Jarillas, elsewhere better known as Caña Brava (a type of cane), is a reed that usually grows on the marshy banks of rivers. Tlacotal, the Nahuatl name for the place where jarillas grow, is a community in Iztacalco, one of the mayorships in the southeast of Mexico City. The Miramontes River, at that time emblematic for Tlacotal, became a canal; but the jarillas are still in the orchard of the Cultural Center that bears the same name. This cultural center is a reference for Mexico City for being managed from the territorial community, cohesioning the social fabric and the sense of community at the scale of the neighborhood locality, with a tireless work from the culture and urban identity. It is an icon for the development and self-determination of an urban community, involving the third generation, giving tangible form to the demands of the people of Tlacotal in their struggle for the right to the city.
1968
The group in 1997, living the very busy political and social situation of Mexico in those years, decided to organize meetings with various social groups in the territory due to the problem of violence inside and outside the house in Tlacotal. The diagnosis made in the community, consulting 900 women, men and also young people about their aspirations for their territory; the main conclusion is the demand of the people in terms of cultural activities and particularly to have a place for youth in the neighborhood. Politicians generally do not go down the path of participatory diagnoses because they seem to think they know what the people want and need. Miguel González, one of the persons who has been part of this process from the beginning, explains a little of the context, from where this demand to promote culture arose: “The proposal of our work and of the Las Jarillas center has been from the beginning to understand and comprehend culture as a way to prevent crime through culture, sports and to contribute to improve life and coexistence in the community here in Tlacotal”.
Las Jarillas - cultural center
In this way, for example, the monthly electricity bill dropped from six thousand to one hundred pesos (approx. from 300 to 5 dollars): something similar happens with the use of rainwater, filtering, storing and supplying almost all the consumption required for the operation of the center and the garden. The space in Las Jarillas is very well used, following the idea of achieving social and environmental sustainability. This idea is transmitted to participants of the various courses and workshops offered, having achieved replications with the implementation of eco-techniques and urban agriculture in common spaces of private housing complexes and in areas of the zone. These pilot projects were carried out with the active participation of neighbors, beneficiary families and the support of civil organizations and institutions, as well as companies.
Given the high levels of pollution caused by vehicular traffic in the area, alternatives have also been generated to reduce pollution through non-polluting transportation and bicycle paths.
For Las Jarillas, having a house with space and equipment has made it possible to grow in terms of offerings, processes and dynamics. By this time, the collective promoting the house had already understood that the ties between the community and the house of culture were of vital importance; these ties were achieved through open, permanent and back-and-forth communication. To avoid falling into decadence, Las Jarillas to this day continues to exist also in the street, where it was born; at least once a month the house of culture organizes an activity in the streets of the neighborhood.
Police No, Culture Yes
In 2003, with current Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as the former head of government of Mexico City, a security program was launched with a large budget to equip the police. Las Jarillas’ response to this program was as blunt as it was predictable: police no – culture yes. People have little confidence in the police and the Las Jarillas collective has always been committed to culture to prevent crime instead of repression. After several meetings and a firm stance on the part of the collective, the local public administration agreed that 80% of the resources would be invested in culture and sports. A soccer championship is organized for girls and boys of the neighborhood with the participation of 36 teams. Miguel González recalls: “Through the soccer tournament we were able to get closer not only to the children but also through them to their parents; gradually the neighborhood, instead of handing over their children at the door of Las Jarillas, became involved in the activities at home, which made it possible to work on issues such as domestic violence and many other topics, which are generally difficult to address”. Local youths with drug addiction problems were involved as referees during the tournament.
It is worth mentioning that with the support of Copevi and in joint work with the Collective of Social and Civil Organizations for Participatory Democracy in Iztacalco (Coscidepi), of which the Las Jarillas culture house and the Iztacalco School for the Construction of Citizenship are part, the participation of neighbors in the construction of the Iztacalco Charter for the Right to the City, the first charter in Mexico in which the experiences of Jarillas were considered, was encouraged. It concluded in 2012, having achieved a broad process of social participation that generated from its space important strategic lines for the development of both Iztacalco and the city. The book entitled “Another city grows within the city” (Mexico City, April, 2015) systematizes the experience and construction process of the Iztacalco Charter. Contents of this are included in the Charter of Mexico City for the Right to the City and in its new Constitution, approved in 2017. In this way, it has been possible to influence urban issues of utmost importance and that concern the entire city.
What makes it different?
Those who have known other houses of culture in the city, agree in their appreciation, saying that Las Jarillas is different. Maricela Reséndiz, taekwondo teacher, and Nora Leticia Romero, urban agriculture instructor, have worked, teaching in their disciplines in many entities, including houses of culture, administered by the public sector. Both agree that the dynamics and warmth in the operation of the Las Jarillas center is incomparable to other houses of culture. They say that despite the fact that no one in the coordinating group receives a salary or perhaps just because of the general volunteerism, the users receive very good attention; despite the notorious scarcity of financial resources, there is never a lack of organizational and housekeeping resources at Las Jarillas. Students often help with the cleaning of their spaces at Las Jarillas. To participate in courses and workshops, people pay a modest fee. The economic resources generated by payments, in the case of courses and workshops, are distributed as follows: 80% for the workshop participants and 20% for Jarillas’ maintenance needs. In the houses of culture under the tuition of the public administration, everything is free, without contribution; but even so, the teachers explain that there is more attendance, interest and permanence in the courses offered by Las Jarillas.
There are many testimonies of people who say that at the beginning they brought their children to different recreational and cultural activities at the house of culture. But then they experienced that as adults they could also get involved with the center. Parents who hardly used to leave their children for activities at the Casa de la Cultura, now offer their children to spend time together at the playroom in Las Jarillas.
It is no small feat for Las Jarillas to get young and not-so-young people to leave their tablet or cell phone screens to share with others in the playroom or other cultural and community activities. Yolotl González, daughter of one of the pioneers of Las Jarillas belongs to the second-generation group; the third generation is going to the center’s recreational activities; for her there is no doubt. “Las Jarillas has transformed the chip for many people in the neighborhood”.
It is not possible to understand the Las Jarillas cultural center without understanding the process that has led to the creation of the center: it is a process that starts from the people for the people, it is a construction from the territory, it is a community manifestation of rootedness, of defense of the territory and of the urban identity strengthened by the local power of the citizens and from their vision with the promotion of concrete measures of sustainable contribution to the city. This process was strengthened by Copevi’s accompaniment, also in the construction of the Iztacalco charter for the right to the city, which was a milestone in the process of political vindication of Las Jarillas, enriched by its most valuable capital: its community life.
Out of curiosity I entered
Joselín González teaches ballet courses at the center. “I went in out of curiosity to get to know the house of culture. From the façade of the house you can see how different it is”. And Antonio Cortes, HipHop teacher, adds: “Here the community helped out. I decided to teach here and I love working in a team, as well as getting to know the other areas of the house, such as the bio-garden. But I confess that at first I entered with a lot of caution since we have become accustomed to toxic environments. But here it is different”. The women teachers at Las Jarillas say: “Here we feel free to carry out our activities and there is not so much male chauvinism”. There are many people who, whether or not they live in Tlacotal, came here out of curiosity; the children of the founders of the center indicate that they grew up in a community where the house of culture began to form part of their lives. Many of them now bring their own children to Las Jarillas.
Alex Murietta is a resident of Tlacotal who has known Las Jarillas since its beginnings. “The things of culture or community centers, usually happen under the management of the public administration and where they don’t even let you use the bathroom. Las Jarillas is a myth in Iztacalco because it is the great exception”.
Between opportunities and risks
With each new administration in the mayor’s office, there is a risk that the authorities will try to weaken the autonomy or instrumentalize Las Jarillas, generating budgetary dependence and replacing the principle of horizontality (from the community for the community), since in Mexican politics verticality generally continues to rule. The community of the territory, in more than one case, has been the protective shield of the house of culture. The governing council of Las Jarillas is characterized by its clarity in terms of its principles and its defense of them; at the same time there is always a dialogic and proactive attitude. On several occasions and faithful to the position of wanting public policies where there is room for community participation, there has been a very collaborative attitude towards public authorities, who have shown interest in taking into account the principles of Las Jarillas to permeate other existing and new houses of culture and community centers. For Las Jarillas, one of the lessons learned throughout the process is the importance of achieving fluid communication between everyone. In this sense there is an open door policy.
But, apparently, the good intentions of some authorities are not enough and the problem is not the lack of budget but the inability to share power and govern from and with the people.
Messages to the Future
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Authors:
- Marcelo Waschl
- Jorge Krekeler | jorge.krekeler@posteo.de
Design:
- Gabriela Avendaño
- Ida Peñaranda
Photos:
- Las Jarillas
- COPEVI
- Marcelo Waschl
- Jorge Krekeler
Contact information regarding the documented experience:
- Casa de Cultura Las Jarillas
- Copevi
Edition:
february 2023
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