguar de Madera there is an abundance of wood shavings so we utilized what was available. There are interesting videos on YouTube that show other neat ways you could incorporate worm composting into your house using easily accessible resources. Permaculture encourages the concept of turning waste into something useful, or finding multiple uses for what's available.

A quick update on our project: We are still working with Orquideas Moxviquil with the goal of building two sustainable latrines there. We are in the process of clearing space for the two structures, we have been shoveling, picking, and carrying away wheelbarrows full of earth that we have been removing to make the area flatter. We are still networking to get more help on this, and have a few exciting things planned...

Orquideas Moxviquil

Today we revisited one of our favorite new places in San Cristobal, Orquideas Moxviquil. We were originally told about the orchid preserve by the professor I went on a field study with to Chiapas this past summer, Dr. Gasco. OM happens to be right around the corner from where we were staying at the Mayan Medicine Museum. As we walked onto the grounds of OM we were greeted by a woman who informed us the director would come meet us and show us around. A few minutes later a man came out by the name of Cisco. He explained to us the history of his project that is the nature preserve and all that he is involved with. There are fern gardens, a lake with an agave island, wetlands, sculpture garden, large greenhouse, and of course beautiful orchids and other epiphytes.



As we were being given a tour Cisco's knowledge and passion for what he is doing at Orquideas Moxviquil was obvious. He explained to us that his dream is to preserve beautiful pieces of Chiapas and the neighboring regions so that future generations can enjoy the natural wonders. Within one of his ponds he has a stock of a highly endangered fish species that he is hoping to help breed. He went on to tell us of the devastating deforestation being caused by mining and other destructive construction.

Orquideas Moxviquil specializes in plants, and has over 400 different species of orchid. While we were there we were informed that 30 different species were in bloom at that moment. Aside from the orchids, Cisco has created amazing symbiotic ecosystems with many different species of tree from oak to other endangered trees. Wildlife like dragonflies, hummingbirds, and bees seem to love what he has done with the place and can be seen throughout the area. The key to all this harmony must be the utilization of what is provided by nature. The pond is natural, no lining or chemicals. The water gets filtered by a special Brazilian water plant and the fish feed on the algae. The rainwater gets cleverly diverted through drainage's to be used by the plants at OM. Bridges along the trails throughout OM are made from wood provided by the 200+ acres of pristine forest.











Everything at OM has a lot of thought put into it, and everything looks like a work of art. There is an area dedicated to human art which has a unique sculpture of essentially a large block made up different material. The art is actually the way the block deteriorates over time, it is ever changing. There is a bright and colorful auditorium for presenting to school children, the trash cans resemble plants, and garbage is turned into art - such as the spark plug tire-wheel sculpture.



During our tour we learned about the projects Cisco has in mind for OM like more greenhouses dedicated to the different climate regions of Chiapas, so visitors can encounter plant life from all the regions in one place. We shared with him about our experience building the waterless eco-sustainable latrine, which he became very interested in. Turns out OM is need of some sort of public restroom and something so ecologically friendly would fit right in with his vision. There are several alternative forms to modern plumbing and Cisco is interested in exploring the options. He has told us about a latrine called a "willow bog" that is similar to our adobe brick based structure, but with straw for the outer casing of the waste material.

After today's visit Cisco extended the offer to allow us to build these type of latrines at Orquideas Moxviquil. He hopes to possibly have one of each type and use it for demonstration and for use. OM intends to educate their visitors by providing signs with information about what they are observing. The latrines would be no exception. The idea is to have pamphlets on the construction of these types of structures to provide information on alternative, and cost effective forms of turning waste into something useful.

We have a lot on our plates, but we are very optimistic and excited about this future project. We have already begun contacting the network we have formed here to get more people on board and will begin the planning of it all soon. Hopefully you will be reading about our progress very soon.

If you'd like more information on Orquideas Moxviquil, visit their website
www.orchidsmexico.com

Just this last week.....

This last week, like the elevator business, has had it's ups and downs. We visited a local nature preserve that specializes in orchids native to the area and other preservation efforts. We are looking into volunteering with them and will be visiting there again this week. We plan on writing an entry dedicated to the preserve. A little glimpse into our daily life here: we rely on our laptop and internet for some of our nightly entertainment. We have found websites that allow for international users to view American television programming and movies, we are very thankful for this might I just mention. So, as we get comfy and settled to watch some of our favorite shows we place our laptop on a chair or table at the foot of our bed. One serious leap in technology that is needed is to have wireless electricity because as I got up to get some candy for our movie the other night I clumsily tripped over the wires and sent our laptop crashing down onto our tile floor. Gravity has never been so cruel to me. Needless to say, our laptop seized to function and we lost a large portion of our progress in the college applications we have been slaving over.

Luckily everyone in this town knows each other and the workers at our apartment complex knew of a computer technician. Turns out we destroyed our hard drive and needed to replace it. So, after about three days of being looked at and 1,250 pesos (about 100 dollars) we had our laptop back with a pirated version of windows 7 all in Spanish. Not too bad of a deal considering the Geek Squad or whoever would have charged an arm and a leg. So, Faith and all her computer wizardry figured a way to turn the majority of the system into English. Faith's mom found my writing samples on a hard drive we left at home as backup because we all know I destroy things because I have these beautiful yet awkward feet (smart move to back that data up). So, now that we are back in action we are getting back into the swing of things and getting these applications going again. On the weekends we allow ourselves fun time - check out our weekend.

We wanted to do some good Eco-tourism and found an all day trip that goes from 9am to 9pm that visits a cave, waterfalls, and a group of lakes for about $20 US each. The first stop was the local cave, Rancho Nuevo Cave, where you are able to hike in and see a kilometer of the known 10 km of this enormous cave. Limestone stalactites and stalagmites can be seen and heard because of the dripping water which has been their source of creation for the past million or so years. The cave was so large and spacious it made you feel dwarfed within it. Next up was the Eco-park, El Chiflon where around eighty members of local communally run farms operate the park and maintain the river that flows over five majestic waterfalls. There is a walkway that places you parallel to the meandering river where you climb up stairs to the breathtaking views of each waterfall. The giant Blue Morpho butterflies along with other colorful butterflies guide you through their natural wonderland. The park's cleanliness is impressive, the pride they take in keeping it as pristine as possible is evident by all the signs in place promoting care and love for nature with proper instructions on where trash, camping, and picnicking is allowed.We made friends with an older couple from the neighboring town of Comitan who were there enjoying the natural beauty for their second time. At the end of the walkway is Bridal Veil Falls where you can get on a platform that is so close you get drenched by all the spray coming off the rocks from the 400 foot drop. We were wet the rest of the day, but it was well worth it.

The last stop of the day was the Lakes of Montebello - some fifty lakes that share the border of Mexico and Guatemala. We met some children who have cleverly come up with a way to entertain tourists - they recite poetry and incorporate your name into the rhymes. They definitely earned the candy we gave them as a prize.

The lakes we saw were beautiful and we were surprised by the amounts of vendors at each stop. While in Cancun on our honeymoon at each stop (Chichen Itza, Tulum, etc) we were swarmed by vendors with goods draped over their arms and on display for sale. Here the level of pressure by the few vendors was minimal and we didn't feel an obligation like other tours we have taken. The lakes had a "balsas" ride we turned down, which turned out to be a raft of wooden poles you paddle across the water. It looked like fun but not worth the 150 pesos each.

San Juan Diego Parade

We heard a commotion that sounded like the steady rhythm of a washer machine, but it kept growing in intensity. Once I heard brass instruments like tubas I knew this was no run-away washer machine. It was a full blown parade coming down our street! There were semi trucks as make shift floats for the processional that came down Francisco I Madero street. On the beds of these trucks were miniature replicas of churches and biblical scenes. Along with the religious motif someone must have decided to incorporate Toy Story for some extra pizzazz. Children and adults waved from the floats in Macy's Day style and tossed candy to the children who were on the sidewalks following the parade.

I later found out that this was a celebration dedicated to San Juan Diego, one of the many revered saints of the Catholic faith. According to popular belief San Juan Diego (1474-1578) was an indigenous Mexican who had a vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531. During this time the Catholic church was spreading their faith across the region of Mesoamerica. The vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a mixture of the Catholic faith's Mary, mother of Jesus, but being of an Mesoamerican indigenous heritage. This linked the indigenous people and the Catholic church and made for much easier conversion. San Juan Diego was canonized in 2002 as the Catholic church's first indigenous saint.

Today's celebration being so close to the Day of the Dead had many lingering components from the previous festivities. There were adults and children following the floats dressed in costumes from scary clowns to the grim reaper on stilts. These don't necessarily have anything to do with celebrating San Juan Diego, but why not use those costumes for another day, right?

The parade ended at the steps to the Guadalupe Temple in town. There the trucks stopped and everyone hung out in the street, blocking traffic, eating tortas while fireworks were set off in the plaza. All in all, a pretty standard Sunday here in San Cristobal.

Dia de los Muertos

It has been a very lively past couple of days. Children have been strolling the streets in face makeup and masks singing to local shop owners or passersby expecting a sweet treat preferably in the form of candy. They sing a short song to the effect of, "We are little angels from the sky who have come down to ask for a treat to eat." This all began on October 29th and ended yesterday, November 2nd.

Day of the Dead is a celebration that has been celebrated by pre-Colombian cultures such as the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas for over 3,000 years. The celebration and activities have changed over time depending on the region, but the meaning stays the same - honor the ones who have passed.

Since the colonization of the New World there has been much overlap of religion and holidays. Day of the Dead happened to fall on the Catholic holiday of All Souls and All Saints Day. November 1st is All Saints Day and is also Dia de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents) where all the children who have passed on are remembered and their lives are celebrated. November 2nd is All Souls Day and is also Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and is dedicated to all the adults who have passed on.

Altars are erected throughout the city in people's houses, shops, and restaurants. There they lay pictures of the deceased they want to honor and remember. Flowers such as marigolds are laid on the altars and cut out paper art is displayed. There are key colors to the celebration (red, orange, purple, and yellow) each representing a cardinal direction. Candles are also lit at the altars and food and drink are placed near the photos. It is believed that on this day the deceased is able to exit the spirit realm and visit the physical realm and the fire in the candle is their portal and the food and drink left behind are for them to smell and enjoy. You can find tequila, beer, bread, cigarettes, candy and all sorts of other things the deceased may have enjoyed on each altar.

It is also customary to visit the cemetery where your passed loved one has been buried on November 2nd. We went to the main cemetery in town (El Panteon) and found it to be the most alive place in town. Let me begin by describing the cemetery. Imagine a city made up of one room structures each with their own unique architecture resembling Spanish cathedrals, square houses, medieval castles, and modern styles all complete with windows and doors. The cemetery is large enough to get lost in with rows and walkways throughout it. We passed by families sitting around graves talking, drinking, and playing music. The mood throughout the cemetery was very festive and hardly somber. Flower bouquets filled the rooms and covered the graves. It was a very beautiful place and the smell of flowers was in the air everywhere you went.

Back in town we decided to see what was going on in the main plaza. The past week has been a multi-cultural festival with free to the public performances on multiple stages that are just as high in production value as any day festival back in the states. Each night has been a different act from traditional dancers/musicians, to professional singers and performers. There was a large tent set up with a line to get in, so we decided to get in line and find out what we were waiting for once we got in. Inside the tent was a temporary museum with cutting edge technology to help showcase the exhibit. It began with a room showcasing all the different indigenous cultures throughout Mexico on a Smartboard where a projector shoots onto a screen that you can touch and manipulate, similar to the Apple touch system. Then there was a large room with movie theater sound system with a short video demonstrating the diversity among the cultures in Mexico with amazing sounds, colors, photos, and music. Then the last space was where artifacts from all these cultures were displayed behind glass. The quality of the presentation and exhibit would have made my friends in the fabrication department at Bowers Museum proud. There were handicrafts such as drums, jars, and bowls and also clothing and fabric produced by the peoples from each region. The museum was put together by CDI, The National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples. Outside in the plaza there were several traveling bands each with a different amount of members and with different instruments. We saw a group of all female musicians, an all male group, and a mixed group who all had their faces painted in the iconic style of Day of the Dead.

It has been very exciting these last couple of nights and the only problem we are having is knowing what to go so see because there is so much going on we don't want to miss anything.