Bahía de Kino, Sonora, Mexico
Over the past couple of weeks here in Kino, we have taken part in some activities that have made us even more content with our decision to settle here. We became enamored of Kino Bay and decided to move here because of the beautiful beach, the inviting sea, the astounding sunsets, and the relaxed pace. But many have said, and it is true, that what keeps you here is the community, the people.
THE BOMBEROS DE BAHIA DE KINO
One recent Wednesday evening, we attended a fundraiser for the “Bomberos” — the volunteer firefighters — of Kino Bay. It was held at the Club Deportivo — the operable community center, especially for the ex-pat community. But on this night, the kitchen was taken over by the local volunteer firefighters of Old Kino and their wives — mostly Mexican, with a sprinkling of “gringos.” They prepared and served beef tacos, beans, guacamole, and dessert empanadas to a very diverse group of about 200.
As we parked our van and walked up to the Club entry, we passed two old, but very functional, fire trucks that had just been brought down from the U.S. and were on display for the first time. The acquisition of these beautiful, red workhorses was made possible by the efforts and contributions of a small number of Mexican and ex-pat families here. The cost was somewhere around $7,000.00, and it had taken a bit of time to put it all together.
These fundraisers, which include raffles and auctions of donated goods, and lots of good time horsing around, are annual events. As the auction progressed on this particular night, the bidding competition was ferocious, and prices paid were generous, to say the least. Why, at least one item was purchased, donated back, and auctioned all over again! (We’ve observed this behavior at a couple of other fundraising auctions here. Seems to be a strange local practice!)
The story of the Bomberos Voluntarios de Bahía de Kino is inspiring. Just a few years ago, there was no fire department in Kino; just because you have a town doesn’t necessarily mean you will have such services here. And, as friend Al Buschorn says: “We [who have homes of concrete block and cement] don’t have to worry about fire, but our friends do. We lose two or three families every year when their homes burn down.” Many families in Old Kino, particularly, have homes “in progress” — made of scrap lumber, tar paper, and fiberboard, while they work and save to accumulate enough concrete blocks to build a more permanent structure. These people, usually quite poor, are the least able to recuperate from loss caused by a fire.
So people on all rungs of the economic ladder — gringos and Mexicans alike — got together a few years ago and started the volunteer fire department. All sizes, shapes, ages, and colors of volunteer firemen at the fundraiser wore bright red T-shirts with “Voluntario — Bomberos de Bahía de Kino” in big white letters. The fire chief is a handsome young man named Luís; and he crowned the Reina (queen) de los Bomberos 2005, after her selection was determined by a label attached to the bottom of the seat on the chair where she happened to sit!
The sense of community was powerful. I was proud to be there.
KINO YARD SALE
Right before the bomberos event, I had received a phone call from Kathy Hilkemeyer saying that our neighbor, Bob Blue, had told her I would be available to help with the annual yard sale to be held the following Saturday in Old Kino. Of course, Bob hadn’t mentioned this to me; but I got a good chuckle out of it, because he has a fine reputation for getting people to step up to the plate. I said I would be delighted. Because I can speak Spanish, I was assigned to one of the four check-out stations where we would ring up sales and take in money.
The yard sale is held by the Catholic Church in Old Kino, but the proceeds are used for needy people, regardless of their faith. People from the whole community donate things throughout the year, so that when time comes for the sale, there is literally a warehouse full of clothing, household items, tools, sports equipment — you name it! This is where all the unwanted things left in our house by the previous owners had gone, so I saw many of those items being purchased by happy people!
We arrived at 9:30 a.m. and were to work until 2:00 p.m. The crowd was into the street and pushing against the fence around the lot where the sale was being held. The gates opened at 10:00, and most of the population of Old Kino was there hoping to be the first in.
Soon we had lines of people with overflowing boxes waiting to be checked out. Everyone was polite and very happy! T-shirts, blouses, shorts, and hats were going for $1 each; really good dresses and coats might be as high as $5.00. A family could walk out with a complete school wardrobe for their kids for $10.00 to $20.00, a set of dishes for $2.00, a television for $10 — it was a shopper’s paradise.
By 11:00 a.m., we closed two of the check-out stations; most everything was sold! The organizers were tired and happy and would wait until the next day after breakfast and coffee to count the proceeds. I heard earlier today that they netted $4,600.00! That money will go to support projects for the needy, and many families in Kino have things they never could have afforded at regular prices. Things are already being accumulated for next year’s sale!
THE DIVERSITY THAT IS KINO
“A melting pot is naught but a tasteless stew.” – John Ruskin
This is a community of extremes — political affiliations, economic means (though we really have very few of those super-rich folks you find settling in fancy resort areas), background, age, religion, education — and it works. It’s not a big place; there are maybe 400 people in New Kino; and it’s hard to tell in Old Kino, but it’s just not a huge place! You soon begin to recognize faces wherever you go. We find ourselves spending quality time with people we very likely wouldn’t spend time with even if they lived on the same block with us in the U.S. “Back home,” we all have friends who look like us and think like us, whether or not we like to admit it. We spend lifetimes choosing our friends and deepening those affiliations; it’s comfortable to be with people of like mind.
Here, no one asks whether you are Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative — though it will come out sooner or later. And it’s pretty great to have fun and conversation that spans those differences. We invite people for dinner who we really enjoy, and dinner conversations can go on for hours — feisty, stimulating and often dealing with things about which we don’t agree but are eager to share. There is an openness and acceptance of differences and little apparent need on the part of most to go around proving one another wrong. This is a small town and we have to get along, or it doesn’t work.
This makes me reflect on my work with Dialogue practice back in Albuquerque — the attempts to bring people from diverse perspectives together to have meaningful and productive conversation, be together respectfully in our differences, and work through conflict. That was worthwhile work — but it wasn’t easy! Here, I find it happening as a way of life. It builds volunteer fire departments, holds fundraising yard sales, gives generously to those who need, not just at holiday time, but all year long.
I like it here. — CK