Seating for twenty-two has been scavenged from around the apartment complex, tables (three of which are borrowed) are covered with oilcloth and set with plastic cutlery, cranberry sauce has been made, stock for gravy is simmering on the stove top, and the turkey has been stuffed and is currently roasting in my little oven.
Turkey sellers on market day in Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca – Oct. 26, 2014.
Neighbors, a former neighbor, and the latter’s Oaxaqueño coworkers will be bringing another turkey, more stuffing, potatoes (mashed and sweet), pumpkin pies, and beverages. Now to put together a playlist which, naturally, will include Arlo Guthrie’s, Alice’s Restaurant Alice’s Restaurant Massacree — a turkey day family tradition since 1967.
Inevitably our guests will ask, “So what exactly does Thanksgiving celebrate?” Do we continue to pass along the myth or do we explain the inconvenient truth, “that the first official Thanksgiving Day celebrated the massacre of 700 Indian men, women and children during one of their religious ceremonies.”
Then there is the question, “How is this holiday celebrated in the USA?” The following holiday rituals will no doubt be described: Many televisions will be tuned to the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade of giant balloons and traditional turkey day football (North American) games. And, as soon as the last piece of pie has been eaten, growing numbers people will be racing to the nearest shopping mall or computer to take advantage of early-bird “Black Friday” pre-Christmas sales.
However, in between the above, there is always dining table conversation — catching-up stories, old and new jokes, loving reminiscences, and the occasional arguments over politics and/or religion. But, as the folks at the Presente.org Team wrote in an email to their subscribers this morning, for Latinos in the USA, “Thanksgiving dinner might be hard when you’re sitting across the table from a loved one who was left out of the President’s executive action. When the subject comes up, don’t drown your sorrows in a bottomless pitcher of gravy. We created a graphic to help you have that tricky conversation.”
Besides my wonderful family, friends, and blog readers, I am extremely grateful to be a guest in a country where, amidst the beauty and warmth of its people and land, it’s almost impossible to ignore awkward and difficult truths. ¡Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias a tod@s!
Remember yesterday’s Thought for the day clowns? Yikes, I just discovered I’d photographed them two weeks ago outside Estadio Eduardo Vasconcelos (baseball stadium) on my way home from the Lluvia de Estrellas charity home run derby and softball game. Seeing the boy’s San Francisco Giants’ baseball cap, I had to stop them and take a photo.
By the way, I was also wearing my SF Giant’s cap and they got a big kick out of that. Gotta love this place!
Today is the 104th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. However, there is no joy; most of Mexico is in mourning for the missing 43 students and the anger is building. In Mexico City the military parade and celebrations will be moved from the Zócalo to a military installation in the Polanco neighborhood. A mass protest march will replace it.
Zócalo, Oaxaca de Juárez – Nov. 17, 2014
The country’s attention is focused on today’s Global Day of Action for Ayotzinapa. Many will wear black today to mourn the loss of students, journalists, and others to violence in Mexico. It is indeed a global event; Greek students have posted a video in support of the missing students and their families. They will be Standing in Solidarity in Salinas (California) and in at least 115 other cities around the world. And, in Oaxaca, among many other events, at 4 PM there will be a Festival Por la Vida at Santo Domingo, one of 231 actions listed on a Facebook page.
The Caravana de Ayotzinapa, one of three caravans by the parents and supporters of the missing 43 students from the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, is scheduled to arrive in Oaxaca tomorrow morning (Nov. 17). A procession from the crucero at Trinidad de Viguera to the zócalo in Oaxaca is scheduled to begin at 9 AM. Given the prohibition against foreigners participating in political activity, as much as I would like to be there, I’ll be sticking close to home.
However, for my friends in the USA, check out photographer and writer Tim Porter’s article, #43; there are demonstrations coming to a city near you. Tim is a frequent visitor to Oaxaca and, for my Marin peeps, his articles and photographs regularly appear in Marin Magazine.
Along with about 25+ other people from the Oaxaca Garden Club, I made my way to an orchid garden in San Andrés Huayapam.
What a treasure the privately funded, Orquideario “La Encantada” is! For owner/gardener/collector, Octavio Gabriel, it is a 40+ year old passion and labor of love — and it shows.
The earthen pathways lead one up and down, through dappled light, along the slopes of a babbling brook. The orquideario is sanctuary to about 1,200 species of orchids, along with companion epiphytes, ferns, bromeliads, and even a bamboo forest.
Orquideario “La Encantada” is located at the end of a dirt road off to the right, about 1 km beyond the presas (reservoirs), towards the village of San Andrés Huayapam.
The 100 pesos admission fee helps finance the orquideario. I plan to return! Octavio Gabriel’s book, Algunas Orquideas de Oaxaca is available to purchase for 350 pesos.
When it seems as if we are surrounded by fear, hatred, and violence, it’s good to step back, look around, and remind ourselves that there is also generosity, love, and beauty in this world. And so I give you my exquisite new mohair tapete (rug), custom woven for me by Antonio Ruiz Gonzalez. It turned out even more beautiful than I imagined!
Here is Antonio (on the left) in front of my new rug with his delightful family, including his brother Sergio (on the right) — from whom I’ve bought several small tapetes. More about the latter, later! Should you find yourself in Teotitlán del Valle, do stop by the family workshop (Av. Juárez No. 107), where Antonio, Sergio, and their father Zacarías weave their magic.
A beautiful photo montage and song by Arturo Leyva honoring the 43 students of the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero.
The video uses some of the #IlustradoresConAyotzinapa illustrations, paintings, and embroidery by Mexican designers, artists, and artisans ofthe faces of the43student teachers of Ayotzinapa.
In addition, journalist París Martínez has developed profiles of the 43 disappeared students by talking with their families and friends.
Tomorrow, it will be 43 days since the 43 students at the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero went missing. Images of the missing are being posted online and on walls.
Oaxaca, along with the rest of Mexico, is heartbroken and outraged that her sons have not been found. “We are not sheep to be killed whenever they feel like it” Emiliano Navarrete, father of one of the missing students, declared following a meeting with Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto.
As the brilliant Día de los Muertos colors of cempasúchil (marigolds), cresta de gallo (celosia or cockscomb), and roses began to fade, a massive march, led by the parents of the missing, filled the streets of Mexico City on November 5.
… where a beautiful poem, simply entitled “Ayotzinapa,” fills one of the walls of the courtyard.
Ayotzinapa
Mordemos la sombra Y en la sombra Aparecen los muertos Como luces y frutos Como vasos de sangre Como piedras de abismo Como ramas y frondas De dulces vísceras
Los muertos tienen manos
Empapadas de angustia Y gestos inclinados En el sudario del viento Los muertos llevan consigo Un dolor insaciable
Esto es el país de las fosas Señoras y señores Este es el país de los aullidos Este es el país de los niños en llamas Este es el país de las mujeres martirizadas Este es el país que ayer apenas existía Y ahora no se sabe dónde quedó
Estamos perdidos entre bocanadas De azufre maldito Y fogatas arrasadoras Estamos con los ojos abiertos Y los ojos los tenemos llenos De cristales punzantes
Estamos tratando de dar Nuestras manos de vivos A los muertos y a los desaparecidos Pero se alejan y nos abandonan Con un gesto de infinita lejanía
El pan se quema Los rostros se queman arrancados De la vida y no hay manos Ni hay rostros Ni hay país
Solamente hay una vibración Tupida de lágrimas Un largo grito Donde nos hemos confundido Los vivos y los muertos
Quien esto lea debe saber Que fue lanzado al mar de humo De las ciudades Como una señal del espíritu roto
Quien esto lea debe saber también Que a pesar de todo Los muertos no se han ido Ni los han hecho desaparecer
Que la magia de los muertos Está en el amanecer y en la cuchara En el pie y en los maizales En los dibujos y en el río
Demos a esta magia La plata templada De la brisa
Entreguemos a los muertos A nuestros muertos jóvenes El pan del cielo La espiga de las aguas El esplendor de toda tristeza La blancura de nuestra condena El olvido del mundo Y la memoria quebrantada De todos los vivos
Ahora mejor callarse Hermanos Y abrir las manos y la mente Para poder recoger del suelo maldito Los corazones despedazados De todos los que son Y de todos Los que han sido
David Huerta
2 de noviembre de 2014. Oaxaca
Update: Just hours after posting this, the worst has been announced. According to Mexico’s attorney general, “The 43 Mexican students who disappeared near Iguala, in southern Mexico in September, were kidnapped by police on order of the mayor, and turned over to a gang that killed them and burned their bodies before throwing the remains in a river….” — CNN
I can’t even begin to imagine the pain the parents must be feeling with the knowledge of the suffering and brutality their sons endured. I am so sad and tears are welling up. I think I will just let them fall…
If it’s November 2nd, it must be morning muerteada madness in San Agustín Etla . A few faces in the crowd from the Barrio San José contingent…
These guys had been dancing through the streets all night. Cervesa seemed to be the beverage of choice this morning, though, bottles of clear liquid was also being passed around — and I’m sure it wasn’t water!
Had to snap this guy — not only was his makeup gory and great, he topped it off with a San Francisco 49er cap.
And, then there was this boy… As with all the traditions here, children observe, learn, and participate at a very young age.
As a treat for residents and visitors during the Muertos festivities, last night and tonight, the City of Oaxaca is presenting, “Manjares de Todos Santos” — a video mapping light and sound show at Santo Domingo de Guzmán and the Basílica de la Soledad. Last night was a mob scene at Santo Domingo, so we opted for Soledad, where we had a ringside seat.
Visits to mercados in the city and Tlacolula have been made. Along with mandarinas and manzanas, cempasuchil and cresta de gallo have been purchased.
Pan de muerto has been selected…
A calaverita has been chosen…
Mezcal and water have been poured, dishes of chocolate and salt prepared, candles brought out, and photos of departed family and friends and a few of their favorite things have been collected. Yesterday, it was time to prepare my ofrenda.
As dusk descended, friends gathered; the candles and copal were lit…
And we offered our silent — and sometimes not so silent — prayers to the baseball spirits to bring victory to the San Francisco Giants in game 7 of the World Series.
The spirits listened!!! Thinking of you, grandpa….
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 