Biography:
Sofia Aldinio is an Argentine documentary photographer and multimedia storyteller. She is currently based in Portland, Maine. Her work uses collaborative practices to tell stories about home, immigration, climate change, and preserving natural and...
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An aerial view of San Jose de Gracia - a community nestled in the middle of the Pacific coast of Baja California, Mexico, July, 2021. The community claims that it was founded 200 years ago, but today there are only 21 members living there full time. As with many other small communities, water is the reason why they are able to settle and live in their surroundings. However the rainy season has shifted, leaving their community without a waterfall flowing off the canyon as one used to. Mulegé Mexico
A portrait of Miguel Murillo, in the land where he was born and still lives, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. From 2006 to today, the community has lost approximately 60 members and has a population of 21 today. Miguel is leading the harvest of the mango crop, weaving old techniques in with his hope that mango production will revive the community by attracting more people.
Crecencia was born, raised and had her own children in the community that once was her home, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. She moved away from the community to raise her own children, but in the Covid-19 pandemic she recently moved back to the community. Her knowledge for the area, especially the herbs and plants is irreplaceable. She wonders what will happen to the place once she dies and there is no younger generation to pass the land along to.
All the young families migrated away from the community leaving empty classrooms and abandoned houses, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. The future of the younger generation is uncertain, pushing them to migrate to other cities, and even countries, finding new ways of life.
Rumaldo stands next to a water tank in San Jose de Gracia, that he uses to water the gardens in Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. Unlike many other places in Baja, San Jose de Gracia, offers a year-round water spring. Even though the water never stops flowing, people claim that the lack of rain and the unpredictable weather have affected the flow.
A reflection of Enrique's hand, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Enrique, 38, moved to the community two years ago with the hope to start a small clinic. His dad was born and raised in the community and is now teaching him about all the medicinal plants in the area.
An abandoned house in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. The population of San Jose de Gracia has been decreasing since the last decades. A recent census shows how in the past 15 years it has lost 51 members of the community resulting in no younger generation to carry forward the traditions. Many houses have been abandoned, left to deteriorate into the landscape.
An archival photo lies on an old table at Chancha's house in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January 17th, 2021. The town was founded almost 200 years ago. With only 12 people left living in the community, and no younger up and coming generation, the community is at risk of disappearing, and along with it, their collective memory and tradition.
Juana sits across from her house in the center of the town, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. It was just recently that the community finally had internet during the daylight hours. The community now uses the central palapa to gather and use the internet.
Garambullo can be found in the area of San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. This sweet and small fruit, red or purple in color can be eaten or used for medicinal purposes.
Miguel stands next to the house were he grow up, now abandoned, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. Many of the residents left the community, in search of a more reliable way of making a living.
Enrique holds a bunch of Ruda, the slang for this wild herb that grows in the area of San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2022. The plant was well used in the community to cure ear infections and for pesticide.
Miguel Murillo cuts palms in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, to build houses outside of the community, July 2021. A handful of houses in the community are still built 100% of palms. Concrete has been used in newer construction to replace this natural element. There are only a couple of people left in the community still cutting palms.
Irma Murillo, Humberto Castiloo, Norma Murillo and Andrea Murillo, (from left to right) rest in their shared home in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. The three women were born and raised in the community, but only Norma still lives there. Humberto married Irma and started the community school. He became the teacher of what onces was a vibrant community in San Jose de Gracia.
Water channels are distributed in some areas of the San Jose de Gracia community to transport water through the canyons to various residents, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022.
Juana cooking octopus, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. At 73 years old she claims the community it’s her favorite place to be. Her biggest worry is what will happen with the place when all the community members pass away.
The kids cemetery in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January, 2021. The small community has at least four different cemeteries generationally identified. For vulnerable communities like this one, the risk to their members is the decreasing ability to sustain a living off the land as climate change continues to impress what seems like irreversible change in Baja California, Mexico.
Rumaldo harvested a pumpkin in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. He is the only one left in the community that dedicates most of his time to cultivate and harvest foods like they used to do in the past. He was born and raised in the community, but he is hoping to move to his own ranch in the near future.
Members of the San Jose de Gracia community gather together to help lift some palm poles to build a palapa, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022
Andrea Murillo, Irma Murillo and Norma Murillo (from left to right) share a kitchen to prepare a meal in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021. The three of them were born and raised in the community, but only Norma still lives there. Norma's daughter migrated for better income opportunities to the closest active community almost two hours away from San Jose de Gracia. While we sit and share a meal, they recount stories of how they used to make dresses, dance and always have big shared meals with the community.
Juana restarts the fire where she is cooking frijoles, San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, February 2022. Juana moved back to the community 23 years ago. She is now 73 years old and wants to spend the rest of her days in the community where she was born and raised. In the last decade she has noticed a change in the weather. "It has been a really cold winter, unlike others,” she says.
Miguel and Enrique collect dry mangoes in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, July 2021.The mango season is shifting and becoming more unpredictable in the last 10 years.
Juana keeps warm in her house in San Jose de Gracia, Baja California, Mexico, January 2022. “It was never this cold in the winter,” she said. The community have all been claiming the unusual temperatures that they have had.