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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

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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.

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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

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people celebrate their 
own version of Easter.

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On the way to visit 
theTarahumarawho call

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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

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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.

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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,

93
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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.

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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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00:05:44,209 --> 00:05:45,876
about this place, 
particularly northern

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Mexico is a wonderful 
window to the past,

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00:05:48,999 --> 00:05:53,999
to the prehistoric peoples 
of northern Mexico.

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

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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.

119
00:06:06,167 --> 00:06:09,083
Apparently every 500 
meters through this valley

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00:06:09,083 --> 00:06:11,417
there is another 
one, a small town,

121
00:06:11,417 --> 00:06:13,167
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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00:06:25,792 --> 00:06:28,042
everybody leave a 
place like this.

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But theTarahumaras 
 are still living in the

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00:06:30,959 --> 00:06:34,667
Sierrasthe way they 
were a long time ago.

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00:06:34,667 --> 00:06:36,834
Long time ago.

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00:06:36,834 --> 00:06:39,459
A couple of hundred miles 
farther south we run across

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00:06:39,459 --> 00:06:44,334
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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00:06:46,667 --> 00:06:51,125
arrivals in Chihuahua, 
aroundCiudad Quatemocyou

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00:06:51,125 --> 00:06:54,918
can miss some of 
the newest arrivals.

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00:06:54,918 --> 00:06:57,542
Out here in the flats in 
sort of central Chihuahua

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00:06:57,542 --> 00:07:00,709
you start seeing these 
Mennonite colonies and

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00:07:00,709 --> 00:07:01,751
there's dozens of them.

138
00:07:01,751 --> 00:07:05,042
And you already start 
seeing orchards around as well.

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00:07:05,042 --> 00:07:07,584
But they're, they're 
mostly known for

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00:07:07,584 --> 00:07:09,375
the production of cheese.

141
00:07:09,375 --> 00:07:11,999
They're the biggest source 
of commercial cheese

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00:07:11,999 --> 00:07:13,626
production in 
all of Mexico.

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00:07:13,626 --> 00:07:15,125
The first thing you want 
to start looking for is

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00:07:15,125 --> 00:07:17,334
campos, look for the word 
camposand anywhere you

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00:07:17,334 --> 00:07:20,584
see thecampo, sometimes 
they have a number,

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00:07:20,584 --> 00:07:23,125
and we're basically 
in Mennonite country.

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00:07:23,125 --> 00:07:25,626
The, the Mennonites I 
think have only actually

148
00:07:25,626 --> 00:07:28,501
been in here for a 
little more 50 years.

149
00:07:28,501 --> 00:07:30,918
Originally from Germany 
but they came to Mexico

150
00:07:30,918 --> 00:07:32,999
via Canada and 
they still speak a,

151
00:07:32,999 --> 00:07:37,626
a low German and they 
don't intermingle much

152
00:07:37,626 --> 00:07:39,792
at all with Mexicans.

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00:07:39,792 --> 00:07:41,999
Here's one that 
saysCampos Dos A,

154
00:07:41,999 --> 00:07:44,999
Camp 2A and the one we're 
looking for is Camp 2B.

155
00:07:44,999 --> 00:07:50,417
Hey, now isn't that 
distinguished name for a town.

156
00:07:50,417 --> 00:07:52,125
We're very close.

157
00:07:52,125 --> 00:07:54,459
But speaking of 
modern times, well,

158
00:07:54,459 --> 00:07:56,667
now they're using cellular 
phones just like anybody

159
00:07:56,667 --> 00:07:59,417
else and business 
transactions take place

160
00:07:59,417 --> 00:08:01,459
on a regular basis.

161
00:08:01,459 --> 00:08:05,209
So in terms of commerce 
they're very modern.

162
00:08:05,209 --> 00:08:05,999
Absolutely.

163
00:08:05,999 --> 00:08:08,709
But in terms of 
integrating in the bigger

164
00:08:08,709 --> 00:08:10,709
society, they 
just don't do it.

165
00:08:10,709 --> 00:08:13,125
One of the first things 
that you can notice is the

166
00:08:13,125 --> 00:08:16,792
houses are very neat, 
very clean in the front,

167
00:08:16,792 --> 00:08:19,999
the gardens in the front 
are very organized.

168
00:08:19,999 --> 00:08:22,083
So we're certainly in 
Mennonite country still.

169
00:08:22,083 --> 00:08:25,209
They said this is where 
the dairy operation is,

170
00:08:25,209 --> 00:08:32,000
the cow milking.

171
00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:39,125
You might think 
that we're in Bavaria but

172
00:08:39,125 --> 00:08:42,375
we're actually in the 
state of Chihuahua in

173
00:08:42,375 --> 00:08:46,042
Mexico and the women 
here are the milkers.

174
00:08:46,042 --> 00:08:49,918
They have the luxury of 
being able to rest between

175
00:08:49,918 --> 00:08:52,334
the 12 hour milkings.

176
00:08:52,334 --> 00:08:54,999
Every 12 hours every 
day of the week,

177
00:08:54,999 --> 00:09:00,083
every day of the year they must 
bring the cows and milk them.

178
00:09:00,083 --> 00:09:01,167
These Holsteins 
as we call them,

179
00:09:01,167 --> 00:09:04,167
here they call thempinto 
 enegrogive an average of

180
00:09:04,167 --> 00:09:09,209
20 liters of milk a day, a 
little bit more than 5 gallons.

181
00:09:09,209 --> 00:09:12,667
The entire herd gives over 
3 tons of milk and almost

182
00:09:12,667 --> 00:09:18,334
all of it will go 
to making cheese.

183
00:09:21,375 --> 00:09:23,999
This is Franz but 
he's calledPanchobecause

184
00:09:23,999 --> 00:09:27,167
he lives in Mexico and 
this isPedrobut his real name

185
00:09:27,167 --> 00:09:33,584
is Peter but he's in Mexico 
and so he has to bePedro.

186
00:09:33,584 --> 00:09:38,250
And their last name is not 
pronounceable in Spanish,

187
00:09:38,250 --> 00:09:42,792
Wiebeenns.

188
00:09:42,999 --> 00:09:44,792
So the grandfather 
of these young men,

189
00:09:44,792 --> 00:09:48,375
they're brothers, founded 
the first cheese plant,

190
00:09:48,375 --> 00:09:49,999
cheese factory 
they call it,

191
00:09:49,999 --> 00:09:51,999
or they call 
itquesadilla,

192
00:09:51,999 --> 00:09:54,167
in this colony which 
has the illustrious,

193
00:09:54,167 --> 00:09:57,584
distinguished name of 2B.

194
00:09:57,584 --> 00:09:59,167
I guess it's fairly 
easy to remember,

195
00:09:59,167 --> 00:10:03,999
whether you're from 
camp 7, 9, 11 or 3.

196
00:10:03,999 --> 00:10:07,000
Nomas se prenden aqui, 
 aqui en la caseria...

197
00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,501
Their first language here is 
German then they pick up

198
00:10:09,501 --> 00:10:11,959
Spanish and of course 
they then learn it in

199
00:10:11,959 --> 00:10:15,042
the schools as well.

200
00:10:15,042 --> 00:10:16,417
Nomas como tres familias.

201
00:10:16,417 --> 00:10:18,876
Y no hay otros empleados?

202
00:10:18,876 --> 00:10:19,125
No.

203
00:10:19,125 --> 00:10:20,999
So they do all of the 
work themselves here,

204
00:10:20,999 --> 00:10:22,792
they don't bring any 
outside help in so it

205
00:10:22,792 --> 00:10:28,083
really is truly a 
family operation.

206
00:10:36,667 --> 00:10:39,709
So here's the retail 
operation.

207
00:10:39,709 --> 00:10:40,501
Buenos dias.

208
00:10:40,501 --> 00:10:41,834
Buenos dias.

209
00:10:41,834 --> 00:10:43,999
Ay, queso, queso menonita.

210
00:10:43,999 --> 00:10:47,125
Pues este no esta tan duro 
 ni tan blandito o sea con

211
00:10:47,125 --> 00:10:48,042
esta la pruebas.

212
00:10:48,042 --> 00:10:49,292
Podemos probarlo?

213
00:10:49,292 --> 00:10:50,292
Si, esta bien.

214
00:10:50,292 --> 00:10:52,999
This cheese is called 
Chester type cheese,

215
00:10:52,999 --> 00:10:55,083
which I hadn't heard of, 
but it apparently refers

216
00:10:55,083 --> 00:10:59,834
more to the form 
that it comes in...

217
00:10:59,834 --> 00:11:00,584
That's good.

218
00:11:00,584 --> 00:11:03,584
Las quesadillas salen 
 deliciosas con esto.

219
00:11:03,584 --> 00:11:04,876
El queso?

220
00:11:04,876 --> 00:11:06,250
Esta seguro como 
 en unos dias.

221
00:11:06,250 --> 00:11:08,000
It seems awfully odd to 
call cheese a factory but

222
00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:14,999
there were ten of them in the 
region all run by Mennonites.

223
00:11:14,999 --> 00:11:17,501
Cada queseria 
tiene su nombre.

224
00:11:17,501 --> 00:11:18,000
Su nombre...

225
00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,709
So every, every 
cheese factory has its own

226
00:11:21,709 --> 00:11:27,250
brand and this 
is Gold Seal.

227
00:11:27,250 --> 00:11:28,501
Well, there goes 
a lot of cheese.

228
00:11:28,501 --> 00:11:30,000
That's a lot of 
cheese there.

229
00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,000
That's several kilos.

230
00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:32,792
Yeah, I mean, that, 
that's, it's interesting.

231
00:11:32,792 --> 00:11:34,209
I never saw how it 
was molded before.

232
00:11:34,209 --> 00:11:36,042
They, they put it in these 
molds and then it goes

233
00:11:36,042 --> 00:11:37,999
here I guess to be chopped 
up and put into...

234
00:11:37,999 --> 00:11:40,334
Chopped in little pieces because 
you don't want to buy a

235
00:11:40,334 --> 00:11:42,334
big huge piece like that. 
You want to buy...

236
00:11:42,334 --> 00:11:43,083
And what if I do?

237
00:11:43,083 --> 00:11:44,751
Maybe I want to buy 
the whole thing.

238
00:11:44,751 --> 00:11:46,209
That's like a month's 
supply of cheese.

239
00:11:46,209 --> 00:11:48,000
Yeah, a small one 
or a regular one,

240
00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,250
which is about 
a kilo probably.

241
00:11:49,250 --> 00:11:53,000
You know what impresses me is 
the sanitation here is,

242
00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,542
is really...

243
00:11:54,542 --> 00:11:55,999
It's very, very special.

244
00:11:55,999 --> 00:11:58,125
Do you get the idea Jesus 
that there's not a lot of

245
00:11:58,125 --> 00:12:00,918
chit chat goes on 
in these guys work.

246
00:12:00,918 --> 00:12:01,999
I mean this is hard core.

247
00:12:01,999 --> 00:12:04,250
Obviously here is the 
famous cheesecloth.

248
00:12:04,250 --> 00:12:05,000
Oh, yeah.

249
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:05,876
In operation.

250
00:12:05,876 --> 00:12:08,417
And that's something that 
obviously you expect to

251
00:12:08,417 --> 00:12:09,959
see in a cheese factory.

252
00:12:09,959 --> 00:12:10,375
Sure.

253
00:12:10,375 --> 00:12:12,209
It allows the cheese to 
breathe and it let's the,

254
00:12:12,209 --> 00:12:13,542
let's the liquid 
still come out,

255
00:12:13,542 --> 00:12:16,042
although there's not much 
left by the time they press it.

256
00:12:16,042 --> 00:12:18,918
In most of Mexico it's 
known asqueso Chihuahua,

257
00:12:18,918 --> 00:12:22,584
the Chihuahua cheese, but 
within the region all you

258
00:12:22,584 --> 00:12:24,125
hear isqueso menonita.

259
00:12:24,125 --> 00:12:25,501
Everybody knows it 
asmenonita°I know.

260
00:12:25,501 --> 00:12:26,834
But it's really 
queso Chihuahua,

261
00:12:26,834 --> 00:12:28,999
what you hear in Sonora 
and other places in Mexico.

262
00:12:28,999 --> 00:12:30,999
West of the Mennonites 
and the flat country where

263
00:12:30,999 --> 00:12:34,918
they live we enter the 
Sierra Madre Occidental

264
00:12:34,918 --> 00:12:38,167
and meet up with an 
internationally famous

265
00:12:38,167 --> 00:12:43,209
train whose main stop 
is the town ofCreel.

266
00:12:43,209 --> 00:13:02,876
♪ music ♪

267
00:13:02,876 --> 00:13:05,459
Quinientos que, ochenta, 
 quinientos ochenta.

268
00:13:05,459 --> 00:13:09,167
You expected to find guitar 
sales in here inCreel?

269
00:13:09,167 --> 00:13:10,209
No, not at all.

270
00:13:10,209 --> 00:13:11,125
Here in theSierra Madre.

271
00:13:11,125 --> 00:13:13,042
I was thinkingSierra Madre, 
 No, Violines,Tarahumaras

272
00:13:13,042 --> 00:13:16,792
and stuff but notguitaros 
fromParacho, Michoacán.

273
00:13:16,792 --> 00:13:18,083
Let's go over 
to the plaza.

274
00:13:18,083 --> 00:13:19,209
Okay.

275
00:13:19,209 --> 00:13:20,334
Gracias.

276
00:13:20,334 --> 00:13:22,999
This is supposedly a 
lumber town and now it's

277
00:13:22,999 --> 00:13:26,125
turned into the city of 
boutiques and...

278
00:13:26,125 --> 00:13:27,999
Arts and crafts.

279
00:13:27,999 --> 00:13:28,459
Yeah.

280
00:13:28,459 --> 00:13:29,999
A lot of hippies, 
mochileros,

281
00:13:29,999 --> 00:13:31,584
backpackers show up and 
the people come from the

282
00:13:31,584 --> 00:13:33,999
Sierrasselling baskets 
and here's thechurros.

283
00:13:33,999 --> 00:13:36,876
Oh, here's thechurroshe 
was talking about, okay, yes.

284
00:13:36,876 --> 00:13:38,334
And they are bigchurros.

285
00:13:38,334 --> 00:13:42,125
Creelis this magnet for 
tourists,Tarahumaras,

286
00:13:42,125 --> 00:13:45,459
for people from Mexico, 
Europe, everywhere.

287
00:13:45,459 --> 00:13:46,999
Yeah, and here's 
an example here.

288
00:13:46,999 --> 00:13:49,000
One of the reasons, she's 
weaving us a palm and

289
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,209
we're up at 7,000 feet and 
there won't be any palm

290
00:13:51,209 --> 00:13:54,918
growing here so it comes 
from down in the canyons.

291
00:13:54,918 --> 00:13:56,667
The smaller ones, 
very pointy here,

292
00:13:56,667 --> 00:13:59,626
is actually pine, 
Apache pine needles.

293
00:13:59,626 --> 00:13:59,999
Oh, I see.

294
00:13:59,999 --> 00:14:02,292
So it's a combination 
of pine and palm.

295
00:14:02,292 --> 00:14:04,375
But the pine needles, 
unlike just regular pine

296
00:14:04,375 --> 00:14:06,501
needles, this 
one looks black.

297
00:14:06,501 --> 00:14:06,999
They are.

298
00:14:06,999 --> 00:14:08,751
They put em in water 
and they let it kind of

299
00:14:08,751 --> 00:14:11,250
ferment for a little 
while and they turn black.

300
00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:13,375
Dos mesas.

301
00:14:13,375 --> 00:14:16,709
So for two months they 
soak the pine needles and

302
00:14:16,709 --> 00:14:20,042
the inside turns out 
completely black while the

303
00:14:20,042 --> 00:14:24,501
outside has this mosaic, 
alternating pattern that

304
00:14:24,501 --> 00:14:27,959
almost makes you 
dizzy to look at.

305
00:14:27,959 --> 00:14:29,250
These are the 
natural ones.

306
00:14:29,250 --> 00:14:30,167
These have not 
been soaked.

307
00:14:30,167 --> 00:14:35,626
And when you pull them 
out they are about a foot long.

308
00:14:35,626 --> 00:14:36,626
Muchas gracias.

309
00:14:36,626 --> 00:14:37,417
Gracias, señoras.

310
00:14:37,417 --> 00:14:39,334
From way down there the 
train will be coming in, huh?

311
00:14:39,334 --> 00:14:41,250
Actually two trains 
come in fromChihuahua,

312
00:14:41,250 --> 00:14:44,918
first class and second 
class and two more trains

313
00:14:44,918 --> 00:14:46,334
coming fromLos Moches.

314
00:14:46,334 --> 00:14:47,584
That's down on the coast.

315
00:14:47,584 --> 00:14:49,167
First class and 
second class.

316
00:14:49,167 --> 00:14:50,083
Yes.

317
00:14:50,083 --> 00:14:54,999
And they pass?

318
00:15:09,292 --> 00:15:12,667
Of course they 
don't have the coal cars

319
00:15:12,667 --> 00:15:14,083
at the end anymore.

320
00:15:14,083 --> 00:15:19,459
The cabooses are gone.

321
00:15:20,999 --> 00:15:23,209
So people are coming here 
from almost everywhere all

322
00:15:23,209 --> 00:15:29,542
over Mexico, North America 
and a lot even from Europe.

323
00:15:29,542 --> 00:15:31,999
One of the most famous 
train rides in the world

324
00:15:31,999 --> 00:15:35,667
and in Easter time it's 
even more famous so it's

325
00:15:35,667 --> 00:15:39,375
pretty hectic and 
fun right now.

326
00:15:39,375 --> 00:15:41,709
So here the French and the 
Tarahumarasmeet and the

327
00:15:41,709 --> 00:15:44,626
Germans and the 
mestizosformCreel,

328
00:15:44,626 --> 00:15:46,000
theChihuahuans.

329
00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:46,792
Right.

330
00:15:46,792 --> 00:15:47,959
Everything comes 
together here.

331
00:15:47,959 --> 00:15:53,042
It's a wonderful meeting 
place all together, yeah.

332
00:15:54,709 --> 00:15:57,792
Well, I guess the train is 
leaving and we're

333
00:15:57,792 --> 00:15:59,000
gonna stay here.

334
00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,999
So peace and tranquility 
will descend once again

335
00:16:01,999 --> 00:16:04,999
upon the railroad 
station ofCreel.

336
00:16:04,999 --> 00:16:08,250
Uh huh.

337
00:16:08,250 --> 00:16:10,042
And now we can go back 
to the plaza and...

338
00:16:10,042 --> 00:16:12,250
Wait, wait, let's get 
you a hat this time.

339
00:16:12,250 --> 00:16:13,501
And get a hat.

340
00:16:13,501 --> 00:16:14,999
You've run out of excuses.

341
00:16:14,999 --> 00:16:18,834
Exactly.

342
00:16:19,999 --> 00:16:21,584
You know, it is a 
thrill, once you get on,

343
00:16:21,584 --> 00:16:23,584
settled and the train 
starts moving you have a

344
00:16:23,584 --> 00:16:28,417
feeling that another episode in 
your life has changed.

345
00:16:28,417 --> 00:16:29,083
Changing.

346
00:16:29,083 --> 00:16:30,876
One has ended, another 
is gonna begin.

347
00:16:30,876 --> 00:16:32,042
Moving to 
another location,

348
00:16:32,042 --> 00:16:33,959
going to the next town.

349
00:16:33,959 --> 00:16:34,999
Yep.

350
00:16:34,999 --> 00:16:36,709
There it goes.

351
00:16:36,709 --> 00:16:38,959
[train whistle]

352
00:16:38,959 --> 00:16:40,999
Well, you 
wanted a hat fromCreel,

353
00:16:40,999 --> 00:16:42,584
you got a hat fromCreel.

354
00:16:42,584 --> 00:16:43,751
I guess I did.

355
00:16:43,751 --> 00:16:44,999
It's pretty classy.

356
00:16:44,999 --> 00:16:46,042
Very, very nice actually.

357
00:16:46,042 --> 00:16:47,667
I, I really like it.

358
00:16:47,667 --> 00:16:50,999
Hey, you're, you're 
Mr. Macho now.

359
00:16:50,999 --> 00:16:53,417
I mean, not that 
you weren't before.

360
00:16:53,417 --> 00:16:54,083
Oh, yeah.

361
00:16:54,083 --> 00:16:55,584
Oh, here comes a diesel.

362
00:16:55,584 --> 00:16:56,375
Yeah.

363
00:16:56,375 --> 00:16:56,999
Fuel truck.

364
00:16:56,999 --> 00:16:59,000
Well, you knowCreel's 
great but where the real

365
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,626
action is for the 
Tarahumarais inNorogachi.

366
00:17:03,626 --> 00:17:04,334
That's where we're going.

367
00:17:04,334 --> 00:17:08,334
And it's time for us to 
get, we gotta go there.

368
00:17:29,125 --> 00:17:33,501
Well, theDar 
 Ambreare undoubtedly the

369
00:17:33,501 --> 00:17:35,375
largest indigenous 
group in,

370
00:17:35,375 --> 00:17:36,999
at least in 
northwest Mexico.

371
00:17:36,999 --> 00:17:39,834
Just sometimes it's hard 
to get a place where you

372
00:17:39,834 --> 00:17:42,042
can sit to get a good view 
and this seems to be the

373
00:17:42,042 --> 00:17:43,918
perfect place right here.

374
00:17:43,918 --> 00:17:47,042
Southwestern third of 
the state ofChihuahua.

375
00:17:47,042 --> 00:17:49,959
And theSierra Madre, 
forested canyons,

376
00:17:49,959 --> 00:17:53,667
torturous peaks, the 
most difficult terrain...

377
00:17:53,667 --> 00:17:54,125
Terrain.

378
00:17:54,125 --> 00:17:55,584
Almost in the 
whole country.

379
00:17:55,584 --> 00:17:58,000
Thanks to that we can 
still see this type of

380
00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,000
culture still 
alive, a very,

381
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,999
very traditional 
lifestyle.

382
00:18:30,667 --> 00:18:32,999
So this young man 
is 23 years old and he's

383
00:18:32,999 --> 00:18:35,167
been doing this 
for 15 years,

384
00:18:35,167 --> 00:18:37,334
he sort of traditioned it.

385
00:18:37,334 --> 00:18:40,209
Buenas tardes, hola.

386
00:18:40,209 --> 00:18:41,167
Como la pasa?

387
00:18:41,167 --> 00:18:46,000
Excellente, muy bonito.

388
00:18:50,375 --> 00:18:52,042
You know, all the 
native peoples have their

389
00:18:52,042 --> 00:18:53,876
own interpretation 
of Easter but man the

390
00:18:53,876 --> 00:18:56,792
Tarahumara'sis, is unlike 
any other I've seen.

391
00:18:56,792 --> 00:18:59,584
We're used to seeing the 
Yaquis and the Mayos but

392
00:18:59,584 --> 00:19:00,125
nothing like this.

393
00:19:00,125 --> 00:19:03,375
Yeah, thePharisaios, 
the Pharisees here are painted.

394
00:19:03,375 --> 00:19:06,000
They call emPintosand 
that's the Spanish word.

395
00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:06,501
Uh huh.

396
00:19:06,501 --> 00:19:08,959
Notice that every single 
group is coming in with

397
00:19:08,959 --> 00:19:11,999
their own musicians 
and thus arancherilla.

398
00:19:11,999 --> 00:19:14,459
So each littlerancherilla 
 or hamlet sends its own

399
00:19:14,459 --> 00:19:16,834
group and they are what, 
20 of them around here.

400
00:19:16,834 --> 00:19:20,125
Probably 20 and maybe 20 
rancherillasmay show up.

401
00:19:20,125 --> 00:19:22,209
And they're just arriving, 
they go into the church

402
00:19:22,209 --> 00:19:23,542
to be blessed.

403
00:19:23,542 --> 00:19:23,999
Mm mm.

404
00:19:23,999 --> 00:19:25,999
And then they have their 
own way of making their

405
00:19:25,999 --> 00:19:28,918
procession through 
the streets.

406
00:19:28,918 --> 00:19:34,999
What's interesting 
is that theTarahumaras

407
00:19:34,999 --> 00:19:38,792
insisted on maintaining 
their own identity when

408
00:19:38,792 --> 00:19:42,167
the first missionaries 
got here in the early 17th

409
00:19:42,167 --> 00:19:44,000
century and the 
missionaries said,

410
00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:45,959
"No way, you're not 
gonna have this."

411
00:19:45,959 --> 00:19:47,292
And they, the 
Tarahumarasrebelled and

412
00:19:47,292 --> 00:19:48,999
almost drove all the 
Spaniards out of the

413
00:19:48,999 --> 00:19:51,626
country and that's, 
that's 400 years ago.

414
00:19:51,626 --> 00:19:52,250
Exactly.

415
00:19:52,250 --> 00:19:53,292
And look what 
it's doing now.

416
00:19:53,292 --> 00:19:55,125
So finally the priests 
said, "Okay, all right,

417
00:19:55,125 --> 00:19:56,250
let's cut a 
deal," you know.

418
00:19:56,250 --> 00:19:58,584
So, so you, you keep doing 
your ancient stuff but the

419
00:19:58,584 --> 00:20:01,999
important thing is 
you represent Easter.

420
00:20:01,999 --> 00:20:04,584
You could see actually 
that they had a statue of

421
00:20:04,584 --> 00:20:07,292
Christ being brought 
around in this little

422
00:20:07,292 --> 00:20:10,334
procession and behind it 
there was a statue of a

423
00:20:10,334 --> 00:20:14,292
veryTarahumara 
 looking woman to me.

424
00:20:14,292 --> 00:20:14,999
Oh, really.

425
00:20:14,999 --> 00:20:16,292
And the women 
were holding that.

426
00:20:16,292 --> 00:20:18,999
So here again another 
twist to their tradition

427
00:20:18,999 --> 00:20:22,626
mixed in a little bit with 
the Catholic religion

428
00:20:22,626 --> 00:20:23,876
but it's totally.

429
00:20:23,876 --> 00:20:25,042
Yeah, it's there.

430
00:20:25,042 --> 00:20:29,250
Unique.

431
00:20:32,375 --> 00:20:34,542
All these 
communities are hidden

432
00:20:34,542 --> 00:20:36,459
just behind these 
mountains but this seems

433
00:20:36,459 --> 00:20:39,292
to be amestizoarea 
because of the church

434
00:20:39,292 --> 00:20:41,876
probably and it's been 
probably a central

435
00:20:41,876 --> 00:20:47,876
location and is the place to be.

436
00:20:49,334 --> 00:20:52,250
Dos horas de aqui - Dos horas de 
aqui a pie, vinieron...

437
00:20:52,250 --> 00:20:54,459
So these these 
guys came two hours,

438
00:20:54,459 --> 00:20:59,709
they live fairly close, it was 
only a two hour walk by foot.

439
00:21:00,999 --> 00:21:02,834
And there are some 
rancherillasthat may take

440
00:21:02,834 --> 00:21:05,584
two days, three days 
walking... To get here.

441
00:21:05,584 --> 00:21:06,000
Just to get here.

442
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,999
So imagine what are the 
chances that they are

443
00:21:07,999 --> 00:21:10,250
going to connect on a regular 
basis throughout the year.

444
00:21:10,250 --> 00:21:12,209
So other things happen, 
other social events are

445
00:21:12,209 --> 00:21:14,459
happening besides the 
religious and besides the

446
00:21:14,459 --> 00:21:17,792
rest of the ceremonies 
that are going on right

447
00:21:17,792 --> 00:21:21,751
now that's a 
social lubrication.

448
00:21:22,334 --> 00:21:24,417
No, I think 
particularly I've noticed

449
00:21:24,417 --> 00:21:25,417
the bright, bright colors.

450
00:21:25,417 --> 00:21:27,501
The bright colors that the 
girls like to wear and I don't

451
00:21:27,501 --> 00:21:31,999
think they're above a little 
flirtation with the guys, yeah?

452
00:21:31,999 --> 00:21:34,876
this is a time to stretch 
their stuff and they

453
00:21:34,876 --> 00:21:36,250
know how to do it.

454
00:21:36,250 --> 00:21:37,167
Exactly.

455
00:21:37,167 --> 00:21:42,375
They're showing off.

456
00:21:42,709 --> 00:21:45,000
The combination of 
the ancient traditions and

457
00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,792
sort of, incorporation 
of modern stuff is interesting.

458
00:21:47,792 --> 00:21:49,125
Did you notice the flutes?

459
00:21:49,125 --> 00:21:49,834
Absolutely.

460
00:21:49,834 --> 00:21:50,999
And what are 
they made out of?

461
00:21:50,999 --> 00:21:52,584
Well, some of 
them I saw the,

462
00:21:52,584 --> 00:21:53,584
was definitely copper.

463
00:21:53,584 --> 00:21:55,584
The other one was probably 
just regular tubing with a

464
00:21:55,584 --> 00:21:57,834
little whistle 
part at the end.

465
00:21:57,834 --> 00:22:00,501
But they make great sound 
and that's the important thing.

466
00:22:00,501 --> 00:22:03,959
The drums are 
absolutely traditional.

467
00:22:08,250 --> 00:22:09,999
Just about every 
Tarahumarathat you see

468
00:22:09,999 --> 00:22:11,584
from the tiny little kids 
to the adults are in these

469
00:22:11,584 --> 00:22:14,501
wonderful tire sandals and 
its just one single strap

470
00:22:14,501 --> 00:22:17,999
of leather, and 
it breaks off,

471
00:22:17,999 --> 00:22:19,999
so they stop... They 
have to fix it.

472
00:22:19,999 --> 00:22:20,834
Fix it up.

473
00:22:20,834 --> 00:22:22,000
But you can fix them?

474
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:23,167
Oh, absolutely.

475
00:22:23,167 --> 00:22:28,292
It takes you two minutes.

476
00:22:36,834 --> 00:22:38,999
It's sort of 
heartening to see the

477
00:22:38,999 --> 00:22:41,209
number of little boys.

478
00:22:41,209 --> 00:22:41,876
Absolutely.

479
00:22:41,876 --> 00:22:43,626
And the little girls 
with their gorgeous...

480
00:22:43,626 --> 00:22:49,542
You can tell that we have 
Pharisaioshere orPintoslater.

481
00:22:49,542 --> 00:22:55,999
[drum beat]

482
00:22:55,999 --> 00:22:58,334
That drum beat 
goes right through you.

483
00:22:58,334 --> 00:22:59,000
Absolutely.

484
00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:04,375
It just penetrates 
right to your soul.

485
00:23:15,876 --> 00:23:17,334
The essence of 
Sonora is fairly easy to

486
00:23:17,334 --> 00:23:19,999
identify, there's not 
justtacos de carne asada,

487
00:23:19,999 --> 00:23:22,000
you know, meat tacos, 
roasted meat tacos,

488
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,626
butChihuahuaseems to me 
really to have a different

489
00:23:25,626 --> 00:23:28,999
identity and part of 
that is two things;

490
00:23:28,999 --> 00:23:33,999
theTarahumarasin the 
Sierra Madreand the Mennonites.

491
00:23:33,999 --> 00:23:36,417
Two cultures that 
are so different,

492
00:23:36,417 --> 00:23:37,999
yet there are 
some similarities.

493
00:23:37,999 --> 00:23:40,918
When you see aTarahumara 
woman or even men

494
00:23:40,918 --> 00:23:42,999
sometimes they 
are very shy,

495
00:23:42,999 --> 00:23:45,918
they will not talk very 
much to aMestizoMexican.

496
00:23:45,918 --> 00:23:46,167
Right.

497
00:23:46,167 --> 00:23:49,083
And they tend to 
keep to themselves.

498
00:23:49,083 --> 00:23:49,542
Yeah.

499
00:23:49,542 --> 00:23:52,542
And when you see a Mennonite 
woman or a Mennonite man...

500
00:23:52,542 --> 00:23:53,375
They're sort of shy,

501
00:23:53,375 --> 00:23:56,083
they really don't speak 
the language and they keep

502
00:23:56,083 --> 00:23:58,751
to themselves and yet 
here they are part of the,

503
00:23:58,751 --> 00:24:02,876
of the popular 
conception... OfChihuahua.

504
00:24:02,876 --> 00:24:06,999
...ofChihuahua.

505
00:24:09,083 --> 00:24:10,999
So it's Easter and 
it's religious but even

506
00:24:10,999 --> 00:24:14,292
more important it's the 
Tarahumara'saffirmation

507
00:24:14,292 --> 00:24:16,918
of their own 
indigenous background,

508
00:24:16,918 --> 00:24:18,334
their own culture.

509
00:24:18,334 --> 00:24:24,000
Exactly.

510
00:24:33,209 --> 00:24:35,417
The rise of the 
Sierra Madre Occidental

511
00:24:35,417 --> 00:24:38,959
created rivers that 
brought water toPaquime

512
00:24:38,959 --> 00:24:43,792
and filled the aquifers 
that the Mennonites now use.

513
00:24:43,792 --> 00:24:46,167
It also created a 
labyrinth of profound

514
00:24:46,167 --> 00:24:51,334
canyons and plateaus and 
high mountain peaks that

515
00:24:51,334 --> 00:24:54,792
gave a haven to the 
Tarahumarasand enabled

516
00:24:54,792 --> 00:24:58,417
them to carry on the 
ancient traditions that

517
00:24:58,417 --> 00:25:01,999
they still celebrate.

518
00:25:02,876 --> 00:25:06,042
Adobe is the ideal building 
material of the desert.

519
00:25:06,042 --> 00:25:09,667
The blocks moderate 
temperature extremes,

520
00:25:09,667 --> 00:25:10,501
but that's not all.

521
00:25:10,501 --> 00:25:13,209
...here is the courtyard of 
this adobe house...

522
00:25:13,209 --> 00:25:16,999
Adobe buildings are attractive,

523
00:25:16,999 --> 00:25:18,999
they have character,

524
00:25:18,999 --> 00:25:20,542
they're functional,

525
00:25:20,542 --> 00:25:23,167
and they can last for centuries.

526
00:25:23,167 --> 00:25:26,292
It feels good when you 
tap it and rub it.

527
00:25:26,292 --> 00:25:31,918
Next time onThe Desert Speaks.

528
00:25:33,209 --> 00:25:34,999
And here's 
the Apache pine.

529
00:25:34,999 --> 00:25:36,584
It's one of about eight 
species up here in the

530
00:25:36,584 --> 00:25:40,334
Sierra Madre, but look 
at the length of these needles.

531
00:25:40,334 --> 00:25:40,999
They're incredible.

532
00:25:40,999 --> 00:25:43,417
They are long, they 
are about a foot long.

533
00:25:43,417 --> 00:25:43,918
Yeah.

534
00:25:43,918 --> 00:25:46,417
Pretty much a totally 
renewable resource.

535
00:25:46,417 --> 00:25:46,999
They're everywhere.

536
00:25:46,999 --> 00:25:49,167
Everywhere, and they 
can use them for their

537
00:25:49,167 --> 00:25:51,167
baskets, little 
ones and big ones.

538
00:25:51,167 --> 00:25:52,334
And they weave 
them real well.

539
00:25:52,334 --> 00:25:55,626
And of course that type of 
weaving is very, very difficult.

540
00:25:55,626 --> 00:25:55,999
Oh, yeah.

541
00:25:55,999 --> 00:26:01,209
Well, another discovery 
inTarahumaracountry.

542
00:26:02,042 --> 00:26:03,999
Funding for 
The Desert Speaks

543
00:26:03,999 --> 00:26:06,167
was provided by 
Desert Program Partners,

544
00:26:06,167 --> 00:26:09,792
representing concerned viewers 
making a financial commitment

545
00:26:09,792 --> 00:26:14,209
to the education about and 
preservation of deserts.

546
00:26:14,209 --> 00:26:19,292
And by the 
Stonewall Foundation.

547
00:26:20,209 --> 00:26:24,999
Copies of the Desert 
Speaks are available from KUAT.

548
00:26:24,999 --> 00:26:29,584
To order, call 1-800-841-5923

549
00:26:29,584 --> 00:26:33,999
and please be sure to mention 
the episode number.

550
00:26:33,999 --> 00:26:41,542
For more information 
visitThe Desert Speaks 
on-line at this address.