The marathon that was La Guelaguetza 2019 has been run and not a day too soon for most residents. It was an exhausting and at times grueling two weeks — so much to do and so little time — streets choked with traffic and sidewalks clogged with people. According to state government figures, at its height, hotel occupancy reached 97%, which I’m guessing doesn’t include the growing Airbnb presence.
My participation ended as it began with food and drink — at the 13th annual Feria del Tejate y el Tamal. Fortunately (for me), it’s held at the Plaza de la Danza, only a block away from Casita Colibrí. On July 30 and 31, seventy five women of the Unión de Mujeres Productoras de Tejate de San Andrés Huayapam came to my neighborhood to prepare and pour this prehispanic drink for the thirsty and curious.
Tejate is a labor-intensive frothy, refreshing, nutritious, and (supposedly) aphrodisiacal non-alcoholic beverage made from corn mixed with tree ash, cacao beans, mamey seeds, rosita de cacao (Quararibea funebris) flowers, and peanuts or pecans (depending on the season).
Preparation takes at least twelve hours, as the beans, seeds, flowers, and nuts must be toasted on a comal and corn must be nixtamalized. Ingredients are taken to a molino to be milled, then kneaded together, left to cool, eventually being hand-ground on a metate to make a thick paste — which is then thinned with water and (literally) mixed by hand.
Tejate is traditionally served in brightly painted gourds (jícaras) which fits right in with this year’s effort by the feria organizers to eliminate the use of plastic, in keeping with recent legislation in Oaxaca to prohibit the sale and use of most single use plastic and styrofoam containers. Known as the beverage of the gods, as it was once reserved solely for Zapotec royalty, today tejate is for everybody and is also being made into cookies, ice cream, and nicuatole (traditional Oaxacan corn-based molded dessert).
However, this food fest wasn’t just about tejate. The other headliner of this event was the versatile tamal. Numerous varieties in steaming pots sitting on anafres (portable cooktops) sat behind rows of banquet tables filled with giant serving baskets covered in colorfully embroidered tea towels. Proud cocineras (cooks) listed their offerings and provided free samples to taste-test.
Where to begin? There was a mind-boggling selection of tamales — at least a dozen kinds to choose from. Many are readily available daily at local mercados (of course, each family puts their own unique spin on the basic recipes). However, here in the city, tichinda (fresh water mussel) tamales are rarely seen. I tasted and they were yummy.
My primary goal, when it came to tamales, was “para llevar” (to go) and I came prepared with my own containers. On day 1, I wanted to bring home tamales for the staff who works at my apartment complex and a couple of carpenters who were onsite building door and window screens for a friend’s apartment. I made several rounds of the numerous vendors, studying their offerings (along with their lovely tea towels) and then just dove in! Besides buying a tamal de camaron (shrimp) for myself, I bought a mole verde (chicken with green sauce) and a mole negro (black mole sauce with chicken) for each the crew back home, along with tejate cookies for their dessert!
On day 2, I was in search of tamal de chichilo, made from chilhuacle negro, mulatto, and pasilla chiles; blackened tortillas and seeds of the chiles; and avocado leaves — the latter imparting a subtle anise flavor. It’s one of my favorites and isn’t usually seen in the mercados, as it is usually reserved for special occasions such as weddings and baptisms or when the crops have been harvested.
Besides eating a tamal de chichilo as soon as I returned home and another for dinner last night, six more currently reside in the freezer compartment of my refrigerator. Ahhh, preserving and celebrating the prehispanic riches of tejate and tamales — a couple of reasons why Oaxaca is a food lovers’ paradise.
Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Feria del Tejate y el Tamal, food festival, jícara, Mexico, nicuatole, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, San Andrés Huayapam, San Andrés Huayapan, tamales, tea towels, tejate, types of tamales | 2 Comments »
With dancers and props arrived and prepped and streets blocked to traffic, this past Saturday’s second Guelaguetza Desfile de Delegaciones (Parade of Delegations) set off from Calzada Porfirio Díaz to again wind its way through the city’s streets.
San Carlos Yautepec, Sierra Sur
Santa Catarina Ticuá, Mixteca
San Francisco del Mar, Istmo
Danza de los Rubios – Santiago Juxtlahuaca, Mixteca
Huautla de Jiménez, Cañada
Danza de los Jardineros – San Andrés Zautla, Valles Centrales
Danza de los Diablos – Llano Grande, Mixteca
Loma Bonita, Papaloapan
H. Cd. de Huajuapan de León, Mixteca
Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, Costa
Asunción Ixtaltepec, Istmo
Danza de la Pluma – Teotitlán del Valle, Valles Centrales
Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz, Sierra Sur
Mezcal, pride, and joy were all in abundance!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged costumes, dancers, Desfile de Delegaciones, folklorico, Guelaguetza, Mexico, mezcal, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photos, traje | 2 Comments »
Saturday was a beautiful day for this year’s second Guelaguetza Desfile de Delegaciones. Nothing but sun and blue sky greeted the dancers as they arrived in buses, their large props arrived in trucks, and spectators arrived on foot — as Calzada Porfirio Díaz, north of Niños Heroes was blocked to traffic, except for the aforementioned mentioned official vehicles.
Did I mention, mezcal flowed freely, as dancers fortified themselves and the gathered onlookers? It’s all part of the prep and, by the time the parade began at 6:00 PM sharp, everyone was feeling good and more than ready!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged dancers, Desfile de Delegaciones, El Jolgorio mezcal, Flor de piña dancer, folkloric dancers, Guelaguetza, marmotas, Mexico, monos, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photos, pineapple dancers, popular travel destinations | 2 Comments »
There has been so much happening in Oaxaca, this week seems to have gone by in a colorful blur. It’s already Saturday and the city is gearing up for the second Guelaguetza desfile (parade) of delegations from the eight regions of Oaxaca. And, I realized that I never did cover the first parade last Saturday — other than a single photo in the Snapshots from Oaxaca post of the China Oaxaqueña delegation huddled in the rain. I am happy to report that the storm passed and it didn’t rain on the parade.
Chinas Oaxaqueñas Genova Medina, Valles Centrales
Chinas Oaxaquenas Doña Genova,
Valles Centrales
Ejutla de Crespo, Valles Centrales
San Sebastián Tecomaxtlahuaca, Mixteca
Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, Sierra Norte
San Blas Atempa, Istmo
Putla de Guerrero, Sierra Sur
Tiliches of Putla de Guerrero, Sierra Sur
Chalcatongo de Hidalgo, Mixteca
San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, Papaloapan
San Pedro Pochutla, Costa
Chinas Oaxaqueñas Casilda, Valles Centrales
San Francisco Sola, Sierra Sur
San Felipe Usila, Papaloapan
This wasn’t even all the delegations! Today, a few of the same, plus many more — including “our” Danza de la Pluma guys (and little gals) from Teotitlán del Valle. The sun is shining and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it won’t rain on today’s parade. By the way, they changed the route this year, beginning in Colonia Reforma and ending at Mercado de La Merced — making it longer AND closing Calle Niños Heroes (Carretera Federal 190 — known in the USA as the Pan American Highway) for more than an hour. Glad I wasn’t stuck in that traffic jam!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged costumes, dancers, Desfile de Delegaciones, folklorico, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photos, traje | 5 Comments »
Sunday, I headed up into the clouds for the
19th Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres (Regional Wild Mushroom Fair) in San Antonio Cuajimoloyas. Friends had hired a van and driver to take us on the steep winding climb into the Sierra Norte. An hour and a half after we left the city, we arrived at our destination, 10,433 feet above sea level. Cuajimoloyas has an ethereal feel and seems like a world apart from the valley below.
Baskets of fresh mushrooms with shiny orange caps and mushrooms resembling coral, trumpets, cauliflower, and flower petals beckoned. And the aroma of grilled mushrooms, mushroom tamales, mushroom empanadas, and chile relleno stuffed with mushrooms stimulated the appetite.
There were dried mushrooms in bulk and in little cellophane baggies for purchase.
Mushrooms aren’t the only produce the region is known for — delicious apples and new potatoes are grown in these chilly mountains.
And, there there were local crafts for sale and a couple of kinds of mezcal to taste (and buy).
I came home with apples, potatoes, a bottle of the lovely
A Medios Chiles mezcal made from the wild Jabalí agave, and 30 grams of dried mushrooms. While the mushrooms weren’t of the “magic” variety, the experience certainly was!
“Mushrooms were the roses in the garden of that unseen world, because the real mushroom plant was underground. The parts you could see – what most people called a mushroom – was just a brief apparition. A cloud flower.” ―
Margaret Atwood, The Year of the Flood
Posted in Agriculture, Culture, Flora, Food, food festival, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism | Tagged apples, Fairs, Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres, food, hongos, Margaret Atwood quote, Mexico, mushrooms, Oaxaca photos, popular travel destinations, potatoes, quotations, San Antonio Cuajimoloyas, Wild Mushroom Festival | 10 Comments »
It’s Guelaguetza time in Oaxaca… so many festivals, parades, and food festivals. However, not so much time to blog.
July 18, 2019 – Olga Cabrera (Tierra del Sol) and Carina Santiago (Tierra Antigua) following their mole demonstrations.
July 19, 2019 – Festival del los Moles at the Jardín Etnobotánico.
July 20, 2019 – Mariachi concert at Hotel Las Golandrinas, in honor of founders, Señor and Señora Velasco.
July 20, 2019 – Gathering, in the rain, of one of the China Oaxaca delegations at the Guelaguetza desfile.
July 21, 2019 – Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres (wild mushroom festival) in Cuajimoloyas, in the Sierra Norte.
So much fun and so much more to do! Stay tuned…
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, food festival, People, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Carina Santiago, China Oaxaqueñas, Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres, Festival de los Moles, Guelaguetza desfile, Hotel las Golondrinas, mariachis, Mexico, Oaxaca, Olga Cabrera, photos, San Antonio Cuajimoloyas, Wild Mushroom Festival | 5 Comments »
Yesterday, friends from California invited me to accompany them on one of their favorite pastimes — going to the source for artisanal mezcal. At our first stop, the palenque of Félix Ángeles Arellanes, Mezcal El Minerito, we were just in time to watch the beginning of the process of cooking the agave piñas.
The art of making mezcal at the palenque, Mezcal El Minerito.
Piling river rocks onto the red and white hot coals in the earthen pit that functions as the horno (oven).
Covering the rocks with bagaso (recycled crushed agave fibers).
Putting the long tobasiche agave piñas into the oven.
Adding the more rounded jabalí and tobalá piñas.
Topping it off with more tobasiche piñas.
Covering the piñas with more bagaso.
Félix’s sons worked nonstop — an hour and fifteen minutes from the time of the first photo, they covered the mound with tarps to enclose the oven. Though we didn’t see it, I suspect this was then sealed with soil.
Félix pours the “Nectar of the Gods” — a multilayered and complex artisanal mezcal.
Nothing like being at the right place at the right time. And, yes, we not only watched, we tasted and we bought!
Posted in Agriculture, Beverages, Culture, Flora, People, Travel & Tourism | Tagged agave, bagaso, Félix Ángeles Arellanes, maguey, Mexico, mezcal, Mezcal El Minerito, mezcaleros, Oaxaca, Palenque, photos, Santa Catarina Minas | 11 Comments »
I returned to Teotitlán del Valle late Friday afternoon to view the convite of of unmarried women of the village and Grupo de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021 danzantes (dancers) process through town — an invitation to further festivities honoring La Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Though that wasn’t the only activity on my agenda; I would be spending the weekend with my amiga K, who was house-sitting for another amiga N. It would be a weekend in the countryside for this city gal!
I arrived late afternoon on Friday…
Canastas (baskets) lined up in front awaiting the procession under the gaze of the sacred mountain, El Picacho.
Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de Pluma 2019-21 arriving in front of the church, waiting to process.
Guys who launch the cohetes (all bang, no bling rockets) announcing the procession.
The convite begins — unmarried women of Teotitlán del Valle carrying the aforementioned canastas (baskets).
Saturday…
Early morning view of the campo in Teotitlán del Valle.
Encounter with a bull while walking back to the house.
Returning to the church to watch the late afternoon performance of the Danza de la Pluma.
Following the Danza de la Pluma, late night watching the toritos, castillo, and fireworks in front of the church.
Sunday…
During mass, shopping baskets parked in the church atrium.
Off to market day in Tlacolula de Matamoros. The upside down St. Peter encountered in the Señor de Tlacolula chapel.
Taekwondo competition in front of the municipal buildings in Tlacolula de Matamoros.
Returning to Teotitlán del Valle, still life in front of the sacred mountain, El Picacho, seen while walking back to the church in the afternoon.
Final Danza de la Pluma performance in the church atrium at the 2019 Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo.
It was a lively, delicious, and exhausting weekend. Did I mention, I walked an average of 4.5 miles per day? Wouldn’t have missed it for the world! Muchisimas gracias to all who made it an unforgettable weekend!
Posted in Animals, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism | Tagged baskets, canastas, convite, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, fireworks, Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021, livestock, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Saint Peter, Taekwondo, Teotitlán del Valle, Tierra Antigua, Tlacolula de Matamoros | 2 Comments »
Yesterday, Teotitlán del Valle’s new Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021 did battle, not only with Cortes, but also with the wind — which grabbed their penachos/coronas/headdresses like sails, challenging their balance, intricate footwork, and Busby Berkeley-like choreography.
Moctezuma holding on to his penacho/corona/headdress
Danzantes holding on to their penachos/coronas/headdress
Danzante appealing to the gods to stop the wind?
Throughout the day, wind continued to challenge the danzantes
Grasping their penachos/coronas/headdresses, Moctezuma, his warriors, and allied kings kept to their feet
The danzantes of Teotitlán del Valle didn’t miss a step at this most important festival day honoring the patron saint of their village, La Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Alas, the wind didn’t bring much needed rain to this agricultural community.
Stay tuned, the festivities continue for another three days.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Dance of the Feathers, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021, Mexico, Moctezuma, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle | 5 Comments »
Oaxaca is filling with tourists as “Julio, Mes de la Guelaguetza” (July, month of the Guelaguetza) is upon us — a time when Oaxaca recognizes and celebrates the sixteen indigenous groups whose languages, traditions, and rich cultures long predate the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors (both military and religious) and permeate the character of the state.
San Francisco Sola delegation – Guelaguetza July 28, 2018 desfile
Every year more parades, food and artisan fairs, concerts, and regional Guelaguetzas are added. Drawing both foreigners and nationals, it has become THE major tourist attraction for Oaxaca. [Click on images to enlarge]
While the streets are filled with a party atmosphere and those who can afford the high-priced tickets are treated to a true spectacle — fabulous views, colorful costumes, music and dance — people question how the indigenous communities (over 50% of the state’s population and some of its poorest) actually benefit.
San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec delegation – Guelaguetza July 21, 2018 desfile
The dancers are not professional dancers, are not paid to perform, and most must travel from villages hours and hours away.
July 22, 2018 morning
July 22, 2018 evening
They do it for the love of their villages, pride in their heritage, and to share a little of their traditions with the world outside their communities — and I can’t help but be swept along in the joy and moved by their dedication.
Chinas Oaxaqueñas Genoveva Medina delegation – Guelaguetza July 28, 2018 desfile
To support their communities, I strongly recommend you do your shopping at the craft fairs in the city and visit the indigenous villages — buy directly from the artisans or shops that can show provenance.
July 29, 2019 morning
July 29, 2019 evening
The above four Guelaguetza performances, along with Donají, La Leyenda (tragic legend of the love between a Zapotec princess and a Mixtec prince — it doesn’t end well, but her face graces the official shield of the city of Oaxaca de Juárez) are usually shown live on CORTV — both on their television station and their YouTube channel.
Putla Villa de Guerrero delegation – Guelaguetza July 28, 2018 desfile
Friends are arriving and my calendar is rapidly filling. Perhaps I’ll run into you at a regional Guelaguetza, at one of the desfiles in the city, the Festival de los Moles, the Feria de Hongos Silvestres in Cuajimoloyas, the Expo Feria Artesanal, the Feria del Tejate y Tamal, or at any one of the scores of other events happening here in July!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Exhibitions, food festival, Music, Textiles, Travel & Tourism | Tagged calendar of events, costumes, dance, Desfile de Delegaciones, folklorico, Guelaguetza, List of delegations, Live streaming, Mexico, Oaxaca, Parade of Delegations, photos, popular travel destinations, traje | 2 Comments »
While Juana was wrapping the branches and trunk of my newly acquired hat stand (my aforementioned decade-in-Oaxaca anniversary present to myself), I wandered around Matlacihua Arte. My eyes and feet kept drawing me to a back corner of the showroom where a lamp, assembled from three intricately carved and painted jícara gourds, beckoned.
It is the work of Gabriel Sosa Ortega, the son of Jesus and Juana. Working in a variety of mediums, Gabriel is one of the up and coming talented young artists being recognized in the state. He was part of the Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art (FOFA) exhibition of young artists at the Museo Estatal de Arte Popular Oaxaca (MEAPO) and he collaborated with Jesus Sosa Calvo (his father) and US-based artist Joe Lewis in a piece for the Bajo la bóveda azul cobalto/Under the Cobalt Blue Sky — an exhibition of international collaboration at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO).
Gabriel’s lamp made me an offer I couldn’t refuse!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism | Tagged artesania, decorative gourds, Gabriel Sosa Ortega, jícara, lamps, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, San Martín Tilcajete | 12 Comments »
As of today, it has been ten years since I, accompanied by two suitcases and a backpack, arrived to begin making lemonade out of lemons by moving to Oaxaca. And, in case you haven’t guessed, I haven’t regretted it for a minute. Oaxaca, how do I love thee? There are too many ways to count! However, being embraced by the warm and welcoming arms of Oaxaqueños and being surrounded by art, culture, and history are at the top of my list. So, what better way to celebrate the past ten years than to commission a piece of functional art — a hat stand — from the San Martín Tilcaje workshop of Jesus Sosa Calvo.
Juana Vicente Ortega Fuentes and Jesus Sosa Calvo with my new hat stand.
Sunday, blogger buddy Chris and I pointed his little Jetta towards San Martín Tilcajete to pick it up.
Front
Back
When I discussed the piece with Jesus, my only instructions to him were that he incorporate hummingbirds (colibries, en español) in the design — and he certainly did! (Click on images to enlarge.)
The initial plan had been for the hat rack to reside in my bedroom. However, it was way too beautiful not live near the entrance to Casita Colibrí, for all visitors to see.
My new piece of functional art already looks at home in Casita Colibrí.
Muchisimas gracias to Oaxaca and her people for enriching my life for the past ten years. Here is to many more!!!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism | Tagged artesania, Casita Colibrí, hat stand, Jésus Sosa Calvo, Matlacihua Arte, Mexico, Oaxaca, perchero, photos, San Martín Tilcajete, tree stand, wood carving | 23 Comments »
On my way to the supermarket this morning, look what I came upon in the Plaza de la Danza. The candidates vying to become Diosa Centéotl, the fertility goddess of corn who presides over July’s Guelaguetza festival, were rehearsing the blocking for this evening’s first stage of the competition.
Down the stairs of the Plaza de la Danza they processed to the solemn sound of the Himno a la Diosa Centéotl.
According to the Secretaría de las Culturas y Artes de Oaxaca (Seculta), this year there are 43 women, all over 18 years old, hoping to be the one selected.
Onto the stage to their assigned seats, where, cued by the director, they each, in turn, practiced walking up to the microphone.
Representing the regions of the state, twelve are from the Central Valleys, eleven from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, six from the Sierra Sur, five from the Mixteca, four from the Papaloapan, four from the Coast, and one from the Cañada.
Accompanied by their shadows, they climbed the stairway to the stars to start all over again.
Tonight’s competition begins at 6:00 PM, when each participant will talk about the myths and legends, gastronomy, traditions, and tourist attractions in their village. The second stage of the competition begins tomorrow (June 30, 2019) at 11:00 AM.
(ps) This is not only a venue change, the date of the competition was moved up almost three weeks — perhaps to have Diosa Centéotl preside over more of the Guelaguetza’s ancillary events.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture | Tagged competition, corn goddess, costumes, Diosa Centéotl, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, Plaza de la Danza, popular travel destinations, rehearsal | 4 Comments »
Summer showers bring more flowers.
Night blooming cereus on the terrace of Casita Colibrí
Flamboyán at Tierra Antigua, Teotitlán del Valle
Hibiscus at the home of Edmundo Montaño and Alicia Lorenzo, Teotitlán del Valle
Beauty and blessings brought to the land and people of Oaxaca by Cocijo.
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Flamboyán trees, flower of the day, flowers, hibiscus, Mexico, Night Blooming Cereus, Oaxaca, photos, Teotitlán del Valle, Tierra Antigua | 7 Comments »
Ahhh… While in el norte, along with Sunday scenes in Tlacolula, I missed sights like this.
Seen on Matamoros between Crespo and Tinoco y Palacios in Oaxaca. Signed by @Mortales333
Posted in Creativity, Culture | Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, stencil art, street art, wall art | 2 Comments »
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