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Tillers works with Women's Collective
of Matagalpa
In the wake of the Nicaraguan elections and just before Thanksgiving,
Tillers traveled to Matagalpa, Nicaragua to work with the Colectivo
de Mujeres de Matagalpa. The Colectivo purchased a farm outside Matagalpa
recently and Julietta Martinez became the farm manager a few months
ago. She invited Tillers down to help set up a garden with drip irrigation,
and welcomed us to teach a one-day workshop in blacksmithing.
Upon arrival, John Sarge, Dulcy Perkins, and Wendy and Christoff Hoashi-Erhardt
were given a tour of the Colectivo and what it does. The Colectivo was
started in 1986 and has several different departments, including education,
which broadcasts a radio program, has a library, and does educational
theatrical presentations in surrounding communities, a legal department
which helps counsel people on domestic violence, divorce, and child
support issues among other things, and a health department that trains
health promoters to work in neighboring communities, works with midwives
to detect at risk pregnancies, promotes family planning, and nutrition.
The group was out at the farm the next day digging large rocks out
of the future garden site. After the beds were dug up and compost added
to the soil, the bucket kits with drip tape were laid out. Although
rainfall is more predictable in that area than further north, there
is a dry season. Chapins Water Matic makes low cost drip tape that utilises
elevated 5 gallon buckets to effectively irrigate without large amounts
of water, allowing for year round gardening. They were fortunate to
have electricity at the farm house, and John helped Julietta string
wire down to a well for a pump that will bring water to the house and
garden.
Julietta had worked with Mark Hare from Ebenezer Ranch over the summer
to establish some SALT terracing to raise a crop of beans and corn without
losing the topsoil on the steep hillsides. With this technique, wide
terraces are made and contoured perennial hedges are planted as permanent
erosion control. Crops are rotated between these to ensure nutrients
aren't lost. The group discussed the use of draft power to help with
the terracing, and using compost to help replenish organic matter in
the soil.
In the following days tools to use in the blacksmithing class were gathered
up, including a discarded frame section from a semi-tractor for a free
standing anvil. Saturday, seventeen people from the collective, health
promoters, actors, lawyers, and two young boys, came out to the farm.
John taught them first about metals and how to identify the type of
metal best suited to a specific use. Soon they were hammering out a
set of simple tongs.There was a discussion after the class about logistics,
and mostly about future classes. The participants all thought that the
potential of teaching blacksmithing, either to people who would become
tradesmen or to those who would in turn teach it to people of surrounding
communities would have a good impact on the economy and the financial
independence of the people.
The Colectivo also works with Colectivo de Tejidos El Chile, a weavers
group headed by Marta Ruiz that makes and sells satchels and hand bags.
Dulcy traveled to El Chile with several women from the Colectivo including
three health promoters who went to learn how to weave. Several looms
of varying simplicity were set up, and Marta showed them techniques
of threading the looms and weaving. The Colectivo de Mujeres plans on
purchasing looms to have in Matagalpa so more women living in the city
can participate in this cottage industry.
The Theatre promoters were getting ready for the Campain against Violence
towards Women and Children. The Tillers group was recruited to help
make props for the parade. John and Dulcy helped make stilts while other
children and adults worked on banners, a paper mache woman, horse, and
turtle, and Chinese dragon style earth worms.
John, Wendy, and Dulcy went to find the RELATA office in Matagalpa,
and found a branch of it, the Union Nacional de Agricultores y Ganaderos.
They spoke with UNAG officials, Juan Guerrero Diaz and Damary Rivera
Pineda, about what UNAG does, and to see if Tillers' work could complement
theirs. UNAG also works in the communities surrounding Matagalpa, and
their focus is to get not just one farmer, but whole communities to
adopt good farming practices. UNAG, they found out, was having an ox
training demonstration that day, and has one a year, generally in March
or April.
This exploratory trip was a great opportunity to meet and work with
the Colectivo de Mujeres de Matagalpa. Tillers looks forward to future
collaboration with the Colectivo, and hopes to return in the spring.
Special thanks to Christoff and Wendy for their interpretation, and
to all of the people at the Colectivo for their hospitality.
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