July 2020, living in the time of Covid-19, is almost in the rear view mirror. Oh, how I have been missing July 2019!
A reminder that we need to appreciate and be present to the present; it will never come this way again.
Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged calendas, Carina Santiago, Desfile de Delegaciones, Feria del Tejate y el Tamal, Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres, Festival de los Moles, Grupo de Promesa de la Danza de la Pluma 2019-2021, Guelaguetza, hongos, Mexico, mezcal, Oaxaca, parades, photos, popular travel destinations, tejate, Teotitlán del Valle on July 27, 2020| 9 Comments »
July 2020, living in the time of Covid-19, is almost in the rear view mirror. Oh, how I have been missing July 2019!
A reminder that we need to appreciate and be present to the present; it will never come this way again.
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 on July 21, 2019| 5 Comments »
It’s Guelaguetza time in Oaxaca… so many festivals, parades, and food festivals. However, not so much time to blog.
So much fun and so much more to do! Stay tuned…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Environment, Flora, Food, Museums, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged art exhibitions, calenda, Carolyn Kallenborn, Erasto "Tito" Mendoza, Festival de los Moles, Flores y Cantos, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Miriam Campos, MUPO, Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños, Museo Rufino Tamayo, Nancy Mayagoitia, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, Semana de los Antojos, Tehuanas on July 29, 2018| 3 Comments »
The day before the aforementioned Diosa Centéotl announcement, the major activity on my dance card was the Festival de los Moles “all you can eat” buffet in the beautiful setting of the Jardín Etnobotánico (Ethnobotanic Garden). To the accompanying sounds of Oaxaca’s state marimba band, blue, yellow, white, and red corn tortillas were placed on a comal; beer, aguas, and mezcal were offered and poured by an attentive wait staff; and appetizers plated with quesillo, molotes, tacos filled with guacamole and chapulines, and more were placed before each of the hundreds of attendees.
After what seemed like an eternity, the signal that all had been waiting for — the tin foil lids were removed from the cazuelas to reveal 19 different kinds of mole from 19 different restaurants. The stampede began! There is no way possible to taste them all, but I had scoped out a few in advance — Estofado from El Regio, Mole de Platano from El Tendajon, Mole de Castilla from my friends at Tierra Antigua, and Celia Florian’s Manchamanteles from Las Quince Letras. Blogger buddy Chris was sitting next to me and so we also tasted off each other’s plates, made more trips to the cazuelas, and I lost track of all that I had eaten. But of course I found room for the traditional leche quemada and tuna (cactus fruit) nieve (sorbet) for dessert. By the way, an added bonus to the event is sharing the experience with the friends old, new, and temporary at the tables-for-twelve.
I bade Chris farewell and attempted to hurry home to change my clothes (yes, I’d spilled on my dress) before heading off to an exhibition opening. But, silly me, after nine years of living here, I should know better — there is no rushing in Oaxaca! Turning onto Macedonio Alcalá, I heard music and ahead of me could see the tops of monos and marmotas.
I was stopped dead in my tracks by one of the most colorful religious processions you will ever see. Honoring their patron saint, Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Tehuanas and their guys and band, danced their way down the street. Slowly navigating the jam-packed sidewalk, while being pelted with candy thrown to bystanders, I eventually was able to duck up a side street and make my way home. But, what fun along the way!
Clothes changed, I managed to arrive (almost on time) at the inauguration of “Flores y Cantos” at the Museo Rufino Tamayo — an exhibition that asks us to consider “Nezahualcoytl’s age-old challenge to create something beautiful and meaningful with our lives.” This multimedia exhibition, conceived of by Carolyn Kallenborn, envelopes the senses — ethereal sights; soothing music and comforting sounds of birdsong, rain, waves, and wind; and a celebration of the beauty and creativity of humans, then and now. Carolyn asks us to contemplate the legacy our ancestors passed on to us and how we want to be remembered when we are gone.
As one of two primary pieces in the exhibit, accomplished embroiderer Miriam Campos, from San Antonino Castillo Velasco, was commissioned by Carolyn to embroider a tree onto silk organza (above). With moving images of nature passing through its sheen and translucency, it was of this earth, yet not of this earth. For the other, Carolyn again collaborated with master weaver, Erasto (Tito) Mendoza on the truly spectacular tapete of corn that reaches from its roots of gold up into a swirling sky. The video images running across it, gave it a sense of movement. I returned again five days later.
On Wednesday, prior to my second visit with “Flores y Cantos,” at the enthusiastic urging of Henry Wangeman (Amate Books), I made a bee-line to the Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (MUPO) for the recently opened, “Endemismo” exhibition — a significant and stunning show that explores the biodiversity endemic to this area. Located along the border of Oaxaca and Puebla, on July 2 the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve was recognized as a Cultural and Natural (Mixed) Heritage of Humanity site by UNESCO.
Filling both floors of the museum, and the brainchild of Nancy Mayagoitia, the show incorporates the work of twenty painters and photographers — each providing a new perspective on this old land in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve. I love the painting above by Cecilio Sánchez and entitled Paisaje de Cuicatlán (Cuicatlán landscape). It seems as if the eyes of this ancient land are watching to see what we do with this unique and precious place. (Click to enlarge the image and see the eyes.) And below, I couldn’t resist posting an image of Raúl Herrera’s, “El baño del colibrí Huitzilopochtli atl” from the exhibition — as every morning I watch the hummingbirds bathe in my fountain. Another exhibition to return to.
Given that I began this post with food, it only seems appropriate to end it with The Semana de los Antojos — a week of morsels of deliciousness to satisfy one’s (food) cravings — which opened July 24 under a colorfully decorated tent in the Plaza de la Danza. The aromas wafting onto my terrace beckoned and I followed.
50 booths offering regional “comfort” food — garnachas from the Istmo (my current craving), tacos, tamales, tortas, tlayudas, empanadas, barbacoa, carnes asadas, you name it! And to wash it all down, tejate, tepache, pulque, chocolate, and aguas frescas. Oh, and did I mention desserts? Nieves, cookies and other sweets, and (hot off the presses) buñuelos.
No rest for the weary — but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, food festival, Travel & Tourism, tagged Diosa Centéotl, Festival de los Moles, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza calendar of activities, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on July 13, 2017| 8 Comments »
While there have been pre-Guelaguetza calendas for the past couple of weeks, for me, the festivities really begin tomorrow — with the Festival de los Moles. Last year, at least 20+ moles were presented at the “all you can eat” buffet in the Jardín Etnobotánico. Ticket in hand, I’m ready!
In addition, tomorrow Diosa Centéotl (Corn Goddess) will be selected to preside over La Guelaguetza. Beginning at 10:00 AM, contestants from the eight regions of the state of Oaxaca will showcase and explain the costumes and traditions of their communities, both in Spanish and their materna lengua (mother tongue).
The schedule of activities during these next two weeks is always jam-packed, entertaining, and exhausting. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the official schedule below.
That’s not all, folks! There are additional Guelaguetza dance performances, expo-ventas, and fairs in the surrounding villages. And, best of all, residents and visitors will not be navigating along sidewalks piled with garbage. A temporary Guelaguetza truce to the almost two-week dispute that has prevented garbage from being delivered to dump, was agreed to last night.
This afternoon, this guy’s garbage cart was SO full, he was having a hard time pulling it over the cobblestones. He is my hero of the day!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, People, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged Abigail Mendoza, calenda, Festival de los Moles, Guelaguetza, Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Leticia María Reyes Salinas, Mexico, Muxes, Oaxaca, parades, popular travel destinations on July 24, 2016| 2 Comments »
Orgullo is the Spanish word for pride and you hear it a lot in Oaxaca. But, rather than just the personal, it encompasses the dignity, honor, and respect felt for one’s community’s history and cultural heritage. Remember, there are 16 indigenous groups in the state of Oaxaca – each with its own language, dress, culinary traditions, music and dance, celebrations, and crafts. While the modern Guelaguetza is an invention to attract tourism, it doesn’t detract from the pride expressed by its participants in their unique contributions to what makes Oaxaca. Thus, a few scenes from Friday…
Fresh handmade tortillas accompanied the mole at the Festival de los Moles luncheon. Chefs from all over the state, presented their moles — I lost count at twenty different kinds — which were served by culinary students from the Universidad Tecnológica de los Valles Centrales de Oaxaca.
Diosa Centéotl (Corn Goddess) competition to reign over the Guelaguetza. Young women representing the regions of Oaxaca showcased and explained the costumes and traditions of their communities, as well as, speak a few lines of their materna lengua (mother tongue).
Calenda (procession) on the Alcalá by people from the Gulf of Tehuantepec region. They were heading toward Santo Domingo — and yes there were a few Muxes among the participants.
During Guelaguetza, orgullo wraps you in its presence.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged Beverages, Expo Feria del Queso y Quesillo, Feria del Tejate y el Tamal, Festival de los Moles, food, Guelaguetza, mole, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Reyes Etla, Rosita de cacao, tamales, tejate on July 22, 2015| 8 Comments »
Oaxacan cuisine, with its pre-Columbian roots, is a major attraction and the state’s tourism board and restaurant association continue to do their utmost to promote this cultural heritage during the Guelaguetza festivities. Last Friday, set amidst the beauty and tranquility of the Jardín Etnobotánico, it was the opening degustación (sampling) for the Festival de los Moles. This was my fourth time attending this buffet luncheon celebrating the 7 moles of Oaxaca. And, like the previous years, my plate was swimming in moles and I came away sated and smiling!
The Expo Feria del Queso y Quesillo in Reyes Etla beckoned on Saturday. When we arrived, students from the Universidad Tecnológica de los Valles Centrales de Oaxaca were giving a demonstration on the cheese making process.
Despite how tempting the various cheeses looked, I only managed tiny tastes of a couple; Alas, I was just too full from the previous day’s feast to fully appreciate them.
However, by Sunday, my mouth was watering for wild mushroom empanadas, but we were foiled in our attempt to head up into the mountains for the Feria Regional de los Hongos Silvestres in San Antonio Cuajimoloyas. A bike race had closed the highway and several of the major streets getting into and out of my part of town and, as you can imagine, alternate routes were gridlocked. Grrrr… I think the Guelaguetza events committee needs to rethink the schedule and transportation logistics!
Lucky for me, the Plaza de la Danza is only a block and a half from Casita Colibrí and so, late this morning, there were no impediments to walking over to the 10th Annual Feria del Tejate y el Tamal. The women from the municipality of San Andrés Huayapam (about 7 kilometers northeast of the city), were ready and waiting to welcome visitors with their ancient drink and variety of tamales.
The leis the women (above) are wearing are made from Rosita de Cacao flowers, one of the ingredients in tejate. For the uninitiated, tejate is a foamy, quite refreshing, and nutritious non-alcoholic pre-Columbian beverage made from nixtamal corn, mixed with tree ash, toasted cacao beans, mamey seeds, and Rosita de Cacao flowers and is called, “la bebida de los Dioses” (the drink of the Gods).
The tejateras of the Unión de Mujeres Productoras del Tejate prepared and served their tejate to inquiring novices and aficionados, alike. The sale of tejate is the main economic activity in San Andrés Huayapam.
And then there were the tamales… Pots and baskets, covered with hand embroidered and crocheted tea towels, were filled with steaming tamales nestled in corn husks — verde, chapulin, amarillo, frijol, dulce, rajas, chepil, and chichilo. If you’ve never tasted tamales in Oaxaca, you are missing something!
Huayapam’s chichilo tamales are well-known and loved. Chichilo is one of the seven moles of Oaxaca and it is only served on special occasions, such as weddings and christenings or when the crops have been harvested. It is 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. Of course, no tamal festival would be complete without mole tamales wrapped in banana leaves…
Today and tomorrow (July 22 & 23), if you are in Oaxaca, the Plaza de la Danza is THE happening place for tasting some delicious local specialties between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM. ¡Buen provecho!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Exhibitions, Food, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged Donaji La Leyenda Infantil, Expo Feria de Queso y Quesillo, Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres, Festival de los Moles, Globos de Papel, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza Muy Especial, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, posters, Regional Guelaguetzas, Susana Harp on July 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Calendas (parades) are already occurring on the city’s streets and banners advertising Guelaguetza events are hanging from street lights on the major calles. Below are just a handful (or two) of the activities coming up. (Click each poster for a larger and more readable image.)
For a more complete list, check out this schedule of events from the Secretaría de Turismo y Desarrollo Económico (Ministry of Tourism and Economic Development):