Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens, tagged cactus, Casita Colibrí, Dragon fruit, flowers, garden, Hylocereus undatus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Pitahaya on July 30, 2015| 2 Comments »
Late last night, twelve buds on my pitahaya burst open; my favorite the cluster of four at the top of the eight foot tall chain link fence.
Alas, now, less than twenty hours after their night-blooming show began, they are no more. Hopefully, the brilliant white flowers with their sweet scent attracted the desired pollinators, Dragon Fruit will begin forming at the base of the blossoms, the fruit will ripen to a blush red, and be ready to pick in 45 days (más o menos).
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged #UnaGuelaguetzaMuyEspecial, costumes, dancers, Down's Syndrome, Flor Verónica García Ávilan, Guelaguetza, Los Ángeles de Luz, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, traje on July 29, 2015| 2 Comments »
The Plaza de la Danza was filled with cheering crowds early Sunday evening as ten girls and eight boys from Los Ángeles de Luz took the stage for the 13th edition of this very special Guelaguetza. Perhaps it is because I have a special needs nephew or that both my sister-in-law and daughter-in-law are special ed teachers that I am drawn to this event every year. In any case, the joy and pride exhibited by these young people with Down’s Syndrome, as they make the requisite costume changes and perform traditional dances from the eight regions of Oaxaca, always lifts my heart.
I had to leave before it ended, but hopefully through this slideshow I can share a little of the professionalism and accomplishment of these performers and the emotion experienced by those of us who had the privilege of being in the audience.
President of Los Ángeles de Luz, Flor Verónica García Ávilan explained in El Imparcial, that the group was formed after “realizing that contact with music, dance, and the audience makes them happy, cheerful, communicative, committed and disciplined beings, facilitating their development holistically within society.” [translated from Spanish]
And, I would like to add, for those of us watching their performance, it facilitates our acceptance of those who many be a little different from us. If you are in Oaxaca for next year’s Guelaguetza festivities, try to attend this heartwarming and uplifting event. Also, there is always a calenda (parade) a couple of days before AND scrambling for gifts tossed into the crowd after each dance.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, People, Violence, tagged 43 students, Aldo Gutiérrez Solano, Ayotzinapa, Emmanuel Guzman Sanchez, Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos, Guerrero, Iguala, Mexico, normalistas, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, students, Victor Robinson on July 26, 2015| 6 Comments »
A pause in La Guelaguetza action to remember…
It’s been ten months since that unspeakable night 43 students from the Escuela Normal Rural Raúl Isidro Burgos teachers’ college in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero went missing in Iguala. They are not forgotten. On the lower block of the Alcalá, an exhibition of sculptures by two Oaxaqueño sculptures, Victor Robinson and Emmanuel Guzman Sanchez is on display.
One of the pieces, Faltan 43 y Faltamos Más (43 missing and we are missing more) speaks to the 43 students and to the countless others who have disappeared.
Guzman explains, that he feels it is necessary to speak out on social issues. “I’m also installing a piece by the 43 missing normalistas; in this piece we find human remains and missing persons who do not know where they are; others that have been found in mass graves, and a broken country.”
Three other students and three bystanders were killed outright and two dozen people were taken to hospital that horrific night. Today’s CNN Mexico profiles one of the hospitalized students, Aldo Gutiérrez Solano, who remains in a coma. The family must travel seven to eight hours to go from their home in Tultepec, Guerrero to Mexico City to sit at Aldo’s bedside. According to his brother, Ulises, the bullet damaged 65% of his brain and “The prognosis is very bad. Still in that state, is not yet known what will happen, how it will be.” His family hopes for a miracle and that he will awaken to end the nightmare of Iguala.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged costumes, dancers, desfile, Guelaguetza, Mexico, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, ruta del desfile, traje on July 24, 2015| 6 Comments »
Last Saturday, in the end, it did not rain on the parade. With only minutes to spare before the first desfile of the Guelaguetza delegations was to begin, the torrential downpour stopped, the rockets sounded, bands played, and the delegates danced their way down Independencia. I can’t believe how UN-bedraggled and energetic they were!
Here’s hoping I managed to include one photo from each of the delegations in the slideshow above.
By the way, if you are in Oaxaca and planning to attend the second desfile tomorrow (July 25), see below for the parade route — it has been changed!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged dance, folklorico, Guelaguetza, Guelaguetza Auditorium, Live streaming, music, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations on July 20, 2015| 2 Comments »
To watch or listen to this year’s Guelaguetza performances live from Cerro Fortín today (July 20), and next Monday (July 27), at 10 AM and 5 PM (Central Daylight Time): http://www.viveoaxaca.org/2015/07/Guelaguetza2015EnVivo.html
Enjoy!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged braiding, braids, calenda, celebrations, desfile, Guelaguetza, hair, Mexico, Oaxaca, parade, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on July 18, 2015| Leave a Comment »
It was all about the braids as the delegations and storm clouds gathered along Independencia for the Guelaguetza desfile (parade).
The heavens opened, umbrellas unfolded, rain ponchos were donned, and cover was sought by spectators and delegations, alike. But, stay tuned, the show DID go on!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged African Tulip trees, Árbol de tulipán, Flame Trees, garden, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on July 17, 2015| 4 Comments »
Late yesterday afternoon, before the rains came, the African tulip tree in full blush against a sky drained of color…
Half and Half on Mother Nature’s easel in Oaxaca.
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged Alejandro Guzman Vera, Danza de los Rubios, exhibitions, Guelaguetza, mascaras, masks, Mexico, Mixtec region, Oaxaca, Palacio de Gobierno, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Santiago Juxtlahuaca, video on July 14, 2015| 2 Comments »
I love the carved masks worn in many of the traditional dances in Mexico and, thus, made a bee-line to the current exhibition at the Palacio de Gobierno, Máscaras de Juxtlahuaca — part of the month-long celebration of Guelaguetza.
Most of the masks in the show are the work of Alejandro Guzman Vera, a native of Santiago Juxtlahuaca in the Mixtec region of Oaxaca. He was born in 1972 and, as a young child, made his first mask of cardboard and painted it with crayons. At age 12, he carved his first wooden mask. He went on to study at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas and has become one of the premier mask-makers in Mexico. He has exhibited world-wide and is one of the honored Grandes Maestros del Arte Popular de Oaxaca, profiled in the book by the same name. By the way, he is not only a mask-maker, but also an accomplished musician and is playing a role in the rescue of the traditional music of Juxtlahuaca.
(Click on an image to enlarge it and to enable a slideshow.)
Dancers from Santiago Juxtlahuaca will be performing the Danza de los Rubios in the morning Guelaguetza presentation on July 27 and will, no doubt, be wearing masks, cracking their whips, and jingling their spurs during the Procession of Delegations on the preceding Saturday. For a glimpse at the Danza de los Rubios and to get a feeling for some of the music Alejandro Guzman Vera is involved in saving, here is a snippet from last year’s Guelaguetza performance:
Masks are donned not only for the Danza de los Rubios, but also for the Danza de los Diablos and the Danza del Macho, which are performed at various annual festivals in the region. Once carved and painted, the wooden masks can be embellished with glass eyes and real animal teeth and horns of bulls, goats, or deer. They are an amazing sight to see!
The Máscaras de Juxtlahuaca exhibition at the Museo del Palacio in Oaxaca city closes August 28, 2015.
(This blog post is especially for you, Jane and Ken!)
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged Guelaguetza, Loma Bonita, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, San Antonino Castillo Velasco, San Antonio Huitepec, San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya, San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, San Juan Cacahuatepec, San Pedro Comitancillo on July 13, 2015| 6 Comments »
Next Monday, the the 83rd annual modern Guelaguetza will commence on Cerro Fortín. And so, the last of my photos from last year’s evening performance…
I’ll resume my coverage with the San Paliluú of San Antonio Huitepec a village from the Valles Centrales region.
San Pedro Comitancillo performed the Danzas y Sones de Mi Tierra from the Istmo de Tehuantepec region.
And then there was the Danza de la Pluma. Moctezuma, Danzantes, Malinche, and Doña Marina from San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya, in the Valles Centrales region, performed one of the dances that reenacts the story of the Conquest.
Loma Bonita in the Tuxtepec region, very near the the state of Veracruz, then took the stage with its rousing Rinconcito Oaxaqueño.
The sun began to set as 36 beautiful women from San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec in the Papaloapam region, wearing their with brightly colored huipiles, took to the stage for the crowd pleasing Flor de Piña.
Darkness began to fall (making for challenging photography from 1/3rd of the way up from the Guelaguetza Auditorium stage), as the lively Sones and Chilenos danced by the delagation from the Costa region village of San Juan Cacahuatepec kept the energy flowing.
La Dote y el Tercel Día e Fandango from the dancers of San Antonino Castillo Velasco in the Valles Centrales region closed the evening’s performances.
As fireworks exploded over the Guelaguetza Auditorium, the band played, the audience took to its feet, and delegations reclaimed the stage to dance the evening’s Guelaguetza performance to a close.
Now on to La Guelaguetza 2015!
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):
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged banda, bands, dance, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Feather dance, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Subalternos, Teotitlán del Valle on July 9, 2015| 9 Comments »
Storm clouds were gathering on Tuesday afternoon, as we drove out to Teotitlán del Valle for this year’s first performance of the Danza de la Pluma. However, the clouds were chased away and the plaza in front of Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Jesucristo was bathed and blessed with the light and shadows of the golden hour.
Ahhh…
(ps) For a Moctezuma eye view of the dance, check out Chris’s Moctezuma Cam post.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged castillo, festivals, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, fireworks, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, quema de angelitos, quema de toritos, Teotitlán del Valle, video on July 8, 2015| 8 Comments »
If you want an up close and personal fireworks experience, come to Oaxaca. Of course, there are no guarantees you won’t find yourself in the line of fire. No barricades, no yellow caution tape, no police! I’ve seen hair singed, had a friend get pinhole burns on the inside of his glasses, and last night a projectile came careening toward us and had me ducking for cover. However, as the saying goes, “no harm, no foul” and the spectacle was espectacular!
It began with 45+ minutes of the quema de toritos and angelitos.
They were followed by a spectacular castillo, a “firefall,” and traditional fireworks exploding against a clear black sky.
Late Tuesday night during this week’s fiesta honoring la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo. It was a fabulous — well worth spending the night in Teotitlán and staying up way past my bedtime!
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged canastas, festivals, Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, marmotas, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle on July 7, 2015| 2 Comments »
Last night, all was in readiness in Teotitlán del Valle for most important fiesta of the year — honoring la Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo (the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ).
Specially cut papel picado fluttered from the church.
Marmotos waited in the wings.
And canastas, lovingly decorated by their owners stood ready to be carried through the streets of Teotitlán del Valle.
Next up, the most important ingredient…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged dance, Fandango de Cajón, Guelaguetza, Jarabe Mixteco, La Llevada del Guajolote, Mayordomía de San Andrés, Mexico, Oaxaca, Ocotlán de Morelos, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, pozahuanco, San Andrés Huaxpaltepec, San Melchor Betaza on July 6, 2015| 4 Comments »
Last year, wearing the whitest of white huipiles, skirts, shirts, and pants, the delegation from San Melchor Betaza, in the Sierra Norte Region of Oaxaca, danced the sones and jarabes from their community.
I don’t know how the turkey felt as he took center stage when Ocotlán de Morelos, from the Valles Centrales Region, performed La Llevada del Guajolote, a dance dating to the 19th century.
The dances by the delegation from San Andrés Huaxpaltepec, from the Costa Region, offered the action of the Fandango de Cajón and the grace of the Mayordomía with women wearing stark white mandiles (shawls) and caracol dyed purple pozahuancos (wrap skirts).
As the first few notes of the Canción Mixteca were played, the audience rose and, as one, began waving their hats and singing the beloved song of the Mixteca Region. With the audience warmed up, the gals from Huajuapan de León began dancing the Jarabe Mixteco — twirling and tempting the guys with their flirty skirts.
Click HERE for last Monday’s part 1. Stay tuned for more next Monday, as the countdown to this year’s Guelaguetza festivities continues.
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged 10º Nacional Festival de Danzón, dance, Danzón, festivals, Mexico, music, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, video on July 3, 2015| 2 Comments »
Last Sunday, Oaxaca bid adiós to the 10º Nacional Festival de Danzón, the stately dance from Cuba that has captivated Oaxaca. Alas, I only managed to catch the very end. But, as always, I was charmed by the formality and style and intensity and joy — a tradition kept alive by those in their latter years…
… and by the young.
Several well-known danzones were composed Amador Pérez Dimas from Villa de Zaachila, ten miles southwest of Oaxaca city.
For a taste of danzón, here is brief snippet from the close of the festival. By the way, the band is Banda Santa Cecilia from Teotitlán del Valle, a band we will be hearing several times next week during the the multi-day fiesta honoring Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
If you are in Oaxaca, you can experience Danzón for yourself on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, either under the laurels on the Zócalo or on the Alcalá near Santo Domingo, depending on the state of the Zócalo — occupied or not occupied.
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