“What will you have, mija?” I turn to see who’s greeting me. Across the whole parking lot, of what was once an elementary school, you can hear Mexican corridos, the comal hissing, the occasional whistle, and the metal frames of the tents. The tables and their tablecloths cover the pavement where white lines once marked spaces for cars. Chairs and tables one-by-one build the community food stalls. Colorful little flags dance happily in the wind. Every small piece of this place comes together through collaboration and sharing the work- load. Bit by bit, it takes the shape of what the experts are now calling “a third space,” and what the barrio knows as “Nuestro Tianguis.” I look around. There is little evidence left of what was once a parking lot. This ritual repeats every weekend, carrying on this long tradition for over 500 years. Even when people move or visit other corners, the tradition seems to follow. Tianguis is a Náhuatl word meaning “open-air market.” Tianguis By Dora Martinez, Advocacy Director
food vendors, secondhand goods, arts, crafts, and services, by the local people and for the local people. In today’s environment, we understand the importance of this space for our community members, regardless of income level or nationality. Nuestro tianguis is home to traditional cooks who, every weekend, share their family recipes passed down from comal to comal. These are the hands that not only inspire the next generation of cooks, but also feed our neighborhoods. The tianguis is a great example of how access to space, cultural practices, and economic opportunity are all compo- nents of a healthy, vibrant community. We know that • environmental quality • community design • sociocultural cohesion • community safety
are important indicators of health, just as much as • quality food
• access to healthcare • green infrastructure
The tianguis also sustains the keepers of our culture and the bearers of wisdom in our community. These are the elders, artisans, land defenders, cooks, and keepers of traditional knowledge in our communities. Every weekend they bring their textiles, antiques, little plants, and everything else. These masters of tradition connect us to our histories and to place. Every weekend, the vendors remind us that, despite making up less than 7% of the world’s population, our Indigenous peoples around the world protect and are responsible for more than 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity, giving a second (and third, and fourth) chance to clothing and everyday items that our fast-consuming society has thrown away. ◆
For centuries, Indigenous peoples of this continent have organized themselves into tianguis as a viable alternative for a more equitable commerce rooted in trade, culture and sustainability. These open-air markets are made up of a series of
November & December 2026, Never Too Late | Page 7
Pima Council on Aging
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