blossoms of fire

Throughout this movie, I noticed that in the city of Juchitan there was rarely a moment of dullness or sadness. As a woman, this video really sparked an interest in me. I felt empowered to take leadership in some activity that I usually wouldn’t do. I was learning about a society in which the gender roles were basically reversed. I really enjoyed watching Blossoms of Fire. Juchitan’s way of life was completely different from mine. The women have the power and also, in most cases, are the main providers for their families. I agree with the allegations of how the women in Juchitan are considered a matriarchy because they seemed to be the main focus of the city. I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing though. It is both the women and men’s way of life and I believe they both accept their roles in society. When the men were interviewed, they never really seemed bitter about the women. They admired and commended the work that the women did. The women would wake up as early as 5 o’clock in the morning to start their day. Most of the women worked in the main market selling food and other goods. This showed me their dedication to earn money for their families and respect they have for each other. It was interesting to watch how the families all worked together. For example, one family worked in the same field. The male made the product and the female took it to the market and sold it. It showed me that the man and woman had equally important parts to earn money. Stereotypically in the society I live in, the men provide for the family but it was fascinating to learn about a whole new society. I always assumed that the men were the providers anywhere in the world. Watching the movie expanded my knowledge of the different cultures and costumes. The people of Juchitan seem to be in harmony with each other and themselves. I feel like it would an amazing place to travel to because of how different their way of life is from mine.