Yesterday morning, I opened the front gate and this is the first sight I saw…
“Life is a comedy to those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.” ― Horace Walpole
Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category
Thought for the day
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged clowns, Horace Walpole quote, Mexico, Oaxaca, payasos, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on November 22, 2014| 2 Comments »
Caravan coming
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Education, Politics, Protests, Tragedy, Violence, tagged Ayotzinapa, Caravana de Ayotzinapa, Democracy Now, demonstrations, graffiti, Guerrero, Iguala, Mexico, Mexico Burns as Outrage over Student Disappearances Sparks Protests Against State-Backed Violence, Normal Rural Ayotzinapa, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, protests, Santo Domingo de Guzmán, sidewalk memorial, signs, students, Teachers on November 16, 2014| 2 Comments »
The headline, Mexico Burns as Outrage over Student Disappearances Sparks Protests Against State-Backed Violence, from the Nov. 13 “Democracy Now” show, is not an overstatement. Yesterday, in front of Santo Domingo…
The Caravana de Ayotzinapa, one of three caravans by the parents and supporters of the missing 43 students from the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, is scheduled to arrive in Oaxaca tomorrow morning (Nov. 17). A procession from the crucero at Trinidad de Viguera to the zócalo in Oaxaca is scheduled to begin at 9 AM. Given the prohibition against foreigners participating in political activity, as much as I would like to be there, I’ll be sticking close to home.
However, for my friends in the USA, check out photographer and writer Tim Porter’s article, #43; there are demonstrations coming to a city near you. Tim is a frequent visitor to Oaxaca and, for my Marin peeps, his articles and photographs regularly appear in Marin Magazine.
My new rug!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Antonio Ruiz Gonzalez, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, rugs, tapetes, Teotitlán del Valle, weavers, weaving on November 10, 2014| 13 Comments »
When it seems as if we are surrounded by fear, hatred, and violence, it’s good to step back, look around, and remind ourselves that there is also generosity, love, and beauty in this world. And so I give you my exquisite new mohair tapete (rug), custom woven for me by Antonio Ruiz Gonzalez. It turned out even more beautiful than I imagined!
Here is Antonio (on the left) in front of my new rug with his delightful family, including his brother Sergio (on the right) — from whom I’ve bought several small tapetes. More about the latter, later! Should you find yourself in Teotitlán del Valle, do stop by the family workshop (Av. Juárez No. 107), where Antonio, Sergio, and their father Zacarías weave their magic.
The Faces of Ayotzinapa
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Education, Exhibitions, Music, People, Politics, Tragedy, Violence, tagged art, Arturo Leyva, Ayotzinapa, Donde está mi hermano?, Escuela Normal Rural, graphic arts, Guerrero, Iguala, illustrations, Mexico, Normal Rural Ayotzinapa, paintings, photo montage, photos, portraits, profiles, songs, students, teachers’ college, video on November 8, 2014| 9 Comments »
A beautiful photo montage and song by Arturo Leyva honoring the 43 students of the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero.
The video uses some of the #IlustradoresConAyotzinapa illustrations, paintings, and embroidery by Mexican designers, artists, and artisans of the faces of the 43 student teachers of Ayotzinapa.
In addition, journalist París Martínez has developed profiles of the 43 disappeared students by talking with their families and friends.
The living, the dead, and the missing
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Education, People, Politics, Protests, Tragedy, Violence, tagged Ayotzinapa, David Huerta, Emiliano Navarrete, exhibitions, graffiti, Guerrero, Iguala, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Normal Rural Ayotzinapa, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, signs, students on November 7, 2014| 10 Comments »
Tomorrow, it will be 43 days since the 43 students at the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero went missing. Images of the missing are being posted online and on walls.
Oaxaca, along with the rest of Mexico, is heartbroken and outraged that her sons have not been found. “We are not sheep to be killed whenever they feel like it” Emiliano Navarrete, father of one of the missing students, declared following a meeting with Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto.
As the brilliant Día de los Muertos colors of cempasúchil (marigolds), cresta de gallo (celosia or cockscomb), and roses began to fade, a massive march, led by the parents of the missing, filled the streets of Mexico City on November 5.
And, Oaxaca continues to add her voice on walls, in the streets, and at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO).
… where a beautiful poem, simply entitled “Ayotzinapa,” fills one of the walls of the courtyard.
Ayotzinapa
Mordemos la sombra
Y en la sombra
Aparecen los muertos
Como luces y frutos
Como vasos de sangre
Como piedras de abismo
Como ramas y frondas
De dulces vísceras
Los muertos tienen manos
Empapadas de angustia
Y gestos inclinados
En el sudario del viento
Los muertos llevan consigo
Un dolor insaciable
Esto es el país de las fosas
Señoras y señores
Este es el país de los aullidos
Este es el país de los niños en llamas
Este es el país de las mujeres martirizadas
Este es el país que ayer apenas existía
Y ahora no se sabe dónde quedó
Estamos perdidos entre bocanadas
De azufre maldito
Y fogatas arrasadoras
Estamos con los ojos abiertos
Y los ojos los tenemos llenos
De cristales punzantes
Estamos tratando de dar
Nuestras manos de vivos
A los muertos y a los desaparecidos
Pero se alejan y nos abandonan
Con un gesto de infinita lejanía
El pan se quema
Los rostros se queman arrancados
De la vida y no hay manos
Ni hay rostros
Ni hay país
Solamente hay una vibración
Tupida de lágrimas
Un largo grito
Donde nos hemos confundido
Los vivos y los muertos
Quien esto lea debe saber
Que fue lanzado al mar de humo
De las ciudades
Como una señal del espíritu roto
Quien esto lea debe saber también
Que a pesar de todo
Los muertos no se han ido
Ni los han hecho desaparecer
Que la magia de los muertos
Está en el amanecer y en la cuchara
En el pie y en los maizales
En los dibujos y en el río
Demos a esta magia
La plata templada
De la brisa
Entreguemos a los muertos
A nuestros muertos jóvenes
El pan del cielo
La espiga de las aguas
El esplendor de toda tristeza
La blancura de nuestra condena
El olvido del mundo
Y la memoria quebrantada
De todos los vivos
Ahora mejor callarse
Hermanos
Y abrir las manos y la mente
Para poder recoger del suelo maldito
Los corazones despedazados
De todos los que son
Y de todos
Los que han sido
David Huerta
2 de noviembre de 2014. Oaxaca
Update: Just hours after posting this, the worst has been announced. According to Mexico’s attorney general, “The 43 Mexican students who disappeared near Iguala, in southern Mexico in September, were kidnapped by police on order of the mayor, and turned over to a gang that killed them and burned their bodies before throwing the remains in a river….” — CNN
I can’t even begin to imagine the pain the parents must be feeling with the knowledge of the suffering and brutality their sons endured. I am so sad and tears are welling up. I think I will just let them fall…
Faces in the crowd
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio San José, comparsa, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, muerteada, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, San Agustín Etla, Valle de Etla on November 2, 2014| 2 Comments »
If it’s November 2nd, it must be morning muerteada madness in San Agustín Etla . A few faces in the crowd from the Barrio San José contingent…
These guys had been dancing through the streets all night. Cervesa seemed to be the beverage of choice this morning, though, bottles of clear liquid was also being passed around — and I’m sure it wasn’t water!
Had to snap this guy — not only was his makeup gory and great, he topped it off with a San Francisco 49er cap.
And, then there was this boy… As with all the traditions here, children observe, learn, and participate at a very young age.
Skeletons for Leo
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged calacas, calaveras, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, skeletons on October 31, 2014| 7 Comments »
An ofrenda prepared
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Tourism, tagged altar, baseball, Casita Colibrí, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, flowers, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrenda, pan de muerto, photographs, photos, San Francisco Giants, sugar skulls, World Series on October 30, 2014| 6 Comments »
Visits to mercados in the city and Tlacolula have been made. Along with mandarinas and manzanas, cempasuchil and cresta de gallo have been purchased.
Pan de muerto has been selected…
A calaverita has been chosen…
Mezcal and water have been poured, dishes of chocolate and salt prepared, candles brought out, and photos of departed family and friends and a few of their favorite things have been collected. Yesterday, it was time to prepare my ofrenda.
As dusk descended, friends gathered; the candles and copal were lit…
And we offered our silent — and sometimes not so silent — prayers to the baseball spirits to bring victory to the San Francisco Giants in game 7 of the World Series.
The spirits listened!!! Thinking of you, grandpa….
Images of muertos in Teotitlán del Valle
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Day of the, La Festividad de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrenda, photographs. Día de los muertos, photos, Teotitlán del Valle on October 26, 2014| 2 Comments »
Los disfuntos (the departed) are returning in less than a week. I’m sorting through photos for a friend who is giving a presentation at the Oaxaca Lending Library, on Día de los Muertos in Teotitlán del Valle, and realized I never got around to posting these…
Bells of Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo ring over the village during Muertos.
Chanting in the chapel of the panteón in Teotitlán del Valle.
Food for the departed.
Serenading the departed in the panteón.
Descansa en paz / rest in peace.
Home altar with loaves of pan de muerto.
Mole negro, 2 de noviembre, at the home of a friend in Teotitlán del Valle.
World Series Oaxaca connection
Posted in Culture, Parks & Plazas, People, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Tourism, tagged baseball, beisbol, Lou Seal, mascots, Mexico, mural, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Guerreros, photographs, photos, San Francisco, San Francisco Giants, stadiums, street art, Tato, wall art, World Series, Yusmeiro Petit on October 21, 2014| 8 Comments »
Tonight, from the valley where corn was first cultivated, I’ll be watching my San Francisco Giants play game one of Major League Baseball’s, 2014 World Series.
Statue of Giants’ pitcher Juan Marichal outside AT&T Park
View from AT&T Park in San Francisco
Lou Seal, the Giants’ mascot
I was amazed to discover that one of San Francisco’s ace relief pitchers, Yusmeiro Petit, the Giants’ do-everything man, played for the Oaxaca Guerreros in 2011!!! The Guerreros, a Triple-A team in the Mexican League play at Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos, within walking distance (albeit, a long walk) from my apartment. I attended several of the Guerreros’ games in 2011 and, who knows, maybe I saw him.
Tato, the Oaxaca Guerreros’ mascot
Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos in Oaxaca
View from Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos
When I was in Mexico, I always said to myself, “This is going to be my goal, to go back to the United States and be successful,” said Petit, through a translator. “I always knew that this could happen. I didn’t know how it was going to happen, but I knew this could happen.” (from article, Giants’ do-everything man Petit ready for any task)
(AP Photo/Don Boomer, File)
And, from another article:
Petit thinks his experience with the Oaxaca Warriors was crucial in his career surge. In Mexico he learned to mix his pitches and mastered the curve. “I was in a slump, which happens to anyone,” he said. “But in Mexico I learned that I had to work harder to keep going and to reach what I was looking for, which was to come back (to the majors) and stay here.”
¡Felicidades Yusmeiro Petit y vamos Gigantes!
Butterflies & blossoms
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, mural, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art, wall art on October 17, 2014| 3 Comments »
What can I say? I guess I have become a true Oaxaqueña — at least when it comes to temperatures below 70ºF. Doors and windows have been closed all day, I’m wearing wool socks and a sweater, and space heater is on. (Note to self: Heater and toaster-oven cannot be turned on at the same time.) Oaxaca is being visited by Tropical Depression Twenty-e (now, upgraded to Tropical Storm Trudy), the temperatures haven’t risen above 64ºF, and it’s been drizzling ALL day!!! Trying to channel butterflies, blossoms, and sun flowers… even if they are blue!
Mural on the wall across from the mercado Sanchez Pascuas on Tinoco y Palacios.
Vinyl lives in Oaxaca
Posted in Culture, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged Konexion Musical, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, record stores, Village Music, vinyl records on October 15, 2014| 2 Comments »
Look what I came across today at Porfirio Diaz #102…
Konexion Musical, a new record store. And, I mean record — they feature vinyl!!! There’s an actual turntable playing the vinyl.
They also have CDs and even some cassette tapes. Yes, Mill Valley peeps, that’s Huey and the boys in the photo below.
And, like all good record stores, they have posters…
… and music magazines. The Red Not Chili Peppers and Thelonious Monk, what’s not to like?
It may not be Mill Valley’s late and very lamented, Village Music, but it’s a start AND it’s in Oaxaca!
Kaleidoscopic
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, artists, Gorilla Gallery, Gorilla Glass, Juan Martinez, kaleidoscope, Lapiztola, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, stencils, video on October 10, 2014| 11 Comments »
Many of you may remember Juan Martinez, mi amigo and carpenter extraordinaire of Adios mosquitos and A terrace transformed fame. Well, he is a man of many talents — and one of them is building kaleidoscopes. Given that his “day job” is working in the office of Gorilla Glass, he has come into contact with many of the hip, young, and talented artists currently creating in Oaxaca. Thus, a natural collaboration ensued. Juan + Gorilla Glass + Lapiztola stencil = an exhibition of the Lapiztola Collective’s artistry at Gorilla Gallery.
Looking into the eye of the kaleidoscope.
What do you see?
There is the second kaleidoscope — this one a hand-crank. Come by Gorilla Gallery on one of the next couple of Thursdays from 2 PM to 8 PM, to give it a try.
And, be forewarned, they are working on a special Día de los Muertos kaleidoscopic project. Prepare to be amazed!
Virgins in our midst
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, People, Religion, Tragedy, Travel & Tourism, tagged Ayotzinapa, canastas, convite, Cristian Tomás Colón Garnica, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, Guerrero, Iguala, marmotas, Mexico, Normal Rural Ayotzinapa, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, students, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Virgen de Juquila, Virgin of the Rosary on October 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Today, in Santa Catarina Juquila, about 200 km southwest of the city of Oaxaca, la Virgen de Juquila, is receiving a papal coronation. Roads leading to this remote mountain village have been repaired and repaved and extra emergency services have been in place since Monday, all in anticipation of the thousands of pilgrims who were expected to descend on Juquila.
However, for those who chose to stay closer to the city, celebrations in honor of the Virgen del Rosario (Virgin of the Rosary) have been occurring for the past week throughout the valley of Oaxaca.
Thus, blogger buddy Chris and I headed to Tlacolula de Matamoros on Friday for their annual procession.
Beginning on the street in front of the panteón, young women wearing traditional red wool skirts and beautifully crocheted white cotton blouses…
…danced their way through the streets balancing towering canastas (baskets) on their heads — the letters spelling out “Virgen del Rosario.”
The arm and neck strength it takes to carry the canastas is phenomenal and can only come from years of practice. As you can see, they begin early…
Rockets announced the procession’s arrival.
Bandas provided the music.
And, “boys to men” carrying marmotas two-stepped and twirled their way along the route.
Years of practice is required to do this, too!
Participants stop at altars throughout the village, where prayers are recited, rest breaks are taken, and tamales, sweets, and beverages (yes, including mezcal) are consumed.
This goes on until 1:00 or 2:00 AM. We arrived at 4:00 PM, stayed for a couple of hours, carried nothing heavier than our cameras and daypacks, and were ready to call it a day!
However, this is a bittersweet post. While we were reveling in the festivities, a family in Tlacolula de Matamoros was in agony. It was reported last night that 18-year old, Cristian Tomás Colón Garnica, from Tlacolula de Matamoros, is one of the 43 students at Normal Rural ‘Raúl Isidro Burgos’ in Ayotzinapa who went missing on September 26 in Iguala, Guerrero after police opened fire on the students, who were soliciting funds for an Oct. 2 demonstration protesting funding cuts to their state-financed school.
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