The high tourist season is over here on Death Beach until Semana Santa in April.2008 came and went without a single death on the beach, solidifying the first "saldo blanco" for the first time in Zipolite's history.
The lifeguards worked their butts off in December and January so far, keeping people from going in over the waist. I actually had a few people complain to me (because I follow the lifeguards with my camera and tripod up and down the beach all day) that they felt persecuted against and wanted to go swimming and not just wading in the water. It usually stops the complaining when I explain that deaths have dropped from 60 a year since the "Delfins" have been working.
My trips to two rural communities here on the coast proved to be quite fruitful in terms of developing the narrative structure of the film. Firstly, seeing the work that Piña does (rehabilitation based in the community, or RBC and the people that benefit from it was quite amazing. Education about disabilities is basicaly non existant in rural Oaxaca, as is knowlwedge about how to develop the abilities of people with downsyndrome or cerebral palsy or lack of hearing or sight. Flavia, the director of Piña and a big promotor of RBC plays the roles of therapist, parenting consultant and motivational speaker with people that have maybe never even gotten an official diagnosis of their child's disability.
Secondly, Piña´s emphasis on letting people with disabilities play important roles in the household and in the community, made me think imediately of the lifeguards. They constantly talk about the role that they play in Zipolite and the lack of apreciation that they feel. The give and take of interdependent relationships between the different sectors of a community popped out at me in both cases. The roles need to exist and they need to be apreciated just as much. Without either the people to fill them, or the motivation for the work to get done, the community loses.
So in this first month of 2009 I see my work begining to lay down in front of me brick by golden brick. There is a lot of ground to be covered, but I feel strong and I have friends with me, and on the horizon I can already see a glow of emerald green.
3 comments:
Regarding the year without death: In the service of the two groups coming to understand and appreciate each other - maybe Pina could sponsor a celebration and invite the lifeguards as honored guests, present some kind of award - maybe a banner that could be flown on the beach somewhere. Pina could then be seen as joining in the life of the town on a more "ordinary" footing, as just part of the community, and the lifeguards, I'm sure, would appreciate the honor. Or, the town could sponsor the celebration. It seems like it should be marked somehow and if you could get everyone together you might do some good there.
I'm sure there's someone in town who would like to make a speech - you could have colored pennants flying, have a feast of some kind, maybe on the beach - you could get various people or groups or stores to contribute festive food maybe. The town could express its appreciation.
Good ideas. There was a party, but it was organized by the lifeguards themselves. Organizing events like this usually takes money and leadership, things that I lack because I am an "extranjero". Still, you've convinced me to put some feelers out.
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