Oaxaca-The Year After: Guelaguetza in Etla

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.

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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.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Guelaguetza in Etla - Perfection

What a glorious day! While over 10,000 people were watching the guelaguetza in the auditorio overlooking the city, I was in a much more intimate setting with a few hundred people in nearby Etla.

I feel so lucky to be close to both Reyes Etla and Etla for these wonderful celebrations of traditions and dances from the various regions of the state.

All the guelaguetzas share similar formats. Group after group comes out and performs, the only changes are in which dances are performed. Each is a little different, although there are always crowd favorites like the danza de la pluma,

the flor de piña,

the jarabe,

but there is always something new and different in each guelaguetza. This is because there are countless dances and variations, depending on which region is being represented. It is a big and diverse state. They could never fit all of them in one performance..... or could they?

So yesterday, it was Etla in all its glory. This is my market village, so I am there all the time, but yesterday was something special and folks sat on the steps facing the stage or under large canopies on either side. I always joke that I am a horrible person, which is probably true, but my time as a reporter taught me that you always have to get the shot and that means you have to get to the right spot to get it.... I was lucky and did.

So many beautiful moments. Mother and daughter.

Guelaguetza is really more than celebration and dance. It is a way of life in certain villages, a term that concocts shared wealth and shared debt. This woman's face says it better.

Four hours went by in a whirl.

Insuring that the traditions continue, there were plenty of young dancers. This girl could really hoof it with powerful heel and toe tapping and stomping. Really!