What do the guys do while waiting for an Independence Day parade to begin?
And, what do gals do? Pose for them!
A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes. — Robert Frost
Archive for the ‘Holidays’ Category
Boys will be boys…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged desfile, holidays, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, military, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, women military on September 16, 2013| 6 Comments »
Green, white, and red
Posted in Celebrations, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged El Grito, el grito de dolores, Grito de Dolores, Mexican flag, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on September 15, 2013| 2 Comments »
At 11 PM tonight, with El Grito de Dolores, also known as El Grito de la Independencia (the Shout of Independence), echoing from government buildings throughout the country, Mexico begins celebrating her long and hard-fought independence from Spain. Despite the gathering of meteorological and political storm clouds, Oaxaca has gotten her green, white, and red on.
Doors are decorated, bunting is hung, and Mexico’s tricolor appears…
This proud yet faded flag with frayed edges seems a fitting symbol this year.
In the words of Che Guevara, “La lucha continua.”
Meanwhile in Oaxaca…
Posted in Holidays, Labor, Politics, Protests, Weather, tagged current-events, demonstrations, El Grito, Frente Único de Lucha, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, politics, protests, San Juan Copala, Triqui on September 14, 2013| 2 Comments »
Yesterday, as today’s article in Noticias states, “with great dignity and head held high” the Triqui families from San Juan Copala pulled up stakes and moved to temporary housing in Colonia Reforma. The 105 displaced families had been occupying the front of the Government Palace for several years, but reached an agreement with the state government to relocate.
Meanwhile, on the east side of the Government Palace, the band played on… September is “La mes de la patria” (the month of the motherland). Tomorrow night, governor Gabino Cue will repeat El Grito de Independencia (the Cry of Independence) from the balcony of the Government Palace and Monday, an hours-long patriotic parade will pass in front of the Palace.
Today, the scene has changed. Members of the Frente Único de Lucha (FUL), the new incarnation of APPO, have taken up positions in front of the Government Palace and vowed to remain until those arrested in clashes with the federal police, on December 1 and yesterday in Mexico City, are released. Hmmm… I wonder what will happen tomorrow and/or Monday.
Just remember, when you read, hear, or watch the news… Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca are the most indigenous and poorest states in Mexico. And now, the tears of Mother Nature are raining down on Oaxaca.
Cast of characters
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, 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 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »
We returned to Teotitlán del Valle on Tuesday and Wednesday for performances of the Danza de la Pluma, a ritual re-enactment of the battles between the Aztec and Spanish. According to OaxacaWiki:
The origin of this dance goes back to the spiritual and physical conquest of Mexico by the Spanish – La Guerra de Conquista. The dance originated in the town of Cuilpam de Guerrero where Martin Cortes (son of Cortes) celebrated the first baptism of his child. Martin played the role of his father and the locals played the roles of the conquered indigenous peoples.
The story is told in 41 bailes (dances) and lasts from early afternoon into the night. Selected years in advance, it is an honor to be a dancer and they perform their roles for 3 years. This week, during the multi-day fiesta honoring Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, we saw the first performances by the new cast and they looked great!
Presenting the Cast of Characters
Montezuma
Doña Marina (hat) and Malinche (headdress)
2 Subalternos
16 Danzantes: Teotiles (2), Capitánes (2), Reyes (4), and Vasallos (8)
They are going to be fun to watch during the next 3 years. (By the way, the costumes may change from day-to-day, but the cast remains the same.)
Let the festivities begin!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged convite, El Picacho, festivals, fiesta, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Mexico, Oaxaca, parades, photographs, photos, ritual procession, sacred mountain, Teotitlán del Valle on July 11, 2013| 9 Comments »
Monday, we returned to Teotitlán del Valle for the Fiesta titular a la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo — the pueblo’s most important festival of the year. While special masses have been celebrated at the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo (the village church) since June 30, Monday’s convite (procession) by the unmarried women in the village, kicked off the more public events.
Lovingly decorated canastas (baskets) waited in the church to be reclaimed by their owners, placed on their heads, and carried through the streets.
Crowds gathered in the plaza in front of the church and sidewalks and streets along the route.
And then it began — with solemn drum beats, fireworks, church bells, marmotas (cloth balloons on a pole), and a band.
Little boys (and a few girls) carrying model airplanes (don’t ask me why), paper mache lambs, and turkeys followed.
And then came the neatly organized rows of girls and young women.
For over an hour they wound their way up and down and around the streets of Teotitlán del Valle. The weather was perfect, no late afternoon thunder showers this year, and it was glorious.
Stay tuned, the festivities continue all week. And, check out Oaxaca-The Year After this week for blogger buddy Chris’s photos and commentary.
B-ball, Oaxaca style
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Sports & Recreation, Travel & Tourism, tagged basketball, basketball court, Día de la Santa Cruz, El Picacho, Fiesta de Mayo, Hoop Dreams in Oaxaca, Mexico, Mixe, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, sierra norte, sports, Teotitlán del Valle on July 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Basketball is big in Oaxaca and was big news to me!
In Teotitlán del Valle, located in the valley Oaxaca, there is a tradition of climbing El Picacho on Día de la Santa Cruz (May 3). I’d also heard celebrations also included an annual basketball tournament. Sure enough, the sound of a play-by-play announcer, ref’s whistle, and buzzer occasionally floated up to our perch on the top of the mountain. When we descended El Picacho via a different route, we came to a basketball court a few blocks from the village center, and an intense game in progress, with other teams waiting in the wings — in this case, the road!
Eight days later, we drove up into the Mixe in Oaxaca’s Sierre Norte for the Fiesta de Mayo in Santa María Tlahuitoltepec. Once there, we were directed to a basketball court (did we hear correctly?) at the center of town — the mercado off to one side; church on another side; municipal buildings off to another. We had expected folkloric dancers or ceremonial presentations, but were surprised to find a basketball tournament in progress. It eventually ended and the expected dancing began.
According to Hoop Dreams in Oaxaca:
Any proper town in Latin America has a church facing a plaza — except the towns of the Sierra Norte region of Mexico, where Jorge Santiago is from.
“In my part of the Sierra, the basketball courts are like the zócalo in the colonial city,” Mr. Santiago said, using a Mexican word for “plaza.” “It’s really the most important part of the town. A respectable town has a church, and a basketball court in front of the church.”
Read full article HERE.
All in a day’s hike
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Día de la Santa Cruz, El Picacho, Mexico, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Teotitlán del Valle on May 4, 2013| 7 Comments »
Yesterday (May 3) was Día de la Santa Cruz and in Mexico it is the feast day of construction workers. Crosses are erected on building sites and decorated. The tradition has its origins with the guilds during the colonial era.
However, in Teotitlán del Valle, tradition calls for hiking up to the top of El Picacho. A tall aqua colored wooden cross stands at the top of the peak.
There were two crosses, but apparently one was hit by lightning a week or two ago. It lies in splintered pieces below where it stood.
Mountain and custom beckoned, and so we headed out to Teotitlán yesterday morning to climb the mountain. The trek began and our eyes were on the prize as we passed by irrigated fields…
Along the steep and winding trail, there were signs…
in Zapoteco.
Bromeliads and other epiphytes clung to branches.
All along the way, the views were spectacular.
As we climbed, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo grew smaller and smaller.
And, our destination grew closer and closer.
Almost two hours later (we stopped a lot!), we encountered the tethered burros that brought the tamales, aguas, and cervesas that awaited us at the top.
Besides sustenance, there were fireworks…
and expansive and even more spectacular views.
There were parents, teens, toddlers, abuelos…
and abuelas.
Muchisimas gracias to the people of Teotitlán del Valle, who never fail to warmly welcome us and, again, generously offered us food and drink.
They are very special people who live in a very special place.
FYI: The trip down took less than an hour, I returned home exhausted, sore, sunburned (even though I’d slathered on sunscreen), and thoroughly exhilarated.
Celebrating children and culture
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged basili, children, Children's Day, Children's Guelaguetza, costume, culture, Día de los Niños, Guelaguetza, Infantil Guelaguetza, Mexico, Mixteca, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, traje on April 30, 2013| 8 Comments »
Today is Día de los Niños (Children’s Day) and it’s a big deal here. Oaxaca began her celebrations days ago. The 6th Festival of Children’s Story Telling opened on Saturday, yesterday an exibition of traditional toys (Colección Hanni Sager Juguete tradicional) had its inauguration at the Museo del Palacio, and Friday, the Guelaguetza Infantil calenda filled the streets from Santo Domingo to the Basilica de la Soledad.
As several bands played, the children from Oaxaca’s preschools wearing the traditional costumes from the 8 regions of the state of Oaxaca waited, posed, walked, danced, and threw candy to the appreciative crowds gathered on the sidewalks along the ten-block long route. (Note, some of the little girls already practicing holding canastas (baskets) on their heads!)
Parents and teachers, many also wearing traje from the Cañada, Costa, Istmo, Mixteca, Papaloapan, Sierra Norte, Sierra Sur, and the Valles Centrales regions, proudly walked alongside the children. Vive Oaxaca concluded their article,
With such events from the early years of life are taught to love our Oaxacan culture, traditions, music and preserve the best legacy we have: our roots. Congratulations to the teachers and parent to correctly perform with great momentum this holiday culture. [Google translation]
Carnaval, desaturated
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Baile de Los Viejitos, Carnaval, Carnival, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Semana Santa, Teotitlán del Valle on April 10, 2013| 4 Comments »
Sometimes color seems like a distraction, so an experiment in de-saturation from the last day of Carnaval in Teotitlán del Valle.
The eyes have it
Dancing the jarabe is serious
Something in the way she moves
I’m coming, darlings
Shouldering a basket of offerings
Let me think about it
A jumble of offerings
The women watch
Shade, por favor
Bringing the xicapextle
Bucket full of blessings
Viejos with snake on a cane
For some outstanding up-close and full color photos, head over to Oaxaca-The Year After.
Carnaval, el último día
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Baile de Los Viejitos, Carnaval, Carnival, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Semana Santa, Teotitlán del Valle on April 9, 2013| 3 Comments »
Friday we returned for another extraordinary day — the last day of Carnival.
Again, muchisimas gracias to the gracious and generous people of Teotitlán del Valle.
Carnaval, el primer día
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Baile de Los Viejitos, Carnaval, Carnival, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Semana Santa, Teotitlán del Valle on April 6, 2013| 2 Comments »
I’m playing catch-up with blog posts. After the Good Friday Procession of Silence, I thought life would slow down a little. That’s what’s happened in years past — I caught up on the “to do” list on the home-front, leisurely plowed through the hundreds and hundreds of photos from Semana Santa, did a little research and a lot of thinking about what I’d just seen and experienced, and then crafted a few blog posts.
That was before we found out that Teotitlán del Valle celebrates 5-days of Carnival after Easter, not before Lent! A little levity after the solemnity of Semana Santa and in one of our favorite places was not to be resisted. And so, blogger buddy Chris and I set out on Monday afternoon in search of the house in Sección 1 (the village is divided into 5 geographic areas) that was hosting the daytime fiesta that precedes the evening festivities in the Municipal Plaza.
Chihuahua #1
Chihuahua # 1 & 2
A few of the guys in the band
Our hosts and hostesses
Viejo #1
Viejo #2
Who is that masked man?
Oh, what a devil!
Watching the hilarity at the house
Viejos on parade
Joining the procession
Always mezcal!
Watching at the Municipal Plaza
Another masked man & woman(?)
Viejo presenting poleo to munical officials
We returned yesterday for the Sección 5 fiesta, so more to come. Now it’s off to Tlacolula for the Nieve, Mezcal y Gastronomia Festival.
FYI: For a more detailed explanation of this Carnival celebration and photos from last year by a professional photographer, check out Ann Murdy’s website.
In darkness and silence
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Christianity, Good Friday, Holy Week. Semana Santa, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, ritual procession, Viernes Santo on April 3, 2013| 8 Comments »
The Semana Santa poster said the Viernes Santo (Good Friday) Procesión del Silencio was to begin at 6 PM in front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo. Knowing the drill, I arrived at 4:45 to take photos as contingents and participants arrived — but nobody was there. The old antiwar slogan, “What If They Gave a War and Nobody Came” came to mind.
Of course it was going to happen, it’s just that time isn’t what it seems here. Word on the scene had it that, despite the poster info, it wasn’t to begin until 6:30 PM. No worries! Well, except that Mexico doesn’t begin Daylight Saving Time until next weekend, the light began rapidly fading, and 6:30 PM became 7 PM. Por favor, let Oaxaca’s 27th annual Parade of Silence begin!
Señor de Esquipulas during the Procession of Silence, Good Friday 2013
And it eventually did — up Macedonio Alcalá, left at the Cruz de Piedra, left again on García Vigil to Independencia, another left, and back up the Alcalá. And so, in darkness and silence the procession returned to the church where it all began. Contingents could be heard late into the night parading through the streets of the city, as they returned the Jesuses and Marías to their respective home churches.
Lots more photos can be seen over at Oaxaca-The Year After.
Penitent portraits
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cofradía, Confraternity, Mexico, Oaxaca, penitents, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, Semana Santa, Viernes Santo on March 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »
In Oaxaca the penitents gathered…
in front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo on Good Friday…
preparing for the Procession of Silence.
For those who are wondering, “What’s with the hoods (capirotes)?” The answer can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Members of lay religious charitable organizations (cofradías) would don the masks and hoods to guarantee anonymity and promote humility in their service.
From the Holy Week in Seville, Wikipedia page:
At the heart of Semana Santa are the brotherhoods (Hermandades y Cofradías de Penitencia),[1] associations of Catholic laypersons organized for the purpose of performing public acts of religious observance; in this case, related to the Passion and death of Jesus Christ and to perform public penance.
The brotherhoods, besides the day-to-day work in preparation for the processions, also undertake many other self-regulated religious activities, and charitable and community work. Many brotherhoods maintain their own chapel, while others are attached to a regular parish.
The Spanish brought the tradition to Mexico and penitents continue to play a major role in the Viernes Santo, Procesión del Silencio in Oaxaca.
Woman, behold your son
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Estaciones de la Cruz, Good Friday, Holy Week, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, ritual procession, Semana Santa, Stations of the Cross, Via Crucis, Viernes Santo on March 30, 2013| 2 Comments »
And so Viernes Santo (Good Friday) began…
Mass said, a Vía Crucis (Stations of the Cross) procession through the streets of my neighborhood.
Lunes Santo in Teotitlán del Valle
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Food, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Easter, Estaciones de la Cruz, Lunes Santo, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, ritual procession, Semana Santa, Stations of the Cross, tapetes, Teotitlán del Valle, Via Crucis on March 26, 2013| 4 Comments »
Lunes Santo (Holy Monday) in Teotitlán del Valle provided another moving and memorable experience. For some unknown reason, the village re-enacts the 14 stations of the cross on the Monday before Easter. Following a special early morning mass at the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary are hoisted on platforms and carried from the church to signal the start of the day-long pilgrimage. They are led by a band playing a mournful and dissonant tune as they set off to wind their way through the cobblestone streets of Teotitlán.
“Stations” are set up along the route by designated families — some are decorated with the village’s famous woolen tapetes (rugs). Tamales, non alcoholic beverages (alcohol, even the ubiquitous mezcal, is forbidden during Semana Santa), and nieves (ices) are offered at others. At all, the appropriate prayers are read, incense of copal is burned, and offerings, including of corn and lilies, are made. And, as always, children have important roles to play.
The procession is solemn and dignified and filled with pre-Columbian, along with Catholic, tradition and symbolism. Like all the other ritual celebrations in Teotitlán del Valle, these are not performed for the benefit of tourists — they are some of the strands of the warp and weft that have woven this community together for thousands of years.
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