Like so many others in Mata Ortiz, Elí Navarrete owes some of his success to the tutelage of family members. After his brother, César Navarrete, began to experience success in pottery, Elí moved to Mata Ortiz to join him.

The Ways of the Navarretes

Elí, César and Jesús. The names alone bring to mind an array of world views and lifestyles, travelers and trailblazers.

"We get around a bit," Jesús agrees.

"Chihuahua, Mexico City, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Mata Ortiz...," Elí adds. "You know, my sister was the first of the family to leave the country. She was in a church in Mexico City and felt that the Lord spoke to her telling her to go spread His word. In Nebraska. So she went. Got all involved in a church there. Became an evangelical Christian musician. An apostolic. Then my brother, Jesús here, followed her there. For work, not for religion. He's Catholic."

"I found a job there as a roofer," Jesús says in proficient English. "It paid very good money. That's where I learned English. But eventually I came back to Mexico. It's my home. I'm very emotional about it," he jokes in the way of a joke that conveys truth. "And next thing you know, César is married to a Mata Ortiz girl, living by her papa's old place. He's hung up his traveling shoes for good," Jesús smiles, justifiably proud of his mastery of English metaphor. "Then Elí, he marries and settles in El Pueblo," Jesús adds, referring to 'Viejo' Casas Grandes in the vernacular, "in the shadow of Paquimé". Our sister? She's still on the other side of the border spreading the word of God."

"You can see," Elí says, "We Navarretes are quite a variety. In my family there are Católicos, Apostólicos and Románticos," he quips poetically. "Myself, I'm a romantic," he beams, giving his wife, Vicki, an anniversary squeeze. "Six years!"