Whose community and land does Sayulita belong to?

Sayulita is a very interesting place with a fascinating history. As I’ve said before there are so many more people from the United States and Canada that live here than I expected. In fact, I read in “Sayulita Magazine” that 40% of the residents here are foreigners. Some come from other parts of the world, such as our neighbors from Italy, but for the most part the immigrants that have infiltrated Sayulita come from the U.S. or Canada.

The presence of so many foreigners in Sayulita produces some tension and confusion. I have heard a lot of people discussing whose land and community this truly belongs to.  Although everything seems peaceful in town, there are definitely tensions. Kathy has mentioned the existence of the “haves” and the “have nots.” Most of the “have nots” are the Mexicans in town whose ancestors are originally from Sayulita, whereas most of the “haves” are the wealthy foreigners who have moved here in recent years.

Jessica, one of the administrators at CVIS is half Mexican and half American. She grew up in Mexico and has lived in Sayulita for years. At a CVIS staff party we had at Whitney’s last Thursday, Jessica talked in great lengths about whose land this really is. She said that even though she speaks Spanish fluently, is Mexican, and has lived in Sayulita for years, this land will never truly be hers. According to her, it belongs to the people whose ancestors originally lived here. Not everybody in town agrees with this. Apparently there are online community boards where the foreigners try to make both big and small decisions about how Sayulita will develop and operate. Jessica says the original Sayulitans do not even bother joining these groups and have their own.

I find this all so interesting. Whose land and community does Sayulita truly belong to? I kind of agree with Jessica. It seems unfair that wealthy foreigners can just come in here and alter the land in any way they want, and in doing so significantly alter the way of life of the people whose families have lived here for generations. I am not trying to say that all the alterations are bad. They aren’t! I am sure that all the people in Sayulita benefit greatly from the tourism money. But, I can’t help wondering—do the original Sayulitans really want their land to be a tourist destination and ex-pat community? Or would they prefer to live here as their ancestors did for generations?

One thing that troubles me about this whole debate are the children of the immigrants. Many immigrants come to Sayulita, have their children, and raise them here. For many of them, this is their home, their land, their community. It is all they have known. Do they have more of a right to this land and community than their parents because they were born and raised here? Do they have as much of a right as the other children whose ancestors were born and raised here?

A new exhibit is opening at the beginning of February that kind of deals with this issue. From what I understand, the exhibit will feature information on the history and development of Sayulita. The exhibit will feature a bunch of interviews with the perspective of both “original” Sayulitans, and those who have immigrated here. I will post more about this theme after I make it to the exhibit!