Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Cofradía, Confraternity, Procesión del Silencio, Viernes Santo on April 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »
More than one norte americano has asked, “What’s up with the KKK-like hoods?” Ahh… a reference question for the librarian!
They date back to 15th or 16th century Europe. Members of lay religious charitable organizations (cofradías) would don the masks and hoods to guarantee anonymity and promote humility in their service. The Spanish brought the tradition to Mexico.
References:
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, Procession of Silence, Semana Santa, video, Viernes Santo on April 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »
The Procesión del Silencio departed from the Iglesia de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo and proceeded up the Alcalá to Gómez Farias, where it turned left and left again and down García Vigil to Independencia and then back up the Alcalá. Once the procession began, fellow blogger Chris (Oaxaca-The Year After) and I left the masses on the Alcalá and positioned ourselves on a wall overlooking García Vigil, for an unobstructed view.
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Good Friday, Mexico, Oaxaca, Procession of Silence, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo on April 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Spectators, participants, and the ever-present vendors waiting for the Procesión del Silencio…
More to come…
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Estaciones de la Cruz, Good Friday, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, ritual procession, Semana Santa, Via Crucis, Viernes Santo on April 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I opened the front gate this morning to find the sidewalk had morphed into an Estación de la Cruz.
Worshipers prayed, recited the appropriate devotions, and then slowly moved on.
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Holy Thursday, Jueves Santo, Maundy Thursday, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Semana Santa on April 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Today was Jueves Santo (aka: Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday).
Believers gathered to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus. Tables are set up in church doorways selling pan bendito (3 buns for 5 pesos of blessed bread). And, where there are more than ten people, vendors gather….
Outside Iglesia de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo — I suspect her life hasn’t been half as sweet as the dulces she was selling.
A little sweetheart on his best behavior and waiting to process.
Would you buy pickled carrots or peppers from this woman?
The rains came and the capas del agua vendors miraculously appeared outside Santo Domingo.
After visiting the prescribed 7 churches, I rewarded myself with my (hopefully, not last) supper — a flor de calabaza and quesillo empanada, cooked to order. Yummm….
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, tagged Coro de la Ciudad, Día de la virgen de Dolores, Oaxaca, Sexteto de Cuerdas Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, video on April 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, tagged Día de la Samaritana, Día de las Aguas, Good Samaritan day, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca on April 1, 2011| 4 Comments »
Today, the fourth Friday of Lent, is Día de la Samaritana, also known as el Día de las Aguas, and a uniquely Oaxacan celebration. It is inspired by the Biblical story of the woman at the well who offered water to Jesus. And so, here in Oaxaca churches, schools, and businesses offer passersby free cups of horchata, aguas frescas, and some, even ice cream.
Decorations began going up around town yesterday…
Sidewalk stands are set up, some more elaborate…
than others…
And, what does one do with the empty (and not-so-empty) cups?
Decorate a window sill, of course!
Posted in Celebrations, tagged castillo, fireworks, Oaxaca, Templo de San José on March 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Saturday night’s full moon wasn’t the only activity in the night sky.
Major celebrating had been going on in the Plaza de la Danza since early morning… flinchers (all boom, no sparkle), bells of Templo de San José clanging every hour, and live music.
At 9 PM, I heard the unmistakable hisses and pops from a castillo. Turning my attention from looking east at the moon, I turned west and saw…
Debris began raining down on Casita Colibrí and I retreated under the tin roof. Sunday morning’s evidence on the terrace told the story…
… and sheesh, it was plastic!!!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Remembering, Travel & Tourism, tagged Black Christ, celebrations, dance, mom, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, Señor de Esquipulas, Templo del Carmen Alto on January 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Sunday, in the Plazuela de Carmen Alto, celebrations honoring the Christ of Esquipulas (Black Christ) were in full swing. I was awakened at 6 AM to the sound of fuegos artificiales (fireworks) and eventually drifted off to sleep after 11:30 PM, as fireworks’ explosions resumed.
Festivities lasted all day and I couldn’t resist heading up to the church courtyard to see what was happening.
When I arrived, seats in the shade were filled and a small crowd was gathered behind a barricade; a castillo, laying on its side in three parts, was being constructed; a teenage Oaxacan brass band, with the requisite tuba towering over the other instruments and their players, was waiting to play; and young dancers were performing with a combination of earnestness and joy.
Dance always seems to be an integral part of celebrations both secular and religious, and, in reflecting on my love for this, at times, perplexing and contradictory place, dance is one of the things that resonates the most.
A small stage set up under the trees; dancers, their handmade and unique costumes; energetic music; choreographed steps passed down through generations spirited me back to my childhood…
Let’s dance!
Posted in Celebrations, Contradictions, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Protests, tagged APPO, Bread and Roses, calendas, celebrations, dance, Danzón, Oaxaca, parades, World Heritage Site on August 3, 2010| 1 Comment »
After a delightful but whirlwind (6 days is too short) visit, my stepson and his wife have come and gone; this year’s Guelaguetza festivities are over; life at Casita Colibrí is gradually resuming a more leisurely rhythm; and our current historic rain has gone on hiatus. A quiet solo Sunday morning walk beckoned, as did the APPO banners, strung along the arches of the Palacio de Gobierno, that I wanted to photograph.
The banners are a work of art, but ephemeral — here today, gone tomorrow — and I never seem to have my camera with me when I come across them.
And, more importantly, they are a graphic reminder that behind the vitality, beauty, and quaint cosmetics of “new” cobblestone streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site facade, class warfare lurks in the shadows.
Oaxaca’s contradictions are mine. I turn the corner and walk over to puesto 80 at Mercado Juárez to see if they’ve gotten in the chocolate covered coffee beans. No, maybe tomorrow… I stop by the temporary pocket market in front of the Jesuit church on the corner and satisfy my sweet tooth by buying a bag of melt-in-your-mouth Merengue Sabor Cafe, instead.
The Zócalo has awakened during my 45 minutes of shopping; young and old strolling arm-in-arm, vendors selling their wares, shoes being shined, outside tables occupied with diners chatting or simple watching the scene before them.
And, there is music — always, there is music — today an orchestra has set up under the laurels for the final day of the Festival Nacional de Danzón. The dance, with its origins in Cuba, is stately and prescribed, with inexplicable pauses where dancers turn to face the orchestra, women move to the right side of their partners, fan themselves, and then several measures later dancing resumes.
I’m captivated by the dancers who are at once, serious and joyful, and by their varied attire — once a costumer, always a costumer!
Most dancers are in the latter third of their life, though there are a few earnest young people.
It’s a prosperous crowd — a dance of the elite — but mesmerizing to watch.
After an hour of observing this very “civilized” scene under an intense sun, I headed to Independencia, the shady side of the street, and home, only to stop, reel around, and follow the sounds of a calenda coming into the Alameda; band, dancers, fireworks — celebrating Día del Comerciante!
I leave feeling conflicted about my three hours on a sunny Sunday. The lines from the song inspired by the 1912 Lawrence, Massachusetts textile strike come to mind…
As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew.
Yes, it is bread we fight for — but we fight for roses, too!
Lunch eaten, clouds gather, sky darkens, and Mother Nature reminds us who is in charge.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 
