October 22, 2012 by spixl
For lovers of textiles and Mexico, the latest online issue of the magazine, HAND/EYE (love the title!), has a terrific interview with friend and textile designer/collector/researcher, Sheri Brautigam. The article, Documenting the Lives of Textiles, covers a wide range of topics, including preservation and revival of traditions and concerns re traditional versus modern designs. As would be expected, given the subject matter, it includes lots of photos!
BY Annie Waterman | October 10, 2012
Courtesy of Sheri Brautigam
An Interview with Sheri Brautigam
Textile expert, Sheri Brautigam, shares with HAND/EYE Online, her experience as a documenter of “living” indigenous textiles.
HAND/EYE: How did you first find yourself in Mexico and documenting “living” indigenous textiles?
Sheri Brautigam: I went to the university in Mexico City in the 60’s and that was the beginning of my lifelong relationship and many in-depth experiences with Mexico. This time, I was training Mexican English teachers through the English Language fellowship with the U.S. State Department—sort of like the English Teachers’ Peace Corps. My location was in a small town in the State of Mexico—Atlacomulco, surrounded by many different indigenous villages. When I went to a nearby village Mazahua ‘Saints Day’ festival and saw the amazing garments the ladies were wearing, I started my documentation.
H/E: How did you first get into becoming a researcher/ textile collector?
SB: I had a textiles design studio (surface design textiles) in San Francisco for about 18 years, so I had been collecting world textiles since the 1960s. That was when they were readily available from world travelers. I have loved and been involved with textiles most of my life and always want to know how these beautiful things are made … and now in Mexico, it’s even more exciting to see them in context.
H/E: What sort of future do you predict for the world of traditional textiles? What changes have you noticed over the years?
SB: I’m very hopeful that many traditional Mexican textiles will survive and become even finer. This I have seen in Oaxaca and Chiapas. When appreciation comes from the outside world and the artisans can earn money, they have an incentive to keep producing. The more money they can earn from superior work also encourages some artisans with higher skills to train their children. The more affluent indigenous people become, the more pride they have in their own culture and the continuation of their textile traditions.
Certainly some of the indigenous will leave their village and go to the towns and cities to work and wear jeans and t-shirts—but when they come home they will wear a huipil for the feast day. It’s their cultural identity.
Click HERE to read full article.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Textiles, Travel & Tourism | Tagged Annie Waterman, Chiapas, Documenting the Lives of Textiles, HAND/EYE, indigenous peoples, indigenous textiles, Mexico, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, Sheri Brautigam, textiles, traje | Leave a Comment »
October 20, 2012 by spixl
I’ve got my eye on you…
I’m praying for you…
You just never know who might be looking over your shoulder.
Días de los Muertos are coming…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged calaveras, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Días de Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, skeletons, stencils, Virgen de Guadalupe, Virgin of Guadalupe, wall art | Leave a Comment »
October 18, 2012 by spixl
At long last, and with not much fanfare, the Atzompa archeological site is open to the public!
The winding road, cut into the side of the mountain, has been visible for a while and we could see platforms when we were up at Monte Alban (about 5 miles away) two weeks ago.
It’s a bit of a hike up a newly paved road from the small (temporary?) parking area under the pine trees, but we eventually reached the site and the ball court.
It is small, but the setting is spectacular.
One can see a recreation of the 1,000+ year old Zapotec kiln that was uncovered 8 feet down — offering proof of continuity to today’s renown potters of Santa María Atzompa.
Then there is the vegetation…. The architecture of native trees adds to aura of this ancient site.
And, the white flowers of one of the trees has attracted the tiniest hummingbirds I’ve ever seen.
Nopal cactus, in full fruit (tunas) at this time of year, dot the landscape.
Archaeologists and their crews continue their work excavating and restoring, and much is blocked from amateur exploration, including the 1,100-year-old burial chamber. Darn!
The only “facilities” available at the site, thus far, are bathrooms (which were a trip, but I won’t go into it). Lest you worry about comida for the workers, it arrived by motorcycle and was waiting in insulated boxes in the parking area.
Aside from those working at the site, we had the place to ourselves… no tour groups and no vendors. We were left alone to listen to the birds and insects and imagine a highly developed culture, alive with the ancestors of the energetic, creative, and spiritual people we are privileged to live among.
Posted in Archaeology, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, Mexico, nature, Oaxaca, photography, photos, plants, popular travel destinations, Santa María Atzompa, Zona Arqueologica de Atzompa | 8 Comments »
October 16, 2012 by spixl
I don’t know about these two hanging out on a balcony above Independencia, yesterday.
But, who could resist these two??? Waiting for the convite in Teotitlán del Valle last week.
Posted in Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged balcony, children, decorative iron bars, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs popular travel destinations, photos, praying figurines, Teotitlán del Valle | Leave a Comment »
October 14, 2012 by spixl
Yesterday, standing on the terrace, playing with the zoom on my new camera. Looking southeast, as the sun was about to disappear behind the sierras to the west.
Templo de San Felipe Neri, a couple of blocks from Casita Colibrí.
Templo de San Francisco, about twelve blocks away. Going to keep working on it, but liking my little Lumix!
h/t Chris
Posted in Buildings, Churches, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged architecture, churches, iglesias, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo de San Felipe Neri | 5 Comments »
October 12, 2012 by spixl
While Oaxaca is filled with music, art, and dance, it hasn’t been known for its contribution to live theater. However, there are signs that this may change. In August, the cultural monthly journal, El Jolgorio featured theater in Oaxaca. One of the articles explained, that thanks to the work of Teatro Juárez and the Fundación Cultural Crisol, a drama workshop was established in Oaxaca and in three years, fifteen plays have been written, with eleven being presented in Oaxaca and Mexico City. As ex-pat playwright Kurt Hackbarth asked at the press discussing his newest play, El Ostrakón, “Oaxaca is a destination for art. Oaxaca is a destination for music. Why not now make Oaxaca as a national destination for original theater…?”
By the way, you may remember Kurt Hackbarth from my post on his comedy, La [medio] diezmada. This time around he penned a well received drama, El Ostrakón, that premiered on August 29, 2012 and ran through September 2 — a long run here! It “is a contemporary tragedy which, by using elements of farce and social criticism, tells the story of Gabriel, a homeless youth, and his attempts to avoid the traps laid by the chameleonic narrator, the incarnation of a hostile society.” (translated from El Ostrakón Facebook page)
If you missed it the first time around (or would like to see it again) and will be in Oaxaca on Monday, October 15 at 6 pm, you are in luck. El Ostrakón will be performed at the beautiful Teatro Macedonio Alcalá as part of the inauguration of the Oaxaca State Theater Festival. And, the performance is free, though a 5 peso (that’s only about 40¢ US!!!) donation is requested to help support the festival. El Ostrakón is in Spanish, but English-only language speakers can download an English language synopsis from the website.
Full disclosure: I designed the El Ostrakón website.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged El Ostrakón, Kurt Hackbarth, Mexico, Oaxaca, plays, theater | 3 Comments »
October 10, 2012 by spixl
Today, in my mind, I was working on a different blog post. And then, walking home from my Spanish lesson, I came across these guys — and whips were cracking!
Hmmm… they weren’t there an hour (plus) before. As I’ve said before, you just never know what you may find when you round a corner.
Darn, before I had a chance to ask what was going on, the sky opened and everyone ran for cover — including me!
However, I’m thinking somewhere in the city, a Danza de los Diablos is happening!
Posted in Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged culture, Danza de los diablos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, traditional dances | 1 Comment »
It’s that time of year, again. Daylight doesn’t last quite as long, the large red-orange blossoms of the African tulip trees have mostly fallen (onto my terrace!), and the hummingbirds have mostly departed, leaving the airspace to the dragonflies and butterflies.
However, the season of yellow marigolds (cempazuchitl) and the yellows, oranges, and purples of flor inmortal (immortal flower) has begun and that means Días de los Muertos and Noche de Rabanos can’t be far behind.
In the meantime, during the past week, Teotitlán del Valle celebrated La Santísima Virgen del Rosario and early Friday evening, the unmarried girls and women gathered with their canastas for the traditional convite (holy procession).
And, given the season, flor inmortal played a prominent role in the decorations of many of the canastas.
And, as always, I’m amazed and captivated by the girls and women who, with arms raised, balance these sizable baskets on their head, as they navigate the sacred route along the cobbled (and, this day, rain-slicked) streets of Teotitlán del Valle — for almost an hour!
It’s a scene that I never tire of — of course, I’m not carrying a canasta on my head!
More photos and commentary over at Oaxaca-The Year After.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism | Tagged convite, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, flor inmortal, La Santísima Virgen del Rosario, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle, travel, Virgin of the Rosary | 3 Comments »
Fifteen hundred years may have passed since Monte Albán was in full bloom as the center of Zapotec civilization. However, the flowering continues…
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Monte Albán on an early October morning.
Posted in Archaeology, Environment, Gardens, Parks & Plazas, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism | Tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, flowers, Mexico, Monte Albán, nature, Oaxaca, photography, photos, plants, popular travel destinations, wildflowers | 2 Comments »
… there you are.
Monte Albán on a picture perfect autumn morning.
Posted in Archaeology, Buildings, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism | Tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, Mexico, Monte Albán, Oaxaca, photography, photos, popular travel destinations | 3 Comments »
Instead of the coming of age novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, we have the real life drama of a tree falls in Oaxaca. Heading down to the mercado this morning, I was brought up short by this heartbreaking sight.
According to reports, there were many present to hear and see one of the grand 130+ year old Indian laurels topple during a storm on Saturday night. And, worst of all, ten people were injured, two seriously. Trees in the city, including Indian laurels in the Zócalo, have been plagued by adversity. A laurel in the Zócalo fell a few years ago, damaging a nearby building, and most recently in May 2011, I wrote about a laurel on the Alameda that toppled. Resurrection was attempted and guy-wires remain to this day holding it upright. I guess the experts decided this latest one was beyond rescue.
Controversy reigns, as many assert that these trees should be able to withstand the rain and less-than gale force winds. Thus speculation over the cause runs rampant. Root rot appears to be the immediate culprit but the big question is, why?
And, as Chris sadly noted a couple of months ago, regarding the diseased flamboyant trees in front of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Any tree is hard to replace.
Posted in Environment, Gardens, Parks & Plazas, Science & Nature, Weather | Tagged Alameda, Indian Laurel tree, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, trees, zócalo | Leave a Comment »
All things on earth point home in old October; sailors to sea, travellers to walls and fences… — Thomas Wolfe.
It’s good to be back in Oaxaca.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism | Tagged art, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, thomas wolfe | 2 Comments »
September 28, 2012 by spixl
I’m back in Oaxaca… arrived last night after a brief trip to El Norte. However, over the last three years, culture shock (on both sides of the border) has subsided and I am struck and heartened that despite our differences, humans share so much more… especially the compulsion to make even the most common and utilitarian, beautiful.
Artist, Zio Ziegler added a little pizzazz to a car in Mill Valley… (Yes, I know, a Porche!)
Car in Oaxaca… (Ahhh, a VW bug!)
Wall in Mill Valley (also by Zio Ziegler)…
Wall in Oaxaca…
Veggies in Mill Valley…
Veggies in Oaxaca…
From one of my favorite journalists, Linda Ellerbee: “People are pretty much alike. It’s only that our differences are more susceptible to definition than our similarities.”
Save
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Posted in Creativity, Culture, Markets, Travel & Tourism | Tagged automobilies, California, cars, farmers' market, Linda Ellerbee quote, markets, mercados, Mexico, Mill Valley, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Porche, similarities, vegetables, VW bug, wall art, Zio Ziegler | 12 Comments »
September 26, 2012 by spixl
Lost or discarded?
Artist found and created in Sausalito, Ca. You better believe it!
And please, don’t “liberate” any of the found objects, in other words… stop stealing!!!
La lucha continúa. Paz y amor a todos.
Posted in Creativity, Serendipity, Travel & Tourism | Tagged art, art car, California, found objects, Marin County, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Sausalito | 3 Comments »
September 24, 2012 by spixl
I grew up and lived most of my life twenty minutes from the Pacific Ocean. I learned to drive on the road up over Mt. Tamalpais out to Stinson, Muir, and Bolinas beaches. Needless to say, countless trips followed and continue! So, yesterday I made my regular “Bay Area visit” pilgrimage to the beach. Even on a foggy day, the sights, sounds, and smells of Stinson Beach are magical…
Alas, it’s 6 hours by car up and over the long and winding roads of the Sierra Madre del Sur to reach Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca’s closest Pacific Ocean beach. The alternatives: 10+ hours by bus (by way of Salina Cruz) or a short but costly flight. Still waiting for the long-promised highway that is supposed to cut auto travel time to two hours!!!
Posted in Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism | Tagged beaches, California, foggy day, Marin County, Mexico, Oaxaca, Pacific Ocean, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Puerto Escondido, San Francisco Bay Area, Stinson Beach | 1 Comment »
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