Today, south of the zócalo, the streets were well protected…
Don’t tread on the women of Oaxaca!
Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category
Wonder women
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged costumes, female superheroes, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, women on August 22, 2014| 2 Comments »
Talavera transformation, the end
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Renovation, tagged Casita Colibrí, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, renovation, stairs, Talavera on August 20, 2014| 11 Comments »
Just because the concrete stairs were ugly, the bodega held more tile, Nalo is a maestro…
and what’s a little more talavera between friends?
The end, I promise!
Talavera transformation, part 2
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Restaurants, tagged Casita Colibrí, counter construction, kitchen, kitchen counter, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos photographs, renovation, Talavera, tile work on August 19, 2014| 11 Comments »
Initially, when I came face-to-face with the kitchen at the bigger and better Casita Colibrí, I was convinced there was NO way I could make it work and that IT should be numero uno on the make-over list. A double sink, but no counter space? A grungy ancient copper-colored stove that may or may not have been safe to light? A cabinet door that couldn’t be opened, because said stove was in the way?
With a little pleading (whining), management replaced the stove with a new one that had been hiding in the storage shed. I installed the shelf unit I’d gotten for my old apartment and I had the cabinetry painted white — making it more functional and easier on the eyes — and I was happy. Hey, a friend even wanted to practice using his new fisheye lens.
(photo by Alan Goodin)
However, the talavera transformation in the bathroom turned out so well, I was inspired, plus the cement at the base of the kitchen sink unit kept falling out. Thus, talavera transformation, part 2 began two weeks ago.
The old cabinet was demolished (oh, the polvo!) and the new counter, with new sink, began to materialize from the dust and debris.
Again, I scavenged tile from the bodega. Luckily, there were several boxes of russet orange tiles, but they were slightly smaller than most of the other orphan tiles, making finding accent pieces a challenge. I didn’t want to introduce another color into the blue/cream/orange mix that already tiled the walls and so was hoping Nalo and crew could salvage some of the old tile, but it proved far too time consuming.
The result? I love the cleaner, less busy, look for the kitchen. And, the crew took about 6″ off the top of my old shelf unit, so it would fit under the new counter and I wouldn’t lose the storage space. It’s faintly visible on the right behind the blue plastic curtain.
One of my grandmother’s oft-repeated sayings was, “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” — but I’m trying!!!
h/t Chris for the shower curtain idea.
Talavera transformation
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Renovation, tagged bathroom counter, bathroom sink, Casita Colibrí, counter construction, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, renovation, Talavera, tile work on August 18, 2014| 10 Comments »
For those of you who may not be aware, most Mexican bedrooms and bathrooms are small. In the US, it’s what I grew up with and lived with most of my life, so I’m cool with that. However, what has driven me nuts is the lack of a bathroom counter. How does one handle toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, and water bottle, without at least one of the items ending up in the sink or on the floor? And, forget trying to apply makeup!
So, when I moved into my bigger and better, but also with the aforementioned deficiency, apartment a year and a half ago, it became number one on my “find a way to fix” list. Serendipity motivated me into action, when I happened upon a talavera sink and surround on sale AND discovered a treasure trove of leftover talavera tiles in the bodega (storage shed) here at my apartment complex. Project proposed and permission given by the property’s owner (thanks Doug), I hired a contractor, and work began.
Being completely ignorant of construction of this type, I was fascinated by the process.
Once I’d received the okay for the project, I began hauling up buckets of mismatched tiles from the bodega and laying them out on the floor of my main room — in an attempt to create some sort of unified design — it was exciting to see it materialize.
The finished project…
And, take a look at the side — it’s what one see’s when opening the bathroom door. I think Nalo and his crew did a super job!
What a difference a bathroom counter makes. Form and function!!!
Humor with pathos
Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, tagged actor, Cantinflas, Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, graffiti, Mexico, photo, photographs, street art, Teotitlán del Valle, urban art on August 12, 2014| 6 Comments »
Feliz cumpleaños to Cantinflas. Today, the beloved Mexican actor, comedian, writer, and producer, born Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes, would have turned 103. I’ll be waiting in line to the movie, Cantinflas, based on his life, when it opens in Mexico on September 19, 2014. For those in the USA, you get first crack, as it is scheduled to open on August 29, 2014.
Image of Cantinflas on a wall in Teotitlán del Valle — painted by the lovely and multi-talented, Luvia Lazo.
I would also like to say RIP, Robin Williams, another actor with the gift of combining humor and pathos. How blessed we are to have shared this planet with both and to continue to have the opportunity to experience their creative genius.
Tlacolula never dies…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged artists, graffiti, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Tlacolulokos, urban art, wall art on August 11, 2014| 7 Comments »
After five days of being confined to Casita Colibrí — eating, inhaling, and choking on concrete and brick-dust and enduring the throbbing sounds of drills, hammers, and chisels — due to demolition of the old and construction of a new kitchen counter (still not finished), market day in Tlacolula de Matamoros was just what the doctor ordered. Blogger buddy Chris offered and off we went.
The enticing aroma of tacos and gorditas at our favorite street stall beckoned and we quickened our step, until we came to this unexpected and powerful mural…
The mural is the work of Tlacolulokos, a collective that originated in Tlacolula. According to this article, these self-taught artists explore the subjects of violence, the transformation of traditions, tourism, poverty, and social decay by referencing southern Mexican folk elements. They use a variety of media and techniques, ranging from graffiti, easel painting, graphics and object, to video and sound.
And, Tlacolula worked her magic… We ate, soaked in her color, stopped to listen to a youth band from Santa María Guelac (with a girl tuba player, no less!) play “New York, New York” and “Can-can,” and shopped a little (for me, a 5-liter plastic “gas” canister for our next mezcal run and red bananas). Tlacolula never dies and never gets old.
Art walk
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Museums, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Museo del Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, railroad cars, railroad museum, street art, urban art on August 4, 2014| 2 Comments »
Last Monday, as I previously wrote, my bus ride home was rudely interrupted by a bloqueo (blockade). Initially, this is how I felt…
Without any other options, I found myself walking along Calzada Madero.
and found murals painted on old railroad cars…
in the yard of the old railroad station, now the Museo del Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur.
By the time another bus finally came by, I felt much more like this…
Sighhh… good ol’ Oaxaca, you just never know what you will stumble upon.
Masked & anonymous
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Desfile de Delegaciones, Guelaguetza, mascaras, masks, Mexico, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on July 31, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Up close at Guelaguetza in Etla
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Protests, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged blockade, bloqueo, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Flor de piña, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, pineapple dancers, Seccion 22, Villa de Etla on July 29, 2014| 8 Comments »
Last Monday, L and I had a leisurely hike up the hill from my apartment to the Guelaguetza Auditorium, sat in stadium seats almost 20 rows up, looking down on the enormous circular concrete stage with the city and mountains providing a picturesque backdrop.
Yesterday, I hopped on a bus, heading for another Guelaguetza performance, this time in Villa de Etla. However, a bloqueo (blockade) by Sección 22 of the teachers’ union had the bus turning around, doubling back, and taking a circuitous route that eventually wound its way through the narrow streets of Santa Rosa. Once we got back on the main road, I transferred to a colectivo and arrived in Etla just as the dancing was about to begin — this time on a small temporary wood-plank stage, that seemed to shake with every dance step. The setting wasn’t quite as spectacular, but, there I was, within an arm’s reach of the dancers!
Danza de la Pluma
Flor de Piña
With the exception of the Danza de la Pluma, these dancers are from a folkloric group that performs each of the traditional regional dances. As you can see from their faces, they dance with as much joy and pride as the delegations from the villages at the big Guelaguetza.
Returning home was its own adventure. Last week, L and I only had to navigate sidewalks, pathways, and stairs along with the other 11,000 attendees. Yesterday, Chris (see his Guelaguetza in Etla – 2014 post) gave me a ride to a bus stop where, after about 10 minutes, I caught the bus that would deposit me a half block from Casita Colibrí. Alas, the best laid plans… Just before the intersection up to Cerro Fortín, masked maestros (teachers) surrounded the bus, our driver shrugged, opened the doors, and off we passengers got. It was hot, I was tired, but what else was there to do? I hoofed it to halfway between the Museo del Ferrocarril (Railroad Museum) and Morelos Park, when another bus materialized, I climbed aboard, giving my feet a much-needed rest, and let the driver navigate the clogged streets that took me back to home sweet home.
It was a fun and frustrating AND exhilarating and exhausting kind of day.
Lila last night
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Music, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Guelaguetza, Lila Downs, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on July 26, 2014| 1 Comment »
One of the qualities that amazes me about most Oaxaqueños is their patience with waiting in interminable lines. On the one hand, I think those north of the border could take some much-needed lessons in civil and well-mannered behavior. However, on the other hand, I think Oaxaqueños deserve much better than having to stand in endless lines, be it the bank, a government agency, or to get tickets to a concert by their favorite daughter, Lila Downs.
Last year, unable to figure out the hows and wheres of getting a ticket to her free concert during the ten days of the Guelaguetza festivities, I was on the verge of giving up getting tickets to see Lila Downs, when friends coming in from out-of-town(!), offered a couple to me. Of course, I accepted!
This year, after several false leads, on Tuesday morning L and I climbed back up to the Guelaguetza Auditorium to try to score some tickets to this year’s free concert. The box office was scheduled to open at 9 AM, we got up there at 8:30 AM and found ourselves at the end of a line that stretch halfway to the planetarium AND that continued to grow as the hours ticked by. Abuelos, niños, moms, dads, and teens lined the pathway, talking on cell phones, eating, talking, and laughing — without a raised voice or harsh word spoken.
At almost 10 AM, when the line hadn’t moved an inch, I walked down the hill to the box office to see what was happening. Nothing, as it turned out!
However, good-natured patience finally succumbed to whistles and shouts by those who were in the line of sight of the ticket booth — after all, according to the newspaper they had begun lining up at 4:30 AM!!!
I wound my way back up the hill to report my findings to L. Alas, after another 45 minutes of no movement, impatient gringas that we are, we gave up. However, to borrow from the musical Sound of Music, “somewhere in [our] youth or childhood, [we] must have done something good,” because 48 hours later, my neighbor presented us with tickets! And so last night, we climbed back up Cerro Fortín to see Lila Downs. We were very happy campers.
She put on another spectacular show — mixing new tunes with old, incorporating several of the Guelaguetza delegations into the production, and generally bringing cheers and sing-a-long voices from the hometown crowd. By the end, everyone was on their feet.
Back to Teotitlán del Valle
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, History, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Danza de la Pluma, Doña Marina, Feather dance, festivals, fiesta, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Malinche, Mexico, Moctezuma, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Subalternos, Teotitlán del Valle on July 10, 2014| 3 Comments »
We returned to Teotitlán del Valle on Tuesday and Wednesday the Danza de la Pluma — more of the multi-day fiesta honoring Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
An airborne Moctezuma and the Danzantes
The Danza de la Pluma is a ritual re-enactment of the Spanish conquest. The story is told in 41 bailes (dances) and lasts from early afternoon into the night. It is an honor to be a participant — the Danzantes, Moctezuma, the Subalternos, Malinche, and Doña Marina are selected years in advance and make a promise to the church and community to perform their roles for 3 years.
Dance of Malinche and Doña Marina
All is not completely serious — the Subalternos provide a little levity along the way.
Subalterno trying on the Penacho of a Danzante
The subtext and “hidden” narratives of the danza are multiple and complex and after 5 years, I’m only in the infant stages of understanding. I will leave it to the two scholarly articles listed below to attempt interpretation.
References:
Cohen, Jeffrey. Danza de la Pluma: Symbols of submission and separation in a Mexican Fiesta. Anthropological Quarterly, Jul 93, Vol. 66 Issue 3, p. 149-158.
Harris, Max. The Return of Moctezuma. The Drama Review, Sp 97, Vol. 41 Issue 1, p. 106, 29 p.
Bienvenidos a julio
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged brass band, canastas, convite, del Valle, El Picacho, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, procession, Subalternos, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Teotitlán on July 8, 2014| 5 Comments »
July in the valley of Oaxaca has begun! There will be festivals of mole, mushrooms, cheeses, and tamales. And, there will be the costumes, calendas, and music of Guelaguetza in the city and in several of the surrounding villages. But first…
Under a dark and threatening sky, the people of Teotitlán del Valle began their week-long Fiesta titular a la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo (Festival to the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ). Wearing traditional embroidered blouses and wool skirts woven in this Zapotec village known for its weaving, the unmarried young women and girls gathered in front of the church (Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo) for the convite (procession) that kicks off Teotitlán’s most important fiesta of the year.
The rain held off and the procession left the confines of the church courtyard.
Marmotas (giant cloth globes), music, and pyrotechnics led the way…
along with little boys holding canes of carrizo and poles topped with small marmotas, fluffy sheep, and airplanes (don’t ask me).
And then came the young women and girls, carrying canastas with images of the saints on their heads. I have to note here, these baskets are REALLY heavy. I know, because last year one of the gals asked if I’d like to try — I did for all of about five seconds. They carry them for almost an hour!!!
Most of the residents came out to watch at prime viewing locations. (Teenage boys were especially prominent, but they deserve another blog post.)
Under the watchful eye of El Picacho (the sacred mountain of Teotitlán), the procession wound its way up and down the cobblestone streets…
and eventually returned to the church courtyard, where it all began.
For more photos, including some of the pyrotechnic guys in action, check out Oaxaca-The Year After.
Who are the people in your neighborhood?
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio Xochimilco, Colectivo Alucin Ates, graffiti, Lelo Art, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art, wall art on July 6, 2014| 6 Comments »
Here are some of the more colorful people in mine…
More from Friday’s walk up to Barrio Xochimilco. Couldn’t help thinking of the Sesame Street song, Who Are the People In Your Neighborhood?
Just passing through…
Posted in Churches, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio Xochimilco, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, SCOM, stairs, street art, Templo de Santo Tomas Xochimilco, urban art, wall art on July 4, 2014| 6 Comments »
I felt like I was being watched, as I walked through Barrio Xochimilco this morning…
Stumbled upon, what could be, the stairway to heaven…
Just passing through…
Aren’t we all?
Transitioning from here to there
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged California, Mexico, Mill Valley, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, sculptures, street art, street signs, urban art, wall art, Zio Ziegler on June 25, 2014| 9 Comments »
It’s been a great visit to Mill Valley, California, the town where I grew up and lived most of my life. But, I’m ready to return to Oaxaca. However, besides differences in latitude and attitude, there is much they have in common.
There are sculptures in public places (click on each to enlarge image)…
Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley
On the Alcalá in Oaxaca.
There are murals…
Tunnel leading to the Guelaguetza Auditorium, Oaxaca
Side of a building on Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley by Zio Ziegler.
There are depictions of aquatic animals…
Side of building on Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley by Zio Ziegler.
Tunnel leading to Guelaguetza Auditorium, Oaxaca.
AND, there are signs reminding drivers to wait and take turns. Remember my What’s easy??? post from last week? Look what just went up in Mill Valley. Discourteous drivers know no boundaries!
Street sign in Oaxaca.
Street sign in Mill Valley.
Rather than dwelling on the differences — which I did when I first began living this dual-country life — I now choose to appreciate the similarities. Of course it doesn’t hurt that both places are situated in beautiful settings, fresh fruits and vegetables abound, have relatively mild climates, and an appreciation for the arts.
And so… I bid a fond “adiós” to Mill Valley and “hola” to Oaxaca.
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