I don’t have words to express “being” last night in the Panteón of Santa María Atzompa…
Feeling so incredibly privileged.
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays | Tagged cemetery, Day of the Dead, Días de Muerto, Mexico, Oaxaca, panteón, photographs, photos, Santa María Atzompa | 2 Comments »
Pan de muerto is the traditional Days of the Dead sweet yeast bread. It is decorated and placed on ofrendas (altars), along with candles, flowers, fruit, pictures, mementos, other foodstuffs, and beverages, as offerings to the departed.
The intricately decorated pan de muerto are from the Tlacolula Valley, and reference the geometric designs and mosaic fretwork found in the archeological sites in and around Mitla, a photo of which I’m using as browser background on this blog.
Posted in Celebrations, Food, Holidays, Religion | Tagged Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Días de Muerto, dead bread, Mexico, Mitla, Oaxaca, ofrenda, pan de muerto | 2 Comments »
The tapetes de arena are finished and cover the stone flooring of the Plaza de la Danza. Always difficult to photograph, the following are an experiment in cropping.
Centro de Educación Artística Miguel Cabrera
Casa de Cultura de Tlacolula de Matamoros
Escuela de Bellas Artes de la Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca
Several other organizations participated and among the unsigned are tapetes de arena from Casa de las Artesanías de Oaxaca, Sociedad Civil de Maestros Oaxaqueños del Arte Popular, and Grupo Colectivo Camaleón.
Walk with us…
And for those in el norte…
A happy and safe Halloween!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Holidays, Parks & Plazas | Tagged Day of the Dead, Días de Muerto, Mexico, Oaxaca, Plaza de la Danza, sand paintings, tapetes de arena | 3 Comments »
The crescent moon keeps a watchful eye over the sand paintings in the Plaza de la Danza, by day…
and by night…
Posted in Creativity, Nature & Science, Parks & Plazas | Tagged La Luna, Mexico, Moon, Oaxaca, painting, Plaza de la Danza | Leave a Comment »
Work on the Días de Muerto tapetes de arena (sand paintings) began this morning…
By the way, this year they are in the Plaza de la Danza and, as I write, the music of the Orchestra Infantil Libertad (a children’s orchestra) is serenading the completed tapetes de arena, the audience gathered at the Plaza de la Danza, and yours truly, sitting comfortably at her desk.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Exhibitions, Holidays, Parks & Plazas | Tagged Day of the Dead, Días de Muerto, Mexico, Oaxaca, Plaza de la Danza, sand paintings, tapetes de arena | Leave a Comment »
Tourists are arriving by planes, buses, and automobiles.
The streets, hotels, restaurants, and shops of Oaxaca are filling for los Días de Muertos. Hopefully, before they depart…
…they will spread a little wealth; and, when they return to their homes, they will sing Oaxaca’s praises. Alas, their comings and goings won’t be by train. Passenger train service is no more and the old railroad station opened as the Museo del Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur in 2003.
And that is where you will find this shapely resident, as you come and go.
Posted in Culture, Museums | Tagged Mexico, Museo del Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur, Oaxaca, railroad museum | 1 Comment »
Apparently, the end result of much of the work noted in my Día de la Raza post is the difference between day…
and night…
As fellow blogger Chris revealed, the word around town is… Let there be light!
Posted in Churches, Labor | Tagged construction workers, Iglesia de San José, Mexico, Oaxaca | 3 Comments »
Decorations have begun going up around town and, at this time of year, La Olla offers the complete dining experience…
A warm welcome from the hostess.
Waiters standing ready to take your order.
And, una mariposa hanging out, ready to wish you “¡buen provecho!”
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Holidays, Religion, Restaurants | Tagged Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Días de Muertos, decorations, La Olla, Mexico, Oaxaca, restaurants, skeletons | 1 Comment »
6 AM this morning, I awoke to fireworks and riotously clanging church bells coming from the cathedral, calling my attention to the October 23rd annual fiesta of Señor del Rayo. Like Guelaguetza, Noche de Rabanós (Night of the Radishes), and Día de la Samaritana (Good Samaritan Day), it is an “only in Oaxaca” celebration.
This image of Christ on the Cross was brought to Oaxaca during the 16th century. It was placed in the temple of San Juan de Dios, a church which had adobe walls and a straw (or possibly wood) roof. Legend has it that lightning struck the church and everything was destroyed, save for this statue. Un milagro!
The statue became known as Señor del Rayo (Lord of Lightning), eventually was moved to his own chapel in the newly built cathedral, and has been much venerated ever since. However, on October 21, in anticipation of his special day, the statue is moved to the main altar of the cathedral, the cathedral is filled with lilies (the scent “breathtaking”), and the faithful flock to pray before Señor del Rayo.
Flowers are daily sprayed with water, to keep them fresh… BUT, as the signs say, please do not uproot and carry them away.
Posted in Celebrations, Churches | Tagged Catedral de Oaxaca, flowers, lilies, Mexico, Oaxaca, Señor del Rayo | 2 Comments »
Another brilliant blue sky day…
But where did that purple, white, and red flag on top of Santo Domingo de Guzmán come from???
Posted in Churches, Weather | Tagged flags, Mexico, Oaxaca, Santo Domingo de Guzmán | Leave a Comment »
Hmmm, no rain for a week, cool nights, and warm, clear blue-sky days. Even concrete boxes beg for a photo…
Posted in Neighborhoods, Weather | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca | 3 Comments »
Strolling up Macedonio Alcalá on Sunday, I stumbled on an exhibit and workshop being set up in the middle of this walking street, courtesy of Puntos de Encuentro, Primer Festival de Artes Visuales Oaxaca 2011 (Meeting Points, the First Visual Arts Festival, Oaxaca 2011).
Reason number ??? (I’ve lost count) why I love Oaxaca!!!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, Primer Festival de Artes Visuales Oaxaca 2011, Puntos de Encuentro, visual arts | Leave a Comment »
October 16 is World Food Day, as declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. A headline from the front page of today’s Noticias announces, Oaxaca: 77%, con hambre, meaning 77% of the Oaxacan population have problems with receiving adequate nutrition.
The article further explains that according to the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition (INNSZ), at 34%, Oaxaca is the Mexican state with the highest rate of child malnutrition. The consequences are children who suffer from iron deficiency anemia, fatigue, apathy, extreme thinness, spots on the face, breathing problems, infections, and diarrhea.
Update: A couple more articles…
Posted in Health | Tagged hunger, Mexico, Oaxaca, World Food Day | 2 Comments »
A Global Day of Action, in solidarity with Occupy Wall St. has been called for tomorrow, October 15. According to a current tally, demonstrations will be held in 950+ US cities and 80+ countries, the latter including Mexico City. Who knows what will unfold in Oaxaca, where occupations, marches, and road blocks are an almost daily event.
Confession: This is personal… I’m one of the 99% and lost my job as a result of the economic collapse brought about by the voracious, unconscionable, and unbridled greed of US capitalism. Heck, even in my old ‘hood, more than 200 ‘Occupy Marin’ protesters demonstrated in front of Bank of America a few days ago. It’s one of the few times, I wish I was still in El Norte, so I could participate.
BTW, the poster art and slogans coming out of this movement are awesome! Take a look at the following sites:
- http://www.gstrike.org
- http://15october.net/spread-it/#posters
- http://www.buzzfeed.com/fjelstud/the-best-signs-from-occupy-wall-street
If you don’t hear us, can you see us???
Posted in Labor, Politics, Protests | Tagged Global Day of Action, Mexico City, Occupy Wall Street, poster art | 4 Comments »
Today is Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) in Mexico. A stroll around town revealed…
Like almost everyday in Oaxaca, La Raza are working incredibly hard!
Posted in History, Holidays, People | Tagged Día de la Raza, Mexico, Oaxaca, workers | 3 Comments »
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