Three marches are happening in the city today supporting Sección 22 of the CNTE (teachers union). Beginning at 9:00 this morning there was one by students and another by the health sector — I saw the latter pass as I took my laundry to the lavandería around the corner. Then, this afternoon there is a “Marcha Pacifica Punk-Libertaria” — whoever they are. And, there are supposed to be “negotiations” in Mexico City late this afternoon between the Interior Minister, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, and the CNTE negotiating committee. Hoping for progress, but not holding my breath.
That’s it for today’s on-the-ground reporting. I will leave you with a music video. The song is by Los Angeles based La Santa Cecilia and the video was posted by the Oaxaca based, Oaxacking.
Nunca Más
by La Santa Cecilia
Nos fuimos siguiendo un sueño
con el corazón en mano
por que ya no es justo nada
en la tierra que habitamos
en medio de la comparsa
nos arrastra un viento humano
pa’ ver si se nos quitaban
las ganas de andar soñando
unos de tanta culpa se quedan mudos
otros tienen memoria para olvidar
si la violencia es un espejo que se rompe
y nuestras lagrimas caidas gritaran
solo recuerda que mi cara tiene un nombre
y nunca mas se callara
y nunca mas se callara
te pido me des la mano
y en el camino me sigas
vamos traer a los de arriba
la ira de los de abajo
del miedo sepultado
es hora de ser valiente
en honor a los ausentes
ya no me cruzo de brazos
unos de tanta culpa se quedan mudos
otros tienen memoria para olvidar
si la violencia es un espejo que se rompe
y nuestras lagrimas caidas gritaran
solo recuerda que mi cara tiene un nombre
y nunca mas se callara
y nunca mas se callara
cúantas veces velamos la misma historia
cúantas mentiras nuevas se contara
si la violencia es un espejo que se rompe
y nuestras lagrimas caidas gritaran
solo recuerda que mi cara tiene un nombre
y nunca mas se callara
y nunca mas se callara
nunca jamas me olvidara
And, while you’re at it, I highly recommend watching a couple of La Santa Cecilia’s other music videos. Ice El Hielo will probably bring tears. And, I guarantee you will never again hear Strawberry Fields Forever the same, after seeing their version.
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Thank you so much for the update(s)!
I think posting helps me process all that is happening. So, thank you for reading and commenting. 😉
Thank you so much for introducing me to the beautiful music of La Santa Cecilia. I especially love the song ICE El Hielo. You’re absolutely right. It brought tears to my eyes. And thanks for the updates on Oaxaca. My husband and I plan to return there this fall. I hope things settle down by then. It’s so sad to see this beautiful city in such turmoil.
I’ve loved La Santa Cecilia since I was first introduced to their music a few years ago. Ojala, all will be tranquil for your fall visit.
Yes, it would make us very sad if we couldn’t make our yearly trip to Oaxaca. It has become our second home. We’d like to get to know you better this year. We met you last year at the talk you and Chris gave at the OLL on La Danza de las Plumas, which by the way was a great talk. We subsequently went to the Dance of the Plumes in Teotitlan and my husband Rick sat right up in front with Chris, taking a ton of pictures. It’s such a wonderful memory. We’ll be returning for another 5 1/2 months this fall and I hope our paths will cross again.
Hello spixl,
I just found your blog. We are part of a community college group that will be taking teachers to Oaxaca for the month of July to study Spanish and TESOL. My wife, three year old and I will be leaving next Wednesday (June 29). There has been much discussion amongst us instructors as to whether we should cancel the trip or move forward. What are your honest thoughts? Thank you so much for this blog. I know Oaxaca well and the pictures are heartbreaking.
From Santa Fe, NM,
Randy Grillo
Hello spixl,
I just found your blog as I was searching for latest news from Oaxaca. We are part of a community college group taking adult students to Oaxaca to study Spanish and TESOL for the month of July. There has been much talk amongst us instructors as to whether to cancel or move ahead with the project. My wife, three year old and I are scheduled to leave 6/29. What are your honest thoughts? I know Oaxaca well and the pictures you have posted are heartbreaking.
Thank you for your post and your response.
Randy G
Hi Randy,
Your question is a difficult one and I’ve discussed it with a couple of people I know (Oaxaqueños & expats). Those of us who live here feel very safe, however, getting into and out of the city can be difficult if there are bloqueos. Hotels, restaurants, and shops would welcome you with open arms, as they are hurting for business.
While we can’t guarantee an uneventful visit and none of us can predict the future, the consensus seems to be that you should come down. Obviously, when here, everyone needs to use common sense and exercise good judgement, and always be mindful of the prohibition against taking part in any political activity (which can be interpreted very broadly, if the powers that be so desire) by the Mexican Constitution.
The lessons learned may be different from what was originally intended, but they will probably be very valuable. And, feel free to keep in touch.
Saludos,
Shannon
Hi Shannon,
Thanks for your input. We’ll see what gets decided tomorrow.
Keep writing,
Randy
Let me know! If you come, perhaps we can all get together.
Hi Randy,
Thank you for all this valuable information. We have a vacation planned starting July 1-9, 2016 and we’re staying in Oaxaca City. We’re flying into Oaxaca International Airport at 11pm on July 1st. We are trying to gather as much information as possible to determine if we should continue or cancel our vacation due to the current events and unrest in Oaxaca City. Our accommodations are a few blocks away from Zocalo. We are concerned about our safety and the ability to enjoy the beautiful city and culture. Are the ATMs functional today? I look forward to your response.
Thank you,
Mary
This morning in el centro, Banamex and Bancomer’s ATMs were functioning and BanNorte was in the process of repairing theirs. However, I would change some money into pesos before you come down.
I live here and, even now, the city feels/is safe, but like all cities, be aware of your surroundings, at night walk on well-lit streets, and, if there are demonstrations, avoid getting in the middle of them. As I’ve advised before, common sense and good judgement go a long way. Unfortunately, no one can predict the future. 😉