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Dancing the dance

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Ailani Ruíz Ruíz, dancers, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Doña Marina, José Isaac Vasquez de Los Angeles, Juana Lizbeth Contreras Vicente, La Malinche, Mexico, Moctezuma, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle on September 13, 2015| 4 Comments »

After being rained out on Sunday, we picked ourselves and our rain gear up and returned to Teotitlán del Valle on Monday for the abbreviated version (4 hours instead of 8 hours) of the Danza de la Pluma — more of the multi-day fiesta honoring La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad (the Sainted Virgin Mary of the Nativity).

As I’ve previously mentioned, the Danza de la Pluma is a ritual re-enactment of the Spanish conquest. The full version is told in 41 bailes (dances) and lasts from early afternoon into the night. It is danced by folkloric groups throughout the valley of Oaxaca. However, in Teotitlán, Moctezuma, Danzantes, Subalternos, Malinche, and Doña Marina are selected years in advance and make a promise to the church and community to perform their roles for 3 years. It is a great honor.

Malinche and Doña Marina

La Malinche (Juana Lizbeth Contreras Vicente), Doña Marina (Ailani Ruíz Ruíz), and Danzantes.

Moctezuma and the Danzantes.

Moctezuma (José Isaac Vasquez de Los Angeles) poised to dance the dance.

Moctezuma coming...

Moctezuma approaching… dancing the dance.

Moctezuma departing...

Moctezuma departing… dancing the dance.

Malinche (Juana Lizbeth Contreras Vicente) dancing the dance.

Malinche dancing the dance.

Doña Marina dancing the dance.

Doña Marina dancing the dance.

The Danzantes in action.

The Danzantes dancing the dance.

The rains came again and we missed the fireworks and castillo. However, we are already plotting our return at the beginning of October for the Rosario de la Virgen María festival.

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Before the rains came

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged amateur photographers, bands, Beatriz Ruiz, convite, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle on September 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

When last I posted, much-needed rains had come to Teotitlán del Valle, sending La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad (the Sainted Virgin Mary of the Nativity) convite participants, spectators, and photographers dashing for cover and yours truly, home. However, prior to the deluge, little boys patiently waited.

The band led the Danzantes into the plaza in front of the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Jesucristo, where they, too, waited. The unmarried women and girls, wearing their traditional red woolen faldas (skirts) and elaborately embroidered blusas (blouses), posed for friends, family, and strangers while waiting for the procession to begin.

And, Beatriz got her shot!

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Photographing the photographers

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Museums, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged amateur photographers, Beatriz Ruiz, bell tower, Centro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad, Luvia Lazo, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Jesucristo, Teotitlán del Valle on September 7, 2015| 2 Comments »

Yesterday, we returned to Teotitlán del Valle for the convite in honor of La Santísima Virgen María de la Natividad (the Sainted Virgin Mary of the Nativity). Alas, from our point of view, the gods were not cooperating and it threatened to rain on the parade. The sky surrounding the Templo de la Preciosa Sangre de Jesucristo was getting grayer and darker by the minute and professional and amateur photographers alike were challenged to some up with good shots.

The lovely and accomplished photographer, Luvia Lazo was going to march in the procession this time, but couldn’t resist pulling out her cell phone for a shot or two. By the way, I recently learned that the earrings she is wearing are traditional and unique to Oaxaca and the design is known as, gusano (worm)!Some of the Danzantes also whipped out their phones for some photos. Their 3-year commitment ends in December and I suspect most want to savor these last performances.

And, then there was the daughter of friends and budding photographer, 12-year old Beatriz Ruiz. Here she is setting up a shot.

Doesn’t she look professional? She’s been traveling from Teoti into the city to take classes at the Centro Fotográfico Manuel Álvarez Bravo for almost two years. A photograph she took of her two kittens is currently part of a student exhibition at the museum and is included in the slideshow of photos on their website. Blogger buddy Chris, who has known her since she was very young, has a very sweet blog post about Beatriz and her interest in photography.

Given the state of the corn crop, due to lack of rain during this rainy season, there have probably been many offerings and much praying to the gods Cocijo (lightning and rain) and Pitao Cozobi (maiz). They won the day and the rains did come. And we, being fair-weather fans, departed. However, according to one of the Teotitlán del Valle Facebook sites, the show did go on! We are returning today for the Danza de la Pluma and tonight’s fuegos artificiales (fireworks) and castillo. Needless to say, we are keeping our fingers crossed!

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Variations on a Vocho

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged automobiles, cars, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Vocho, Volkswagen Beetle, VW, VW bug on September 4, 2015| 1 Comment »

El auto del pueblo (the car of the people)…

The Volkswagen Beetle, known in Mexico as a Vocho, has been plying the highways and byways of Mexico since it made its debut in Mexico City at the “Alemania y su Industria” (Germany and its Industry) exhibition in 1954.

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Stages of life

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, tagged cactus, Casita Colibrí, Dragon fruit, flowers, fruit, garden, Hylocereus undatus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Pitahaya on September 2, 2015| 6 Comments »

Opening the door onto my terrace this morning, I was greeted with more pitahaya flowers glowing in the morning light. In the background, rain drops glistened on unripened fruit, as their dry spent flowers continued to cling to the fruit of their late night labor.Behind the chain link fence, one of my ripe Dragon Fruit is so close and yet so far.However, there is more to come; blossoms preparing to burst open — for just one night.From tenacious roots and branches of my previous post to fleeting flowers to long ripening fruit; such is the life of the pitahaya.

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Roots or Rapunzel?

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Science and Nature, tagged cactus, Casita Colibrí, flora, garden, Hylocereus undatus, J.R.R. Tolkien quote, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Pitahaya, roots on August 29, 2015| 12 Comments »

One of the apartments in this higgledy piggledy complex is being readied for a new occupant. Opening the door to begin the job, Luci was greeted with an unexpected wall hanging.She ran upstairs, laughing and calling me to come down and see what she had discovered. Hmmm… Rapunzel’s tresses? If so, like everyone else suffering Oaxaca’s hard water, she needs to start using a good hair-conditioner.

Of course, closer inspection revealed it to be the roots of something. A tree, perhaps? But, there are no trees in the vicinity and, in reality, it seemed to be coming from my terrace. I dashed upstairs, as Luci came outside to stand and point to where the fibrous cascade seemed to be coming from. Yikes, on the west wall, the culprit was exposed; the roots of one of my pitahaya had grown into the concrete!!!

Alas, the pitahaya’s tenacity could not be allowed to continue; the garden shears came out and the problem was nipped at its root. The same was done below, leaving golden tresses lying on the ground waiting to be swept away.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Chrysler Building in my garden

Posted in Buildings, Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, tagged Casita Colibrí, garden, Kalanchoe luciae, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, succulents on August 26, 2015| 10 Comments »

My friend G called this succulent, the Chrysler Building. Anyone who has seen the original, or photos of it, in New York City can understand why.This Kalanchoe luciae is one of the great, great, great… grandchildren of the original plantlet G had given me six years ago when I first moved to Oaxaca.

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Ambassador of embroidery

Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged Chinateca, costumes, culture, Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas, embroidery, International Day of the Worl's Indigenous Peoples, Mexico, Oaxaca, Papaloapan Region, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, San Mateo Yetla, textiles, traje on August 23, 2015| 6 Comments »

The celebration of Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indigenas continues in Oaxaca this weekend, with music, dance, food, and an artisan expo-venta (sale) in Jardín El Pañuelito. As I walked through the exposition, one woman’s embroidery drew me back for a second look. I was especially drawn to a huipil that had been hanging next to the one below. It’s not in this photo, because one of the “Diablos” from the Santiago Juxtlahuaca dance troupe (who were performing later) had already volunteered to climb up on a chair to take it down for her to show to me.

However, before I could get my money out, a delegation of dignitaries came by for a photo shoot.

This popular and exceptionally talented woman is Carmen Vásquez Pérez, from San Mateo Yetla, Valle Nacional, located 172 kilometers northeast of Oaxaca city in the Papaloapan Region. According to the article, Mujeres preservan bordado en Yetla, the village is surrounded by waterfalls and lush vegetation and is rich in Chinanteca customs.

Doña Carmen learned to embroider as a child and has been instrumental in an effort to preserve and promote the local traditional designs and techniques. As you can see below, her workmanship is exquisite.

After returning home and doing a little research, I’m even more pleased with my purchase. And, by the way, I did not “bargain” — my new treasure is worth every peso of its 600 peso price tag, and then some!

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Under the African tulip tree…

Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Science and Nature, tagged birds, colibrí, hummingbirds, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs on August 14, 2015| 6 Comments »

Luís interrupted his Sisyphusean task of sweeping the African tulip tree blossoms off the driveway this morning, to come upstairs to show me this baby hummingbird sitting on the driveway.

There’s a lot of hummingbird action going on in the African tulip tree above and we decided it was best to leave baby alone and hope mom flies down to give it some help.

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Minions of transport

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, tagged celebrations, culture, Día del Taxista, Mexico, Minions, Minions quote, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations on August 12, 2015| 2 Comments »

As the announcer used to say, “And now for something completely different…”

Apparently, when the Minions went in search of their next evil boss, they must have stopped off in Oaxaca. My first sighting was on the bus back to the city from the Guelaguetza in Etla two weeks ago.

Then, there they were today, as taxis paraded through the streets of Oaxaca, celebrating Día del Taxista.

Hmmm… Is there something about the movie that resonates with the transportation workers of Oaxaca?

Scarlett Overkill (the Supervillainess): DO you know who this is?
[points at a British Royal portrait]

Kevin (the Minion): Uh… la cucaracha?

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Day of Indigenous Peoples

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Economics, Health, Travel & Tourism, tagged Amuzgo, Chatino, Chinateco, Guelaguetza, indigenous peoples, International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, map, maternal health, Mazateco, Mexico, Mixe, Mixteco, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Tacuate, Zapoteco on August 8, 2015| 3 Comments »

The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) ranks the state of Oaxaca first in Mexico, in terms of indigenous population. [SIPAZ, Población Indígena] Out of 3,405,990 inhabitants of Oaxaca, 34.2% are indigenous. La Guelaguetza, Oaxaca’s July celebration of its indigenous cultures is in the rear view mirror. The streets were filled with tourists and hotels and restaurants were happy. However, the debate continues regarding the role of this annual event.

Santos Reyes Nopala, Chatino

Santos Reyes Nopala – Chatino

Does it benefit Oaxaca’s indigenous population or just the tourist industry? Does it present reality or reinforce stereotypes? However, all agree, poverty and inequality ARE problems that disproportionately affect the indigenous people of Oaxaca. And, Oaxaca and Mexico are not alone…

Santa María Zacatepec, Tacuate

Santa María Zacatepec, Tacuate Mixteco

Tomorrow is August 9, designated as International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994. This year’s theme is, Post 2015 Agenda: Ensuring indigenous peoples health and well-being. As the UN Women website explains:

Indigenous women experience disproportionate difficulties in access to health care, as well as higher rates of maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. Though indigenous women are counted upon to support the health and well-being of their families, they often face hurdles to access the resources to build the foundation of a better life, such as education and land.

San Pedro Amuzgos, Amuzgo

San Pedro Amuzgos, Amuzgo

According to a recent article in Noticias, a woman born in Oaxaca has a four times greater risk of dying from maternal causes than in the rest of Mexico, and 56% of these deaths are of indigenous women.

San Pablo Macuiltianguis, Zapoteco

San Pablo Macuiltianguis – Zapoteco

The Chief of the National Commission for Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI) Oaxaca delegation, reported that Oaxaca has the highest indigenous poverty rate in Mexico, with 1,719,000 indigenous in Oaxaca living in conditions of substandard infrastructure, health, and education, which, he acknowledged, affects women more.

San Pedro y San Pablo Ayutla, Mixe

San Pedro y San Pablo Ayutla – Mixe

In Oaxaca city, on August 9, a cultural event will be held at the Alameda de León, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with bands, poets, and artists supporting the campaign “What happened to my rights?”

San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, Mazateco and Chinanteco

San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec – Mazateco and Chinanteco

Let’s hope there will be answers and action.

(Photos are from Guelaguetza 2015 desfiles (parades) and Diosa Centéotl contest.)

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Eyes of Kobe (not the beef)

Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged artists, graffiti, Jesus Kobe, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, Taqueria Santa Fe video, wall art on August 3, 2015| 4 Comments »

Last week, walking down Crespo, I spotted a mural at the turnoff to Calle Panorámicas del Fortín and discovered it was the work of Jesus Kobe.

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Hmmm… Recently, I’d seen another of his works on Allende near Crespo.

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I was familiar with the artist because last year, friends and I were walking along Panorámicas and stopped at this mural.

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We walked further along to find another mural, but without a signature. It turned out the artist was walking by and when he saw us admiring the work, he graciously stopped to chat. It was Kobe and he explained that he only signs his work once it is completed.

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Serendipity, why this place never ceases to surprise and delight!

And, watch and hear Kobe explain the inspiration that underlies the mural he created for Santa Fe Taqueria in Portland, Oregon:

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Behind every mask

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Agatha Christie quote, art, culture, graffiti, Marty Rubin quote, Nicko Foster, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Sam Shepard quote, social commentary, street art, wall art on August 2, 2015| 2 Comments »

I wonder… What is artist Nicko Foster saying along the walls of calle Constitución?

Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story.
–Marty Rubin

The human face is, after all, nothing more nor less than a mask.
—Agatha Christie

I believe in my mask–The man I made up is me
I believe in my dance– And my destiny
—Sam Shepard

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Last night in B&W

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).

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Very special Guelaguetza

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.

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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.

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