While people have become geographically dispersed, many still see themselves as belonging to Los Haro and maintain a strong connection and a deep affection for their hometown, making this a truly "transnational" community.

However, for the most part this vast region of semi-arid land was the domain of bands of hunter-gatherers who successfully resisted any attempts at control by the Aztec empire in the south.

Unlike their neighbors to the South, whose rich volcanic soils and rainfall made possible agriculture that could generate a considerable surplus, their semi-arid ecosystem forced substantial mobility.

The present-day Los Haro, adjacent to the Jerez-Fresnillo road at the northern end of the Valley, was settled in the early 1600s by a Spaniard named Tomas Gonzales.

Instead of the characteristic grid pattern mandated by the Council of Indies in Seville, the layout of Los Haro is rather an original one: with no central plaza to anchor the settlements, the streets and individual lot extend in ribbon-fashion along the right bank of the river, with three neighborhoods, each developing its own fresh spring water.

Of modest origin, these immigrants moved to remote terrains to buy land, intermarry with local inhabitants and to carry out livelihoods of independence and self-reliance.

As the colonial silver economy of Zacatecas developed, Los Haro found itself in the middle of large haciendas that were controlled by the Church, merchants and miners.

The Los Haro residents often made extended trips to neighboring communities as well as the city of Zacatecas to exchange surplus grain, livestock, cheeses, eggs, fruits, and vegetables, for cloth, tools, and other manufactured goods.

[3] In addition, Los Haro farmers and their pack animals had to pay nearby haciendas a fee to cross their vast holding on their two-day journey to market in Zacatecas, which only added conflict to the already unstable relations.

The Morisma is based on the Battle of Lepanto, in which Christian forces under John of Austria defeated the Turkish (Ottoman) navy in 1571, thereby impeding Muslim expansion into Europe.

Even though the Battle of Lepanto itself was a naval engagement off the coast of Greece, given the Los Haro terrain and the fact that riding was an integral part of everyday life, it seemed apt to substitute the galleys and display the charro skills of the brave townsmen.

The Los Haro Summer Camp program began in 2007 as a pilot project to address the needs of children and youth of a border-spanning Mexican community.

Awareness and respect for their origins allows for the maintenance of strong family ties and inter-generational bonds, and provides children with a sense of self-worth that helps anchor them while they navigate the turbulence of adolescence in the United States.

They noted that new types of problems and tensions are emerging as increasing numbers of youth from the United States travel home to spend the summer with relatives, but once there find themselves with little to do.

In response to this situation, and in consultation with relatives and neighbors in Los Haro, the Committee decided to launch a youth-oriented program to address the need for healthy summer activities, to promote pride and respect for the village, to enhance learning opportunities for both local and visiting youth, and to build bridges of friendship between the two groups.

Through community gatherings, slide shows and other presentations, the Los Haro Support Committee will be shares its experiences and lessons learned with other hometown organizations.