October 6, 2011
Dear Friends:
While we wait for the monarchs to arrive this fall, we are welcoming a change in our lives.
Only a few weeks ago, Angangueo came back to life as a mining town. Our mine was closed for over 25 years, and our parents had to learn different ways to make a living. Now the mining atmosphere has returned to our town and our families!
Long ago, when our town was hardly a tiny village, basic mining began. Metal was hand-picked and even children were involved. (See picture.) That was before our War of Independence (1810). Our town started its real life as a mining town in 1824, when the first mining company started working fully. The company was German-owned originally. Over time, it had many owners: English investors, then a Mexican family, next an American company, and finally our State owned it. In 1985, the State declared the mine closed indefinitely.
Today, our children could not even think of being allowed to work in the mine as it was in those early years. Most of our Dads will be working there while we children attend school and learn our culture and traditions.
One thing which sounds like suspense film for us, is that our dads have lunch while they are inside the earth! Our moms prepare delicious dishes for them in the kitchen in the morning while it is still dark for them to take warm in small bags or baskets. When we get up for breakfast we eat from those tasty dishes prepared for our parents, who have already left by that time. We think our dads are very courageous men!
We're continuing to watch the sky! No sign of the first monarchs yet...
Until next week,
Ameyaltzin (4), Karla (7), and María Estela (guess!!!)
Angangueo, Michoacán.
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| Angangueo is in the mountains, near the largest monarch sanctuaries. | The monarch sanctuaries are in central Mexico. Can you find Angangueo on this map? |
Estela Romero reports from Angangueo
Karla (7) and Ameyaltzin (4) show the mining activity that's starting right now in Angangueo.
