WEBVTT

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A thousand years ago
people living in the

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Mexican state of Chihuahua
created one of the most

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important trading
centers in North America.

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We're certainly in
Mennonite country still...

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Today, some unexpected
immigrants have made

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Chihuahua famous
for cheese.

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And yet hidden in the
hills are towns where

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Holy Week celebrations have
their own indigenous flavor.

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Funding for
The Desert Speaks

00:32.501 --> 00:34.209 align:start
was provided by
Desert Program Partners,

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representing concerned viewers
making a financial commitment

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to the education about and
preservation of deserts.

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And by the
Stonewall Foundation.

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♪ music ♪

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The Mexican state of
Chihuahua borders

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the state of Sonora
on the east.

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It is home to the largest
desert in North America.

01:26.501 --> 01:29.167 align:start
One of the most
interesting places to

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visit in the Chihuahuan
Desert lies at the edge of

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the greatSierra
 Madre Occidental,

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the mountain range responsible
for making Chihuahua dry.

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There, during Holy Week,
the surviving indigenous

01:43.999 --> 01:52.375 align:start
people celebrate their
own version of Easter.

01:54.709 --> 01:56.999 align:start
On the way to visit
theTarahumarawho call

01:56.999 --> 02:01.417 align:start
themselvesRarámuri,we
must first cross hundreds

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of miles of
desert country.

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It has been occupied for
thousands of years

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in places likePaquime.

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My friend Jesus Garcia
travels here often.

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Paquimeis a
interesting complex,

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very likely a
trading center.

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Probably, according
to some of the

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archaeologists, it
probably started around

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just about 1,000 A.D. to,

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probably to the final stages
around 13, mid 1300s.

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A lot of these signs
here as you can see they

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already have three
different languages.

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They have Spanish,
English andRaramuri.

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Well,Raramurithey should.

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Imagine what the languages
would have been here say

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on the 1st of
January 1300.

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There would have been dozens of
different Mexican Indian

02:47.083 --> 02:50.042 align:start
people speaking
their language.

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And imagine all the
different things that

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we're bringing from all
these different areas,

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Kinko de Pueblo,in the north.

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Yeah, up in
theRio Grande,

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theToltecsto the south.

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And then a third component
coming from the coast.

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I'm sure a lot of em for
necklaces and decorations

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and jewelry but maybe
even as a currency.

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Some area obviously has
been reconstructed here

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but when you see
the inside part,

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it all looks like
rammed earth.

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Just throw this
stuff in, wet it,

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tamp it down and
that's rammed earth.

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Plasterers come afterwards
and make it pretty.

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It was not really realized
until the 20th century how

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complex and sophisticated
a place this was.

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But now we know this was
themost sophisticated

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archaeological site in
allof northwest Mexico.

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Well, here it is, the
house of theMacaws.

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Oh, this is where they
raised the parrots.

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La casa en las quacamayos.

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You can actually see here
the individual cages.

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Well, they were of
extraordinary importance.

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Can you believe they
had Scarlet Macaws in an

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aviary here and
they raised them.

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They even, even
incubated eggs.

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Based on the
archaeological evidence

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and walking through the
wonderful museum here in

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Paquime, which is probably
one of the best museums in

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northern Mexico, you can
see evidence of cultures

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from the south coming here
and as well as culture

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from the north
with theAnasazi.

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There's pottery, there
is a tremendous amount of

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effigies, shells from
the Gulf of California

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probably being traded
with the Indians in here.

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In addition to the parrots
I guess thePaquimepeople

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made the very best
ceramics anywhere but it's

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astonishing to imagine the
number of pots that were

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manufactured here and
around here over the centuries.

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If you imagine, if you go
back a thousand years ago,

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this might have been a
wonderful place to be.

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Lots of water
from the river,

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maybe also harvesting
water from the mountains,

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you know, quite a
nice place to live.

04:49.542 --> 04:51.918 align:start
Well, it was an ideal
place for agriculture.

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Right in here, this is
where it kind of continues

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from the birds area and
right through these walls

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to the rest of the complex
and it's fascinating

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because you can see how
it was covered here,

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obviously it
was not visible.

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Well, this is, this
is a drainage system.

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It's an interesting
complex coming from

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different areas joining
together and the grade

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just continues going down
through the rest of the

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buildings all the
way out probably.

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That's amazing.

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You know, these guys had to
be terrific engineers

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and architects.

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This had to be put
in before they built

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the apartments on top.

05:25.167 --> 05:28.334 align:start
They had to plan the
whole thing from scratch.

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And look, it gets deeper.

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You're right, the gradient is
real carefully calculated.

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It just continues and then
goes right through these

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walls and it was probably
covered so this was

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a functional area.

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So this was like, is as
sophisticated as Rome dern near.

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Unfortunately most
Mexicans don't really know

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about this place,
particularly northern

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Mexico is a wonderful
window to the past,

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to the prehistoric peoples
of northern Mexico.

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Why would people build such a
small door into their room?

05:56.999 --> 06:00.083 align:start
Quite possibly because if
you were concerned about

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defense, you build the
door small the enemy can't

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come rushing in
and grab you.

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Apparently every 500
meters through this valley

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there is another
one, a small town,

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pueblo as we
would call it.

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The place is just full
of unexcavated sites.

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They all seem to have
sort of come to an end at

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roughly the same and you
wonder, you know, gosh,

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what forces would be
so powerful as to make

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everybody leave a
place like this.

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But theTarahumaras
 are still living in the

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Sierrasthe way they
were a long time ago.

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Long time ago.

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A couple of hundred miles
farther south we run across

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one of the most incongruous
sites in all of Mexico.

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If the people ofPaquime
 are some of the oldest

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arrivals in Chihuahua,
aroundCiudad Quatemocyou

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can miss some of
the newest arrivals.

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Out here in the flats in
sort of central Chihuahua

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you start seeing these
Mennonite colonies and

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there's dozens of them.

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And you already start
seeing orchards around as well.

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But they're, they're
mostly known for

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the production of cheese.

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They're the biggest source
of commercial cheese

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production in
all of Mexico.

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The first thing you want
to start looking for is

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campos, look for the word
camposand anywhere you

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see thecampo, sometimes
they have a number,

07:20.584 --> 07:23.125 align:start
and we're basically
in Mennonite country.

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The, the Mennonites I
think have only actually

07:25.626 --> 07:28.501 align:start
been in here for a
little more 50 years.

07:28.501 --> 07:30.918 align:start
Originally from Germany
but they came to Mexico

07:30.918 --> 07:32.999 align:start
via Canada and
they still speak a,

07:32.999 --> 07:37.626 align:start
a low German and they
don't intermingle much

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at all with Mexicans.

07:39.792 --> 07:41.999 align:start
Here's one that
saysCampos Dos A,

07:41.999 --> 07:44.999 align:start
Camp 2A and the one we're
looking for is Camp 2B.

07:44.999 --> 07:50.417 align:start
Hey, now isn't that
distinguished name for a town.

07:50.417 --> 07:52.125 align:start
We're very close.

07:52.125 --> 07:54.459 align:start
But speaking of
modern times, well,

07:54.459 --> 07:56.667 align:start
now they're using cellular
phones just like anybody

07:56.667 --> 07:59.417 align:start
else and business
transactions take place

07:59.417 --> 08:01.459 align:start
on a regular basis.

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So in terms of commerce
they're very modern.

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Absolutely.

08:05.999 --> 08:08.709 align:start
But in terms of
integrating in the bigger

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society, they
just don't do it.

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One of the first things
that you can notice is the

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houses are very neat,
very clean in the front,

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the gardens in the front
are very organized.

08:19.999 --> 08:22.083 align:start
So we're certainly in
Mennonite country still.

08:22.083 --> 08:25.209 align:start
They said this is where
the dairy operation is,

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the cow milking.

08:32.000 --> 08:39.125 align:start
You might think
that we're in Bavaria but

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we're actually in the
state of Chihuahua in

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Mexico and the women
here are the milkers.

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They have the luxury of
being able to rest between

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the 12 hour milkings.

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Every 12 hours every
day of the week,

08:54.999 --> 09:00.083 align:start
every day of the year they must
bring the cows and milk them.

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These Holsteins
as we call them,

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here they call thempinto
 enegrogive an average of

09:04.167 --> 09:09.209 align:start
20 liters of milk a day, a
little bit more than 5 gallons.

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The entire herd gives over
3 tons of milk and almost

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all of it will go
to making cheese.

09:21.375 --> 09:23.999 align:start
This is Franz but
he's calledPanchobecause

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he lives in Mexico and
this isPedrobut his real name

09:27.167 --> 09:33.584 align:start
is Peter but he's in Mexico
and so he has to bePedro.

09:33.584 --> 09:38.250 align:start
And their last name is not
pronounceable in Spanish,

09:38.250 --> 09:42.792 align:start
Wiebeenns.

09:42.999 --> 09:44.792 align:start
So the grandfather
of these young men,

09:44.792 --> 09:48.375 align:start
they're brothers, founded
the first cheese plant,

09:48.375 --> 09:49.999 align:start
cheese factory
they call it,

09:49.999 --> 09:51.999 align:start
or they call
itquesadilla,

09:51.999 --> 09:54.167 align:start
in this colony which
has the illustrious,

09:54.167 --> 09:57.584 align:start
distinguished name of 2B.

09:57.584 --> 09:59.167 align:start
I guess it's fairly
easy to remember,

09:59.167 --> 10:03.999 align:start
whether you're from
camp 7, 9, 11 or 3.

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Nomas se prenden aqui,
 aqui en la caseria...

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Their first language here is
German then they pick up

10:09.501 --> 10:11.959 align:start
Spanish and of course
they then learn it in

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the schools as well.

10:15.042 --> 10:16.417 align:start
Nomas como tres familias.

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Y no hay otros empleados?

10:18.876 --> 10:19.125 align:start
No.

10:19.125 --> 10:20.999 align:start
So they do all of the
work themselves here,

10:20.999 --> 10:22.792 align:start
they don't bring any
outside help in so it

10:22.792 --> 10:28.083 align:start
really is truly a
family operation.

10:36.667 --> 10:39.709 align:start
So here's the retail
operation.

10:39.709 --> 10:40.501 align:start
Buenos dias.

10:40.501 --> 10:41.834 align:start
Buenos dias.

10:41.834 --> 10:43.999 align:start
Ay, queso, queso menonita.

10:43.999 --> 10:47.125 align:start
Pues este no esta tan duro
 ni tan blandito o sea con

10:47.125 --> 10:48.042 align:start
esta la pruebas.

10:48.042 --> 10:49.292 align:start
Podemos probarlo?

10:49.292 --> 10:50.292 align:start
Si, esta bien.

10:50.292 --> 10:52.999 align:start
This cheese is called
Chester type cheese,

10:52.999 --> 10:55.083 align:start
which I hadn't heard of,
but it apparently refers

10:55.083 --> 10:59.834 align:start
more to the form
that it comes in...

10:59.834 --> 11:00.584 align:start
That's good.

11:00.584 --> 11:03.584 align:start
Las quesadillas salen
 deliciosas con esto.

11:03.584 --> 11:04.876 align:start
El queso?

11:04.876 --> 11:06.250 align:start
Esta seguro como
 en unos dias.

11:06.250 --> 11:08.000 align:start
It seems awfully odd to
call cheese a factory but

11:08.000 --> 11:14.999 align:start
there were ten of them in the
region all run by Mennonites.

11:14.999 --> 11:17.501 align:start
Cada queseria
tiene su nombre.

11:17.501 --> 11:18.000 align:start
Su nombre...

11:18.000 --> 11:21.709 align:start
So every, every
cheese factory has its own

11:21.709 --> 11:27.250 align:start
brand and this
is Gold Seal.

11:27.250 --> 11:28.501 align:start
Well, there goes
a lot of cheese.

11:28.501 --> 11:30.000 align:start
That's a lot of
cheese there.

11:30.000 --> 11:31.000 align:start
That's several kilos.

11:31.000 --> 11:32.792 align:start
Yeah, I mean, that,
that's, it's interesting.

11:32.792 --> 11:34.209 align:start
I never saw how it
was molded before.

11:34.209 --> 11:36.042 align:start
They, they put it in these
molds and then it goes

11:36.042 --> 11:37.999 align:start
here I guess to be chopped
up and put into...

11:37.999 --> 11:40.334 align:start
Chopped in little pieces because
you don't want to buy a

11:40.334 --> 11:42.334 align:start
big huge piece like that.
You want to buy...

11:42.334 --> 11:43.083 align:start
And what if I do?

11:43.083 --> 11:44.751 align:start
Maybe I want to buy
the whole thing.

11:44.751 --> 11:46.209 align:start
That's like a month's
supply of cheese.

11:46.209 --> 11:48.000 align:start
Yeah, a small one
or a regular one,

11:48.000 --> 11:49.250 align:start
which is about
a kilo probably.

11:49.250 --> 11:53.000 align:start
You know what impresses me is
the sanitation here is,

11:53.000 --> 11:54.542 align:start
is really...

11:54.542 --> 11:55.999 align:start
It's very, very special.

11:55.999 --> 11:58.125 align:start
Do you get the idea Jesus
that there's not a lot of

11:58.125 --> 12:00.918 align:start
chit chat goes on
in these guys work.

12:00.918 --> 12:01.999 align:start
I mean this is hard core.

12:01.999 --> 12:04.250 align:start
Obviously here is the
famous cheesecloth.

12:04.250 --> 12:05.000 align:start
Oh, yeah.

12:05.000 --> 12:05.876 align:start
In operation.

12:05.876 --> 12:08.417 align:start
And that's something that
obviously you expect to

12:08.417 --> 12:09.959 align:start
see in a cheese factory.

12:09.959 --> 12:10.375 align:start
Sure.

12:10.375 --> 12:12.209 align:start
It allows the cheese to
breathe and it let's the,

12:12.209 --> 12:13.542 align:start
let's the liquid
still come out,

12:13.542 --> 12:16.042 align:start
although there's not much
left by the time they press it.

12:16.042 --> 12:18.918 align:start
In most of Mexico it's
known asqueso Chihuahua,

12:18.918 --> 12:22.584 align:start
the Chihuahua cheese, but
within the region all you

12:22.584 --> 12:24.125 align:start
hear isqueso menonita.

12:24.125 --> 12:25.501 align:start
Everybody knows it
asmenonita°I know.

12:25.501 --> 12:26.834 align:start
But it's really
queso Chihuahua,

12:26.834 --> 12:28.999 align:start
what you hear in Sonora
and other places in Mexico.

12:28.999 --> 12:30.999 align:start
West of the Mennonites
and the flat country where

12:30.999 --> 12:34.918 align:start
they live we enter the
Sierra Madre Occidental

12:34.918 --> 12:38.167 align:start
and meet up with an
internationally famous

12:38.167 --> 12:43.209 align:start
train whose main stop
is the town ofCreel.

12:43.209 --> 13:02.876 align:start
♪ music ♪

13:02.876 --> 13:05.459 align:start
Quinientos que, ochenta,
 quinientos ochenta.

13:05.459 --> 13:09.167 align:start
You expected to find guitar
sales in here inCreel?

13:09.167 --> 13:10.209 align:start
No, not at all.

13:10.209 --> 13:11.125 align:start
Here in theSierra Madre.

13:11.125 --> 13:13.042 align:start
I was thinkingSierra Madre,
 No, Violines,Tarahumaras

13:13.042 --> 13:16.792 align:start
and stuff but notguitaros
fromParacho, Michoacán.

13:16.792 --> 13:18.083 align:start
Let's go over
to the plaza.

13:18.083 --> 13:19.209 align:start
Okay.

13:19.209 --> 13:20.334 align:start
Gracias.

13:20.334 --> 13:22.999 align:start
This is supposedly a
lumber town and now it's

13:22.999 --> 13:26.125 align:start
turned into the city of
boutiques and...

13:26.125 --> 13:27.999 align:start
Arts and crafts.

13:27.999 --> 13:28.459 align:start
Yeah.

13:28.459 --> 13:29.999 align:start
A lot of hippies,
mochileros,

13:29.999 --> 13:31.584 align:start
backpackers show up and
the people come from the

13:31.584 --> 13:33.999 align:start
Sierrasselling baskets
and here's thechurros.

13:33.999 --> 13:36.876 align:start
Oh, here's thechurroshe
was talking about, okay, yes.

13:36.876 --> 13:38.334 align:start
And they are bigchurros.

13:38.334 --> 13:42.125 align:start
Creelis this magnet for
tourists,Tarahumaras,

13:42.125 --> 13:45.459 align:start
for people from Mexico,
Europe, everywhere.

13:45.459 --> 13:46.999 align:start
Yeah, and here's
an example here.

13:46.999 --> 13:49.000 align:start
One of the reasons, she's
weaving us a palm and

13:49.000 --> 13:51.209 align:start
we're up at 7,000 feet and
there won't be any palm

13:51.209 --> 13:54.918 align:start
growing here so it comes
from down in the canyons.

13:54.918 --> 13:56.667 align:start
The smaller ones,
very pointy here,

13:56.667 --> 13:59.626 align:start
is actually pine,
Apache pine needles.

13:59.626 --> 13:59.999 align:start
Oh, I see.

13:59.999 --> 14:02.292 align:start
So it's a combination
of pine and palm.

14:02.292 --> 14:04.375 align:start
But the pine needles,
unlike just regular pine

14:04.375 --> 14:06.501 align:start
needles, this
one looks black.

14:06.501 --> 14:06.999 align:start
They are.

14:06.999 --> 14:08.751 align:start
They put em in water
and they let it kind of

14:08.751 --> 14:11.250 align:start
ferment for a little
while and they turn black.

14:11.250 --> 14:13.375 align:start
Dos mesas.

14:13.375 --> 14:16.709 align:start
So for two months they
soak the pine needles and

14:16.709 --> 14:20.042 align:start
the inside turns out
completely black while the

14:20.042 --> 14:24.501 align:start
outside has this mosaic,
alternating pattern that

14:24.501 --> 14:27.959 align:start
almost makes you
dizzy to look at.

14:27.959 --> 14:29.250 align:start
These are the
natural ones.

14:29.250 --> 14:30.167 align:start
These have not
been soaked.

14:30.167 --> 14:35.626 align:start
And when you pull them
out they are about a foot long.

14:35.626 --> 14:36.626 align:start
Muchas gracias.

14:36.626 --> 14:37.417 align:start
Gracias, señoras.

14:37.417 --> 14:39.334 align:start
From way down there the
train will be coming in, huh?

14:39.334 --> 14:41.250 align:start
Actually two trains
come in fromChihuahua,

14:41.250 --> 14:44.918 align:start
first class and second
class and two more trains

14:44.918 --> 14:46.334 align:start
coming fromLos Moches.

14:46.334 --> 14:47.584 align:start
That's down on the coast.

14:47.584 --> 14:49.167 align:start
First class and
second class.

14:49.167 --> 14:50.083 align:start
Yes.

14:50.083 --> 14:54.999 align:start
And they pass?

15:09.292 --> 15:12.667 align:start
Of course they
don't have the coal cars

15:12.667 --> 15:14.083 align:start
at the end anymore.

15:14.083 --> 15:19.459 align:start
The cabooses are gone.

15:20.999 --> 15:23.209 align:start
So people are coming here
from almost everywhere all

15:23.209 --> 15:29.542 align:start
over Mexico, North America
and a lot even from Europe.

15:29.542 --> 15:31.999 align:start
One of the most famous
train rides in the world

15:31.999 --> 15:35.667 align:start
and in Easter time it's
even more famous so it's

15:35.667 --> 15:39.375 align:start
pretty hectic and
fun right now.

15:39.375 --> 15:41.709 align:start
So here the French and the
Tarahumarasmeet and the

15:41.709 --> 15:44.626 align:start
Germans and the
mestizosformCreel,

15:44.626 --> 15:46.000 align:start
theChihuahuans.

15:46.000 --> 15:46.792 align:start
Right.

15:46.792 --> 15:47.959 align:start
Everything comes
together here.

15:47.959 --> 15:53.042 align:start
It's a wonderful meeting
place all together, yeah.

15:54.709 --> 15:57.792 align:start
Well, I guess the train is
leaving and we're

15:57.792 --> 15:59.000 align:start
gonna stay here.

15:59.000 --> 16:01.999 align:start
So peace and tranquility
will descend once again

16:01.999 --> 16:04.999 align:start
upon the railroad
station ofCreel.

16:04.999 --> 16:08.250 align:start
Uh huh.

16:08.250 --> 16:10.042 align:start
And now we can go back
to the plaza and...

16:10.042 --> 16:12.250 align:start
Wait, wait, let's get
you a hat this time.

16:12.250 --> 16:13.501 align:start
And get a hat.

16:13.501 --> 16:14.999 align:start
You've run out of excuses.

16:14.999 --> 16:18.834 align:start
Exactly.

16:19.999 --> 16:21.584 align:start
You know, it is a
thrill, once you get on,

16:21.584 --> 16:23.584 align:start
settled and the train
starts moving you have a

16:23.584 --> 16:28.417 align:start
feeling that another episode in
your life has changed.

16:28.417 --> 16:29.083 align:start
Changing.

16:29.083 --> 16:30.876 align:start
One has ended, another
is gonna begin.

16:30.876 --> 16:32.042 align:start
Moving to
another location,

16:32.042 --> 16:33.959 align:start
going to the next town.

16:33.959 --> 16:34.999 align:start
Yep.

16:34.999 --> 16:36.709 align:start
There it goes.

16:36.709 --> 16:38.959 align:start
[train whistle]

16:38.959 --> 16:40.999 align:start
Well, you
wanted a hat fromCreel,

16:40.999 --> 16:42.584 align:start
you got a hat fromCreel.

16:42.584 --> 16:43.751 align:start
I guess I did.

16:43.751 --> 16:44.999 align:start
It's pretty classy.

16:44.999 --> 16:46.042 align:start
Very, very nice actually.

16:46.042 --> 16:47.667 align:start
I, I really like it.

16:47.667 --> 16:50.999 align:start
Hey, you're, you're
Mr. Macho now.

16:50.999 --> 16:53.417 align:start
I mean, not that
you weren't before.

16:53.417 --> 16:54.083 align:start
Oh, yeah.

16:54.083 --> 16:55.584 align:start
Oh, here comes a diesel.

16:55.584 --> 16:56.375 align:start
Yeah.

16:56.375 --> 16:56.999 align:start
Fuel truck.

16:56.999 --> 16:59.000 align:start
Well, you knowCreel's
great but where the real

16:59.000 --> 17:03.626 align:start
action is for the
Tarahumarais inNorogachi.

17:03.626 --> 17:04.334 align:start
That's where we're going.

17:04.334 --> 17:08.334 align:start
And it's time for us to
get, we gotta go there.

17:29.125 --> 17:33.501 align:start
Well, theDar
 Ambreare undoubtedly the

17:33.501 --> 17:35.375 align:start
largest indigenous
group in,

17:35.375 --> 17:36.999 align:start
at least in
northwest Mexico.

17:36.999 --> 17:39.834 align:start
Just sometimes it's hard
to get a place where you

17:39.834 --> 17:42.042 align:start
can sit to get a good view
and this seems to be the

17:42.042 --> 17:43.918 align:start
perfect place right here.

17:43.918 --> 17:47.042 align:start
Southwestern third of
the state ofChihuahua.

17:47.042 --> 17:49.959 align:start
And theSierra Madre,
forested canyons,

17:49.959 --> 17:53.667 align:start
torturous peaks, the
most difficult terrain...

17:53.667 --> 17:54.125 align:start
Terrain.

17:54.125 --> 17:55.584 align:start
Almost in the
whole country.

17:55.584 --> 17:58.000 align:start
Thanks to that we can
still see this type of

17:58.000 --> 18:01.000 align:start
culture still
alive, a very,

18:01.000 --> 18:05.999 align:start
very traditional
lifestyle.

18:30.667 --> 18:32.999 align:start
So this young man
is 23 years old and he's

18:32.999 --> 18:35.167 align:start
been doing this
for 15 years,

18:35.167 --> 18:37.334 align:start
he sort of traditioned it.

18:37.334 --> 18:40.209 align:start
Buenas tardes, hola.

18:40.209 --> 18:41.167 align:start
Como la pasa?

18:41.167 --> 18:46.000 align:start
Excellente, muy bonito.

18:50.375 --> 18:52.042 align:start
You know, all the
native peoples have their

18:52.042 --> 18:53.876 align:start
own interpretation
of Easter but man the

18:53.876 --> 18:56.792 align:start
Tarahumara'sis, is unlike
any other I've seen.

18:56.792 --> 18:59.584 align:start
We're used to seeing the
Yaquis and the Mayos but

18:59.584 --> 19:00.125 align:start
nothing like this.

19:00.125 --> 19:03.375 align:start
Yeah, thePharisaios,
the Pharisees here are painted.

19:03.375 --> 19:06.000 align:start
They call emPintosand
that's the Spanish word.

19:06.000 --> 19:06.501 align:start
Uh huh.

19:06.501 --> 19:08.959 align:start
Notice that every single
group is coming in with

19:08.959 --> 19:11.999 align:start
their own musicians
and thus arancherilla.

19:11.999 --> 19:14.459 align:start
So each littlerancherilla
 or hamlet sends its own

19:14.459 --> 19:16.834 align:start
group and they are what,
20 of them around here.

19:16.834 --> 19:20.125 align:start
Probably 20 and maybe 20
rancherillasmay show up.

19:20.125 --> 19:22.209 align:start
And they're just arriving,
they go into the church

19:22.209 --> 19:23.542 align:start
to be blessed.

19:23.542 --> 19:23.999 align:start
Mm mm.

19:23.999 --> 19:25.999 align:start
And then they have their
own way of making their

19:25.999 --> 19:28.918 align:start
procession through
the streets.

19:28.918 --> 19:34.999 align:start
What's interesting
is that theTarahumaras

19:34.999 --> 19:38.792 align:start
insisted on maintaining
their own identity when

19:38.792 --> 19:42.167 align:start
the first missionaries
got here in the early 17th

19:42.167 --> 19:44.000 align:start
century and the
missionaries said,

19:44.000 --> 19:45.959 align:start
"No way, you're not
gonna have this."

19:45.959 --> 19:47.292 align:start
And they, the
Tarahumarasrebelled and

19:47.292 --> 19:48.999 align:start
almost drove all the
Spaniards out of the

19:48.999 --> 19:51.626 align:start
country and that's,
that's 400 years ago.

19:51.626 --> 19:52.250 align:start
Exactly.

19:52.250 --> 19:53.292 align:start
And look what
it's doing now.

19:53.292 --> 19:55.125 align:start
So finally the priests
said, "Okay, all right,

19:55.125 --> 19:56.250 align:start
let's cut a
deal," you know.

19:56.250 --> 19:58.584 align:start
So, so you, you keep doing
your ancient stuff but the

19:58.584 --> 20:01.999 align:start
important thing is
you represent Easter.

20:01.999 --> 20:04.584 align:start
You could see actually
that they had a statue of

20:04.584 --> 20:07.292 align:start
Christ being brought
around in this little

20:07.292 --> 20:10.334 align:start
procession and behind it
there was a statue of a

20:10.334 --> 20:14.292 align:start
veryTarahumara
 looking woman to me.

20:14.292 --> 20:14.999 align:start
Oh, really.

20:14.999 --> 20:16.292 align:start
And the women
were holding that.

20:16.292 --> 20:18.999 align:start
So here again another
twist to their tradition

20:18.999 --> 20:22.626 align:start
mixed in a little bit with
the Catholic religion

20:22.626 --> 20:23.876 align:start
but it's totally.

20:23.876 --> 20:25.042 align:start
Yeah, it's there.

20:25.042 --> 20:29.250 align:start
Unique.

20:32.375 --> 20:34.542 align:start
All these
communities are hidden

20:34.542 --> 20:36.459 align:start
just behind these
mountains but this seems

20:36.459 --> 20:39.292 align:start
to be amestizoarea
because of the church

20:39.292 --> 20:41.876 align:start
probably and it's been
probably a central

20:41.876 --> 20:47.876 align:start
location and is the place to be.

20:49.334 --> 20:52.250 align:start
Dos horas de aqui - Dos horas de
aqui a pie, vinieron...

20:52.250 --> 20:54.459 align:start
So these these
guys came two hours,

20:54.459 --> 20:59.709 align:start
they live fairly close, it was
only a two hour walk by foot.

21:00.999 --> 21:02.834 align:start
And there are some
rancherillasthat may take

21:02.834 --> 21:05.584 align:start
two days, three days
walking... To get here.

21:05.584 --> 21:06.000 align:start
Just to get here.

21:06.000 --> 21:07.999 align:start
So imagine what are the
chances that they are

21:07.999 --> 21:10.250 align:start
going to connect on a regular
basis throughout the year.

21:10.250 --> 21:12.209 align:start
So other things happen,
other social events are

21:12.209 --> 21:14.459 align:start
happening besides the
religious and besides the

21:14.459 --> 21:17.792 align:start
rest of the ceremonies
that are going on right

21:17.792 --> 21:21.751 align:start
now that's a
social lubrication.

21:22.334 --> 21:24.417 align:start
No, I think
particularly I've noticed

21:24.417 --> 21:25.417 align:start
the bright, bright colors.

21:25.417 --> 21:27.501 align:start
The bright colors that the
girls like to wear and I don't

21:27.501 --> 21:31.999 align:start
think they're above a little
flirtation with the guys, yeah?

21:31.999 --> 21:34.876 align:start
this is a time to stretch
their stuff and they

21:34.876 --> 21:36.250 align:start
know how to do it.

21:36.250 --> 21:37.167 align:start
Exactly.

21:37.167 --> 21:42.375 align:start
They're showing off.

21:42.709 --> 21:45.000 align:start
The combination of
the ancient traditions and

21:45.000 --> 21:47.792 align:start
sort of, incorporation
of modern stuff is interesting.

21:47.792 --> 21:49.125 align:start
Did you notice the flutes?

21:49.125 --> 21:49.834 align:start
Absolutely.

21:49.834 --> 21:50.999 align:start
And what are
they made out of?

21:50.999 --> 21:52.584 align:start
Well, some of
them I saw the,

21:52.584 --> 21:53.584 align:start
was definitely copper.

21:53.584 --> 21:55.584 align:start
The other one was probably
just regular tubing with a

21:55.584 --> 21:57.834 align:start
little whistle
part at the end.

21:57.834 --> 22:00.501 align:start
But they make great sound
and that's the important thing.

22:00.501 --> 22:03.959 align:start
The drums are
absolutely traditional.

22:08.250 --> 22:09.999 align:start
Just about every
Tarahumarathat you see

22:09.999 --> 22:11.584 align:start
from the tiny little kids
to the adults are in these

22:11.584 --> 22:14.501 align:start
wonderful tire sandals and
its just one single strap

22:14.501 --> 22:17.999 align:start
of leather, and
it breaks off,

22:17.999 --> 22:19.999 align:start
so they stop... They
have to fix it.

22:19.999 --> 22:20.834 align:start
Fix it up.

22:20.834 --> 22:22.000 align:start
But you can fix them?

22:22.000 --> 22:23.167 align:start
Oh, absolutely.

22:23.167 --> 22:28.292 align:start
It takes you two minutes.

22:36.834 --> 22:38.999 align:start
It's sort of
heartening to see the

22:38.999 --> 22:41.209 align:start
number of little boys.

22:41.209 --> 22:41.876 align:start
Absolutely.

22:41.876 --> 22:43.626 align:start
And the little girls
with their gorgeous...

22:43.626 --> 22:49.542 align:start
You can tell that we have
Pharisaioshere orPintoslater.

22:49.542 --> 22:55.999 align:start
[drum beat]

22:55.999 --> 22:58.334 align:start
That drum beat
goes right through you.

22:58.334 --> 22:59.000 align:start
Absolutely.

22:59.000 --> 23:04.375 align:start
It just penetrates
right to your soul.

23:15.876 --> 23:17.334 align:start
The essence of
Sonora is fairly easy to

23:17.334 --> 23:19.999 align:start
identify, there's not
justtacos de carne asada,

23:19.999 --> 23:22.000 align:start
you know, meat tacos,
roasted meat tacos,

23:22.000 --> 23:25.626 align:start
butChihuahuaseems to me
really to have a different

23:25.626 --> 23:28.999 align:start
identity and part of
that is two things;

23:28.999 --> 23:33.999 align:start
theTarahumarasin the
Sierra Madreand the Mennonites.

23:33.999 --> 23:36.417 align:start
Two cultures that
are so different,

23:36.417 --> 23:37.999 align:start
yet there are
some similarities.

23:37.999 --> 23:40.918 align:start
When you see aTarahumara
woman or even men

23:40.918 --> 23:42.999 align:start
sometimes they
are very shy,

23:42.999 --> 23:45.918 align:start
they will not talk very
much to aMestizoMexican.

23:45.918 --> 23:46.167 align:start
Right.

23:46.167 --> 23:49.083 align:start
And they tend to
keep to themselves.

23:49.083 --> 23:49.542 align:start
Yeah.

23:49.542 --> 23:52.542 align:start
And when you see a Mennonite
woman or a Mennonite man...

23:52.542 --> 23:53.375 align:start
They're sort of shy,

23:53.375 --> 23:56.083 align:start
they really don't speak
the language and they keep

23:56.083 --> 23:58.751 align:start
to themselves and yet
here they are part of the,

23:58.751 --> 24:02.876 align:start
of the popular
conception... OfChihuahua.

24:02.876 --> 24:06.999 align:start
...ofChihuahua.

24:09.083 --> 24:10.999 align:start
So it's Easter and
it's religious but even

24:10.999 --> 24:14.292 align:start
more important it's the
Tarahumara'saffirmation

24:14.292 --> 24:16.918 align:start
of their own
indigenous background,

24:16.918 --> 24:18.334 align:start
their own culture.

24:18.334 --> 24:24.000 align:start
Exactly.

24:33.209 --> 24:35.417 align:start
The rise of the
Sierra Madre Occidental

24:35.417 --> 24:38.959 align:start
created rivers that
brought water toPaquime

24:38.959 --> 24:43.792 align:start
and filled the aquifers
that the Mennonites now use.

24:43.792 --> 24:46.167 align:start
It also created a
labyrinth of profound

24:46.167 --> 24:51.334 align:start
canyons and plateaus and
high mountain peaks that

24:51.334 --> 24:54.792 align:start
gave a haven to the
Tarahumarasand enabled

24:54.792 --> 24:58.417 align:start
them to carry on the
ancient traditions that

24:58.417 --> 25:01.999 align:start
they still celebrate.

25:02.876 --> 25:06.042 align:start
Adobe is the ideal building
material of the desert.

25:06.042 --> 25:09.667 align:start
The blocks moderate
temperature extremes,

25:09.667 --> 25:10.501 align:start
but that's not all.

25:10.501 --> 25:13.209 align:start
...here is the courtyard of
this adobe house...

25:13.209 --> 25:16.999 align:start
Adobe buildings are attractive,

25:16.999 --> 25:18.999 align:start
they have character,

25:18.999 --> 25:20.542 align:start
they're functional,

25:20.542 --> 25:23.167 align:start
and they can last for centuries.

25:23.167 --> 25:26.292 align:start
It feels good when you
tap it and rub it.

25:26.292 --> 25:31.918 align:start
Next time onThe Desert Speaks.

25:33.209 --> 25:34.999 align:start
And here's
the Apache pine.

25:34.999 --> 25:36.584 align:start
It's one of about eight
species up here in the

25:36.584 --> 25:40.334 align:start
Sierra Madre, but look
at the length of these needles.

25:40.334 --> 25:40.999 align:start
They're incredible.

25:40.999 --> 25:43.417 align:start
They are long, they
are about a foot long.

25:43.417 --> 25:43.918 align:start
Yeah.

25:43.918 --> 25:46.417 align:start
Pretty much a totally
renewable resource.

25:46.417 --> 25:46.999 align:start
They're everywhere.

25:46.999 --> 25:49.167 align:start
Everywhere, and they
can use them for their

25:49.167 --> 25:51.167 align:start
baskets, little
ones and big ones.

25:51.167 --> 25:52.334 align:start
And they weave
them real well.

25:52.334 --> 25:55.626 align:start
And of course that type of
weaving is very, very difficult.

25:55.626 --> 25:55.999 align:start
Oh, yeah.

25:55.999 --> 26:01.209 align:start
Well, another discovery
inTarahumaracountry.

26:02.042 --> 26:03.999 align:start
Funding for
The Desert Speaks

26:03.999 --> 26:06.167 align:start
was provided by
Desert Program Partners,

26:06.167 --> 26:09.792 align:start
representing concerned viewers
making a financial commitment

26:09.792 --> 26:14.209 align:start
to the education about and
preservation of deserts.

26:14.209 --> 26:19.292 align:start
And by the
Stonewall Foundation.

26:20.209 --> 26:24.999 align:start
Copies of the Desert
Speaks are available from KUAT.

26:24.999 --> 26:29.584 align:start
To order, call 1-800-841-5923

26:29.584 --> 26:33.999 align:start
and please be sure to mention
the episode number.

26:33.999 --> 26:41.542 align:start
For more information
visitThe Desert Speaks
on-line at this address.