These are the scenes that soothe my soul…
A long weekend spent with my comadres and compadre at Tierra Antigua.
Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category
Still lifes in Teotitlán del Valle
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Flora, Travel & Tourism, tagged barro rojo, black beans, cactus, comal, metates, Mexico, molcajetes, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle, Tierra Antigua on July 1, 2022| 6 Comments »
Day in the land of red clay
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Flora, Food, Gardens, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged barro rojo, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, red clay pottery, San Marcos Tlapazola, tlayudas, Valentina Cruz (potter) on June 24, 2022| 6 Comments »
A couple of weeks ago, my friend K and I spent the day in the land of red clay, San Marcos Tlapazola, at the home of potter, Valentina Cruz. I have accumulated quite a collection (though not nearly as much as K) of barro rojo and several of my favorite pieces are by Valentina.
Getting there was quite the adventure. Leaving from Teotitlán del Valle (where I was spending a long weekend), the journey entailed taking a 3-wheeled moto (aka, tuk-tuk) to the highway, catching a bus to Tlacolula de Matamoros, multiple times asking for directions re where to find transportation to take us to Tlapazola, a bit of wandering around, ten blocks of walking, followed by waiting and wondering if we were in the right place. After 1/2 hour, a combi (a glorified pickup truck with wooden benches in the truck bed) arrived and took us up towards the mountains. Needless to say, the bouncing caused by the dirt roads and potholes were felt! Unfortunately, because the back of the truck was covered, we couldn’t even enjoy the views — that had to wait until we finally arrived at Valentina’s home/workshop/store.
The red clay soil isn’t just good for making pottery. Agave, cactus, corn, and squash also seem to thrive under the tender loving care of Valentina and her husband, Don Luis.
When we arrived, Valentina was busy at the tortilla press and comal — making tlayudas (large crispy tortillas) to accompany the chicken soup prepared by her daughter. After we all finished eating comida, we watched as Valentina took out a smooth river rock and began to burnish several pieces. This extra step puts a lovely sheen on her pottery and is one of the things that makes her work stand out.
Of course, I couldn’t resist buying the two horn-playing rabbits (top photo) at the tienda in her home. They join the face with the lid (also in top photo), among my many utilitarian pieces expertly crafted by Valentina. She and her beautiful barro rojo pottery can also be found at the weekly Sunday market in Tlacolula. After this lovely, but long day, we opted for her to call us a taxi to drive back to Teotitlán.
Father’s Day wishes
Posted in Children, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged Día del Padre, Father's Day, fathers and children, Mexico, Oaxaca, parades, photos, popular travel destinations, processions on June 19, 2022| 2 Comments »
Happy Father’s Day to all the loving fathers (biological and adoptive), stepfathers, grandfathers, godfathers, uncles, and father figures everywhere.
Parenting is the most valuable job you will ever have. May you fulfill your role with great love, care, and respect.
Animal crossing
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Music, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged crossing sign, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, The Lion Sleeps Tonight (song), urban art, Waffloide (artist), wall art on June 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Returning home from the trip to el norte, I discovered an animal crossing in the works near my local Pitico.
Thanks to the artist, Waffloide, it’s a jungle out there!
Now I can’t get The Lion Sleeps Tonight out of my head.
Dreams of Oaxaca dining
Posted in Culture, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Barrio de Jalatlaco Restaurante, fine dining, Las Quince Letras, Maguey y Maíz, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations on May 17, 2022| 4 Comments »
While visiting el norte, one of my “musts” is taking advantage of the ethnically diverse dining options on the west and east coasts. To date, twice I’ve eaten Japanese at my younger son’s favorite restaurant, had Chinese twice, and dined on Indian twice. However, I’ve now been away from Oaxaca for a month and I’m dreaming Oaxaca dining dreams. Until my return next week, photos from three recent meals I’ve eaten in Oaxaca will have to suffice.
Then there is the street food… tacos, empanadas, tlayudas, oh my!
Street-side signing
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Language, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Braille, deaf artists, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, sign language, street art, urban art, wall art on May 10, 2022| 4 Comments »
The walls of Oaxaca always have a lot to say. Now you can learn the abecedario a señas (sign language alphabet) from a wall on 5 de mayo in Barrio de Jalatlaco.
In mid April, this new mural was unveiled. Organized by Maestro Rolando Sigüenza, deaf artists Jonatan Martínez, Juan Antonio García, Moisés Antonio Orozco, María Soledad Aguilar, Blanca Flor Pineda, Miguel Eduardo Mancera, Jesús Ariel Castellanos, Mitzi Scheherazada, Rebeca Casas, Susana Hernánez, Marcial Pérez, Emmanuel Ignacio, Cristhian Yépez, and Ángel Iván Torres painted a mural of the alphabet in sign language and braille.
The text below Benito Juárez explains, “On November 28, 1867, Benito Juárez founded the first school for deaf people in Mexico, which at that time was called the National School for the Deaf, despite the fact that the School was closed, the deaf continue to fight for our rights.”
The owner of the property, la señora Rosario Martínez, said she provided the space so these artists could show their work and to beautify the neighborhood.
Does anyone know what Benito Juárez and the danzante are signing?
My plan is to learn a new letter each time I walk by.
Good Friday in Jalatlaco
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Barrio de Jalatlaco, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, Jesus, John the Baptist, La Virgen María, Mary Magdalene, Mexico, Oaxaca, Pascuas, penitents, photos, popular travel destinations, religious celebrations, religious images, Semana Santa, Stations of the Cross, Viernes Santo, Virgin Mary on May 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »
An albeit belated return to Semana Santa (Holy Week). Viernes Santo (Good Friday) in Barrio de Jalatlaco began early in the morning with a Santo Viacrusis along the cobblestone streets — a recreation of the path Jesus walked to his crucifixion. Its purpose is to allow the faithful to contemplate the Passion of Christ. The images of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, accompanied by a band and neighbors, stopped at each of the fourteen Stations of the Cross, that had been created throughout the neighborhood, where prayers were recited.
At the fourth station, set up across from the Templo de San Matías Jalatlaco, Mary and John the Baptist (referred to here as, Juan, el primo de Jesús/John, the cousin of Jesus) joined the procession for the farewell encounter between Jesus and his mother.
Following the procession, neighbors gathered in front of Templo de San Matías Jalatlaco for food and beverages that were available for sale at stalls set up on Aldama and Hidalgo. I came home with yummy enchiladas.
Jalatlaco house hunters
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Neighborhoods, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Daniel Pinchbeck quote, House Hunters International (TV series), Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, The End of Tourism Podcast, urban art on April 29, 2022| 8 Comments »
Breaking news up here in el norte, relayed to me via email from friends in San Francisco and in a phone conversation with my BFF in Alaska: The most recent episode of House Hunters International took place in Oaxaca AND one of the houses featured was in my neighborhood, Barrio de Jalatlaco. My SF friends described the very distinctive building facade and I knew exactly where it was — and had taken several photographs of it.
According to the episode’s description, “A young couple decides to leave their home in Memphis and move sight unseen to Oaxaca, Mexico. They’re both fitness junkies who want a taste of the mountains and nature, and he wants a place on the outskirts, but she prefers to be near the city center.”
Sight unseen? In any case (spoiler alert), my friends informed me the young fitness junkies turned it down as it was too small and dark.
I haven’t seen the episode, but I have seen the show and it never ceases to amaze and dismay me that most of the time, the buyers and renters come to developing countries with highly developed expectations AND wanting it all for a fraction of the cost in their home countries.
The rent was $1100 (US) per month — low in most US cities but extremely high for most Oaxaqueños. Such is rental inflation wrought by, among other things, digital nomads willing to pay whatever their bank balances will bear, never mind the impact on the local economy, and the proliferation of apartments being turned into Airbnb rentals.
Something to think about from, The End of Tourism Podcast interview with Daniel Pinchbeck:
And many of the people that I know have become, you know, quote unquote “digital nomads.” So if they’re doing like lifestyle coaching or marketing or tech or whatever, they can basically do that from anywhere in the planet. And obviously because they’re wealthy and come with money to restaurants and buy goods, there’s desirability for them to make a second home someplace or whatever.
… I think that often we see in the world over the last decades kind of like homogenization, cultural homogenization.
… And so the tourism which ends up taking Western first world values and spreading them everywhere acts as kind of a larger imperialist, colonialist kind of project that can lead to the deterioration of the integrity of local cultures and very few countries and cultures have had the capacity to kind of build the defense structure, recognizing the danger of this.
I’ve just seen a face…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, tagged doors, I've Just Seen a Face (song), Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, stickers, street art, urban art, wall art on April 21, 2022| 4 Comments »
Is it just my imagination or is there a face hidden in this entry?
Now I can’t get The Beatles, I’ve Just Seen a Face out of my head. Oh, and now Traffic with Steve Winwood singing Smiling Phases. Yes, I know I’m dating myself, but we had some pretty unforgettable music back in the day!
San Salvador rides again
Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cuaresma, Domingo de Ramos, flowers, fruits and vegetables, Holy Week, Jesus, Lent, livestock, Mexico, Oaxaca, palm fronds, Palm Sunday, photos, popular travel destinations, procession, religious celebrations, San Antonino Castillo Velasco, San Salvador image, Semana Santa on April 14, 2022| 8 Comments »
How wonderful it was to return to San Antonino Castillo Velasco on Domingo de Ramos and once again see and experience San Salvador atop his burro being piled high with the best and most beautiful bounty.
Covid precautions had caused the 2020 and 2021 Palm Sunday celebrations to be canceled. But, at long last, this year villagers, young and old, on bikes and on foot, in carts and in trucks, once again were allowed to return to the street outside the panteón (cemetery) bearing fruit, vegetables, herbs, breads, flowers…
… and farm animals! Their offerings were received and priced by a committee — to be sold later in the day to benefit a local project. By the way, the price tag for the colt read $4000 pesos.
Once the burro was “filled to the brim,” with only his face peeking out, the priest arrived to bless the offerings and faithful with holy water. Dare I confess, it was hot under the noonday sun and the sprinkling of cold water felt good! The palm fronds, having been blessed, were distributed to all. Fireworks began exploding and the rhythmic sounds of the teponaxtles (drums) and chirimía (small oboe) began playing — announcing the start of the procession. Led by smoke from burning copal and a trail of bougainvillea bracts, the litter carrying San Salvador atop his burro set off on the kilometer long journey to the atrium of the church. They were accompanied by villagers and visitors clutching palm fronds and carrying the remainder of the goods collected.
This is a reenactment of the Biblical story of Jesus entering Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. A few spectators chose to watch from balconies, but mostly the route teemed with a growing mass of followers as 30+ hardy men bore the litter along the “hazardous” street — ducking wires above and navigating topes (speed bumps) below.
Once inside the church atrium, San Salvador and his burro were carefully maneuvered onto a stage where the priest joined them to say mass. At this point, blogger buddy Chris and I swam against the crowd and made our way to the food stalls set up just outside the atrium — San Antonino’s mouthwatering empanadas de amarillo beckoned.
(ps) Chris made a video of the procession which you can view HERE.
Celebrating Dolores
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Día de la Virgén de Dolores, Mexico, music video, Oaxaca, Our Lady of Sorrows, papel picado, photos, popular travel destinations on April 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »
After two years of quiet contemplation, the streets of Barrio de Jalatlaco were once again alive on the sixth Friday of Lent in celebration of La Virgén de Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows).
Here in my new neighborhood even more purple and white papel picado was strung from building to building.
At the far end of Calle Hidalgo, an altar to La Virgén was lovingly assembled.
In the late afternoon, stalls were set up along Calle Hidalgo and lines of neighbors and visitors formed to sample the freely offered aguas (flavored waters), nieves (ices), and traditional arroz con leche y garbanzos (rice pudding with chickpeas).
Mass was celebrated in Templo de San Matías Jalatlaco and music filled the street.
A generous, albeit temporary, antidote to the sorrows of our current world. I feel incredibly fortunate to have landed in this amazing neighborhood!
Dancing on the cobblestone streets
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, dancers, Guelaguetza, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, street art, urban art, wall art on April 3, 2022| 4 Comments »
On the walls of Barrio de Jalatlaco, there is always dancing on the cobblestone streets.
And, it’s not just during La Guelaguetza that the sights and sounds of real life dancers can be heard and seen in the neighborhoods of Oaxaca, calendas (parades) celebrating festivals, weddings, graduations, and more are part of the life and soundtrack of Oaxaca.
Return of the Samaritan
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, bougainvillea, Día de la Samaritana, Good Samaritan day, Lent, Mexico, Oaxaca, papel picado, photos, popular travel destinations on March 27, 2022| 2 Comments »
After a two-year absence, she’s back! The Good Samaritan returned to the sidewalks, streets, and church atriums of Oaxaca. The fourth Friday of Lent is Día de la Samaritana, an “only in Oaxaca” celebration. It was with great joy, I ventured onto the streets of Barrio de Jalatlaco clutching my cup, from which to drink the aguas being offered.
The Day of the Good Samaritan was inspired by the Gospel of John story in the New Testament of the Bible where a tired and thirsty Jesus, on his way to Galilee, asks a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar for some water. His request was highly unusual because, according to the Old Testament, “Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile.” The woman complied with his request and the rest is history.
Celebrating the Good Samaritan in Oaxaca began in the atriums of churches at the end of the 19th century. It is a popular and much-loved tradition that has expanded beyond Oaxaca’s church Samaritans to businesses, government offices, schools, and even private homes.
This year the first block of Calle Hidalgo was closed to traffic so agua stations could be set up in the middle of the street and naturally, as with most celebrations, there was music — this time a marimba provided the soundtrack.
As in pre-Covid years, people of all ages, from small children to grandparents, lined up at bougainvillea and palm decorated booths to sample agua de jamaica (hibiscus), horchata, chilacayote (squash), tamarindo, sandia (watermelon), tejate, and other creative and refreshing concoctions.
After an hour of wandering the streets of my neighborhood and sampling several aguas and even a cookie or two, I happily returned home with my heart full of love and gratitude for the traditions and people of Oaxaca.
Home is where the hummingbirds hover
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged colibrí, Colibríes de México y Norteamérica/ Hummingbirds of México and North America (book), hummingbirds, metal art, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, street art, textile arts, urban art, wall art, watercolor on March 23, 2022| 2 Comments »
Spring has sprung in the valley of Oaxaca and that means the hottest and driest months are upon us. Despite conventional wisdom, the temperatures actually cool down a little in the summer, when the afternoon/evening rains come. I confess, this time of year, when the thermometer hovers around 90º (Fahrenheit), by early afternoon my energy is sapped and motivation melts away. Hence, blog posts are few and far between. However, today is a little cooler and my blog’s namesake inspired me to let my fingers not just hover over keyboard, but actually type!
Colibríes in murals seen on walls around the city…
A few of the colibríes seen in the art and artesanía in my Casita Colibrí home…
Speaking of hovering, a little information from the book, Colibríes de México y Norteamérica/ Hummingbirds of México and North America to go along with the pretty pictures:
Hummingbirds are noted for their incredible ability to fly. They can hover suspended in the air and can fly in any direction, even sideways and backwards, allowing them to reach their food anywhere. Their powerful chest muscles are extremely developed (they can account for around 30% of their body mass) and this allows them to beat their wings very rapidly, from an incredible 80 wing beats per second, up to a staggering 200 wing beats per second when performing certain maneuvers during courtship. Their muscles also allow them to reach amazing speeds, ranging from 50 to 95 km/hr when diving in flight during courtship.
A .pdf of the book is free to download from the above link.
Making a statement?
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Culture, Environment, Gardens, Politics, tagged compost bins, composting, Hagamos Composta, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, recycling, Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online, Solidarity with Ukraine on March 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Last Saturday, Hagamos Composta picked up our filled bins and left these. Are our compost gals making a statement?
The librarian/archivist in me compels me to share a link to Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online. Proud of my profession.
Want to translate this blog?
Where is Oaxaca?
Weather in Oaxaca?
What is the Exchange Rate?
-
Categories
-
Want to read recent posts?
- For the love of murals
- Numbers in my neighborhood
- Focusing on the joy
- ¡Feliz Nochebuena!
- Food glorious food!
- Of marigolds and fruit
- Serenade for the departed
- Beacon to my departed
- No Kings, Oaxaca style!
- Independence Day, Oaxaca style
- La Guelaguetza 2025 – live stream
- There and here
- Happy Birthday Oaxaca de Juárez
- A donkey not a warhorse
- Honoring the artisans
- Blogging in the time of…
- Valentine’s love from Oaxaca
- Taste of my return
- Felices fiestas to all!
- Month of Juquila, Guadalupe & Soledad
Archives
What tags are most used?
art artists Ayotzinapa Barrio de Jalatlaco Basilica de la Soledad Black and white photography cactus California Carnaval Carnival Casita Colibrí celebrations cemetery Christmas convite coronavirus fallout costumes COVID-19 fallout dance dancers Danza de la Pluma danzantes Day of the Dead Día de los Muertos Día de Muertos Easter El Picacho festivals Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo flowers food food festival garden Good Friday graffiti Guelaguetza Holy Week markets mascaras masks mercados Mexican Independence Day Mexico murals music Oaxaca panteón papel picado parade parades photographs photos plants Plaza de la Danza popular travel destinations protests restaurants San Antonino Castillo Velasco San Martín Tilcajete Semana Santa skeletons stencil art street art students Teotitlán del Valle textiles Tlacolula de Matamoros traje travel trees urban art video Viernes Santo Virgen de Guadalupe wall artWant to email me?
-
This work by spixl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 