The Present - Returning to my rural roots

Welcome to Jesus del Monte, a small town of roughly 2500 inhabitants located just minutes outside of the capital city of Morelia, Michoacan. I first visited this town in 1992, my inlaws would come up to spend Christmas day in a large family reunion at a Catholic priest seminary. It seemed so remote from the hustle of the big city. Times have changed, and as you can see in my blog on the "New Morelia", urban sprawl is fast approaching.

As the sign at the entrance of our local church says, Jesus del Monte was founded 16 years before the Spanish founded the city of Valladolid, later known as Morelia. Morelia is named after Mexico's founding father and native son, Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon.

The town was founded by the Pirinda tribe, more commonly known as the Matlatzincas. The people here in Jesus del Monte live mainly off of the land. Ranching and farming, brick manufacturing, logging, were and still are the main source of income for residents up here. However, these trades are giving way to constuction workers and electricians, as more and more the city of Morelia creeps nearer.

This photo above is typical of what drew me to this land. He is taking his burros loaded with firewood to the big city. Hard to believe, but this scene is just minutes from what will be the largest mall in Mexico, Paseo Morelia.