¡Hola!

Little Lupe

2011-04-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

This little guy makes my heart smile!

Definitely Computer illiterate

2011-04-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

So, it seems that I cannot find a way to get pictures onto this blog, or how to lead you to my web albums! However, my sister and I have just been chatting on skype and we think we have devised a way to see a few of our pictures (if anyone can offer any words of advice on Picasa or Blogger I would be happy to hear them). So here is what might work to view the pictures that go along with the posts below: type Jaime Friesen Pankratz into google; click on Jaime Friesen-Pankratz Google Profile (the sixth entry down); click on the Picasa Web tab...and you should have the pictures!

Computer illiterate?

2011-04-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

It seems that the Picasa/Blogger connection that I've been using for blogging during the past three years is no longer working for me (as is evidenced by the abundance of little question mark boxes below where photos are supposed to be). That, or I have just become computer illiterate do to our lack of regular access to the internet! We are currently in Mexico City doing some paper work and have had regular access to the internet; hence, I was planning to blog our last couple of months in photos. However, I think I've found a bit of a solution through Picasa Web Albums. I've posted a bunch of pictures using these albums (including all of the pictures that were supposed to go with the posts below) and you can find these albums by clicking on the link in the right hand column (directly to the right of this post) called "Our pictures in Picasa Web Albums." That should take you there. And, yes, any blogging advice or other other advice or ideas on ways to post photos is welcome!

Photos that go with "Agua Para Siempre" post found further below

2011-04-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I posted about a new cooperative in Zacango but for some reason the pictures didn't load. Please find the explanation for these photos further down (after Ziko's birthday posts).

Pictures that go with "Zacango at Work" post found further on below

2011-04-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

The Five Year Old!

2011-04-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a collage of a few pics from Ziko's birthday that I forgot to include in his birhday posts below. From top left: Hizee gifted Ziko her sacred "Stories for 5 Year Olds" as she now deemed him "ready for these stories;" Ziko on his last night as a 4 year old; the morning of his big day; received The Drink (all 2 and a half litres of Coke) on his party day; (Bottom from left) the traditional Mexican face in the cake; receiving one of his favourite Mexican meals (picaditas or sopes) from Elvira; a birthday embrace from his good friend Selene; gathering around the cake on party day.

The Kid! Ziko Turns Five!

2011-04-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

We can't believe that our little Bean turned five this past February! He's still our little guy and loves to be showered with hugs and kisses daily!

Ziko had a great year! He continues to be the man-about-town and becomes more Mexican by the day with his flourishing social life. Ziko loves nothing more than to be roaming the streets of Zacango with his friends popping into their houses for his fill of beans, tortillas, and salsa!

Ziko is pure joy to be around! He has a great sense of humour, asks great questions, is eager to learn and loves to play!

Ziko had an amazing party to celebrate his Big 5...check out all the photos below!

The Cakes!

2011-04-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Preperations!

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The Tatoos!

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The Games!

2011-04-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

The Ring!

2011-04-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Construction Workers

2011-04-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Cesar and Enrique help construct the mini fusbol table that Bruce got for the kids.

Zacango at Work

2011-04-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Young Women's Newspaper Group with their new printer/photocopier that they purchased with help from the Yellowknife United Church Youth Group. They used the copier to print 50 copies of their monthly newspaper (which every household in Zacango receives free each month); and have also begun a small photocopying business in the community.

Back in December I donated my pig (to be consumed in a tastey meal of pozole) for the anual fiesta. It turns out because I hadn't had her reproductive organs removed prior to the donation (and slaughter) that her meat was deamed unsuitable at the moment of the feista and they decided to raffle her off to earn some money for the community. They later used this money to build a set of dry latrines in the community center.

The Baking Group selling their wares on Pizza Friday!

Agua Para Siempre

2011-04-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

A new and exciting thing is happening in Zacango -- a number of community members (not all pictured here; there are 12 in total) have formed a cooperative called "Agua Para Siempre" (Water Forever, or Water For Always, depending on how you want to translate it). Bruce has been working with some of the logistics of forming the group as part of his watershed managment work in the community. The molds used to build the cement water cisterns (designed to collect rain water during the rainy season to use later during the dry season) belong to MCC and were used for many years to build the cisterns in various communities surrounding Zacango. MCC is now selling the molds to the Zacango cooperative (they have already made their first payment) and the group is able to earn a regular income (a difficult task in a subsistance farming community such as Zacango). Many men from Zacango traditionally migrate illigally to the United States in search of work -- three of the men from the group who were planning to leave for the States this summer have now said that they can remain in Zacango because they have regular work.

2011-02-14T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since we've posted and perhaps some of you are wondering why when we do finally post it is like a tsunami of photos. We've been without internet for some time now (we switched offices in Olinala and don't have internet access in the new office) and do all of our blogging when we leave Zacango and have regular access to the internet. We hope that you are all doing well and the you will enjoy a few of these pictures from the last couple of months of our lives.

The Super Bowl in Mexico

2011-02-14T19:41:00.000-08:00

Bruce was very excited about having a Super Bowl party this year. The night before the big game the kids fell asleep to Bruce telling them tales of Super Bowl party food and the promise of preparing that food the next day. Here are their little bite-sized sandwiches complete with coloured toothpicks.

Bruce knew that the kids might not be that interested in the football game itself and told them that they could bring friends to the office in Olinala where we went to watch the big game. From left: Hizee, Diana, Lupe, Ziko, Enrique, and Zam.

The making of the deviled eggs and fruit plate.

Food was the definite winner at this Super Bowl party!

Taco and Ziko

2011-02-14T19:32:00.000-08:00

Friends

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Zam and Enrique

Life in the Campo

2011-02-14T19:28:00.000-08:00

Bruce's majestic cow photo.

Beautiful Zacangoan Corn

2011-02-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

A Little In-Home Dentistry

2011-02-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

Maria stops by to brush Ziko's teeth.

This is How We Roll

2011-02-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

Zacango's Very Own Car Wash

2011-02-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Making of a House

2011-02-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

Chillin' with Friends

2011-02-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

Zam the Jungle Gym

2011-02-14T19:16:00.000-08:00

Zam loves babies and little kids and they seem to love him too! Here he gets a tackle from Victor and Luis Angel outside the community hall.

Mr. Imagination

2011-02-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Our friend Elizabeth sent Ziko these hand tatoos for Christmas and they have been the source of hours of enjoyment. Thanks ELizabeth!

Game of LLZ Cards Anyone?

2011-02-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

Bruce designed wrestling cards with the pictures of all of the members of the Liga de Luchadores de Zacango (LLZ -- the kids wrestling league). The kids are thrilled to see their faces on the cards and each card has a series of numbers which corresponds to a game they invented to play with the cards.

Hike to Waterless Waterfall

2011-02-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

Computer-Art for the Kids

2011-02-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

For quite some time the younger kids have been asking if they can have their own art group like the youth have. So beginning in January we started offering art for the kids during the same time block that Bruce teaches them computer. This works out great because we only have four computers available for 16 kids. Hence, instead of having 4 kids per computer, the kids each get their own weekly time block at the computer and while they are not on the computer they are kept busy with an art project. It's turned into a great little class!

Donkey Love

2011-02-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

One of the questions we get asked most often these days in Zacango is if we are going to be taking our donkeys back to Canada with us. We know that this is impossible so we are enjoying them as much as we can right now. Every Sunday morning we ride the donkeys out into the country as a family.

Baby Cecina turned one on February 2nd. Bruce is pumped that he can still lift her.

Mask Mania

2011-02-12T19:21:00.000-08:00

The Youth Art Group recently made these amazing masks.

Let the mango Season Begin

2011-02-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

Mangoes are just coming into season and while all three kids love them, Ziko is Mr. Mango. He often eats
the skin together with the "meat" of the mango.

Click "older posts" below to see more new posts.

Friday Kid's Group

2011-02-12T19:11:00.000-08:00

Every Friday afternoon we have "kids group." It's a bit of a carry over from the kids summer program. We usually play sports, do crafts, sing, and go for hikes. Here we are having a wiener roast during a barranca hike.

2011-02-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

My friend Ramona recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. People in Zacango usually don't name their babies for some time so I can't
put a name with his picture.

Los Suenos de Zacango Celebrates One Year

2011-02-12T19:03:00.000-08:00

For those of you who recieve the electronic version of Zacango's monthly newspaper, Los Suenos de Zacango, you may recognize some of these happy faces. Here is the newspaper crew, from left: Marisol, Rocio, Maricruz, Gabriela, Doricela, Estela, and Teresa
In January we celebrated the paper's one year anniversary with a small program in the community hall together with cake and coffee. The girls were very proud of their accomplishment (as they should be, the newspaper is the only one of it's kind in a municipality of approximately 60 communities) and have now officially taken over the production of the newspaper. The paper is very well recieved in Zacango and is a great way to promote community pride, as well as literacy for both the readers and the writers.
Also, thanks to the youth group from our church in Yellowknife (Yellowknife United Church) the newspaper group was able to purchase a printer to print the paper. The printer also serves as a copy machine and the girls have opened up a small copying business. We are super proud of these young women and wish them much success!

2011-02-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

Some picture highlights from the anniversary celebration.

Happy Birthday Little Man!

2011-02-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

Hizee's dog Little Man celebrated his first birthday in a way that no dog in Zacango ever has -- with a huge birthday party complete with cake and pinata made out of ham! While Bruce and I felt a bit guilty about the opulance of having a "dog party," Hizee was so excited and had been planning the party for months complete with writing her own guest list and invitations. And, of course, none of the Zacango kids thought it was crazy to have the opportunity to eat birthday cake! Hizee was ecstatic (and Little Man was pretty happy too!)

Fernando's Birthday

2011-02-12T15:41:00.000-08:00

Our neighbour boy Fernando celebrates his 8th birthday and puts up a good fight against the customary Mexican face cake dunking.

Ziko and His Loyal "Orange Cat"

2011-02-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

Zammy the Pancake Man

2011-02-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

Zam had an assignment in school a few weeks back that involved making pancakes. He was very proud to make the pancakes all by himself and has turned into a pancake making machine!

He even woke up early a few Saturdays back and made us all a deluxe pancake breakfast.

What a guy!

Zacango's Pizzeria

2011-02-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

In April, the baking group will celebrate it's one year anniversary. Starting in January of this year the group began to sell it's products after practicing various recipes for the past nine months. They've decided that pizza is the best seller and have been selling pizza once a week for the past month.

New Years Eve Night Pinatas

2011-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Crazy for Hotwheels

2011-02-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

As with kids everywhere there are toys and games that go in phases. A few months back the boys in Zacango were obsessed with playing marbles. Lately, it's been all about cars! They make little car washes for the cars and have races and bumper cars in the street.

From left: David, Cirilo, Edgar, Zam, Herriberto, and Fernando.

Working With Maize

2011-02-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

The past two months or so have been all about "desgranar" (otherwise known as removing all of the dried kernals of maize from their cobs by hand) for the people of Zacango. With our little supply of maize cobs that we have drying on our roof from our harvest, it is a fun, leisurely process but for everyone else in Zacango (with their large harvests that feed them for nearly a year) it means weeks of hard labour.

Vacation in Puebla

2011-02-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

After celebrating Christmas in Zacango we headed to the beautiful city of Puebla for a couple of days of vacation. Puebla is famous for it's colonial style buildings, breathtaking cathedral (which is pictured on the 500 peso note), sweet chocolate mole "china poblano," and a type of pottery tile called "telavera." We had a wonderfully relaxing time exploring all of the wonders of Puebla.

Lucha Libre

2011-02-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

What's a vacation without a visit to a retro Mexican Lucha Libre themed restaurant. Check out the super cool Lucha merchandise!

2011-02-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

On our way back to Zacango after our time in Puebla.
I can never get enough of the brightly painted buildings and advertisements here in Mexico. They also make great backgrounds for photo shoots.

Hizee, Ziko and Zam enjoying a little R and R and forced posing with volcano in the background.

Click on "older posts" to see more new posts.

Back yard fire pit

2011-02-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's taken us two and a half years to make a fire pit in our backyard (not sure why given the endless summer that we live in) and now we have fires every weekend. Time around the fire usually includes roasting stick bread and marshmallows together with neighbours. From left: Dona Patricia, Hizee, Herriberto and Ziko

Feliz Cumpleanos Jimena!

2011-02-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

Our precious little neighbour girl, Jimena (Maria's niece), turns one!

2011-02-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

Hizee is a quintessential farm girl and she is a joy to watch. She feeds all of the animals first thing when she gets up every morning before she starts school. She rides the donkeys bareback and independently around town and always reminds us (and herself) that she really needs to appreciate riding her donkeys "because next year at this time I won't be able to just hop on a donkey whenever I want to." In the picture above she is digging her own sand for the sand box she has always dreamed of having and finally made happen herself.

Noche Buena

2011-02-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve night the youth art group displayed their artistic genius in a pinata contest. People who filed by the pinatas were given three tickets that they could use to vote for the pinata they liked best. Hizee had joined the youth group during the pinata making (see earlier post further down) and was very proud to display her little pig that she made. She also wasn't at all shy to escort her friends (with their tickets in hand) over to her pinata and convince them to vote for her. Hizee won second place. Maria won first; and Isabel placed third. The kids in Zacango later had fun destroying all eight beautiful works of art when the pinata breaking of Christmas Eve night commenced!

Christmas Morning

2011-02-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderfully "tranquilo" Christmas morning this year. It never gets old watching the kids and all the excitement that Christmas morning entails. We began the morning by completing our advent time followed by the kids exchanging the gifts they had made for each other and for us. They had made and wrapped these gifts a good month in advance and could not contain themselves...they were so excited to give each other the crafts they had made. Zam made Hizee a Calico Critter comic book and constructed a super hero game for Ziko; Hizee gave Zam a Star Wars drawing and drew a super hero for Ziko; and Ziko freaked out when he realized that all that he had made for Zam and Hizee went missing before Christmas day and he frantically began drawing and constructing later on in the day. Zam made Bruce a little cardboard shelf to store his wrestlers and made me three cardboard rings with a word on each ring to read "I love you." Hizee drew some Lucha Libre masks for Bruce and made me a little set of drawers out of match boxes. After the homemade gift exchange the kids enjoyed opening their not-so-homemade toys. Zam's favourite gift was his Star Wars characters; Hizee loved her Calico Critter nursery school set; and Ziko went crazy for his super heroes!

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Some favourite gifts.

Crazy Cristina

2011-02-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

Hizee couldn't get enough of covering her friend Cristina with a little Christmas cheer!
Cristina is great fun and has babysat the kids a few times. The kids keep asking us to go away some night so that she can come and babysit again.

Christmas Posada in Zacango

2011-02-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

This year Zacango had posadas leading up to Christmas and we had a chance to join in the celebration. Posadas are a Mexican Christmas tradition that involve a candlelight procession through the community to a given house (chosen ahead of time) to reenact the part of the Christmas story where Mary and Joseph request a room at the inn. A series of prayers are said and special songs are sung until the owner of the house lets the group (who is waiting outside) into the house where they are served a small meal by the host. We even had the honour of hosting a posada and served pizza to a group a sixty or so people. Talk about a full inn!

Pinata Making with the Youth Art Group

2011-02-11T20:34:00.000-08:00

Hizee joined the youth art group in December to make a little pig pinata for Christmas.

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all HAPPY Christmas!

Neighbourly Visits

2010-12-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

The other day I was visiting with our neighbour kids when we created this improptu photo shoot. Little Ale has particularily won our hearts. The short wall surrounding her house is only about 2 metres from our front door and Ale is often the first person to greet us in the morning. Her sweetness is heart-melting! She is filled with insights which she freely shares, often along with a lick of the lolipop she almost always has in her mouth.

Lalo, Damiana (hiding), Ale, and Felicita

i
Ale and her brother Lalo

Damiana, Ale, and Felicita

Annual Christmas Cookie Bake

2010-12-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

It is our last Christmas in Zacango and I think the "Kids Christmas Cookie Bake" is one of our Mexican Christmas traditions that we will miss the most.

La Virgen de Guadalupe

2010-12-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

On the 12th of December all of Mexico celebrates the Virgen of Guadalupe -- Mexico's patron saint. The Virgen of Guadalupe's significance and importance here in Mexico cannot be understated. She is more than an icon -- she is much beloved as the indigenous Mary and protector of Mexico (to learn more about her, and the legend surrounding her, type her name into google).
Each year on the 12th of December, along with the thousands of feistas elsewhere in Mexico celebrating her day, there is a huge procession in Olinala that attracts thousands of pilgrims. However, there is also a smaller festival in Zacango's sister community of Las Juntas. Each year that we have been here we have gone with people from Zacango to Las Juntas. This year was special as it was our last Virgen of Guadalupe day in Las Juntas.

2010-12-28T08:06:00.000-08:00

When we arrived in Las Juntas the community members welcomed each of us by sprinkling confetti on our heads. Ziko somehow got missed in the crowd and he was quite concerned about this so he went and sought out the confetti sprinkler and recieved his welcome.

Ziko's friend Cirilo.

Waiting for the procession to begin.

2010-12-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

The band accompanies the procession into the community of Las Juntas.

Diana and Hizee

Ziko and his crew of buddies: Rafael, Cirilo and Edgar

Hizee and Chickee Poo

2010-12-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

I can't enough of this awesomely photogenic team -- Hizee and Chickee Poo! I can't stop posting pictures of these two!

Although she now lives in the backyard, we came home one night to find that Chickee Poo had snuck into the house and found a choice place to roast for the night!

2010-12-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

Chickee Poo still likes to be carried under Hizee's shirt for warmth -- the place where she spent the better part of her first two months of life.

Play Zone

2010-12-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

For the last few weeks Hizee's classroom has been the evening meeting spot for all the neighbourhood kids. They have been transforming the room into a house and everyone has their role to fill in the house. They are incredibly industrious and play late into the evening until a the moms start calling kids home.

Fiesta of the Virgen de Ascension

2010-12-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

On the 7th and 8th of December Zacango had one of it's two annual fiestas in celebration of the Virgen of the Ascension. A fiesta consists of: a procession into (and through) town carrying the saint who is being celebrated; a huge feast of mole; and a dance. In the picture above we are waiting to meet the oncoming procession.

2010-12-27T15:01:00.000-08:00

A little travelling midway came through town for the fiesta, complete with a mechanical bull. Bruce was up for the challenge and provided a good show.

El Baile -- Highlight of the Fiesta

2010-12-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

Complete with a live band, the dance to end the fiesta is a definite highlight for people. The dance is viewed as the opportunity to find your future spouse. In fact, people often ask Bruce and I how we ever met and got together because Bruce doesn't like to dance.

Ziko and David, dancing up a storm.

Painting Rules!

2010-12-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Painting seed pods with the Friday afternoon kids group.

Decorating Our Mini Tree

2010-12-27T14:42:00.000-08:00

Pining for Pinatas

2010-12-27T14:39:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for Christmas means making pinatas! We made pinatas with the kids at Ziko's preschool. My friend Erika and I teamed up to help the kids make a Christmas tree pinata. Other pinatas made included a carrot, an ice cream cone, a pineapple and various other fruits.

Pinata Making with the Youth Art Group

2010-12-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Advent

2010-12-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

Passing it on

2010-12-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

The members of the Watershed Managment group in Zacango continue to sample their drinking water sources on a monthly basis to check for contamination. Last month they took a group of young people with them and taught them how to sample and test the water.

Readying the Ring

2010-12-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

Many of you may be privy to the fact that Bruce made his dream of having a wrestling ring in his front yard a reality last year when he started the Liga de Luchadores de Zacango (LLZ). It's a for-fun wrestling league that attracts some 20 kids (boys and girls) to our yard daily to practice wrestling and mostly just jump around in the ring. This year Bruce and his crew made some improvments to strengthen the ring and also added a bit of colour.

Practising for the Main Events

2010-12-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

The Main Events

2010-12-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

There have been three "main events" this wrestling season...fun for the kids and the spectators.

Cat Studies

2010-12-27T08:56:00.000-08:00

On Tues. and Thurs. Ziko is at the local preschool and the rest of the week he has "school" at home. With two siblings engaged in their school work, Ziko insists that he has "work" too and is naturally not satisfied until he is "doing school."
His cat seems to like to join him while he is hard at work. While Bruce and I have never been that fond of cats, Ziko's "Orange Cat" has won our heart with her extreme loyalty to him. She seems to know, somehow, that Ziko is her owner and she seeks him out. How could she not, I suppose. Ziko is so kind and loving toward her. The pictures below are of Ziko trying to show her the big stuffed paper cat face that he made in her likeness. What a pair!

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Ziko's preschool teacher is really great at organizing events for the moms and kids that go to the preschool/kindergarten. A couple of months back she had a mom and kid exercise event in the cancha (town basketball court) complete with mom relay races (the kids filled the role of cheerleaders) and massages for the moms (courtesy of the kids).

2010-12-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

Our friend Elvira recently opened up a small restaurant in Olinala and it has become our favourite place to dine.
All of us have developed a taste for spice and I have found myself buying chile powder and salsa picante on a regular basis. Our neighbour's keep us well feed with spicey moles and salsas so our tongues have come to crave the taste. We can't even eat pizza without hot sauce anymore. Ziko is quite concerned that there will be no spicey food when we return to Canada but we've assured him we will find it in Canada too. A friend of mine recently assured us that she sends dried chiles to her son in the states all the time and that she could fill our suitcase with them before we leave.

Project Time vs. Math

2010-12-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

At the end of each school day Zam has a section in his school that is devoted to a small project. He loves this time and slugs through his math (see bottom picture) knowing that project time is soon at come.

Eggcellent Eggsperiments

2010-12-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

Hizee had a unit in her school that was entirely devoted to animals that hatch from eggs...perfect timing with the arrival of Chickee Poo.

The Drying out of the Harvest

2010-12-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

The cobs are all in and are now set out to dry on roof tops. (The close up picture of the maize is from our own harvest.) People in Zacango are now beginning to remove the maize kernals by hand to be later ground into masa (dough) for tortillas.

Hizee and one of her best friends, Anaisa.

Scholars!

2010-12-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

The Mother Hen

2010-12-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hizee's beloved Chickee Poo has survived past her fluffy yellow chick stage thanks to the loving care and attention of her mother hen, Hizee. These photos were taken nearly two months ago so Chickee Poo actually looks more like a small hen now. During the stage when these pics were taken Chickee Poo continued to follow Hizee every where and to perch on her shoulder or arm whenever she had the chance. She now lives outside, roaming free in the backyard. She enjoys a very special status not granted to the other chickens who live in the chicken coop; and she still considers the house her "coop." Whenever the back door opens she bolts to get inside (this is quite a hilarious sight) and spends the better part of the day inside. She's a gem that Chickee Poo!

Viva la Revolucion!

2010-12-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

The 20th of November marked the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. Zacango celebrated in style with an abundance of young revolutionaries parading through the streets.

Ziko the Revolutionary

2010-12-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

Ziko plays the part of revolutionary (temorarily abandoning his Mennonite pacifist principles to be part of the action) in his preschool's march through the community to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Mexican Revolution.

Ziko and Vivi.

Promises given...promises broken?

2010-12-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

What's the key to winning votes in rural Mexico...promise FREE fertilizer! This sign on our neighbour's fence post reads "Yes, I am going to have free fertilizer!"
The fertilizer that farmers in our area currently use is heavily subsidized by the government with rumoured threats of the subsidies being removed. Hence, this candidate for governor's promise, I suppose.
Bruce and I really get a kick out of this sign and really cracked ourselves up when one of our neighbors tied the sign to the backside of his donkey! It seems that others see some humour in it too!

This One's for You, Oma!

2010-12-27T06:53:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we finished off the last of Oma's legendary keilke that we had been saving in our freezer. Thanks Oma...it brought us back home for a few short but delectable moments!

Our Maize Harvest

2010-11-27T14:21:00.000-08:00

One of the best aspects of living in rural Mexico has been learning about how people farm their crops by having our own little field of maize. Everything is done by hand -- it is a lot of work, but very gratifying work. I realize that this is very easy for me to say as we are farming in order to learn and to feed our animals. For the people of Zacango, farming maize is life -- it means food (corn to make tortillas) and the connection that people have with maize is profound.

2010-11-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

2010-11-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

Zacate Harvest

2010-11-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

The zacate (dried leaves from the maize stalks) is the first to be harvested and is used to feed donkeys during the dry season when there is a lack of fresh grass and weeds for them to eat. We do not produce enough zacate in our small field to feed our three donkeys for the 8 or so months that we need to feed them, so we buy zacate from our neighbours to supplement our small supply.
We store our zacate on our roof.

The Happy Family is Back in Town

2010-11-27T13:29:00.000-08:00

About a month ago we brought our "family" of donkeys in from pasture where they had spent the summer months grazing. We hadn't had them in our yard or in their nearby coral for nearly 3 months (Miguel had them together with his donkeys about a half hour walk away and would go and water and check on them daily) and it is so great to have them back home. While baby Cecina has grown she continues to be quite a homely (but loveable) little creature.

A Visit from Some Very Cool Folks

2010-11-26T20:58:00.000-08:00

It seems rather dream-like, but it actually did happen...we were treated to a visit from my beautiful friend Judith and her husband Simon at the beginning of this month. Judith and I grew up together in Altona and it was so amazing to share our home here with such a long-time friend whom I trust and love so dearly!
We began our time together in Mexico City where we took in a ton of "must see" attractions that only Mexico City has to offer! We went to: Teothiuacan (the Pyrimid of the Sun), Frida Khaloe's Blue House, and the famous Anthropology Museum. We were on the go from morning till night for three days in Mexico City before heading to Zacango for a different kind of busy.
Unfortunately some kind of bug decided to take over Judith and Simon's bodies shortly before arriving in Zacango so they took it easy for the first three days at our house. However, after their recovery they were able to treat the community to a few concerts (Judith and Simon are musicians -- they call themselved "The Land"-- google them, they're great) in community member's homes and in the church, as well as enjoy Zacango's legendary hospitality by eating all kinds of great Mexican food and visiting with people in their homes.
The best part was that Judith and I had the chance to do some serious catching up and bonding, and the kids couldn't get enough of these fine folks...they are still talking about all things Simon and Judith! Thanks so much for coming you guys...we love you!

2010-11-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

Days of the Dead

2010-11-26T20:36:00.000-08:00

This is the last year that we will be in Mexico to celebrate the Days of the Dead -- two extremely important days that people here set aside to celebrate the lives of their family and friends who have died (Nov. 1 celebrates children who have died and Nov. 2 the adults are remembered). It is sad holiday but rather a holiday that shows respect for those who have passed on by setting up an alter or offering displaying their picture, the things they loved to eat, and symbols of things they like to do.
Being our last year here, we decided to go all out with our "ofrenda" and it was great having Simon and Judith here to join in on the fun! The youth art group led the way as they accompanied us to Olinala and showed us all the things we needed to buy for our ofrenda. The youth then joined us for the rest of the day as they basically constructed the offering for us and we did whatever token jobs we could to aid in their expertise at tying knots and constucting the flower filled frame. It was a complete hoot! (see collage below)
Judith and I had a wonderful time reminiscing about our grandparents and loved ones as we admired our ofrenda.

The bells in the church are rung every 5 minutes for 24 hours straight (from midnight on Nov. 1 to midnight on Nov. 2) to show respect for those who have died. A group of young men slept in the church tower to take turns with this duty.

2010-11-26T20:20:00.000-08:00