SchoolsEstela RomeroNovember 25, 2021

How is rain produced?

SchoolsEstela RomeroNovember 25, 2021

THE STORY

“Lázaro Cárdenas” Elementary

“Rincón de San Luis” Village

“El Rosario” Sanctuary

Coordinates: 19.5580980 -100.2642352

Teachers and mothers welcome Journey North and the Symbolic Migration visit once more to this village belonging to the huge territory and political head of the “El Rosario” Ejido.

An Ejido is a large land area. The families inhabiting it, from village to village within this huge territory, are entitled as “Ejidatarios,” i.e., the only ones owning the rights to the land itself and the natural resources contained within it. This title is inherited only to the men in every family from generation to generation.

“How is rain produced? Where do we get water from?”

…Estela asked students once everything was set to start the lesson outside in the yard at the school.

“Trees produce water for us. They kind of “ooze” it.”

“Clouds also give us water.”

The Symbolic Migration is bringing to schools this season, through a very simple didactic model and the wonderful book “Listen to the Trees Speaking,” an explanation on how rain is attracted from the marine currents inland to far away regions like ours through cloud formations at large forests tracts.

“Our large Oyamel forest tracts are large enough to generate cloud formations. Precipitation and condensation occurs. Our forests are just like a sponge holding water, keeping our natural water reserve storages filled, and guaranteeing our everyday life activities.”

…Estela explains. As students simulate the rain phenomenon, they are shocked to see how the sponge (in the forest model) holds the water. These water reserves provide for a healthy ecosystem, including the humidity and water which monarch butterflies require to prevent desiccation over their hibernation phase here.

“Wow, this we could not have imagined!”

…students responded in surprise at the simple but very illustrative and successful reflection.

The Symbolic Migration reaches school by school around the monarch sanctuaries, while mothers wait patiently outside creating beautiful embroidery expressing local nature. Daughters inherit such artistic talents.

Boys, on the contrary, stay beside Dad, learning all what makes “the man of the family” productive through the learning of local life ancestral techniques in agriculture, cattle raising and natural resource availability.