LIFE IN THE CITIES AND
ALONG THE COAST OF SONORA,
MEXICO, IS MODERN BUT IT'S
CROWDED AND OFTEN HECTIC.
TRAVEL A COUPLE OF HOURS
INLAND TO THE FOOTHILLS OF
THE SIERRA MADRE AND YOU
CAN LEAVE ALL THAT BEHIND.
IT'S LIKE TAKING A
TRIP BACK IN TIME.
FUNDING FOR THE DESERT
SPEAKS IS PROVIDED BY
DESERT PROGRAM PARTNERS.
REPRESENTING CONCERNED VIEWERS
MAKING A FINANCIAL COMMITTMENT
TO THE EDUCATION ABOUT AND
PRESERVATION OF DESERTS
AND BY THE STONEWALL FOUNDATION.
[MUSIC]
IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT
THE OLD WAYS WERE LIKE IN
NORTHWEST MEXICO IN
THE STATE OF SONORA,
YOU NEED TO GO TO THE
TOWN OF SAHUARIPA
IN THE VALLEY OF SAHUARIPA.
THE DESTINATION OF MOST
VISITORS TO SONORA IS THE
LARGE CITY SUCH AS THE
CAPITOL HERMOSILLO AND
RESORTS ON THE
SEA OF CORTEZ.
TODAY 90% OF SONORA'S
POPULATION LIVES IN THE
WESTERN PART OF THE STATE
AND NEAR THE WATER.
200 YEARS AGO THE
POPULATION WAS CONCENTRATED
ALONG THE RIVERS AND
VALLEYS IN THE EASTERN PART
OF THE STATE IN TOWNS THAT
WERE FORMER INDIAN VILLAGES,
SOME OF THEM ANCIENT.
PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY BEEN
LIVING HERE FOR AT LEAST
1,000 YEARS AND UNTIL
ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO IT WAS
ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF
SONORA SO YOU HAD TO GO BY
HORSEBACK OR VERY, VERY
PRIMITIVE ROAD TO OTHER
TOWNS AND TO GET TO
THE STATE CAPITOL OF
HERMOSILLO WAS JUST A
MULTI-DAY EXCURSION.
IN THE 60S AND 70S THEY
PUNCHED THROUGH A ROAD AND
THEN A PAVED ROAD AND NOW
IT'S A MATTER OF THREE AND
A HALF HOURS TO
GET TO HERMOSILLO.
THAT HAS CHANGED
THE TOWN IMMENSELY.
IT WAS FOUNDED PROBABLY
ABOUT 1640 BUT EVEN BEFORE
THEN, LONG BEFORE THEN, IT
WAS AN OPATA TOWN OR AT
LEAST AN INDIGENOUS TOWN.
THE LARGEST TOWN
IS SAHUARIPA.
IT WAS OLD WHEN SPANIARDS
ARRIVED IN THE 16TH CENTURY.
NEARBY ARE THREE OR FOUR
PUEBLOS THAT STILL CARRY ON
ANCIENT TRADITIONS.
ONE OF THEM IS
CALLED SANTO TOMAS.
[SPANISH] SO IN THIS TOWN
OF SANTA TOMAS IN THE
SAHUARIPA VALLEY, IT'S THE
ONLY TOWN LEFT SHE'S THE
ONLY ONE THAT MAKES PINOLE
AND IT'S A BASIC FOOD.
THE OPATAS WERE USING IT
FOR CENTURIES BEFORE THE
ARRIVAL OF SPANIARDS SO
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL STUFF.
[SPANISH] SO THIS IS
ACTUALLY TOASTED POPCORN
AND SHE PUTS THAT IN THERE
AND THEN THE BURRO PUSHES
THIS AND YOU CAN SEE THE
GROUND POPCORN COMING OUT
AND THAT THEN BECOMES
PINOLE AND YOU CAN SEE IT
COMING OUT AND IT
MAKES THE BEST...
IT'S LIKE OATMEAL OR CREAM
OF WHEAT BUT IT'S BETTER.
PINOLE WAS THE ORIGINAL
FOOD THAT SOLDIERS,
EVEN PRE-COLUMBIAN SOLDIERS,
COULD CARRY IN POUCHES.
IT WAS DRY.
THEY'D CARRY IT AND THAT WOULD
BE THEIR SOLE FOOD FOR DAYS.
MIXED IT WITH WATER AND
NOW THEY MIX IT WITH MILK.
OH, IT'S COMING OUT GREAT.
OH, THAT'S GOOD. MMM.
AND IT TASTES VERY MUCH
LIKE A VERY GOOD CREAM OF
RICE OR CREAM OF
WHEAT OR BETTER YET,
CREAM OF CORN AND IT'S EXTREMELY
NUTRITIOUS. GOOD STUFF.
IT TASTES BETTER THAN THE
BEST POPCORN AND BECAUSE
IT'S FROM THE WHOLE GRAIN OF
THE CORN IT'S VERY NUTRITIOUS.
THE ONLY QUESTION
I HAVE IS, WOULD I
USE MORE ENERGY GRINDING IT THAN
I WOULD GAIN FROM EATING IT.
[SPANISH] I THINK IT WOULD
BE BETTER IF YOU ADD THE
BURRO BUT THE BURRO IS
ACTUALLY OUT DOING ANOTHER JOB.
BUT I WANTED SOME PINOLE
AND THAT'S ALMOST ENOUGH
TO HAVE A SERVING.
PINOLE HAS BEEN THE
BASIC FOOD FOR BOTH
INDIANS AND SPANIARDS FOR
CENTURIES.
IT IS STILL THE FUEL THAT
TARAHUMARA RUNNERS RELY ON
IN THEIR EPIC RACES
AND FESTIVITIES.
JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM HAVE A
BUNDLE AND IT TURNS
OUT TO BE PINOLE.
LATER ON WHEN THEY ARE
TIRED OF DANCING AND THEY
WANT TO EAT, EACH ONE OF
THEM IS ACTUALLY EVEN
CARRYING A LITTLE CUP OR
LITTLE MUG AND LATER ON
THEY MIX IT WITH WATER AND
THEY HAVE A LITTLE PINOLE.
IT GIVES THEM STRENGTH
TO CONTINUE DANCING
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
ONCE PINOLE HAS BEEN
GROUND IT STORES WELL.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR
FRESH GARDEN VEGETABLES.
[SPANISH] THIS IS HER
GARDEN. MRS. CLACAS
PLANTS THIS EVERY YEAR.
[SPANISH] SO THESE ARE
ONIONS, GREEN ONIONS.
ESO QUE ES? ES AJO.
SO THAT'S GARLIC AND
WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?
CILANTRO, ES CILANTRO.
OH, THIS IS CILANTRO.
NO GARDEN IS COMPLETE DOWN
HERE...SIN CILANTRO.
[SPANISH] SO EVERY FOUR OR
FIVE DAYS SHE IRRIGATES.
SHE'S GOT THE HOSE THAT
SHE CAN MOVE AROUND.
IN MARCH THE GARLIC WILL
BE READY TO HARVEST.
[SPANISH] SO SHE
DOESN'T SELL THIS.
IT'S JUST FOR HER
HOUSEHOLD USE AND THIS
WILL KEEP FOR
MOST OF THE YEAR.
[SPANISH] SO THIS IS THE
ORIGINAL WALL OF HER HOUSE
WITH THE ORIGINAL ADOBE
ON IT MADE OF DIRT.
[SPANISH] SO THIS IS SAND
WITH LIME IN IT AND THEY
COVER IT AND IT DOESN'T
CHANGE ANYTHING BUT ALL OF
A SUDDEN IT'S A DIFFERENT COLOR
AND IT'S MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SPECIALIZE
IN PUTTING THIS
PLASTER ON ADOBE.
[SPANISH] SO IT'S COOL IN
THE SUMMERTIME AND IT'S
WARM IN THE WINTERTIME.
IT IS THE PERFECT MATERIAL
FOR BUILDING HERE IN THE
SAHURAIPA VALLEY AND JUST
ABOUT EVERYWHERE ELSE IN
THE SOUTHWEST AND
NORTHWEST MEXICO.
SAHUARIPA IS JUST A
CLASSIC CASE OF A RANCH
TOWN IN EASTERN SONORA IN THE
FOOTHILLS OF THE SIERRA MADRE.
THE TOWN IS OLD AND THE
HOUSES WERE BUILT IN
CLASSIC COLONIAL
STALL, WALL TO WALL.
THERE'S NO SET BACKS.
THE DOORS OPEN INTO THE
STREETS AND PEOPLE HAVE
PATIOS IN THEIR HOUSES.
THERE ARE STILL HORSES AND
COWS EVERYWHERE AROUND THE
TOWN AND YOU SEE THINGS
LIKE PLOWS JUST SITTING
AROUND IN THE TOWN.
THAT SHOWS IT'S REALLY
AN AGRARIAN PLACE.
IN RECENT YEARS PEOPLE
HAVE REALLY GOTTEN INTO
COLORS SO RATHER THAN HAVE
JUST THE UNIFORM SORT OF
WHITE OR OFF
WHITE IN ADOBE,
NOW YOU SEE ALL KINDS
OF DAZZLING COLORS.
THEY'VE SPRUCED UP THE
PLACE QUITE A BIT.
THERE'S EVEN SOME STATUES
AND AS MANDATORY IN MOST
MEXICAN TOWNS THE PORTRAIT
OR A BUST OF BENITO
JUAREZ, THE GREAT
PRESIDENT OF MEXICO.
BUT SAHUARIPA IS
MORE THAN ANYTHING
A PLACE WHERE YOU
SEE LOCAL STUFF.
RAMON, A COWBOY, IS
WEARING THE CLASSIC
FOOTWEAR OF THE
SIERRA COWBOY.
YOU CAN WALK FOREVER IN THEM
AND THEY HAVE A POINTED TOE
WHICH MAKES IT EASY TO GET
IN AND OUT OF THE STIRRUP.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY
BETTER THAN BOOTS.
FEWER AND FEWER COWBOYS
WEAR THEM NOWADAYS BECAUSE
IT'S MORE STYLISH TO WEAR
BOOTS BUTTEJUASARE THE
BEST THING YOU CAN GET FOR
WALKING AROUND THE SIERRAS
IF YOU'RE A COWBOY
AND NEED A HORSE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE BIG
LEATHER SHOP LEFT IN
SAHUARIPA, A COUPLE
SMALLER ONES.
THERE'S NO SIGNS BUT THEY
TOLD ME TO LOOK FOR A
PLACE THAT HAD FLAGSTONE
AND HERE IT IS.
LOCALLY CUT FLAGSTONE, BOY,
THAT'S HANDSOME STUFF.
BUT THAT'S HOW
THEY MARK IT.
NO SIGN AND HERE'S
BETO PACHECO'S PLACE.
[SPANISH] SO I'M
GOING TO TRY THEM ON.
[SPANISH] SO HE
ONLY HAS ONE PAIR. LET'S SEE.
THESE ARE THE REALTEJUAS.
LOOK AT THIS.
THESE ARE ONE PIECE OF
LEATHER NAILED DOWN AND
THE SOLE VERY, VERY
GOOD USED TIRE.
SO IT'S ALL LOCAL
MATERIALS AND THE
SHOELACES ARE JUST PIECES OF
RAWHIDE THAT HAVE BEEN CUT OUT.
WELL, THIS IS A SIZE 8 AND
I'M GOING TO SEE IF I'M LUCKY.
[SPANISH] SO THESE ARE
REALLY EXPENSIVE HERE.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LESS
THAN $30. IF I'M LUCKY.
THE ONE PAIR AND
I THINK THEY FIT.
THE LEATHER SHOP IN EACH TOWN
IS CALLED ATALABARTERIA.
IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SONORA
AND SONORAN RANCHING
TOWNS, EVERYONE, EVERY
TOWN HAD ONE OR TWO OR
EVEN THREE LEATHER WORKING
SHOPS TO MAKE SADDLES,
BELTS, TRAPPINGS FOR HORSE
RIDING AND IN THE SIERRAS
IT WAS THE ONLY SOURCE
OF SHOES BECAUSE THEY
COULDN'T GET OUT OF THE
TOWN SO PEOPLE LEARNED TO
MAKE THESETEJUASAND IT
MAY HAVE BEEN THAT THE
OPATAS WHO LIVED HERE
BEFORE MADE THEM OUT OF DEER.
AND SO THE DESIGN MAY HAVE
BEEN EVEN INDIGENOUS.
BU THESE ARE VERY FINE
AND VERY COMFORTABLE.
[SPANISH] WE'VE GOT
PROBABLY FOUR GENERATIONS
THAT HAVE BEEN MAKING
THESE HERE IN SAHUARIPA.
JUAN CARLOS WHO MADE
THESE LEARNED FROM HIS
GRANDFATHER BETO PACHECO
AND I HAVE TO SAY WHEN I
CAME HERE IN 1989 I WAS
LOOKING FORTEJUAS.
EVERYBODY TOLD ME,
IF YOU WANTTEJUAS,
GO FIND BETO PACHECO IN
SAHUARIPA. HE MAKES THE BEST.
WELL, I WENT LOOKING FOR
HIM BUT HIS PLACE WAS CLOSED.
SO HERE I AM OVER 20 YEARS
LATER AND HIS GRANDSON
JUAN CARLOS IS MAKING
THESETEJUAS
AND I'M TAKING THEM WITH ME.
THE TRUE INDIGENOUS CRAFT
FOR WHICH EASTERN SONORAN
TOWNS HAVE BEEN NOTED FOR
CENTURIES ARETEJUASAND
WOVEN HATS AND BASKETS
MADE OF PALM AND
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS ARE
FAST DISAPPEARING.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WOMAN
LEFT WHO MAKES PALM HATS
AND BASKETS IN SAHUARIPA.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HER. HER
NAME IS EMILIANO DOROME.
IT'S A GREAT OPATA NAME.
THEY SAID THERE'S A VIRGIN
AND AN ORGAN PIPE SO THIS
MUST BE THE PLACE.
BUENOS DIAS.
[SPANISH] SO SHE HAS BEEN MAKING
THESE HATS FOR OVER 60 YEARS.
SHE WAS 12 YEARS WHEN SHE
STARTED MAKING THEM
AND SHE'S STILL DOING THEM. SO
SHE LEARNED FROM HER MOTHER
BUT THEY LEARNED
WATCHING HER, NOT DOING IT.
[SPANISH] SO SHE HAS CHILDREN
THAT BRING THE PALM FOR HER,
THE BUNCHES OF PALM LIKE THIS
AND SHE THEN SPLITS IT.
SHE CAN'T WEAVE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE IT'S WINTERTIME
AND IT'S TOO DRY.
[SPANISH] THIS IS THE
IDEAL BASKET FOR TORTILLAS
BECAUSE IT HAS A
TOP, THESE FIT IN,
THEY WON'T BE DAMAGED
IN PUTTING THE TOP ON,
THEN THEY GET PROTECTED
FROM FLIES AND OTHER DAMAGE.
[SPANISH] THIS IS FOR
RANCH CHEESE AND IT'S ROUNDISH.
[SPANISH] WHEN THEY PUT
THE FRESH CHEESE IN HERE
IT GETS KIND OF HEAVY
SO IT ACTUALLY HAS A
REINFORCED RIM SO YOU CAN CARRY
IT LIKE THIS AND IT WON'T BREAK.
[SPANISH] SO IN TWO DAYS
SHE CAN MAKE A BASKET LIKE THIS.
[SPANISH] SO SHE'LL
SELL THIS 50,
70 PESOS SO THAT'S NOT
MUCH WORK FOR TWO DAYS.
WOMEN LIKE TO USE THIS
KIND FOR JEWELRY AND THEN
CHILDREN CAN KEEP LITTLE
TOYS AND TRINKETS IN IT AS WELL.
AND IT'S GOT A TOP SO THAT
THINGS DON'T FALL OUT.
YOU CAN KEEP THEM
MORE OR LESS SECURE.
SO SHE'S REALLY THE LAST
PERSON WHO MAKES THE HATS.
SHE HAS A DAUGHTER
WHO'LL MAKE THE BASKETS.
THERE'S ANOTHER WOMAN
WHO MAKES LITTLE PALM
MATTRESSES, MATTRESS
PADS BUT WHEN SHE GOES,
THERE'LL BE NO MORE
OF THESE FINE HATS.
THIS IS A TRIBUTE TO
MRS. DOROME'S LATE HUSBAND.
HERE IS HIS PHOTOGRAPH AND
THIS LITTLE SHRINE TO HIM
BUT SHE MADE THIS SMALL
HAT AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS
MEMORY AND THIS IS
HER LITTLE SHRINE,
HER LITTLE ALTAR ON
THE WALL OF HER HOUSE.
THE SAHUARIPA VALLEY IS
VINTAGE SONORAN RANCH COUNTRY.
RANCH HEADQUARTERS ARE
ALWAYS LOCATED WHERE WELLS.
AND RANCHO LA QUIVA
IS NO DIFFERENT. ANOTHER WELL.
OH, THAT'S DEEP. VERY DEEP.
THAT ONE MUST BE TEN METERS
DEEP. IT'S WAY DOWN.
IT'S AT LEAST TEN. DO YOU THINK
THIS BUCKET'S GOING TO WORK?
IT'S FULL OF HOLES. LET'S FIND
OUT. YEAH, LET'S FIND OUT.
YOU GOT IT? YEP. ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS GETTING
WATER THE OLD WAY.
ALL RIGHT, IT HIT. BOY,
THAT'S A LONG WAY DOWN.
WHEN YOU'RE PULLING
UP BUCKETS OF WATER,
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SOMEBODY
WHO'S REALLY STRONG UNLESS
YOU WANT TO DEVELOP
UPPER BODY STRENGTH.
IF YOU HAVE A
USED PAINT BUCKET,
IT'S THE BEST AND A COUPLE
OF HOLES AERATES THE
WATER, MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT
COOLER. BUT THERE YOU HAVE IT.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR
ALL THE LEAVES,
IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY
GOOD DRINKING WATER.
SO WHAT DO THESE
BRANDS MEAN?
THEY'RE MOSTLY SYMBOLS BUT
SOME OF THEM YOU CAN READ THEM.
LIKE THIS ONE
IS AN S, AN R.
A BACKWARDS R, UH HUH. UH HUH.
SO THAT COULD WELL BE THE
SYMBOL OF THE CAVE THEN,
THIS IS RANCHO LAS
QUIVAS OR THE CAVE
AND THAT COULD COULD
BE A CAVE POSSIBLY.
WHEN I'M IN THE MOUNTAINS
AND I HEAR ABOUT CAVES,
I FEEL COMPELLED
TO CHECK THEM OUT,
EVEN IF I'M FORCED
TO RIDE ON MULE BACK.
AFTER ALL, I MIGHT FIND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES,
RARE ANIMALS OR
EVEN UNUSUAL BATS.
SO WE'RE HEADING TO A CAVE
WHICH THE RANCH IS NAMED AFTER.
THERE'S A PROCESSION OF US AND
I GOT THE GENTLEST ANIMAL.
OF COURSE, SHE'S A MULE
AND I CALLED HER SAL
BECAUSE MEXICANS DON'T NAME
THEIR MULES OR THEIR DONKEYS,
ONLY THEIR HORSES. BUT I GOT A
MULE AND HER NAME IS SAL.
15 MILES ON THE ERIE CANAL. SO
SAL, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GO.
HEY, SAL, HEY, LET'S GO.
ADENANTE.
YOU CAN EASILY LOSE YOUR
FOOT IF YOU WALK SO IT
REALLY IS BETTER
TO BE ON HORSEBACK,
IF YOU CAN'T BE IN
A CAR OR A VEHICLE.
IF YOU'RE ALSO RIDING,
THERE'S ABOUT 40 DIFFERENT
KINDS OF TREES AND SHRUBS
THAT HAVE THORNS AND
SPINES AND STAVES THAT GRAB YOU
AND TRY TO KEEP YOU FROM GOING.
IT'S REALLY RUGGED,
MEAN COUNTRY.
AND I'M FOLLOWING TWO
PRETTY SPIRITED HORSES.
OKAY, THIS WINTER HAS
BEEN REALLY DRY, RIGHT?
YES BUT THE SUMMER
WAS EVEN WORSE. IT WAS WORSE.
SO YOU GET A BAD
SUMMER, BAD WINTER,
WHAT DO THE
RANCHERS DO TO COPE?
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
SELL PART OF HIS CATTLE TO
SUPPORT THE RANCH AND TRY
TO KEEP THE CATTLE THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE
HERE IN GOOD SHAPE.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO
BUILD UP A HERD, RIGHT?
YES, IT'S GOING
TO TAKE AWHILE.
IN THIS PART OF THE
SIERRA, RAYNALDO,
WAS THIS REALLY, THERE
AREN'T ANY ROADS.
YOU ALMOST HAVE TO
GO BY HORSEBACK
TO GET INTO THEM, RIGHT?
YEAH, ACTUALLY THIS ROAD THAT
WE'VE BEEN DRIVING
IS PRETTY NEW.
ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO THERE WASN'T
ANY ROAD THAT CAME THROUGH HERE.
SO THAT ONE ROAD SERVES
THE ENTIRE AREA AND
OTHERWISE YOU'VE GOT TO
GO ON FOOT OR BY HORSE. YES.
WELL, I LIKE
BEING ON HORSE.
ACTUALLY I SHOULD SAY
I LIKE BEING ON MULE.
YEAH, MULES ARE PRETTY
GOOD FOR RIDING AND
THEY'RE GOOD FOR PACKING.
YEAH, THEY CAN CARRY A
LOT OF WEIGHT, RIGHT?
YEAH, BEFORE THEY
BUILD THE ROAD,
THE ONLY WAY TO BRING
THEIR SUPPLIERS FOR THE
RANCHES WAS BY
MULE OR DONKEYS.
ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO THE
BEST WAY TO BRING THE
SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING
WAS BY LITTLE PLANES.
WELL, YEAH, BUT THAT
COSTS YOU A LOT.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE FAIRLY
WELL OFF TO DO THAT.
YEAH, WELL, THE RANCHES USED TO
DO PRETTY WELL 20 YEARS AGO.
WHAT IS THIS CAVE LIKE
THAT THE RANCH IS NAMED
AFTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO?
WELL, I THINK
THEY USED TO STAY,
SPEND THE NIGHTS
IN THERE...
OH, REALLY. ...IF THERE'D BE
TROUBLE AROUND RANCHES.
OKAY, IT'S A... A COVER FOR
RAIN AND THE COLD.
ON A SUMMER'S DAY IT
PROBABLY WOULD BE
A GOOD TIME TO COME UP HERE.
THE TEMPERATURE DOWN AT
THE RANCH IN AUGUST IS
GOING TO BE 105 AND UP
HERE IT WOULD ONLY BE 95.
LUCO TELLS ME THEY CALL
THIS THESIERRA DE GUANO. SI.
AND IT'S THE
CUEVO DE GUANO,
THEY LEAVE THE BAT MANURE
BEHIND OR THEGUANO. UH HUH.
AND THE WHOLE RANGE GETS
ITS NAME FROM THAT.
OKAY, I GIVE UP. OKAY, SAL,
YOU WIN. I'M GETTING OFF.
I DON'T THINK I WAS MADE
TO SIT MORE THAN
15 MINUTES ON TOP OF A HORSE.
WHOA, LOOK AT THAT.
SO THIS IS THE FAMED "BAT
CAVE",CUEVO DE GUANO.
THIS ISLA CUEVA DE GUANO.
YOU KNOW I CAN ALREADY
SMELL THEGUANO.
IT'S CLEARLY
OCCUPIED BY BATS.
DO PEOPLE TAKE THIS STUFF
OUT FOR FERTILIZER?
NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
IT'S KIND OF FAR AWAY TO
HERE. IT IS A LONG WAY
BUT BOY A BAG OF IT COULD MAKE
YOUR GARDEN GROW.
WELL, IT'S A BIG ENOUGH CAVE.
IT IS. IT GOES PRETTY DEEP.
YEAH, IT GOES WAY UP THERE
BUT I THINK THE AIR IS SO
FULL OF THE AMMONIA
THAT THE ORDER FROM THE
GUANO...
YEAH, THEREFORE IT IS NOT
A PLACE TO STAY FOR A LONG TIME.
NO, GET OUT OF THE RAIN AND WHEN
IT STOPS, DO WHAT I'M DOING.
GET OUT AND MOVE ON TO SOMEWHERE
WHERE THE AIR IS A LITTLE PURER.
WE'VE GOT OTHER
PLACES TO GO ANYWAY.
A RANCH BUILDING MADE OF
PALM TRUNKS GOES UP A LOT
FASTER THAN ONE
MADE OF ADOBE.
WHEN YOU LIVE ON A RANCH
THAT'S EIGHT OR NINE HOURS
BY HORSEBACK FROM
THE NEAREST TOWN,
YOU'VE GOT TO USE THE MATERIALS
THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE.
IN THIS CASE
THERE ARE MANY,
MANY PALMS AND SO THE
BUILDER HERE HAS SPLIT THE
PALM LOGS AND MADE THE
SIDING AND PALM THATCHING
FOR THE TOP WITH A LITTLE
HELP OF MORE OR LESS
MODERN GALVANIZED ROOFING.
AND THEN ON THE TOP THEY
USE MESQUITE LOGS TO HOLD
EVERYTHING DOWN.
IT'S VERY LOCAL
CONSTRUCTION,
CHEAP AND COOL INSIDE.
[DOG BARKS] LIFE ON A
RANCH IN CENTRAL SONORA
CAN BE VERY, VERY TOUGH.
A MAN'S WORK IS NEVER DONE
AND SO WHEN RELAXATION IS
AVAILABLE, EVEN IF IT'S ON AN
OLD TIRE, YOU'VE GOT TO USE IT.
YOU'VE GOT TO GO FOR ALL
THE RELAXATION YOU CAN GET.
THE SAHUARIPA VALLEY LIES
EAST OF THE RIO YAQUI
WHICH ISOLATED IT FROM
THE REST OF THE STATE OF
SONORA UNTIL A
BRIDGE WAS BUILT.
THAT ISOLATION
HAS PROVEN IDEAL
FOR THE SOUTHERNMOST
NESTING BALD EAGLES.
THE ARROYO SAHUARIPA FLOWS
NORTH OUT OF THE SIERRA MADRE
UP INTO THE RIO YAQUI. WHEN
THE EUROPEANS ARRIVED HERE,
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
INDIAN TOWNS ALREADY HERE.
SAHUARIPA WAS AN
OPATA INDIAN TOWN.
A COUPLE OF OTHER
SMALL TOWNS,
ARIVECHI AND TACUPETO,
WERE THERE AND ARE STILL THERE.
SAHUARIPA IS DOING OKAY BUT
THE OTHER TWO TOWNS
WEREN'T REAL THRIVING.
BUT ARIVECHI HAS THE
DISTINCTION OF HAVING
SOMETHING IN IT THAT
BRINGS PEOPLE HERE FROM
ALL OVER THE
REPUBLIC TO SEE.
THERE YOU CAN SEE THE
STEEPLES OF THAT VERY
NEW AND DIFFERENT CHURCH. IT'S
ORIGIN IS VERY INTERESTING.
THERE'S A TRADITION IN
SONORAN POLITICS THAT THE
GOVERNOR LAVISHES
MONEY ON HIS COMMUNITY.
IN THE 1980S THE GOVERNOR
OF SONORA, GOVERNOR OCAÑA,
WAS FROM ARIVECHI AND HE
DECIDED THAT HIS TOWN,
ARIVECHI, SHOULD HAVE
THE BEST KIOSK IN ALL OF
MEXICOANDA BEAUTIFUL CHURCH
AND THE TOWN GOT WHAT HE WANTED.
IF YOU LOOK UP INTO
THE TILES IN THE DOME,
THEY'RE TRANSLUCENT AND
THE THEMES THERE ARE ALL
DESERT AND LOCAL THEMES.
YOU SEE THEHECHOCACTUS
WHICH GIVES ITS GREAT FRUIT,
AGAVESFROM WHICH THEBACA
DORA, THE LOCAL LIQUOR IS
MADE.
YOU SEE DEER AND YOU SEE
ALMOST ABOVE ALL OF IT,
PALMS, THE DATE PALMS
WHICH EUROPEANS BROUGHT
AND THE PALMS FROM WHICH
LOCAL MAKE BASKETS AND HATS.
IT'S A COMBINATION
OF DESERT,
INDIGENOUS THEMES WITH
MOORISH ARCHITECTURE.
THE THEME AND THE STYLE OF
THE KIOSK MAY BE SPANISH
AND MOORISH IN ORIGIN BUT THE
COLORS ARE DISTINCTLY MEXICAN.
THE RED, GREEN AND WHITE
OF THE MEXICAN FLAG
MAKES IT A PATRIOTIC PLACE.
THE TOWN OF SAHUARIPA IS
ONE OF THE FEW PLACES LEFT
IN NORTHWEST MEXICO WHERE
YOU CAN FIND A MIXTURE OF
THE OLD WAYS AND
THE NEW WAYS.
THE ANCIENT ARTS
OF LEATHER MAKING,
WEAVING PALM BASKETS AND
HATS AND GRINDING POPCORN
UP TO MAKE PINOLE ARE STILL HERE
IN SAHUARIPA, SONORA, MEXICO.
A HOST OF RIVERS, CREEKS,
STREAMS AND AN EVEN
GREATER ARRAY
OF CANYONS...
IT GETS A LITTLE
NARROWER...
CREATE THE MAN-MADE MARVEL
KNOWN AS LAKE POWELL.
SO THERE'S
LABYRINTHIAN CANYON...
NOW IMMERSED BELOW THE
PLACID SURFACE LIES SOME
OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR
CANYON COUNTRY ON EARTH.
COUNTRY THE DENAI OR
NAVAJOS ONCE CALLED HOME.
SOMETHING DRASTIC CAUSES
THE SAND DUNE TO SHIFT...
NEXT TIME ON THE
DESERT SPEAKS.
THIS IS A TRADITIONAL
KITCHEN IN THE OUTSKIRTS
OF SAHUARIPA AND THE FOOD
IS TRADITIONAL FOOD.
GREEN CHILES AND GREEN
ONIONS AND THERE IS
NOTHING IN THE WORLD THAT
COULD BE MUCH BETTER.
I'M GOING TO STIR THEM
SO THAT THEY DON'T BURN.
AND THEY WON'T BE FOR ME
BUT I ENVY WHOEVER GETS
THE PRIVILEGE
OF EATING THEM.
FUNDING FOR THE DESERT
SPEAKS IS PROVIDED BY
DESERT PROGRAM PARTNERS.
REPRESENTING CONCERNED VIEWERS
MAKING A FINANCIAL COMMITTMENT
TO THE EDUCATION ABOUT AND
PRESERVATION OF DESERTS
AND BY THE STONEWALL FOUNDATION.