February 28, 2012 by spixl
Last night I joined a standing-room-only crowd for the book launch of Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular de Oaxaca (Grand Masters of Folk Art of Oaxaca) at the Centro Académico y Cultural San Pablo, in Oaxaca city. This beautiful 340+ page book was the joint effort of the Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú, Fomento Cultural Banamex, the State of Oaxaca, and CONACULTA (National Council for Culture and the Arts).
The press was there in full force, as was governor Gabino Cue, benefactor Alfredo Harp Helu, and a number of other movers and shakers on Oaxaca’s cultural scene. Many of the artisans were also in attendance and several posed for photographs holding their copy of the book at the reception that followed.
One of the artisans who was not there was the late potter, Dolores Porras from Santa María Atzompa, as Parkinson’s disease had claimed her on November 1, 2010. Four pages in the book are devoted to this maestra of pottery and her pioneering work with glazes. Examples of her work can be seen all around Oaxaca, including these scattered in the garden at the hotel, Las Golondrinas.
Her work has inspired imitation, but as is evident in these pieces, her whimsy, creativity, and sense of proportion would be difficult to match.
I want to thank potter Michael Peed for pointing out these hidden treasures…
following a showing of his loving documentary, Dolores Porras: Artista Artesana de Barro Santa María Atzompa. (Click here for an excerpt on YouTube.)
And then there is this one, I discovered on my own, the very next day — on a bathroom shelf, no less — at Casa Linda…
Posted in Books, Creativity, Culture, People | Tagged bo, book launch, ceramicist, documentary, Dolores Porras, Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular de Oaxaca, Mexico, Michael Peed, Oaxaca | 1 Comment »
February 26, 2012 by spixl
Sunset last night…
as it unfolded.
Sometimes, looking south is the best!
Posted in Nature & Science, Weather | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, sunset | Leave a Comment »
February 26, 2012 by spixl
Just the thought of introducing genetically modified corn and the chemicals it requires into Oaxaca, where maíz has been cultivated (Just fine, thank you very much!) for thousands of years makes me sad and angry. Education is growing, opposition is mounting, and alternatives to the profits-before-people-and-the-environment Monsantos of this world are being set up. By the way, “agroecology” is a new word for me… and I like it!
From the February 20, 2012 Nation of Change…
Native Farmers in Mexico Help Drive Local Eco-Friendly Farming
By Emilio Godoy
The largely invisible work of small local groups of indigenous farmers in Mexico who are spearheading the defense of their territory and identity and of native seeds is strengthening ecologically sound family farming, experts say.
“For thousands of years, indigenous people have been responsible for developing agricultural biodiversity,” Narciso Barrera, a researcher at the public Autonomous University of Tlaxcala in southern Mexico, told IPS. “However, these efforts remain basically invisible, and they should be highlighted and linked with other local movements.”
Since 2000, Barrera has worked on mapping Mexican political ecology, a discipline that studies the relationships between political, economic and social factors and environmental issues and changes.
<snip>
“Agroecology is the key, because it encompasses social aspects, education, economics and farming practices,” said Barrera, who has published the results of his studies in the Spanish journal Papeles de Relaciones Ecosociales y Cambio Global (Papers on Eco Social Relations and Global Change).
I encourage you to read the full article.
Posted in Agriculture, Environment, Food | Tagged agriculture, Agroecology, Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, corn, cultivation, eco-friendly, family farming, farming, farming practices, indigenous farmers, indigenous peoples, maíz, maize, Mexico, nation of change, native seeds, Oaxaca, organic, political ecology | 1 Comment »
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 »
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