Oaxaca-The Year After: El Maiz

The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

El Maiz

Nothing get folks more up in arms than messing with corn. Transgenic or corporate produced seeds are thought to be the devil here. Remember, Oaxaca is the birthplace of corn or so many believe. There used to be many hundreds of varieties here, some say thousands, so it is a battle to retain and keep the original native strains alive and prospering. Monsanto is not popular here.
Some street art from the old neighborhood Jalatlaco on the house of a corn activist.