Where: Tierra Blanca – courtyard beside old church, under big tree…
When: 05.05.10 2pm
Who: Elena & Laura (Rotary), Chela (Cedesa), 34 women, 7 men, 11kids, 7dogs
Purpose: We were invited to visit this community to talk about water issues.
Back ground:
Tierra Blanca backs onto Vivienda de Arriba & Cruz del Palmar. The community of Tierra Blanca has a large sapasma drilled community well which they share with Vivienda de Arriba & Espejo (approx. 30 families).
2 members of TB have attended assemblies in Los Torres & several have attended assemblies in Vivienda de Arriba, to ask about the possibility of having a water project in their community.
2 women were waiting under a tree on the road from Vivienda de Arriba, to show us the way to Tierra Blanca. We drove down the road past VdA & came to a dried river bed full of rocks, in one place there were several deep puddles, this is where we crossed.
Tierra Blanca lies right beside this (dried) river, called “Sandamien Rio” which is apparently the same river as San Marco, further down.
We were greeted by many women, & led to the courtyard beside the old church. There was a very big overhanging tree (shade) & a long concrete ledge (seat) for everyone in the community to sit on.
We were not able to make a circle in the shade, so sat with them on the long ledge & us in front of them on crates.
We all introduced ourselves, & Chela explained about Cedesa & Rotary, & their respective roles, as well as our collaboration.
She asked who was familiar with Los Torres (they all were), & with the project there – again a majority. She said many of them had come to the assembly in VdA & asked for us to visit this community. She asked who were invited to today’s assembly, they advised not all had been informed, just a 1st group to exchange information & see what it’s all about.
One of the comments “we like what Los Torres has, it’s very beautiful, maybe the water is bad here, there have been lots of illnesses & we’re not sure what’s causing it, maybe it is the water. People here have had a lot of lung cancer, starting with sore backs & with a short time, cancer & death, the latest death is a 22 yr old woman, she had pain her back & then was in her grave very quickly”
“we don’t have elders in this community, most people die young here”
We began to ask questions –
• There are approx. 120 families, & in the whole community only 8 people who are older than 70.
• One 70+ woman was at the assembly, she spoke & said the only reason she thinks she is still alive, is that she didn’t come from TB originally, she came here when she was 16, she said both her son & daughter (born in TB) are already dead.
• This has been a problem for 30 yrs or more.
Chela began to speak about bad food, as she looked around & saw many eating “cheetos” & drinking coca cola. They estimated they have had this food in the community for 20 or 30 yrs. It is cheap, light & easy to carry, & easy to access. They eat junk food because they say they don’t have the money for better food.
Chela asked if they eat it every day – “yes or every other day”. They sell it in the school & in all the tiendas (small shops),
Chela – It’s poinsonous – you know that right? “yes but we cant afford the other food”, “we don’t know better, it’s a way of life”, “it’s like an addiction, even if we don’t have the money, we ask for credit & buy it”. “the doctor said not to drink coke when you’re pregnant, but everyone does”
One of the women who has a tienda is obviously angry at Chela for telling her customers not to buy this food, “all communities consume coke, it’s not just this one!”.
This is just part of the problem…
There were more reports of illness & death.
“whole family disappeared, cancer or something”
“amputee uncle, at nopales, agua miel, ate well, but they all died of cancer, all her cousins, her mother died of a big bump in her stomach, they were drinking water from puddles”
“TB has had a well for 10 yrs now”
The tienda owner said “there is a big alcohol problem, & water problem, the whole community has the problem.”
Generally the community gets along well, & they even shake hands when they see eachother, “yes we fight, some agree with me, others don’t (again the tienda owner).
Chela talked about assemblies: they are very helpful for listening & speaking & analysing issues.
You must leave personal issues at home, & just talk about community issues at the assemblies.
We met Susanah (Concha from Los Torres’ s sister, Guillermo’s other daughter)
Chela asked if they would like us to help with the issue of early mortality – they all said yes…
She suggested we need to analyse the water first, although it is strange that the issue only appears to exist in Tierra Blanca yet there are 3 communities sharing the same water source…
We asked if they had taken this issue to the health authorities or asked for help from anyone on this.
They have mentioned it at the health clinic in Cruz del Palmar, & were told just to boil their water & add chlorine drops (if it is chemical poisoning, this will worsten the situation!), they also mentioned it to the teachers at the Cruz del Palmar secondaria school, the teachers were empathetic but couldn’t suggest anything.
Water talk.
We talked a little about the potential for a water cistern project, described what it involved & referred to Los Torres. Here are some general water facts from this community
Pimaria approx. 80 kids
Secondaria approx. 50 kids
Kinder approx. 25 kids
Community well, with metal piping to other houses in their community, + 2 other communities (VdA & Espejo),
Well is 10 yrs old
Well is approx. 150 mtrs deep
Water pumped to holding tank & then piped to households, sometimes it works in the morning sometimes in the afternoon
Some people have latrines, most do not & “just go in the wild”
Water is mostly clear & transparent in the lower parts of the community
Water in the higher up parts of the community is often yellow, probably piping problems
The tienda owner, does not have water as she chose not to participate in the sapasma program
(it was insisted that we go to Julia’s house for a snack - tostadas, lettuce, rice, beans)
While we were at Julia’s house they discussed that the whole community was built on an old Otomi burial ground. They said under parts of their house were ruins & graves, & that during the rains often bones & skulls were washed out on the hills.
They also talked about many years ago, people digging for “treasure” buried with the bones, & that pottery & jewellery was found & sold to antique shops in San Miguel. They felt remorse for this & thought it might be a reason for the illnesses.
Next Tierra Blanca meeting was scheduled for 2nd June at 2.30
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