The Desert Speaks

Visiting Ancient Mayo Lands (13x10)

Air date: Apr 03, 2003

Reaching up to Mexico's northwest corner, Pacific dry deciduous forest extends south all the way to Costa Rica, providing a pathway into Sonora for many widespread tropical plants and birds. This is especially evident in the southern tip of the Sonoran Desert on Mexico’s mainland, near Alamos, Sonora. Travel with a group of bird watchers from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum as they journey through coastal and forest habitats in search of some of the rarest birds in the region. Along the way, catch a rare glimpse into the life, culture, and traditions of the native Mayo Indians. Included is one of the area’s biggest cultural events—the annual pilgrimage to an ancient church to celebrate what is probably the most revered plant in all of Mexico—a cactus growing out of the side of church.