San Pablito is a Ñañhu (or Otomí) community in the breath-taking Northern Sierra of the state of Puebla in Mexico. This town is best known for the production of Amate paper, a handmade bark paper that was used for recording the Mexica (Aztec) codexes. They are the only people in Mexico who still make Amate, and probably will continue to do so for some time, since their offering and curing ceremonies require small paper figures that represent different spirits. This is a very traditional community where everyone speaks their native language, Ñujú, tortillas are ground on a "metate" and shaped by hand, and most of the women and older men continue to wear traditional dress. People have lived on farming coffee, sugar, peanuts and corn until recently, when they have changed over mainly to crafts, such as beadwork and embroidery. The income is just as low, but the work is less exhausting. Single mothers, over 30% of the women of child-bearing age, have an especially hard time juggling household work, childcare and making enough crafts to sell to cover expenses. The average income in San Pablito is less than $2 per day.

Living conditions are pretty harsh in San Pablito. The town can only be reached by a winding road from the municipal center of Pahuatlán. According to government documents, this road is already paved. Electricity only reached the town in the last decade, when people from the town carried the cement cable posts over from the main town on their shoulders. One man died in the process. Private telephones were first installed in homes in the Spring of 1999. Homes are usually constructed of a few sticks or planks loosely bound together and covered by a corrugated cardboard roof. Those who are a little better off have cement block walls, but most still have dirt floors. Many people sleep on a woven "petate" mat, and often it's three or four kids to a bed. Cooking is done on a fire on the floor. There is no refrigerator, so many dishes are reheated and stirred continually. A meal usually consists of tortillas, beans and coffee and on special days cheese or a little pork or chicken. Water is regulated by committees in each neighborhood who keep it chlorinated, but there is no way to makle sure in dry months that there is water at all. Clothes are generally washed in cement wash basins or in the river, even in winter.

The clinic serves some 6,000 people, including some of the surrounding towns, but has only one doctor and two nurses. Medicine is always in short supply, (especially penicillin, cortisone, analgesics...) and there is not even an oxygen tank or a stretcher for emergencies. Malnutrition, diabetes and respiratory ailments have seen a solid rise recently, while births continue steady, with a couple of babies delivered in the clinic each week. Many times a family is forced to choose between caring for one member of the family and feeding the rest.

There are some 1,000 school children in San Pablito, almost one quarter of the population, in spite of the high cost of books, notebooks, pencils and clothes that are a major sacrifice for each family. The Parents' Committee has strongly supported the development of a bilingual elementary school, and has just begun a high school program, paying the teacher out of their own pockets. Except for in the bilingual school, most of the teachers do not speak Ñujú. The Mbithe Ntilde;añhu Cultural Center was formed to add to the learning opportunities in the community, as well as to promote and preserve San Pablito's traditions. Members have also been involved in promoting community development projects.

Some historical notes on the Otomí Nation

San Pablito always welcomes visitors, collaborators, advisors and supporters who would like to participate in any of the projects we work on, either artistic or in the area of community development. This community has very few resources but a great deal of initiative.

Do you have a skill you can teach? Do you have materials or equipment you can contribute? If you have, the community needs almost everything: a video player and a TV, a computer, reading glasses, books in Spanish - especially any on indigenous and Native American culture. Any school supplies, art materials or toys for the children would also be greatly appreciated. The clinic urgently needs children's vitamins, analgesics, antibiotics, antihistamines, an oxygen tank and , most of all, volunteer doctors and nurses. Every little bit of your support makes a difference.

You can contact the Clinic at 52(Mexico) -776-34014 or Mariano de la Loma at 52-776-34067. Or you can send e- mail to us via kering@earthlink.net, and the message will be passed on.

La comunidad de San Pablito siempre da la beinvenida a visitas, colaboradores, asesores y apoyadores quienes quieran participar en cualquier proyecto en que trabajamos nosotros, sea en el area artístico o en el desarrollo comunitario. Esta comunidad no tiene muchos recursos, pero si tiene mucha iniciativa.

¿Tiene Ud. algún conocimiento que pueda compartir con nosotros? O si Ud. tiene algunas cosas para contribuir, la comunidad necesita casi de todo: un video y un televisor, una computadora, lentes para leer, libros en Español sobre la cultura indígena/nativo-américana. También se agradecería cualquier material para escolares, materiales para el arte o juguetes para los niños. La clínica necesita siempre vitaminas para niños, antibióticos, analgésicos, antihistamínicos, un tanque de oxígeno, y , sobre todo, doctores y enfermeras/os voluntarios. Cada tantito que Ud, aporte haría una gran diferencia en esta comunidad.

Puede Ud. contactar el Doctor por teléfono a 53(México)- 776 34014 o al Mariano de la Loma al 52-776-34067. También puede Ud. enviar un mensaje electrónico a kering@earthlink.net.