Tag Archives: Food & Dining
Marry Me in Mexico
By Brooke O’Connor
Mexico has an old-world romanticism emanating from every corner. It calls to people’s hearts for destination weddings—particularly people with Hispanic backgrounds or tourists who hold fond memories of sun-laden holidays on azure waters. Yet, like most things in the modern world, the wedding industry has become more industry and less authentic.
What are traditional weddings like, and how would you know your wedding will be authentically Mexican? First, if your wedding is in Mexico, it is a Mexican wedding. The next thing to ask yourself is how traditional you want to go. Prehispanic? Modern traditional? Gringo modern? Let’s examine what those mean.
Prehispanic Weddings
You will never get an “authentic” prehispanic ceremony. When the Spanish invaded, most of the books were burned, and the native population was forced to forgo public ceremonies. What is left of the old ways has been passed down through oral traditions and human memory. If you ever played the telephone game where one person whispers something in the next person’s ear, and then that person whispers into the next person’s ear, you know by the time it gets to the last person, it’s never the same thing. Imagine that, with the whispering lasting hundreds of years. Moreover, there were any number of prehispanic civilizations; a prehispanic ceremony in Oaxaca will most probably draw on Zapotec traditions, while a wedding in Mexico City will incorporate elements from the Mexica, and in the Yucatán and Chiapas it will draw on Mayan customs.
Regardless of origin, what we have left of the prehispanic ceremony is beautiful. In general, it begins by welcoming the four directions, the four elements, the spiritual guardians of the place, and the energy of the sky (or sun) and the earth. Various offerings may be placed on a table, a mat, or an altar. Then permission is requested for the betrothed to be allowed to join their energy in that place.
Zapotec tradition has the groom blindfolded to represent how the two really don’t see each other until they become one. The bride and groom sit with their backs to each other, illustrating how they come from different places and don’t know each other. The elder who officiates walks them through the counsel of how two become one in spirit, the couple faces each other, and the groom is unblindfolded. The couple can say a few words to each other, and then they are tied by the hands with a rope or a cloth, symbolizing their binding as one.
Mayan traditional weddings will be held in the Mayan language. If you want an interpreter, you can have as many as you like, with as many languages as you like. They have similar practices to the Zapotec, emphasizing connecting with the earth and everything around you.
Modern Traditional
This is where Catholicism meets culture. Much like godparents, “sponsors” called padrinos and madrinas help pay for and organize the wedding. These are usually family friends who have known the couple for many years and give advice. There can be multiple sets of padrinos and madrinas, which helps with the financial burden of a festivity that usually lasts two days. The wedding only takes about an hour, and the rest is for the party.
Instead of the ancient tradition of being tied by the hands, many couples will have a lasso tied around their shoulders in a figure eight, representing their union. The lasso will have a crucifix in the middle, and a blessing is spoken over the couple.
After a blessing and the exchange of rings, the groom will present the bride with las arras matrimoniales, which is a collection of 13 coins. This represents his ability to provide for the family and his commitment to the relationship. Then the padrinos will present the couple with a white Bible and rosary, which the officiant will bless.
The more traditional Catholic weddings include a bouquet of flowers for the Virgin Mother Mary and another for Jesus.
In some areas of Mexico, there will be a wedding parade after the ceremony. People take to the streets to cheer on the couple and sing with a mariachi band. It’s typical to start drinking at this point – and then on to the reception!
Gringo Modern
You could get married on the beach, barefoot under an arch of seaweed, or incorporate any of the traditions above. After all, it is your wedding. However, there are some things to think about.
Your passport, immigration status, and marriage permit must be in order. Here is a link to everything you need:
In addition to the national requirements, there may be local requirements for the area in which you want to be married. Make sure to complete all paperwork and never gloss over steps, as Mexican bureaucracy can be very complicated and frustrating if not followed precisely.
Also, consider your guests. Will they want to trek into the jungle of mosquitoes to live out your dream of an ancient wedding rite? Or would Grandma feel better in a luxury hotel with a waiter bringing her margaritas?
As more people look to return to their roots, and DNA tests from companies like 23andMe are helping people identify their ancestral origin, it’s tempting to want to return to the “old ways.” Rest assured plenty of people are willing to let you pay for that privilege, so make sure you know what you’re asking for and understand all parts of the ceremony you’ll participate in.
Not Every Wedding Ceremony Is for You
Did you know someone has to marry an alligator in Oaxacan Chontal and Huave indigenous communities? Since pre-Hispanic times, there have been weddings between humans and alligators. The marriage between human and beast is a plea for rain, good crops, and enough fish.
As a nod to Catholicism, the female alligator is dressed in pretty white lace, like a virginal bride, and represents Mother Earth in the ceremony. She is wed to a male leader in the community – most recently Victor Hugo Sosa, mayor of San Pedro Huamelula, a bit west of Salina Cruz – and is then carried around town to be adored by all. Yes, the groom is expected to kiss the bride, and the community cheers wildly when that happens. (Photos show that her jaws are tied shut, and the last one was actually a caiman, not quite as fierce as an alligator.)
Though you probably won’t be roped into marrying an alligator, read the fine print of any venue you choose.
Any package wedding destinations will have exclusions and add-ons. Make sure everything is in writing before handing over any money, and be clear on the refund policy for bad weather, pandemics, or other issues.
Divorce
With all the hoops you’ll have to jump through to be married in Mexico, you’ll have plenty of time to make sure you’re making the right life choice. However, things happen.
If the mezcal has worn off after the sunburn fades, and you realize you would rather have married the alligator, take heart. US and Canadian residents can get divorced in their home country even if they were married in Mexico.
Then, you can return to the beautiful beach and live out your favorite Jimmy Buffet song in peace.
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer
“When our eyes are graced with wonder, the world reveals its wonders to us. There are people who see only dullness in the world and that is because their eyes have already been dulled. So much depends on how we look at things. The quality of our looking determines what we come to see.”
― John O’Donohue, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace
As we have done for the past many years, the theme of our January issue falls in line with the Chinese New Year which this year is The Year of the Dragon. This logic may seem a bit silly but was fine when we had the year of the chicken, the pig and the ox, but dragons? “Dragons are for children’s stories”, I mused to myself, “a gateway animal to the study of dinosaurs and keeping snakes as pets.”
I was intrigued to see how our writers would navigate this theme and I was contemplating this as a majestic gold-colored iguana made its way across the road.
The truth is that fairy tales and mythological creatures are born from something real. The iguana with its golden tail swinging from side to side, the jagged edges of soft spine that run from the head down to the tail, and the long thin toes with protruding claws, is fantastical. If we look at everyday things with new eyes, we realize that our world is as full of wonder and magic as any fairy tale or Harry Potter book. The world we live in is full of many beasts and creatures and happenings that are wondrous.
As we slide into 2024, let us remember to look upon our world with wonderment. Be amazed by the night sky full of stars and the creeping awakening of the morning light. Talk to insects and take a moment to see the way the vultures and pelicans dance through the air. Let your fingers caress the bark of a tree and think about all the tree has been present for in its unmoving stillness. Magic is everywhere. One of the saddest things that happens as we grow up is that we are encouraged to move away from looking at the world in a whimsical way and yet it is looking at it in this way that joy is most readily available to us.
Let go of practical things that are weighing you down and allow yourself to be kissed by the breeze, at least for a little while.
See you next month,
Jane
The Lunar New Year: Celebrating the Year of the Dragon
By Deborah Van Hoewyk
Having spent half a decade or so living in New York City’s Chinatown, I came to think of Chinese New Year as a second chance at the whole resolutions-for-good thing. My dog, on the other hand, thought the fireworks were awful – when we went out early in the morning, the curbs were bordered six inches deep with fluffy blasted paper, and the air still smelled of sulfur. Better than the parades and fireworks, though, I was enamored of the zodiac signs that purported to shape the coming year.
The Year of the Dragon
And 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. It starts Saturday, February 10; the celebration begins on the eve (February 9) and runs through Saturday, February 24, ending with the Festival of Lanterns. (The dates on the true lunar calendar are a bit different.)
If you were BORN in a year of the dragon (this year and 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1965, 1952, 1940, and every 12 years before that), you are intelligent, energetic, and generous, as well as outspoken and impatient, and a perfectionist to boot. But the atmosphere the Dragon brings to its year is for everyone – this year should present us all with possibilities for change and growth, progress and innovation.
Five elements cycle through the Chinese calendar – wood, fire, earth, metal and water; given the 12 signs and five elements, a complete cycle for the Chinese calendar takes 60 years. This year, the element of wood underlies the year of the Dragon, making it a year for growth, imagination, and enthusiasm.
Can you celebrate all this good fortune in Mexico? Yes, indeed! Chinese people, for various reasons at various times, settled in Baja California; the desert area of central Mexico called El Bajío, which covers all or parts of seven Mexican states; Guerrero; Mexico City; the Yucatán; and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The two best places to celebrate the Lunar New Year are Mexicali, the capital of Baja California, and Mexico City.
Baja California
If you go to Mexicali to celebrate Chinese New Year, the event starts with a parade from the Kiosko Chino (Chinese pagoda) in Plaza de la Amistad (Friendship Plaza) at the US-Mexican border. The Plaza, built in 1991, commemorates the sister-city relationship between Mexicali and Nanjing, China; the pagoda was donated to Mexicali by Nanjing in 1995, built by Chinese and Mexican artisans working together, and inaugurated on the Chinese New Year, February 1, 1995. The parade, replete with dragon and lion dancers, starts at the pagoda and goes south to Mexicali’s Chinatown, known as La Chinesca.
The Chinese Presence in Mexicali: The Chinese, as they did in many other places, arrived in Mexicali at the turn of the 20th century to work. They were brought in by the Colorado River company to work on railroad and irrigation projects. Even more Chinese came to northwestern Mexico as part of the “cotton episode,” during which US-backed companies expanded cotton production into Mexico, creating a period of regional prosperity in the area around Mexicali. In 1903, there were 22 Chinese immigrants in the Mexicali Valley; in 1913, a thousand; in 1919, there were 17,000 and they seriously outnumbered the Mexican residents.
Chinese people had also moved west to the Mexicali Valley from the cotton-producing regions of Coahuila and Sonora to escape anti-Chinese sentiment; in mid-May 1911, a faction of Pancho Villa’s revolutionary forces destroyed Chinese homes and businesses and killed over 300 Chinese in the Massacre of Torreón, Coahuila. (Remember that the US passed anti-Chinese legislation [the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882], discriminated against the Chinese, drove them out of any number of towns, and in 1871, massacred 19 Chinese residents of Los Angeles, laying waste to LA’s Chinatown.)
As time went on, more Chinese moved to Mexicali and opened businesses to serve the community; Mexicali and Tijuana host the largest Chinese populations in Mexico, with Tijuana’s share at about 15,000 and Mexicali’s over 10,000; through the 1940s, Mexicali was actually majority Chinese.
Chinese Contributions to Mexicali. Today, Chinese immigrants are considered major contributors to the area’s social, economic and cultural development. There are over 300 (some say 1,000) Chinese restaurants in Mexicali; most serve Cantonese food, but adapted to Mexican tastes – “even the rice is different.” Apparently, it’s quite the thing to eat Cantonese food to celebrate the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (December 12).
One of the most interesting Chinese contributions is the La Chinesca neighborhood on the northern edge of Mexicali. Beneath La Chinesca is an area of tunnels, dwellings, and businesses that reaches under the border to Calexico in California. Although they were thought to have been dug to give the Chinese respite from intense heat, which badly affected them, the tunnels proved extremely popular during the Prohibition era in the US (1920-33), connecting the bars, restaurants, hotels, casinos, and bordellos of Mexicali with eager US customers. Excluded from the above-ground “Sin City” activities, the Chinese also excavated casinos, opium dens, distilleries, and bordellos. Chinese residents occupied housing carved out beside the tunnels until the 1970s; today, the connecting tunnels are mostly closed and the houses and businesses are accessed through trap doors in businesses above.
In 2022, Mexicali won the national prize for innovation in tourism in the cultural tourism category, awarded by the federal Secretariat of Tourism at its annual convention, the Tianguis Turístico. The prize was for a historical tour, “Origins and Secrets of La Chinesca,” developed and managed by Rubén “Junior” Hernández Chen, chairperson of the Committee for the Historic Center of Mexicali. (The earliest version of the tour, “La Chinesca,” also won the 2018 prize for diversification in cultural tourism.) You can find information (in Spanish) about the tour on their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064772856377); the address is Callejon Reforma 306, and you can make a reservation by calling +52 686 150 3694.
Mexico City
If you go to CDMX to celebrate the Lunar New Year, you will have as exciting an experience as you might in Mexicali, but bigger! More and different events and, obviously, more people! But it will be different. The Chinese of Mexico City no longer live in the city’s Chinatown, or Barrio Chino; Barrio Chino is very small, located in the Centro Histórico on a few blocks of Calle Dolores and its callejones (alleys); these streets are closed to cars. At times, the Chinese New Year celebration resembles a street fair, with plenty to eat and many souvenirs to buy; this year, there will be a plethora of golden dragons on the vendor tables.
The entrance to Barrio Chino is marked by an Arco Chino (Chinese Arch) in the paifang style – originally paifang architecture represented the organization of communities, but by now “paifang” has come to mean the gate of a community and is used only in decorative structures.
This being Mexico City, the Arch is not IN Barrio Chino, but on Santos Degollado Plaza immediately to the west (the Arch was too big to fit on Calle Dolores). Part of an ongoing effort to promote Chinatown as a tourist attraction, it was planned cooperatively with the Chinese Embassy. At the inauguration by then-mayor Marcelo Ebrard and Yen Heng-min, China’s ambassador, Ebrard declared the Plaza to be part of Chinatown. A smaller arch was put up in 2018 to mark the actual entrance to Calle Dolores.
The Chinese in Mexico City – Phase 1: On October 8, 1565, after four months and eight days at sea, a Basque navigator-friar named Andrés de Urdaneta sailed into Acapulco from the Philippines, establishing the trade route from New Spain to Asia and back to New Spain. He had left from Barra de Navidad, Jalisco (south of Acapulco and north of Puerto Vallarta), on an expedition led by the explorer Miguel López de Legazpi, also from the Basque region; the expedition was intended to colonize the Philippines, which, along with Guam, the Mariana Islands, and parts of other islands off the coast of southeast Asia, was referred to as the Spanish East Indies.
The round trip had immense implications for New Spain, not just in terms of establishing global trade, but world influence as well, as the Spanish East Indies were mostly governed from New Spain. Immigration from Asia to New Spain began immediately. Those who came were mostly Chinese and Filipino, and practiced many trades, from musicians and scribes, to tailors and cobblers, to barbers and silversmiths. The city’s zocalo (Plaza Mayor) hosted the Parián, an Asian market, where they sold their wares and goods imported from Asia.
This trade network, often called the “Manila Galleon,” included a thriving traffic in esclavos chinos (Chinese slaves), or indios chinos (equating them with indigenous Mexicans), although they hailed from various Asian countries. Goods brought into Acapulco were hauled overland by mule trains along the “China Road,” which ran up from Acapulco to Mexico City, the administrative center for tracking trade. Goods not intended for New Spain were loaded back on the mule trains and went on down the road to Veracruz for shipping to Europe.
The Manila Galleon lasted until early in the Mexican War of Independence (1810-21); Spain declared that the trade route should be eliminated in 1813, and trade ended in 1815, removing its benefits for New Spain.
The Chinese in Mexico City – Phase 2: In the early 20th century, the importation of workers to build railroads and other components of developing urbanization brought the Chinese to Mexico City as well. In 1901, there were only 40 Chinese listed in Mexico City, but by 1910, there were 1,482, many of whom moved from northern Mexico to escape the anti-Chinese (actually, the anti-foreign, or “nativist”) ideas of the Revolutionary forces (the Torreón massacre occurred in 1911).
The Chinese who came to Dolores Street were businesspeople, not construction workers. They opened restaurants, bakeries, laundries, and lard shops – lard was essential to both Chinese and Mexican cooking. Around 1930, when Mexico undertook an expulsion campaign to rid itself of Chinese immigrants, there were about 25,000 Chinese in the country as a whole; by 1940, there were fewer than 5,000.
Beginning shortly after this expulsion campaign, however, both deported Chinese and the Mexican government of Lázaro Cárdenas (1934-40) made efforts to “repatriate” the deported, and to increase Chinese immigration in general. The 2020 census identified 10,547 Chinese immigrants in Mexico, nearly a 60% increase over 2010; this does not count Mexico’s much larger Chinese-Mexican population, which goes back to the fact that early Chinese immigration was limited to men, who intermarried with Mexican women.
The history of Chinese immigration to Mexico, indeed to countries around the world, is complex and nuanced, involving racism and exploitation, resentment, often violent and deadly, of Chinese financial success, and – finally – an appreciation of Chinese culture and tradition. The Chinese New Year is perhaps the best occasion to do your own appreciating of that culture – have fun, and may your Year of the Dragon be especially rewarding!
December 2023
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
One of my favorite things is to rearrange a room and I have found that many spaces benefit from having things removed rather than added. The trouble is we get so attached to having stuff and having things the way they are.
Even if you don’t consider yourself as someone who concerns themselves with design, most of us add our own signature to a space. Think for a moment about your living room, picture it in your mind if you aren’t there. Visualize each item that you have chosen and ask yourself why? Is it for its sentimental tie to a past event – a display of photographs perhaps? Maybe the object has a practical use – a candy dish, or a foot roller you keep tucked under the couch. Why have you arranged the furniture the way it is – to maximize light or seating faced towards the television set?
What about the colors? Were you intentional as you filled this space or did it become layered over itself with time? What might be taken away? How does the room reflect who you are and your habits?
In this issue our writers explore design. We didn’t limit the topic to home design or architecture or clothing and it was fascinating to see what people came up with. From papel picado, to the clothes we wear to the buildings we spend our lives in, what is clear is that no corner of our lives is untouched by design. Unknowingly, we have each curated our lives, piece by piece over time.
You may not consider yourself a symbol of design but the truth is that we all are. Our style is reflected in our clothes, our haircut, our living room, even the plates we choose to eat our dinner off.
As we approach this commercial season what if instead of adding more stuff to our ever-growing piles, we became intentional about the spaces and objects we already have? Decluttering your space has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and lead to greater creativity.
Let’s lighten our load as we vault into 2024!
November 2023
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer
“By standing together in unity, solidarity and love, we will heal the wounds in the earth and in each other. We can make a positive difference through our actions.”
Julia Butterfly Hill
This month our writers explore political parties and revolutions. In my cooking classes I always say that the recipe for a revolution is a few very wealthy people controlling everything while poor people do all the work. This has been true during most of the large revolutions of the past that were a reflection of class struggle.
With technology and the decline of environmental quality, we are seeing a new kind of revolution and it doesn’t care how much stuff you have- in fact the less the better.
Back in 1997 Julia Butterfly Hill ascended Luna—a giant 1,500-year-old redwood tree near Stafford, California, and spent 738 days in a tree to protest the logging industry. Her act was seen as radical and perhaps crazy- there is no denying it was a huge commitment. However when examined through the lens of today, while an outrageous act, the philosophy behind it is being embraced more than ever.
People are fleeing urban areas for cleaner air, access to water and nature – planning for survival in an ever growing hostile world. Peasant life is the new rich. With carbon dioxide levels on our planet at the highest they have been in 4 million years, we have seen a rapid increase in temperature, which is leading to drought, forest fires, dying coral, melting permafrost, loss of biodiversity and decimated crops.
Where this will take us is anyone’s guess. As a species we are slow to make immediate changes for long-term gain- we are impatient and want what we want now.
Thanks for reading,
Jane
The Green Revolution
By Kary Vannice
When we hear the word “revolution,” most of us think of people clashing with other people, fighting for opposing rights or ideologies. However, in recent decades, a new kind of revolution has emerged, one that differs in its focus and purpose. The “Green Revolution” is not about people fighting one another, but about humans combatting a common and existential threat – climate change. This revolution transcends borders and beliefs and pits humanity against the fallout of its own environmentally destructive habits.
Traditional revolutions seek to overthrow existing political systems or religious ideologies. In contrast, the Green Revolution seeks to transform values and behaviors to ensure a sustainable future. It calls for a shift from consumerism to sustainability, from short-term thinking to long-term planning, and from environmental exploitation to conservation and preservation. The transformation it promotes is not political, social, or religious, but connected to our individual and collective values.
Just as different strata of Mexican society rallied together against foreign occupiers during the Mexican Revolution, millions of people across borders, cultures, and demographics have rallied together in the common goal of combating climate change.
All revolutions have their quiet rumblings that start long before they erupt onto the world stage. The Green Revolution’s rumblings started in the mid 20th-century when books like Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) began raising concerns about the impact of pesticides on the environment. Within a decade, the state of the environment became a major part of the global political conversation; the first Earth Day was held in 1970 and the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment happened in 1972.
Climate change has been a major headline grabber for the last two decades, so most of us are familiar with the public figures like Greta Thunberg, Jane Goodall, Al Gore, and Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as the most talked about climate concerns like extreme weather events, renewable energy, deforestation, carbon emissions, and rising sea levels. But, as individuals, it’s difficult to take action against such monumental concepts and global threats.
However, we each have ways in which we can contribute to change for a more sustainable future.
Consumer choices have a significant impact on environmental sustainability. People are increasingly using their purchasing power to drive change, demanding eco-friendly and ethical products. Consumer activism and ethical purchasing are all about supporting sustainable businesses, reducing single-use plastics, and opting for renewable energy sources. By making informed choices and asking companies to adopt sustainable practices, individuals play a pivotal role in the Green Revolution.
Financial institutions and investors are recognizing the value of green finance and investments in driving this environmental revolution. Financing renewable energy projects, green infrastructure, and sustainable businesses is essential for transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and impact investments are key financial instruments that can be employed to support environmentally responsible initiatives.
Green funds typically invest in companies that follow sustainable practices such as renewable energy, clean technology, conservation, and other environmentally responsible activities. By investing in green funds, individuals or institutions can align their investments with their values, contributing to both environmental and financial goals.
Shifting thinking from a “buy-use-dispose” mindset to a more circular “reduce-reuse-recycle” mindset may seem like a small contribution to a mammoth problem, but every big revolution was won because of a series of small battles. In our communities here in Mexico, as well as back home in the US and Canada, it’s generally the low-income and vulnerable communities that bear the brunt of negative environmental impacts and extreme weather events. Before disposing of an unwanted item, consider whether or not it might still have some life left in it for someone else. Donating items rather than throwing them away can extend product lifecycles, minimize environmental impact, and create a more sustainable economic future.
Participating in local, grassroots community clean-up projects like “Playas Limpias,” supporting community-run farmer’s markets, and buying local, sustainably made products can put you on the front lines of the Green Revolution.
The Green Revolution is not just about averting environmental catastrophe; it’s about preserving the planet for future generations and, like many revolutions throughout our history, is a testament to the potential for positive, collective change. The Green Revolution represents a turning point in the way humanity confronts its most significant challenges.
Saving Fish from Drowning
By Jane Bauer
‘Do not feed stray dogs and cats.’ I recently posted this opinion on a thread and received a snappy comment from someone who called me cold-hearted and that they couldn’t believe we had friends in common, as though who would be friends with someone who wouldn’t feed stray animals.
While I have seen our community grow, I have seen the stray animal population grow as well.
Different cultures have varied standards for how they regard different animals. In Ecuador eating guinea pigs is a norm, while in the US and Canada they are regarded as pets. While much of the world considers dogs and cats as pets rather than food, there are still many countries where they straddle into the food category. In the Philippines dog meat is the third most popularly consumed meat after pork and goat. In Vietnam fried cat meat and beer is a popular dish in Hanoi. When I was in Switzerland, I was surprised to find Canadian horse meat on offer at the local grocery store. In India cows are considered sacred and not-food, in fact, there are entire towns that are vegetarian. All this to say that there is a wide spectrum of cultural divide in how animals are treated.
While in North America (Canada, US, Mexico) cats and dogs are non-food, there are discrepancies with how they are cared for. For many, pets become a part of our family, they are treated like children that are helpless and require human care for all their needs. For others, they are nice to have, but they also serve the purpose of protection, status or keeping other unwanted critters away.
As the coast has become more developed there are some wonderful organizations that have done amazing work with spay and neuter clinics to help keep the dogs and cats from overpopulation. This is very important because overpopulation of stray animals can lead to pack mentality, they can carry disease and take a toll on the other wildlife.
Then there is the feeding. Each morning during the tourist season as I drive into work, I see a blond woman putting out bowls of food in front of her condo, a pack of dogs cluster around her and she looks very pleased with herself. However, for the rest of the year these dogs roam the neighborhood looking for humans to feed them and have been known to get aggressive.
I recently pulled up to Chahue beach for a sunrise meditation and witnessed a man surrounded by about thirty cats as he doled out kibble, the cats were practically clambering up his legs. While I am sure he believed he was doing a good deed, science would tell you he was not.
Feeding stray animals causes them to congregate in small areas where they are at greater risk from car traffic. If they are not fed by humans, they will expand their search for food and spread out. Cats or dogs hanging out in one spot means they will poop in one spot. If this is an area where people walk their domesticated pets or children play, they are at risk for a variety of zoonotic diseases. Stray cats that are fed by humans are more likely to breed. One study found that stray cats NOT fed by people have smaller litters and lower kitten survival rate. Long-term feeding makes animals dependent on humans and contributes to breeding.
“Sure, some animals do need our help as we often need theirs. But most of them are doing perfectly well on their own and our failure to recognize that not only undermines their natural instincts and intelligence, but can also send us down the rabbit hole of martyrdom and hero syndrome which we can all do without.” Rubaiya Ahmad, founder of Obhoyaronno – Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation which is leading the charge for animals in Bangladesh.
So why do people feed stray animals? Check your own bias and needs that are being filled by this act. I have sponsored two spay and neuter clinics in my village and have been asked by many people ‘but why do white people steal dogs.’ Seeing a dog off a leash does not mean it is homeless. If you want to help animals I suggest making a donation to an organization that does spay and neuter clinics.
And why dogs and cats? There are many animals that can use our help. Save marine life by not using sunscreen when you swim or go vegan. Save a chicken, and bring it home with you to Calgary. Studies have shown that chickens feel empathy, experience REM dreams, are behaviorally sophisticated, and demonstrate thinking skills on par with mammals and primates.
A good rule of thumb I use before feeding a stray animal is to ask myself whether I am willing to domesticate it all the way. This means to provide housing, regular food, spaying/neutering, and vaccinations over the course of its lifetime. If the answer is no, walk away.
The best way to help street animals is to financially support organizations that perform free spay and neuter clinics.
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