February 24, 2012 by spixl
There are only a few more days left to be delighted by “Manos que crean y ojos que leen” (Hands that create and eyes that read), a whimsical exhibition of popular art at the Biblioteca Andrés Henestrosa. The pieces were commissioned by Rosa Blum (who, with Henry Wangeman, owns Oaxaca’s bilingual bookstore Amate Books) to celebrate reading and promote the incredibly creative artisans of Oaxaca who were suffering from a drop in tourism following the social conflict of 2006.
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So… If you are in Oaxaca, be sure to see it before it closes at the end of this month. If not, you might want to consider a trip down here (Oaxaca is NOT on the US State Department travel warning list), visit some of these artisans in their villages, see their work up close and personal, and perhaps purchase a few unique treasures from these talented people.
For other pieces in the exhibit, see Chris’s photos over at Oaxaca-The Year After.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions | Tagged Amate Books, Armando Jiménez, artesanias, artisans, Biblioteca Andrés Henestrosa, Concepción Aguilar, Demetrio García Aguilar, Enedina Vásquez, exhibitions, Henry Wangeman, José Hernández, Martín Melchor, Mexico, Miguel Santiago Soriano, Moisés Jiménez, Oaxaca, Raúl López, Rosa Blum | 3 Comments »
February 24, 2012 by spixl
LA.com just posted a phone interview with Oaxaca’s own, Lila Downs, where she discusses influences on her musical development, experiences working on the movie Frida, and future projects. The following is the first of eleven questions asked by Paty Elias, in advance of Lila’s Los Angeles performance on Feb. 25, 2012 promoting her album, “Pecados y Milagros.”
LA.COM:: With such a diverse musical background, why did you decide to focus on Ranchera, style music?
Lila Downs: I think that I have been very affected by what has been happening in Mexico. There has been a lot of violence, and I started composing a number of songs that were inspired by retablo, the votive art forms.
It’s about the notion of having a miracle in your life and giving thanks to the sometimes non-visible saints and elements of faith we have in Mexico. I thought it was very fascinating to somehow find the subjects in the songs and then kind of place them in the same way towards showing and giving thanks for the blessings that we have in our life but then also questioning the interpretation of each of these pieces, which are miracles and sins.
Ranchera is really a genre — it’s a form that is kind of about the profane.
There are Rancheras
Lila Downs (LilaDowns.com)
that are about the celebration of life as well as fertility and perhaps the more Indian elements in our culture.
But I would have to say that the Ranchera is mostly accompanied by tequila or mescal. And I think that’s when we will tell our sins, and that’s why I chose the Rancheras at this point — And of course because its one of the only forms were you can really spill your guts. And I think that’s what we are going through right now. We are in desperate times, and you need something with which you can really express your soul.
For the full interview and a couple of video clips, click HERE.
And for my description and photos from the Nov. 6, 2011 Lila Downs concert at Oaxaca’s Guelaguetza Auditorium, click HERE.
Posted in Culture, Music, People | Tagged LA.com, Lila Downs, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, Paty Elias, Pecados y Milagros, Ranchera | Leave a Comment »
February 21, 2012 by spixl
… let us walk together. And we, in Oaxaca city, have been for the past several weeks thanks to Oaxaca born artist Alejandro Santiago.
The streets and sidewalks around Santo Domingo have been peopled with “La Ruta del Migrante – Caminemos Juntos,” his heart wrenching sculptures representing the 2,501 migrantes, men and women, who have left his pueblo of San Pedro Teococuilco almost deserted.
No two sculptures are the same; each is a tribute to the unique individuals who, most certainly with great reluctance, left the homes of their families and ancestors to make their way north in search of jobs. The pain in their contorted bodies, their faces, and their feet causes me to pause every time I pass. I’ll let the images speak for themselves and ask the questions societies all over the world need to answer.
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These migrantes on the streets of Oaxaca are scheduled to disappear at the end of the month and I don’t know where they are next headed. However, two documentaries have been made about Santiago’s tribute to migrantes: Twenty Five Hundred & One by Patricia Van Ryker and 2501 Migrants: A Journey directed by Yolanda Cruz.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Immigration | Tagged 2501 Migrants, Alejandro Santiago Ramírez, immigration, La Ruta del Migrante, Mexico, migrantes, Oaxaca, public art, San Pedro Teococuilco, Twenty Five Hundred & One | 13 Comments »
February 19, 2012 by spixl
… and it never gets old, at least not for me! Thus yesterday, returning from picking up a newly repaired sandal at the zapatero (shoemaker), a parade along the Alcalá had me happily stopping.
Judging by the traje (costume), what is popularly known north of the border as Frida Kahlo style clothing, the elaborate multicolored embroidery on black velvet and the signature starched white lace head pieces, immediately said the Isthmus region of Oaxaca, the area along the Gulf of Tehuantepec.
A banda led off the procession with, of course, the requisite tuba.
A marlin out-of-water followed the band. Actually, a friend and I had a discussion about what kind of fish it was. Marlin (blue and black), sailfish, and swordfish are found in the waters of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. After looking at this website, I’m thinking this guy is a marlin, but who knows???
Once home and photos downloaded, the detective work began; trying to figure out what this was all about. Putting together the information I could glean from the banners and a little research, I think this was a parade by people from San Blas Atempa celebrating a traditional fiesta titular.
Naturally, there weren’t just beautifully dressed adults. Adorable little boys…
and girls kept up the pace on this bright sunny 80+ degree day.
I wasn’t the only one watching… Alejandro Santiago’s growing army of Migrantes stood transfixed. (Well, actually they are literally affixed to the sidewalks and streets with some sort of gooey glue.)
Just another day and another parade in paradise!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture | Tagged 2, 501 Migrants, Alejandro Santiago, calenda, Gulf of Tehuantepec, Isthmus of Tehuantepec, La Ruta del Migrante, marlin, Mexico, Oaxaca, parade, San Blas Atempa, Tehuana | 3 Comments »
February 17, 2012 by spixl
I knew it was going to be a good day when a colibrí greeted me on an early morning stroll up to the weekly organic market.
There were other critters and creatures in plain sight…
and peering out from their hiding places.
However, you must proceed with caution because, most dangerous of all…
there are men at work!
Posted in Creativity, Labor | Tagged caution, colibrí, creatures, critters, graffitti, hummingbird, Mexico, Oaxaca, street rubble, wall art | 2 Comments »
February 14, 2012 by spixl
Valentine’s Day, known here as Day of Love and Friendship, is in full swing. Hearts, flowers, and balloons are everywhere. If you forgot to buy your lover or friend a little something, there are always vendors there to remind you. And, don’t forget to be safe.
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¡Feliz Día del Amor y la Amistad!
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays | Tagged balloons, Día del Amor y la Amistad, Mexico, Oaxaca, Valentine's Day | 2 Comments »
February 12, 2012 by spixl
Be it looking down from the windows above, strolling through the gardens on a tour, or peeking through openings in the wall on Reforma or Berriozabal on the way to someplace else, Oaxaca’s Ethnobotanical Garden is always a soothing and uplifting sight.
Check out this informative and enlightening article by Jeff Spurrier discussing the origins and vision of Oaxaca’s Ethnobotanical Garden — from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Garden Design:
“I am not a gardener.” Francisco Toledo is sitting in the courtyard of the graphic art institute he founded in downtown Oaxaca City, Mexico, sipping on a glass of agua de jamaica. His fingers are paint-smudged, and he moves stiffly from a sore back. Toledo, 71, is one of Mexico’s best-known living artists; his paintings, sculptures, and textiles are in galleries and museums around the world. At home in Mexico, he is identified with a fierce and outspoken defense of the indigenous arts and culture of the southern state of Oaxaca. He also, as it turns out, helped to create one of the world’s most original public gardens.
“The professionals are the people who live in the country,” he says. “The campesinos and workers — I don’t have the patience.”
Nearly 20 years ago, the Mexican military moved out of a 16th-century Santo Domingo monastery complex it had used as a base for more than 120 years. Mexico’s president gave the exit order after being lobbied by Toledo and other leading artists and intellectuals belonging to Pro-Oax, an advocacy group urging the promotion and protection of art, culture, and the natural environment in Oaxaca. Soon, a great clamor began: The state government wanted the five-acre parcel in the heart of downtown Oaxaca City to create a hotel, convention center, and parking facility. A restoration team brought in by the National Institute of Anthropology and History wanted to establish a European garden in the 17th-century baroque style. Some of Toledo’s fellow artists wanted to use the grounds for workshops and exhibition space.
n 1993, when Toledo knew the army would be leaving, he asked Alejandro de Ávila B., who had family roots in Oaxaca and training in anthropology, biology, and linguistics, what he and other advocates would propose. De Ávila suggested making the space into a botanic garden — or, more precisely, an ethnobotanic garden, one that would “show the interaction of plants and people.”
I highly recommend reading the Full Article.
h/t Norma and Roberta
Posted in Buildings, Gardens, Museums, Nature & Science, People, Renovation | Tagged Alejandro de Ávila B, Ethnobotanical, Francisco Toledo, garden, Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca, jeff spurrier, Mexico, Oaxaca, Santo Domingo de Guzmán | Leave a Comment »
February 10, 2012 by spixl
The day before I went up to Mexico City last month, crossing Llano Park, I came across a newly installed waste container encouraging plastic recycling; courtesy of Tierra Sana, a company promoting and selling environmentally friendly products.
These baskets have cropped up in other parts of the city — this one in the plazuela next to Carmen Alto church. Please know, the trees will cry if you don’t recycle.
Once up in Mexico City, I noticed Occupy Coyoacán practiced recycling.
And then, we were all brought up short by this electric car…
These charging stations are not far from the Templo Mayor; an appropriate juxtaposition, I think. Automobile pollution can’t be good for the Great Temple.
Then there is bike-sharing — 1200 bikes at 90 Ecobici bike stations in Mexico’s capital city.
For more on Mexico City’s Green Plan, check out 10 Highlights of Mexico City’s Climate Action Program.
Posted in Environment, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism | Tagged automobile pollution, climate action, Coyoacán, Ecobici, environment, environmentalism, Llano Park, Mexico, Mexico City, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, recycling, waste container | 2 Comments »
February 8, 2012 by spixl
With a nod to Humphrey Bogart’s character in Casablanca: Of all the volunteer opportunities, in all of Oaxaca, why did I walk into the Oaxaca Lending Library (OLL)? For the answer, you will have to check out my newly published (yippeee!) article on volunteering at the Oaxaca Lending Library on the Go Overseas website.
The article mentions the various and sundry activities organized by the OLL. So, I thought I’d give you a taste:
Volunteering at the OLL has introduced me to an incredibly diverse, knowledgeable, and talented group of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Be they native Oaxaqueños, year round ex pat residents, or yearly “snow birds,” many have become part of my community and support system. A library — what better place to get your questions answered about the who, what, where, why, and how of living and thriving in an unfamiliar culture? People and books are there to assist with navigating the challenges, celebrating the differences, and exploring the surroundings.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a panel discussion at the library commemorating fifty years of the Peace Corps. Two of the speakers had been among the original Peace Corps volunteers in the 1960s, one to Africa and one to South America. The third speaker is an 85-year-old woman who was a Peace Corps volunteer when she was 60+ years old! All have been living in Oaxaca for a number of years, and credit their Peace Corps volunteer experiences with broadening their horizons and realizing their power to have a positive impact in the world, even if it is just one person at a time. All continue to find ways to offer their time, energy, and talents to assist various people and communities of Oaxaca.
According to a recent International Community Foundation report on US retiree trends in Mexico:
• Nearly 60% of respondents volunteer their time to a charitable cause in Mexico and over 29% volunteer at least once a week or on a regular basis. Respondents engage in a wide range of volunteer activities, most prominently with education-focused charities, community projects, and the environment.
• U.S retirees in Mexico volunteer because of their strong sense of social responsibility and desire to make a difference in their adopted communities. Survey respondents reported that their volunteer efforts increase their sense of belonging in Mexico, and contribute to an increased sense of community among local neighbors and friends.
• 42% of American retirees surveyed are actively involved in at least one or two Mexican charities in their adopted communities, while another 11% are affiliated with more than three.
Ten years ago, I never dreamed I would be living an ex pat life in southern Mexico. Funny how life’s curves can lead to opportunities….
Posted in Books, Culture, Libraries, Retirement | Tagged Go Overseas, libraries, library, Mexico, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Lending Library, Retirement, volunteer, Volunteer Abroad, volunteer experiences, volunteering | 2 Comments »
February 7, 2012 by spixl
Full moon hiding; overcast tonight. Sheesh, I’ve been cold all day! However, my Frangipani is blooming…
Posted in Gardens | Tagged Casita Colibrí, flowers, frangipani, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, plumeria | 4 Comments »
February 6, 2012 by spixl
Today Día de la Constitución in Mexico is being observed. It celebrates the promulgation of the Mexican Constitutions of February 5, 1857 and February 5, 1917.
According to the US Library of Congress website on the history of the Mexican Constitutions, the former “starts out by saying that all men are free and that by merely setting foot on Mexican soil one is set free” thus outlawing slavery many years before it was abolished in the U.S. And, the latter “came with significant social reforms to labor laws, and provided for equality in treatment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, social or political condition, among other reforms…. What is also more evident with the most recent Mexican constitutions is a deliberate movement toward secularism.”
Schools, banks, and some businesses are closed but, other than that, not much seems to be happening here in Oaxaca. So, I will post photos I took a few days ago of the new color changing lights that now illuminate the palm trees along Calle Constitución in Oaxaca — the result of the previously mentioned massive decorative lighting project that began last October.
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Does that put you, In the Mood?
Posted in History, Holidays | Tagged calle Constitución, Constitution Day, Día de la Constitución, decorative lighting, Glenn Miller, In the Mood, lighting, lights, Mexican Constitution, Mexico, Oaxaca, palm trees | 6 Comments »
February 3, 2012 by spixl
Yesterday (February 2) was the Christian holy day, Día de la Candelaria (aka, Candlemas, Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, and Feast of the Purification of the Virgin). In Mexico, tradition calls for families to bring their figurines of niño Dios (baby Jesus) to the church to be blessed.
Niño Dios comes in all sizes — the ones brought to the Church of Guadalupe (north end of Llano Park in Oaxaca) last night, ranged from four inches up to a foot and a half. All were dressed with care, creativity, and attention to detail. They were carried and displayed with obvious pride by both young and old and men and women — though, in truth, mostly women. Several angelic young girls led the procession into the church, while the priest stood in the doorway sprinkling each niño Dios with holy water.
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As mentioned in my Of kings and babies… post, the other (very yummy) aspect of Candelaria in Mexico is the tamale party that follows — tamales courtesy of the person who found a tiny baby Jesus figurine in their slice of Rosca de Reyes. To protect all those who partied hardy after the mass, photos will not be posted of the fiesta I attended. All I will say is the tamales were delicious and wine, mezcal, and hot chocolate flowed freely. Muchisimas gracias to all who made it happen!
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays | Tagged baby Jesus, Candlemas, Church of Guadalupe, Día de Candelaria, Iglesia de Guadalupe, Mexico, Niño Dios, Oaxaca, Rosca de Reyes | 4 Comments »
January 31, 2012 by spixl
The Occupy movement continues… clashes with the Oakland, CA police on Saturday are making headlines. And, when I was in Mexico City two weeks ago, an indignado planton (encampment) was firmly established in front of the domed building that houses the Mexican stock mark. Please note the biblioteca (library).
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I must admit to feeling right at home, as plantons are an almost ubiquitous part of Oaxaca’s zócalo. For more on plantons, David Bacon provides a cross border historical context to the planton/occupy movements in his article, Unions and Immigrants Join Occupy Movements,
Posted in Economics, Labor, Politics, Protests | Tagged David Bacon, encampment, immigrant rights, indignados, labor, Mexico, Mexico City, NAFTA, oakland ca, occupy, Occupy Mexico City, Occupy movements, Occupy Wall Street, plantón, Unions and Immigrants Join Occupy Movements | 1 Comment »
January 29, 2012 by spixl
News of this discovery was posted on Facebook this morning by Sam, my young Zapotec friend from Teotitlán del Valle, who is currently getting his Ph.D. in Sustainable Manufacturing at the University of Liverpool. A global village, it is!
By the way, Santa María Atzompa (mentioned below) is where I experienced a Magical and Mystical October 31st. The article and photo are from today’s, Hispanically Speaking News.
Mexican archaeologists have discovered in the southern part of the country a kiln used by the ancient Zapotecs to make ceramics more than 1,300 years ago, the National Anthropology and History Institute, or INAH, said.
The pre-Columbian kiln was discovered in the Atzompa Archaeological Zone in Oaxaca state, which will be opened to the public this year, INAH said in a communique.
It added that this is one of the best preserved ceramic kilns ever found in the Zapotec area, and noted Oaxaca’s long tradition in making pottery.
According to Wednesday’s communique, the kiln “is a link between the pre-Columbian pottery tradition and the artisanal ceramics currently made in the community of Santa Maria Atzompa, establishing the connection between today’s inhabitants and their ancestors.”
Archaeologist Jaime Vera, head of the excavation, said the kiln “is thought to date back to the first years of the pre-Columbian settlement of the area, in other words, more than 1,300 years ago, which is deduced from the ceramics found with it.”
Another element that allows the kiln to be dated is the depth at which it was found – 2.2 meters (7 feet 2 1/2 inches) – “far below the layer of stucco that covered it, and which corresponds to that era, the archaeologist said, adding that further studies will be made to confirm its antiquity.
It was in the excavation period between March and December 2011 that the kiln was completely uncovered allowing its principal characteristics to be observed: a cylindrical adobe wall and shelves for placing the objects to be fired.
The kiln consists of a cylindrical adobe wall measuring 2.1 meters (6 feet 11 inches) from the surface to the firing shelves arranged in convergent lines toward the center, and a downdraft vent in the lower part approximately 20 centimeters (8 inches) wide,” Vera said.
He said that “while today’s kilns are not identical in dimensions or shelf arrangement, they do perserve certain basic elements and the function as a space for firing ceramics.”
The Atzompa Archaeological Zone, approximately 4 square kilometers (1 1/2 square miles), existed as a small satellite village of the Zapotec city of Monte Alban during the Late Classic period (650 B.C.to 900 B.C.) when the latter’s growing population expanded beyond its boundaries.
The work to provide the Atzompa Archaeological Zone with the necessary infrastructure will continue, since it is one of the pre-Columbian sites that will be opened to the public this year, INAH said.
Posted in Archaeology, Culture, History | Tagged ancient kiln, archaeological zone, archaeology, ceramic kilns, ceramic pottery, INAH, Mexico, Oaxaca, pottery tradition, Santa María Atzompa, Zapotec culture, zapotecs | 5 Comments »
January 28, 2012 by spixl
As you may have gathered, one of the things I love about living down here is the pervasiveness of public art. So, on a recent trip up to Mexico City, it should have come as no surprise to see the city is filled with heroic sculptures and abstract modern pieces, both serious and whimsical, for all to see, contemplate, and enjoy.
Even benches are an excuse to let the creativity flow. (S)he is ready and willing to talk or just listen…
He will provide shelter from the storm OR scorching sun, as the case may be!
When it’s been an upside down kind of day, have a seat here.
Or, on a Sunday, when the Paseo de la Reforma is closed to traffic, you can park your bike and put a song in your heart!
¡Buen día!
Posted in Creativity, Culture | Tagged art, benches, Mexico, Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma, public art | 4 Comments »
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