Beware, anyone in the vicinity of Carmen Alto church tonight…
There’s going to be some major fireworks!!!
Oaxaca is celebrating the Black Christ, Señor de Esquipulas.
Archive for the ‘Religion’ Category
Danger / Peligro
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Black Christ, fireworks, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Señor de Esquipulas, Templo del Carmen Alto on January 19, 2014| 4 Comments »
It’s a merry-go-round
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged carousel, Día de Reyes, El Día De Los Reyes Magos, Epiphany, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Rosca de Reyes, San Pablo Academic and Cultural Center, Tato, Three Kings Day on January 6, 2014| 1 Comment »
We are still enjoying the Christmas merry-go-round in Oaxaca. Lucky for “children” young and old, the San Pablo Cultural and Educational Center has even provided a real (not just metaphorical) carousel to hop on during this holiday season. And today, along with riding the merry-go-round, in honor of Día de Reyes, all were welcome to partake in the traditional Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings cake) — served by none other than Tato, the birdbrain (after all he is an ostrich) Oaxaca Guerreros team (baseball) mascot (though I think he was doing more eating than serving). Thankfully, on this chilly night, there was also hot chocolate (with milk or water, your choice) with which to warm hands and dip cake.
Whew!!! A baby Jesus figurine was not found in my piece of Rosca de Reyes, so I won’t have to throw a tamale and atole party on Candlemas, February 2nd, for everyone present at this evening’s festivities.
¡Feliz Navidad!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, People, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, “Lalo” Guerrero, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Eduardo Guerrero, Mexico, Navidad, Noche Buena, Oaxaca, Pancho Claus, photographs, photos, poem, popular travel destinations, ritual procession on December 25, 2013| 8 Comments »
Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) in Oaxaca means posadas from churches around the city converge on the zócalo. Flatbed trucks carrying Jesus, Mary, and Josephs; fireworks, pinwheels, and sparklers; brass bands; China Oaxaqueña folkloric dancers; and the faithful carrying candles arrive to circle the zócalo again and again and again. Spectators, young and old wave sparklers, take photos, and crack powder or confetti filled eggs on each others heads — and it’s quite a scene!
And, in what has become a Christmas Eve tradition (it was still Christmas Eve when I began this post) on my blog, Ernie Villarreal’s version of the song, Pancho Claus, by Chicano music legend, Eduardo “Lalo” Guerrero.
Pancho Claus
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through la casa
Not a creature was stirring, Caramba! ¿Que pasa?
Los ninos were all tucked away in their camas,
Some in vestidos and some in pajamas.
While Mama worked late in her little cocina,
El viejo was down at the corner cantina.
The stockings were hanging con mucho cuidado,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would feel obligado
To bring all the children, both buenos y malos,
A Nice batch of dulces and other regalos.
Outside in the yard, there arouse such a grito,
That I jumped to my feet, like a frightened cabrito.
I went to the window and looked out afuera,
And who in the world, do you think que era?
Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero
Came dashing along like a crazy bombero!
And pulling his sleigh instead of venados,
Were eight little burros approaching volados.
I watched as they came, and this little hombre
Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre.
¡Ay, Pancho! ¡Ay, Pepe! ¡Ay, Cuca! ¡Ay, Beto!
¡Ay, Chato! ¡¡Ay, Chopo! ¡Maruca and ¡Nieto!
Then standing erect with his hand on his pecho
He flew to the top of our very own techo.
With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,
He struggled to squeeze down our old chimenea.
Then huffing and puffing, at last in our sala,
With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala.
He filled the stockings with lovely regalos,
For none of the children had been very malos.
Then chuckling aloud and seeming contento,
He turned like a flash and was gone like the viento.
And I heard him exclaim and this is VERDAD,
Merry Christmas to all, And to All ¡Feliz Navidad!
Searching for shelter
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged candles, Christmas, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, posadas, ritual procession, Teotitlán del Valle, velas labradas on December 22, 2013| 10 Comments »
Last night, just about this time, a posada through the calles of Teotitlán del Valle was arriving at the home where Mary and Joseph would find shelter for the night. Each night, images of Mary and Joseph wander the streets looking for refuge. The posadas began on December 15 and will last through December 24, la última posada, and the arrival of Jesus.
Women and men arrive at the home where Mary and Joseph had spent the previous night.
Prayers are said in front of the images of Mary and Joseph and then women line up on one side and men on the other, as the procession begins.
There is a band. Actually, there are two bands. The first, at the front of the procession, plays a dirge-like tune and the second, back near the statues of Mary and Joseph, plays marching music (think, John Philip Sousa).
Naturally, there are fireworks. These are the pyrotechnic guys, waiting to lead the parade.
Mary and Joseph en route. Please note, they are carried by young, and from what I was told, unmarried women.
Primarily lit by elaborate beeswax velas labradas (carved candles), the procession wound its way through Teotitlán del Valle.
Through the uneven cobblestone streets, young and old walked for over two hours. It was massive and it seemed as if the entire village was either in the parade or watching.
Eventually, we arrived at the home where Mary and Joseph would be given refuge for this night. There was no mistaking this was the destination — it was lit up like a Christmas tree.
Inside, there was more religious ritual, but outside, there were sparklers!
(ps) If anyone has any tips for taking photos of nighttime processions of people under challenging lighting conditions, please feel free to offer your suggestions. Muchisimas gracias.
No solitude for Soledad
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Parks & Plazas, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Basilica de la Soledad, food, Mexico, Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, Oaxaca, Patrona de los Oaxaqueños, photographs, photos, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations, Queen of Oaxaca, Virgen de La Soledad, Virgin of Solitude on December 18, 2013| 6 Comments »
Today is the feast day of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, the mother, queen, and patron saint of Oaxaqueños.
If you enter the word “soledad” into a Spanish to English translation program, “solitude” and “loneliness” result. However, for the past ten days, Our Lady of Solitude hasn’t had much of an opportunity to be lonely. On December 15, she was taken down from her glass encased niche in the Basílica, that bears her name, and carried out into the fresh air of the church plaza. On the 16th, she took a road trip through the streets of Oaxaca, stopping to visit several other churches along the route.
The faithful have been coming to honor her.
And, over the past 24 hours, she has been entertained by fireworks, bands, and the ringing of bells.
Food stalls surround her from Morelos to Independencia…
along with vendors of the sacred…
and the profane.
There is even a carnival for the kids.
With crowds, like these…
Nuestra Señora de la Soledad might just be looking forward to returning to the solitude of her glass enclosed niche. I know I’m looking forward to a quiet night’s sleep!
Guadalupe’s children
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged boys, children, girls, Juan Diego, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Virgen de Guadalupe, Virgin of Guadalupe on December 11, 2013| 6 Comments »
Tomorrow, December 12, is el Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, aka, Queen of Mexico, Empress of America, and patron saint of México.
Legend and belief has it that in, “1525, only four years after the conquest, the Aztec Quauhtlatoatzin was baptized by a Franciscan priest, who named him Juan Diego. Six years later, on December 9th, Juan Diego witnessed the first appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She told him she wanted a church built on Tepeyac Hill and told him to communicate her wish to the authorities. Mexico’s first Bishop, Juan de Zumárraga, didn’t believe him.” She appeared to Juan Diego three more times and with her last apparition, “she asked him to go gather some flowers: roses, which had never grown there, much less in mid-winter. He wrapped them in his ayate or tilma, a sort of coarsely woven cape, and the Virgin told him not to open it until he was before the Bishop. When Juan Diego opened the tilma in front of Bishop Zumárraga, the roses cascaded out and they discovered the image of the Virgin imprinted upon it. ” Thus, her iconic cloak we see in paintings and statues.
In Oaxaca, her fiesta began on December 2 and will end with a mass at 7 PM on December 13. Today, little boys of the city, dressed as Juan Diego, and little girls, in the traditional traje (costume), were brought by parents (and grandparents) to the Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (at the north end of Llano Park), where they waited patiently in long lines to enter the church to be blessed. Once they exited, fifteen (más o menos) “Guadalupe settings” designed and constructed by photographers and their assistants, vied for pesos for portraits.
By the way, there was a reward awaiting the little Juan Diegos and his sisters — rows upon rows of food stalls, carnival rides, and puestos selling toys, Santa hats, Christmas lights.
Tomorrow, I’m off to Teotitlán del Valle for their traditional Virgen de Guadalupe performance of the Danza de la Pluma. And, did I mention yesterday’s national Day of the Clown festivities? Stay tuned…
Que milagro!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, religious pilgrimages, Virgen de Juquila, Virgin of Juquila on December 7, 2013| 7 Comments »
No doubt, tomorrow I will be awakened, long before the crack of dawn, by the cracks and pops of cohetes (rockets — all bang no bling) and the seemingly non-stop clangs and bongs emanating from the bell towers of the countless churches that surround me in Oaxaca city’s historic district. And, I’m sure, I will hear the sounds of a procession — December 8 is the feast day of the Virgin of Juquila (La Virgen de Juquila).
Flatbed truck on Constitución in Oaxaca city, Dec. 6, 2012.
According to legend, in 1633, when a fire burned the small Chatino village of Amialtepec to the ground, a small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary was rescued amidst the ashes. She was undamaged, save for her light skin color, which was permanently darkened by the smoke, causing her to more closely resemble the Chatino people, who live in this remote mountainous region. Local priests declared her survival a miracle and she has been venerated ever since and her image appears throughout Oaxaca.
Image of La Virgen de Juquila along highway 175.
In 1776, the Bishop had a new temple built for La Virgen de Juquila in the nearby, but larger, village of Santa Catarina Juquila. Today, pilgrims continue to come, not just on her feast day, often making the arduous journey up into the mountains by bicycle or even on foot. They go to La Capilla del Pedimento in Amialtepec to fashion images from its clay soil — replicas of wished for items (cars, houses, healed body parts, etc.) to lay at her feet.
Side of a building in residential neighborhood of Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca
According to this morning’s Noticias, the Archbishop of Antequera Oaxaca has called upon Catholics, as part of tomorrow’s feast day, to pray for reconciliation and peace in Oaxaca. That’s a tall order. The miracle of her survival has given La Virgen de Juquila the power to bestow miracles — such is the faith of her believers. We shall see…
All things must pass…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged All Things Must Pass, cemetery, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, George Harrison quote, Living in the Material World, Mexico, Oaxaca, panteón, photographs, photos on November 30, 2013| 1 Comment »
Last night, flipping through my Cablemas channels, I happened upon Martin Scorsese’s 2011 film, George Harrison: Living in the Material World. I’ve seen this beautiful documentary before, could watch it many more times, and how could I resist, on Black Friday night, the wonderful irony of the title? I’m sure George is chuckling somewhere.
Yesterday marked the twelfth anniversary of George’s death (no doubt the reason it was being shown) and, as I watched and listened to Olivia describe the importance George placed on preparing for one’s death, I couldn’t help but reflect on Día de los Muertos. All things must pass; death as a part of the journey of being. And, some of this year’s Muertos photos seemed to be ready to let go of most of their color…
All Things Must Pass
by George Harrison
Sunrise doesn’t last all morning
A cloudburst doesn’t last all day
Seems my love is up and has left you with no warning
It’s not always going to be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
Sunset doesn’t last all evening
A mind can blow those clouds away
After all this, my love is up and must be leaving
It’s not always going to be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
All things must pass
None of life’s strings can last
So, I must be on my way
And face another day
Now the darkness only stays the night-time
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
It’s not always going to be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
All things must pass
All things must pass away
Muertos day by day, part 1
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged CEDART, cemetery, comparsa, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, documentary, La Biznaga, La Festividad de los Muertos, Los Danzantes, Mexico, Oaxaca, panteón, parade, photographs, photos, Santa María Atzompa, sugar cane on November 7, 2013| 2 Comments »
The souls have departed. And, following 33 hours of travel, my BFF (along with her alebrijes by Alberto Perez and the Xuana family, a traditional black and white rebozo, bottle of Del Maguey mezcal from Chichicapa, several bags of Conchita chocolate, and a fabulous mohair rug woven by Antonio Ruíz Gonzalez), has returned home to the frigid climes of Alaska. However, gal pal, souls, and the mortals with whom we shared the past, have left warm and lasting memories. They have also left an exhausted gringa, whose brain feels like one of those overloaded small trucks one (more than occasionally) sees on the roads here. With every nook and cranny filled, they move at a snail’s pace, be it along a pot-holed dirt road or the carretera, balancing their top-heavy loads.
Our week began on October 29, when the sounds of a band Pied Piper-ed us down the street and around a corner to a comparsa of high school students, who were taking part in a competition of using recycled products for their costumes and floats. Alas, the rains came and eventually chased us home.
On October 30, delectable dining (lunch at La Biznaga and dinner at Los Danzantes) nourished multiple museum visits and allowed us to join the standing-room-only crowd at the Oaxaca Lending Library (without rumbling stomachs) to watch the wonderful new documentary, La Festividad de los Muertos, chronicling Day of the Dead in Teotitlán del Valle.
Then there was Thursday, the 31st…. A shopping expedition for flowers, sugar skulls, bread (pan de muertos), and two 10-foot long stalks of sugar cane to form the arch over my altar. I carried them the 10-blocks home on my shoulder (sheesh, they are heavy) and carefully navigating the busy sidewalks. According to BFF, I provided pedestrians and passengers in buses,cars, and taxis much entertainment. I didn’t see a thing — I was just trying not to trip, fall, or whack anyone in front, behind, or to the sides of me!
Once the candles, photos, bread, chocolate, beverages (cervesa, mezcal, and water), and meaningful objects to our departed were in place; flowers arranged and cempasuchitl (marigold) petals scattered; and the arching sugar cane affixed to the wall surrounding our ofrenda, we made our way down to the beginning of the CEDART comparsa.
Later in the evening, we drove up to the panteón in Santa María Atzompa. Passing the bright lights and crush of food, flower, pottery, and other vendors that line the entrance and finally emerging from under the arched gateway, the candlelit ethereal beauty of the cemetery on this night never ceases to take my breath away. Of course, it wasn’t all exquisite and unearthly enchantment. This is Mexico and so there was also a (very loud) band and the cervesa and mezcal flowed freely. I’m sure the difuntos (deceased) enjoyed themselves and partied hardy with the living until the sun rose. And then all slept.
On the other hand, we left at a reasonable hour, as we were only at the mid-point of our Día de los Muertos marathon. More to come…
Offerings to the spirits
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, cempasuchitl, cockscomb, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, offerings, ofrenda on October 29, 2013| 3 Comments »
My BFF (since age 12 — I won’t say how many decades ago that was) arrived last night from Alaska. It was her first trip to Mexico and it took 22 hours. Of course we talked late into the night, thus the morning unfolded slowly.
However, eventually we emerged into the hustle and bustle of the temporary muertos stalls near 20 de Noviembre mercado, to begin purchasing the elements for our Día de los Muertos ofrenda: Apples, oranges, and nuts to nourish the spirits, cempasuchitl (marigolds) to guide the spirits, cockscomb to symbolize mourning, and copal incense to draw the spirits home and ward off evil .
As you can see from the above chart, we have much more to buy and bring out of the storage closet. And, the above list doesn’t even mention sugar cane stalks!
h/t Chef Pilar Cabrera for posting the chart on Facebook.
Los muertos are coming
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, comparsa, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Mexico, muerteada, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on October 28, 2013| 2 Comments »
Cempasuchitl, catrinas, and comparsas. El día de los muertos is coming…
Mural at the corner of Aldama and Hidalgo in Barrio de Jalatlaco.
More from La Virgen…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged baskets, calendas, canastas, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, Mexico, Oaxaca, parades, popular travel destinations, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Virgin of the Rosary on October 8, 2013| 2 Comments »
Before returning to honor al Señor de Tlacolula this Friday, I figured I’d better finish posting pics from last Friday’s la Virgen del Rosario calenda.
This annual procession slowly winds its way through the streets of Tlacolula de Matamoros. Participants stop at “stations” throughout the village, where religious ritual is performed, rest breaks are taken, and tamales, sweets, and beverages (yes, including mezcal) await. This goes on until after midnight. I don’t know how they do it!
Marmotas, from boys to men
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged calendas, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, marmotas, Mexico, Oaxaca, parades, popular travel destinations, Tlacolula de Matamoros, Virgin of the Rosary on October 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Yesterday, we headed about 20 miles southeast of the city to Tlacolula de Matamoros for their calenda (parade) in honor of la Virgen del Rosario (the Virgin of the Rosary). While we go to Tlacolula often, especially for their Sunday market, and while we’ve been to countless calendas, this particular one was a first — and what fun it was!
I’m always amazed at the variations from one village to another — even those only a few miles apart. I have to say, one of the most striking features of Tlacolula’s calenda was the masses of marmotas. No, I’m not talking the groundhog/woodchuck variety. These, at their most awesome, are ginormous cloth globes on a pole that are carried in every calenda I’ve ever seen down here.
Little boys start out with little marmotas — learning how to position it in the holster and becoming comfortable carrying it for several blocks.
The pre-teens graduate to bigger and heavier marmotas and the lesson here is one of balance — learning to find one’s center — and that you get by with a little help from your friends.
Teens refine their moves and their “look.” Look ma, no hands! After all, a central part of the calenda is a procession of the unmarried girls and young women of the village!
Young men eventually become good-natured and married journeymen…
I’m guessing it never ceases being a source of macho pride — enough to tempt one of Tlacolula’s senior citizens into showing, he’s still got it!
And then there was the gringo…
Check out Oaxaca–The Year After for this hilarious tale in his own words. (I’m still laughing!)
Marmotas on parade — it was a spectacular sight!
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.
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