Oaxaca-The Year After

Street Art cont.... never fails... part 76

2012-01-31T18:16:00.000-06:00

One thing about this place that is so much fun to follow is the street art and graffiti. Often I will drive by something and say to myself, "I've gotta walk back and check that out."

After a while, everthing starts to look like art and that ain't a bad thing at all.

I wonder does this stuff exist in other cities? Anyone? Bueller?

I do see it out in the villages, but the city is really where it's at.

Hip Shots

2012-01-30T15:59:00.000-06:00

As I walk the streets, I practice clandestinely shooting from the hip. One never knows when it will come in handy, shooting something dicey where you don't want to be obviously taking pictures. Getting the camera to point at something the eye focuses on takes practice, but I am getting better. Of course, there is an element of luck involved as to whether or nor the shot will actually be in focus, but every now and then.....

Car Talk - cont.

2012-01-30T15:52:00.000-06:00

What difference a day makes.

Someone was hard at work.

Incidentally, the car is for sale.

Car Talk

2012-01-29T13:16:00.000-06:00

Everything changes, right?

I posted a shot of this car a few weeks ago. Every time I go by it, I take a couple of shots.

The details are sweet. Coming

or going.

"Carachita"... means, jalopy or maybe hot rod, probably from some song I don't know.

"Cuando me muera, segurito me voy al cielo, porque ya estuve en el infierno"

Rough translation - "When I die, follow me to Heaven, because I've already been in Hell."
Well, lo and behold, today it looked like this.

Getting it ready for the next look, this one, according to one of the artists, based on indigenous symbols and images.

I will keep you posted.

¡Illuvia!

2012-01-28T17:42:00.000-06:00

Talk about an unusual occurrence. It is actually raining as I write. Once again, I marvel at water falling from the sky. Que milagro! Especially in light of the horrible drought in northern Mexico, the worst in seven decades.

Triquis return home

2012-01-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

The conflict in San Juan Copala has been going on for quite some time and has been a local, national and international story for many months. These sorts of conflicts in indigenous villages crop up fairly often. Often the villages are remote and are seeking some sort of autonomy or resolution of ongoing conflicts concerning who controls what.

Here are a couple of shots from last week.

An archway in front of the palacio.

So last week, the Triquis, who have been a presence in front of the Governor's Palace for what seems like forever, began to return to San Juan Copala.

Here is a story from Upside Down World with more information and background.

For seventeen months more than 300 Triqui people from the region of Copala, as it is known, have been displaced due to intense paramilitary violence in their community. Unable to return under fear of harm, the displaced camped out in Oaxaca City, demanding a government response to their situation.

In 2007, the Copala Triqui community declared itself an autonomous municipality, in line with constitutional revisions from 1995 that recognized indigenous practices of coexistence instead of the electorally-based system of political party leadership. This “new” autonomy derived from usos y costumbres, a form of governance based on indigenous practices of leadership rotation and voluntary community service. The transition to usos y costumbres governance has taken place without much disruption in other indigenous communities, but the specific circumstances of Copala led to significant drama.

The conflict in Copala is not easy to understand, but one version goes something like this. Triqui territory is located in a mineral rich region. When it was discovered that the minerals could be useful for making batteries and other technical components of electronics, government pressure fell on the Triqui people to allow mining rights to foreign companies. Prior to the declaration of autonomy in 2007, government influences had managed to protect business interests in the region, but the transition to usos y costumbres threatened to change the situation. After 2007, the PRI-aligned portion of the community (organized into MULT and Ubisort) were armed and used force to control the section of the village that preferred autonomy.

The same archway today.

If you look closely you can see a little sticker on the column midway up on the left.

The words of Ricardo Flores Magón:
Rough translation- "The right of rebellion is sacred because its exercise is indispensable to break down the obstacles that are opposed to the right to live. Rebellion is life. Submission is death. Are there rebels in town? Then life is assured."

In a nutshell

2012-01-26T15:03:00.000-06:00

Here is a story from Tim Johnson at McClatchy. Obviously, there are many sides to the story, one being that Mexico's economy is doing pretty well and is involved in many large scale projects, some being repairing and improving infrastructure. Locally, the many road repaving projects, from Etla all the way to Tlacolula, speak to that fact.

So here comes Nissan investing a couple of billion for a new plant, the second in Aguascalientes. Maybe the Japanese know something and don't believe that Mexico is a lost cause. I would say their track record is pretty good in the auto industry and they sure sell a lot of cars here.

And then there are the comments following the full story.

In a sign that global manufacturers are looking beyond Mexico's security woes, Nissan said Wednesday that it will invest $2 billion in a new auto plant in Aguascalientes, a central city that has seen problems with crime groups.

President Felipe Calderon, standing beside Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn at a World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland, said the plant would solidify Mexico's position as the world's ninth-largest automaker and sixth-largest auto exporter.

"This is one of the biggest investments we've ever received from an automaker," Calderon said, "and of course it confirms Nissan's lead in Mexico.

The Yokohama, Japan-based automaker already has two plants in Mexico — one in Cuernavaca in Morelos state near the capital, and a second in Aguascalientes — and holds a quarter of the market as the nation's best-selling auto brand.

Calderon said Mexican auto plants produced 2.5 million units in 2011, exporting around 2.1 million of them, the second consecutive year of record production and exports.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/01/25/136939/nissan-to-build-2-billion-mexico.html#storylink=cpy

2501 Imigrantes come to the city... cont

2012-01-23T20:05:00.000-06:00

Alejandro Santiago's installation of "2501 Emigrantes" continues to fill the streets. I love that the sculptures have now become an everyday part of the street scene. Normal life surrounds them.
One sees all sorts of interactions and tableaus, From ships that pass in the night

to couples

Even the famous, that is Francisco Toledo, Oaxaca most famous patron and artist.

Looks like he is leading some away.

Always trying to get the interesting angle or shot.

"Hey, Chris, whatcha doin' whatcha doing???"

Such a nice pup. A real waggler.

Altissima!

2012-01-22T13:01:00.000-06:00

After I rode up on my chopper, I couldn't believe she turned her back on me. Oh my broken heart.

Normally, I am the one who is hitting people in the head with my elbows, but today.... ay, ay, ay! I think I've died and gone to heaven.... well, Tres Reyes anyway.

Stop it!

2012-01-18T15:01:00.000-06:00

UPDATE: Here's a link to Tunecore, my online music distributor. It's a well-reasoned argument against SOPA and PIPA and one with which I agree.

Things are looking up

2012-01-18T08:15:00.000-06:00

One of the most noticeable things happening in Oaxaca is a general uplifting of spirit. It is palpable. Things are most assuredly getting better. In many respects, no matter what the news says, Mexico and its economy are growing, doing better.

from the LAHT

Mexican archaeological sites, museums and historical monuments attracted more than 18.2 million visitors in 2011, the National Anthropology and History Institute, or INAH, said.

INAH said in a communique Monday that the number topped the 18 million in 2010, making 2011 the second best year since 2006 in the number of visitors – only 2008 with 18 million people had more during that period.

It said that of last year’s visitors, 10.6 million visited archeological sites and 7.6 million went to museums and historical monuments managed by INAH. A total of 14.7 million were Mexicans and 3.5 million were foreign tourists.

The three sites that topped 1 million visits were the Teotihuacan Archaeological Zone, the National Museum of Anthropology, and the National History Museum at Chapultepec Castle.

2501 Emigrantes..... continues

2012-01-17T19:35:00.000-06:00

Alejandro Santiago's installation continues to fill the streets. It is such a powerful piece, so thought provoking. I have so many interesting conversations with people, both tourists and oaxaqueños.

Some do not have any idea of the genesis of the work.

This is what art is supposed to do.... make people think. This chiapeneca is an example of the migratory dilemma.

Still working...

2012-01-13T18:58:00.000-06:00

I think these were full cases of beer. Crazy, no?

Hey! I'm workin' here

2012-01-12T21:53:00.000-06:00

There is just something about the work ethic here that is off the charts. I saw it in the young man across the road, who just set up a business washing cars in front of his house. He has been doing it a few weeks and I have seen lots of cars there every time I drive by. I stopped and talked him a couple of weeks ago and asked how much. "35 pesos." My car was so dusty that some unknown person, perhaps Henry Wangeman of Amate Books, had written "porcino" when in fact they had meant to write "porcinito" a term of endearment, I suppose. At any rate, my car was incredibly dirty, Hey, it is Oaxaca in the dry season and there is so much road construction going on, it is impossible to keep it clean. That being said, Eduardo cleaned and polished the car until it looked almost new.... and detailed the inside! All in about 30 minutes. Wow, just wow,

I felt the same about the three guys who repaired a tire for me yesterday just outside of Etla. This tire has had a very slow leak for months now and yesterday I told myself I would stop at the first place I saw. The aforementioned road construction closed the road and I could not get to any of the ones that I saw. Eventually, I saw some tires stacked next to a pretty funky, but typical, shack just off the road. I pulled in and someone immediately took the tire off and then, it was like a ballet. They were working on three cars at the same time and they shared tools, the compressor and various tire machines. I just stood and watched. It was beautiful. In less than twenty minutes I was out of there for 40 pesos.

In both cases, these guys were working at the highest level, just giving amazing service. They were working their asses off and yet it seemed effortless. As I say, it was beautiful.

So I was paying special attention to people working today in the city. As I said, I think the work ethic here is remarkable. The hard work is often accompanied by a sense of fun or joy. It is hard to describe. Whistle while you work? Doin' good work makes you feel good? I dunno.

I saw this on my way in...

and the finished sign.

Great light in this one.

This one is balletic as well....

2501 Emigrantes come to the city... and keep coming

2012-01-11T18:53:00.000-06:00

Slowly, but surely, each day, the life-size sculptures continue to arrive and line the street. 2501 human figures is one heck of a lot of art. I wonder if they are going to continue down Alcala all the way to the zocalo.

Stay tuned.... and scroll down for an earlier post about Alejandro Santiago's "2501 Emigrantes."

Mexico Makes the Record Books

2012-01-09T09:01:00.000-06:00

Check out these stories on Tim Johnson's Mexico Unmasked on McClatchy.

Hmmm.... another record in the making? The Guardian's story on Mexico City's trash problem. How the city deals with these problems will be a harbinger for many other cities. David Lida in his book, "First Stop in the New World" maintains that as Mexico City goes, so go we all. It is a fascinating read.

Images are examples of the never-ending stream of street art and graffiti.

El Dia de Tres Reyes.... follow up

2012-01-08T10:46:00.000-06:00

I made my annual pilgrimage to the nearby village of Tres Reyes just to see what was happening and to pay my respects. It is always so different from what is happening in the city where in front of the cathedral The Three Kings and their helpers have laid out hundreds of toys in rows.

I have seen this prep each year but never the actual event.

I have these images in my mind of hundreds of kids stampeding like Wal-Mart shoppers on Black Friday, but somehow I think it is exactly the opposite, very well organized and orderly.... and fun.
How much fun? This much.

When I arrived in Tres Reyes, the band was playing in front of the church, but not much was happening.

I must have just missed something and I was two hours early for the next event. It was tranquil, so beautiful and bright.

This always feels like a church filled with happiness.

Always so colorful.

So it was quiet.... with band accompaniment. Perfect for eating a lime ice.

Changing state of immigration

2012-01-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

Image from 2501 Migrantes (posted earlier)

This is the NYT story that is circulating today and it is an interesting one, well worth the read. As I always say, immigration is a complex issue, after all, most all of us are, or our ancestors were, migrants from somewhere.

Sacramento Bee

The United States is simply not the magnet it once was. Arrests at the United States' southwest border in 2011 fell to their lowest level since 1972, confirming that illegal immigration, especially from Mexico, has reached what experts now describe as either a significant pause or the end of an era.

But this is not a shift in volume as much as direction. Nearly 2 million more Mexicans lived away from their hometowns in 2010 than was the case a decade earlier, according to the Mexican census. Experts say departures have also held steady or increased over the past few years in Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru and other Latin American countries that have traditionally been hubs of emigration.

The migrants are just not going where they used to.

Mexicans, for example, are increasingly avoiding the United States and the border region, as well as their own capital, and are moving toward smaller, safer cities like Merida, Oaxaca City and Queretaro. Experts say more Guatemalans are also settling in Mexico after years of passing through on the journey north.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/06/4166566/migrants-new-paths-reshape-latin.html#storylink=cpy

Santa Maria Atzompa is just down the road. I was there for El Dia de los Muertos. Yes, there is change occuring and it is significant change. Not far from Atzompa, we now have a great new multiplex cinema. The others were on the other side of the city. I think some of the reactions from the villagers are classic "Get off my lawn" crankiness. We get older and the changes from what we knew are hard to take sometimes. However, news bulletin, change is inevitable, like trying to hold back the tides.

And really what do you expect? The abject hatred for Mexicans that comes from parts of El Norte has had an effect. The number of deportations is up. It is harder and harder to get in legally or illegally. Plus, in case you hadn't noticed, the economy in the States is hurting and here, it is doing better. So folks are still migrating, but they are moving within country and Oaxaca is such a wonderful place, mexicanos are choosing to come here and with them comes change. It is a changing world.

Just talk to all the business in the States that have suffered for lack of workers. Seems like it was a "lose-lose" situation. Maybe the lessons learned are slowly sinking in and change will follow. Some of those workers came here and the city has benefited in many ways. There is a lot of construction, roads are being paved, there is a general feeling that things are improving. Of course, 2006, was terrible, and Oaxaca is still recovering, but the progress is palpable.

For this migrante, life is much better here.

El Dia de Tres Reyes

2012-01-06T11:43:00.000-06:00

Today is the day, January 6th, when the Magi arrived bearing gifts. It is also the day when children receive gifts, like Christmas elsewhere.

Here is my Rosca de Reyes, shaped like one of the king's crown. This one is extra special because it is homemade by Rosa Perez Blum, Henry Wangeman's, remarkable esposa. It is tradition to hide a little figure of Christ baked in it and whoever gets it has to provide dinner, tamales, on February 2. Guess I will be buying myself dinner.

I am not sure which one I am/was, Gaspar, Melchior or Balthasar, but I was channeling one of them and made sure my neighbor's children awoke to some fun.

UPDATE:
Guess who is buying dinner?

Shots of the day...cont.

2012-01-05T10:43:00.000-06:00

As always, lots happening even though the crowds have eased slightly after the Navidad crush. In general, business was up, but not spectacular. No matter what or when, the answer is always the same, "Mas o menos."
If it is already this cool before it is even finished, can't wait to see it when it is done.

Am I too late for the Iowa caucuses? Sorry, it's just what came to mind.

Speaking of cool.... that's what I'm talkin' about.... high tops.

Whatever you do, don't think of Jackie Gleason saying "poloponies."

A serene shot from the zocalo.

2501 Imigrantes come to the city.

2012-01-02T20:49:00.000-06:00

In what will prove to be the most photographed art installation in years, Alejandro Santiago's huge project lines the streets and sits in front of Santo Domino.

I went to see this amazing work when it was at the CaSa in nearby San Agustin Etla in July of 2007. Please check out the photos and more of the background by clicking on that post. That way I do not need to repeat myself.

Santiago and his remaining neighbors created 2501 life-size sculptures, each one representing a person who had left his village. The men leave. The very young and the very old remain. And lots of lonely women. Imagine if that happened where you were.

If the people around you left, would you look the other way?

Would you just ignore it? Could you just walk past?

Or run past?

Immigration is a very complex subject. I have strong feelings about it. First, the daily wage here is about $4.50 US a day.... a day! Think about what you might do if you could make in ten times that somewhere else.

Also, too, I am in immigrant of sorts here. Imagine if you were living on $1000 a month in the US, say on Social Security. That money would allow you to live reasonably well here and would not even get you a place to live in much of the US.

It sure is something to ponder.

¡Feliz Año Neuvo!

2012-01-01T18:18:00.000-06:00

I should call this blog, Oaxaca, where each year is better than the last, nah.... too long. However, 2011 was one of the absolute best. The energy of the place at year's end was so positive and upbeat. You just gotta come and feel the vibe, man. The year just never quit, start to finish. All 313 posts. I love this place. It keeps rewarding me and teaching me. I love the people, the culture, the history, the food, I mean, what's not to love. OK, maybe the politics, but have you checked out the politics where you live?
Ignore them. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." Love your family and friends. Enjoy your life to the fullest and call me when you get in town. Coffee's on me. Paz y amor.

Tee Time... more shirts

2011-12-31T11:44:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, rather than shoot on the sly, I just went up to these people and said I really liked their shirts and asked if I could take a picture. They all said yes... and they all had the look in their eyes that maybe we should humor this guy, he might be crazy.

Jesus da Man. Turning water into wine since 33 A.D

This nice Hendrix image on a Swiss tourist. Jimi lives!

Shot of the day...

2011-12-30T22:01:00.000-06:00

This was the most beautiful moment in an altogether beautiful day. As I was walking back up Alcala to my car, I saw this young girl, a street musician that I recognized, and an old man sitting next to her. She was working the bellows on her accordion and he was singing and playing the keys. He was teaching her a song and she had the sweetest shy smile on her face. The music and the singing were beautiful, but it was the tenderness of the moment that made it so magical.

I don't know if you can see it, but the brand name on her instrument is "Child Prodigy" made proudly here in Mexico, they informed me.

Am I missing something?

2011-12-30T11:34:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry. Maybe you have to in country to understand the wisdom of this, but from the outside, it just looks crazy. Too much for this pobre campesino, who is going outside to shovel abono, real manure, instead of this BS.

From McClatchy (emphasis added)

America's growing drone operations rely on hundreds of civilian contractors, including some, such as the SAIC employee, who work in the so-called kill chain before Hellfire missiles are launched, according to current and former military officers, company employees and internal government documents.

Relying on private contractors has brought corporations that operate for profit into some of America's most sensitive military and intelligence operations. And using civilians makes some in the military uneasy. At least a dozen defense contractors that supply personnel to help the Air Force, special operations units and the CIA fly their drones are filling a void. It takes more people to operate unmanned aircraft than it does to fly traditional warplanes that have a pilot and crew.

The Air Force is short of ground-based pilots and crews to fly the drones, intelligence analysts to scrutinize nonstop video and surveillance feeds, and technicians and mechanics to maintain the heavily used aircraft. "Our No. 1 manning problem in the Air Force is manning our unmanned platforms," said Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, Air Force vice chief of staff. Without civilian contractors, U.S. drone operations would grind to a halt.

About 168 people are needed to keep a single Predator aloft for 24 hours, according to the Air Force. The larger Global Hawk surveillance drone requires 300 people. In contrast, an F-16 fighter aircraft needs fewer than 100 people per mission.

With a fleet of about 230 Predators, Reapers and Global Hawks, the Air Force flies more than 50 drones around the clock over Afghanistan and other target areas. The Pentagon plans to add 730 medium and large drones in the next decade, requiring thousands more personnel. The Air Force is rushing to meet the demand. Under a new program, drone pilots get 44 hours of cockpit training before they are sent to a squadron to be certified and allowed to command missions. That compares with a minimum of 200 hours' training for pilots flying traditional warplanes.

Read this

2011-12-29T08:29:00.000-06:00

Sister blogger, spixl, has a great post over at Casita Colibri with a link to an article that you just must read. It's a good one about indigenous life and goes into some depth and explains why Oaxaca remains one the best places on earth.

For instance:

Precolonial Oaxaca was a complex linguistic and cultural map marked by multiple distinct languages and multiple dialects within each language. At least sixteen of these prehispanic languages – along with the unique worldviews they embody – have survived and evolved in the centuries following the conquest. Today, these languages make Oaxaca one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world, and this remarkable linguistic diversity serves as a testament to the cultural survival of a vast array of indigenous communities.

With over 350,000 speakers, Zapotec is the most prevalent indigenous language, sustained by the descendents of the ancient Zapotec Empire. Even among Zapotec speakers, however, there is a significant diversity of dialects, and speakers of one dialect may find it difficult or impossible to communicate with speakers of another. This tremendous diversity makes language an important marker of cultural identity. In Oaxaca, one’s home village may be the only place in the world where a specific dialect is spoken.

Sure Signs

2011-12-28T20:15:00.001-06:00

The signs of Oaxaca can be pretty interesting, often artistic.

It's a clothing store.
But sometimes they are just strange.

They could fit into a sidebar along my ongoing tee shirt series called, "Do they really know what they are wearing?"

Dreams of Wood?

Noche Buena - Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T19:21:00.000-06:00

While the light show was being projected on the cathedral. processions were snaking their ways through the streets, which were packed.

The 24th is the end of the celebration known as Las Posadas, a nine day event. As they do each year, various churches groups paraded into El Centro with nativity scenes mounted on flatbed trucks. Each was led by a band and followed by people carrying candles and lanterns.

There were firecrackers and pinwheels galore.

The Three Kings were there.

The only problem was that the light show made getting into the zocalo impossible, Normally, the groups enter the zocalo and keep going around until the place is packed with bands, floats, trucks, fireworks, people, all in a wonderful cacophony.

This year, I don't think there was any plan at all. We would see one group coming towards us and then turn around and see another group on a different street going in a different direction. We ran around and had a blast, but no one in the crowd had a clue as to where to go. Watching the cops direct traffic through it all was a total trip.

Of course, cute kids ruled the night.

Grrr.... they always do.

Light Show on the Cathedral

2011-12-25T10:19:00.000-06:00

They are showing this absolutely amazing bit of digital magic every night in the zocalo.

Each section is ten minutes long.

A Christmas Card

2011-12-24T14:30:00.000-06:00

This fine quilt hangs just outside Amate books. A perfect holiday postcard...

I confess to photoshopping the two atm machines out of either side of the bench, but I mean, what does money have to do with Christmas?

Here is the name of the person who created the quilt, but the more I looked at the font, the less clear what the name was.

La Noche del Rabanos - Night of the Radishes - 2011

2011-12-23T18:56:00.000-06:00

Whew. I'm just back from this year's Noche del Rabanos and it was better than ever. How could you have missed it? Where was your head??

This is the annual comeptition that takes place in the zocalo on December 23 and involves creating works using three different media: dried flowers.

corns husks

or radishes.

With Oaxaca's fame in the folk art world, the pieces are often amazing. Some of the dried flower pieces take months to assemble. The radishes are pretty much a one day thing. They start to smell by the end of the day. One has to get there early to watch the assembling and setting up. By afternoon it is way too crowded. And en la noche? No way! The place is packed.

There are so many shots to go through, but I thought I would throw a few up quickly, with more to come tomorrow or the next day, which is, I believe, Christmas.

Some beautiful work

The piece from above and the artist, who is from nearby Etla.

Sometimes, it all comes together. Color and subjects agree.

And the people, the artists, are so great to watch and interact with.

Shot of the day...

2011-12-21T18:40:00.000-06:00

This street musician with his Ramones jacket. more specifically, a Johnny Ramone jacket.

How cool is that?

¡Mexicana!

2011-12-20T15:39:00.000-06:00

This shot is taken from directly in front of the entrance to the plaza leading to the zocalo. What a beautiful woman. She makes riot gear look good. I love how her perfect nails are resting on her automatic weapon.

She was such an imposing presence. It made me think about the complexities of living here in terms of gender and the constant police and military presence.

Christopher Huck - Opening in Teotitlan

2011-12-19T19:48:00.000-06:00

There are many things one can do and see in Teotitlan del Valle. There are the dancers, the processions, the weaving, the food, but going to an art opening? Now that's a rarity. Yesterday, just before the last curve to enter the village proper, was just such an event. And it will be the first of many as Christopher Huck and his wife, Laura Fisher, both talented artists, plan on following this initial gallery opening with one every three months. They live in the village, but this little fiesta was at their gallery.

The art speaks for itself, filled with vibrant color.

Here's a link to this body of work, but his is extensive, as he is a very accomplished blacksmith with amazing metal work. Check out some of it here.

It was an interesting setting. Girls from the village, in traditional outfits, served food and drinks. The neighbors came, as well as people from the village, so there was a touch of Zapotec formality. There were also visitors from the city and beyond. And even some normal crazy artist types.
All were treated to quite a wonderful show.

We talked at some length about how living here has effected our art. Hey, it effects one's whole perspective, so it would only make sense to have it infused in his work. And the magic is sure there.

Those of you here for Navidad have to go check it out.

La Virgin de La Soledad

2011-12-18T20:00:00.000-06:00

Today, December 18, is a very special day for oaxaqueños as they celebrate la Virgen de la Soledad.
She is the patron of Oaxaca and usually she is inside the church behind the altar, but today she is carried out into the sunlight surrounded by thousands of people. I have a hard time keeping all the saints and virgins straight but here is her story.

In the 17th century, devotion to Our Lady of Solitude increased when an unattended, heavily-laden pack donkey staggered into Oaxaca, Mexico and died. No one knew where it had come from, who owned it, or what it carried. When the people examined his pack, they found a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Solitude. She wore a crown of diamonds with a huge drop pearl in the middle, and a black velvet robe. The people decided that as the donkey had died at that spot, they would build a church there to house the little statue. Since then devotion to Our Lady of Solitude has grown, especially in Latin America.

It was quite an event, but not the only thing happening today. More in a bit.

Occupy This

2011-12-17T14:12:00.000-06:00

Hey, El Norte! It's everywhere.

"I read the news today, oh boy" Am I reading this correctly? The US can now arrest its citizens without charges and hold them indefinitely? I thought the rest of the world was supposed to stop doing these sorts of things and follow our example. I did not think it would work the other way.

The whole world is watching.... in stunned amazement.
Time's Person of the Year is everywhere, too.

"People, get ready. There's a train a comn'."

Alejandra Robles

2011-12-17T13:49:00.000-06:00

Last night, in the park near the baseball stadium, Alejandra Robles put on a wonderful concert. She is a originally from Puerto Escondido, the costa chica part of Oaxaca. She proudly represents her Afro-Mexican roots in her music and dance. She also sings classically.

The event was the opening of the opening of the winter fiesta complete with ice rink, toboggan slide, all sorts of action. The governor was there and lots of press. It was a big deal when he rode down in a toboggan and then there was a thirty minute figure skating show. So the 7 pm listed starting time was pure dreaming. Try 8:30 and it was cold and blowing - perfect for a winter event.... a concert, not so much.

Of course, I am in love with her... I mean, her voice and stage presence.

And her band was top notch, some really nice players. The sound was good, but not perfect, which it should have been, given all the tech they had and the amount of tweaking time. The lighting and video did not work the way they should have. They had an led screen behind her and the band, so basically, she was a silhouette most of the time, hard to see well and really hard to shoot. It did make for some interesting shots.

This one has a Lady Day sort of feel to it.

A classic pose.

And in the end, said as one who put on and performed in hundreds of concerts, most of the magic that happens in concerts comes from the audience.

Yes, the performer generates it, but the crowd must feed on it and then give it back. That's what does it.

And it just wasn't there for this one. I think it was just too cold and the crowd too small to push it into that realm.

It sure was not for trying. She was wonderful.

Faces of Teotitlan del Valle

2011-12-16T13:11:00.000-06:00

After posting all those shots of people's backs, here are some of the young faces.
Carlos Antonio Gutierrez Mendoza as Herman Cortes. What a classic profile.

Alvaro Vasquez Lazo as Pedro de Alvarado.

Rosa Angelica Hernandez Mendez as Malinche

Leticia Martinez Gonzalez as Doña Marina.

And one of the dancers...

I have all their names but I am not who exactly is who. Next time.

La Virgen de Guadalupe in Teotitlan del Valle

2011-12-13T11:59:00.001-06:00

What better way than to celebrate Mexico's most important saint than with the danzantes in Teotitlan del Valle. The day was glorious with vivid blue skies and intense sun. Unfortunately, the dancers were in the shade all day, shaded by the huge trees on the southern side of the plaza. So shooting was very challenging, dark images with intensely bright backgrounds. Still, it was fantastic, as always.
In celebration of the Virgin, the dancers had newly woven or embroidered images of her on their capes, coronas (headdresses) or, for Malinche and Doña Marina, on their dresses.

What amazing work! This is Monctezuma's cape.

Sequins in the center of this corona.

The Virgin was everywhere in many forms. What amazing weaving!

Wow!

More wow.

What a magical vision and such an honor to be there.

Yes, the dancers had faces and there are frontal shots.... in a while.

Street Art cont.... of a different sort

2011-12-12T11:07:00.000-06:00

These bright pictures are on the side of a hill on the road to Ocotlan. They have been renewed from time to time and this time it was for last week's Virgin of Juquila pilgrimages or peregrinajes. It is hard to show the scale of how large these pieces are, but you can see some small shacks and structures and that should help.

What a labor of love and devotion.

Street Art cont.... never fails

2011-12-11T10:26:00.000-06:00

This place just has the best posters and graffiti.

Piece by piece

and as a whole

Cuish is a mezcal brand or vendor.

Street scenes...

2011-12-10T13:29:00.000-06:00

It's piñata time. This one is maybe two meters in diameter and is hanging in a busy intersection as an advertisement and enticement for the maker just down the side street.

The zocalo is bedecked with poinsettias making for a pleasant place to work.

Flowers. There are always flowers.

Of course, what one sees depends on where the street is. This from Los Reyes.

Change

2011-12-09T21:01:00.000-06:00

Sometimes construction jobs seem to happen very quickly. Where there was once a field is now a building. On the other hand certain building projects can take years. These are often people's homes. As the money comes in, the construction continues in stops and starts.
While I was in El Norte it seems like a lot got finished. There is a huge new Walmart in the city. I mean, huge. A new Autozone, a few other franchises and this, a new Bodega Aurrera on the street from Etla to Tres Reyes.

I wonder what it all means to the vendors, the stores and the nearby market. The market is one of the best things about living where I do. What sort of change will this all bring?

It reminded me of this sign I saw in the market in Zimatlan.

That market was graced with this beautiful statue. Here decorated for El Dia del los Muertos.

Walmart or Aurrera ain't gonna have anything like that.

The Waltons or Walmart are/is very big in Mexico with hundreds of stores. Just in Oaxaca, there is the new huge one that is only a kilometer from Sam's Club. There are Bodega Aurreras and Super Aurreras all over the area.

Wal-Mart operates over 1,410^[1] retail outlets in Mexico including restaurants and supermarkets, under the names Walmart, Superama, Suburbia, VIPS, Sam's Club and Bodega Aurrerá. The company is now Mexico's largest private sector employer.

Incidentally, "Aurrera" in Basque means “Come on.”
Read the history and the state of the Walton Empire in Mexico here and here.

Oportunidades - Opportunities

2011-12-08T19:38:00.000-06:00

Seemed like old times today as I headed out in search of one thing and found everything but. I thought I would find Virgen of Juquila celebrations, but every church I visited was empty. However, whenever one is driving around there is always plenty to take in and learn. And so it was when I got to nearby Tres Reyes expecting to find lots of people carrying flowers, where I instead found the zocalo filled with a long line of women.

There were hundreds and many men and families waiting on the outskirts.

I asked someone what was happening and they said. "Oportunidades." I said gracias and left, but when I got back to the house I looked it up and Oportunidades is a program run by the Mexican government and it seems to be working.

Here's some of what Wikipedia has to say:

Oportunidades is a government social assistance program in Mexico founded in 2002, based on a previous program called Progresa, created in 1997.^[1] It is designed to target poverty by providing cash payments to families in exchange for regular school attendance, health clinic visits, and nutritional support.^[2] Oportunidades is credited with decreasing poverty and improving health and educational attainment in regions in which it has been deployed.^[3] As of 2006, around one-quarter of Mexico's population participates in Oportunidades.

Key features of Oportunidades include:
Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) - To encourage co-responsibility, receipt of aid is dependent on family compliance with program requirements, such as ensuring children attend school and family members receive preventative health care^[4]
"Rights holders" - Program recipients are mothers, the caregiver directly responsible for children and family health decisions^[5]
Cash payments are made from the government directly to families to decrease overhead and corruption^[1]
A system of evaluation and statistical controls to ensure effectiveness^[2]
Rigorous selection of recipients based on geographical and socioeconomic factors
Program requirements target measures considered most likely to lift families out of poverty, focusing on health, nutrition and children's education^[1
The anti-poverty program has become a flagship success. Thirty percent of the population directly receive conditional cash transfers from the program. Effects have been both positive and numerous. Increased contraceptive use in rural areas of Mexico has resulted in reduced teen pregnancy and fewer infant deaths. Students are progressing with school for more years and with high grades. The number of graduating high school students has increased 85%. More students are going to college.

Seems like a very successful program and one that is definitely needed. Oportunidades for them and an opportunity for me to learn something new.

It's beginning to look....

2011-12-07T19:22:00.001-06:00

Have your tree yet? I guess they can be pretty pricey, but here they are reasonable if you don't mind a dry one with no fragrance. I love how they have them sitting in a shallow dish of sand. Who knows maybe that is the secret to keeping them fresh and moist. These however, were looking pretty dry and brittle. But hey, the price is right about $22 US.

Did you know that depending where you live, there is a good chance that a mexicano harvested your tree?

From the LAHT

BEECH MOUNTAIN, North Carolina – The Christmas tree industry in North Carolina continues to depend on Mexican labor to keep alive the tradition of placing natural pine trees in homes for the holiday season.

According to figures compiled by the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, there are 1,600 tree farms in the state that harvest 5 million pine trees – and plant 50 million – per year on 25,000 acres of land, most of them Fraser pines, the one best-known for its particular fragrance.

It is estimated that more than 27 million U.S. homes will put up a tree during the month of December to brighten the festivities.

....during the 1980s the first Mexicans hired by farmers under the H2A visa program began arriving in the state.

“In the last 25 years, the labor force has changed,” said Hamilton, who carried out a study on the impact of the Hispanic labor force in the industry.

“It began with farmers in the state, their families, including students, but with growth they needed workers from other places and the Mexicans ... began arriving there.”

One of those workers is Mario Tehandon, 42, who along with his four brothers were the first Mexicans to settle in Avery County to devote their efforts to the Christmas tree industry.

“It’s a very hard job, of 12 or 14 hours a day. We have to get up at 5 a.m. to work, even in the rain and even when it’s frozen because you have to cut the pines no matter what the weather is,” Tehandon told Efe.

He is in charge of 30 employees, all working for the Triple H Pines firm, which annually cuts 50,000 Fraser pines.

“We Mexicans have gotten ourselves ahead in this industry, because trees from here are distributed to Texas, Mississippi, New York, and that’s a source of pride,” he said.

Hamilton emphasized that the Christmas tree industry continues to depend on seasonal workers who arrive in the state every year to harvest and prune the little trees, given that the “natives have devoted themselves to other jobs.”

I think there are some things unsaid in the story, like are they all documented workers, but at least the story has a positive spin to it. Better than Arizona, Alabama, Georgia,.......

Shhh...

2011-12-04T08:58:00.000-06:00

Time for a fence goin' the other way?
From the LAHT

More than 2 million retired Americans have chosen Mexico as their new home, a figure that continues to increase thanks to the pleasant climate and favorable economic conditions, Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara said.

During Friday’s inauguration of the 1st National Forum for Retired Americans: Expectations and Solutions of Life in Mexico, the official said that Mexico offers such products as medical tourism, rest and relaxation tourism, and business tourism.

She said that retired Americans are a segment of great importance for developing the economy of the nation’s tourist destinations, and added that more and more Canadians also opt for retirement in Mexico.

Guevara said that the favorite retirement locations are Mexico’s northwestern states and the Yucatan peninsula.

At the same forum, the president of the International Community Foundation, Richard Kiy, said that 53 percent of retirees making their home in Mexico are under age 65 and choose Mexico for the favorable living conditions and stable economy.

He said that Mexico being near their home country does influence their choice, as does the possibility of purchasing a home at a much lower price than in the United States.

He said that 34 percent say the economic recession has not affected their retirement plans nor their quality of life.

The study indicated that 93 percent of retirees say that drug-related violence, which has claimed nearly 50,000 lives in the past five years, is not a problem that would keep them from moving to Mexico.

Window art

2011-12-03T19:15:00.001-06:00

The first is from the remarkable restoration of the San Pablo Academic and Cultural Center funded by the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation. This is a new museum/performance space and library that is right next to the Textile Museum, the Macedonia Alcala Teatro and the Stamp Museum. They take these things seriously here and these are all gems, both architecturally and culturally.

In the eye of the the beholder.

I love how this almost looks like it could be a framed piece, but that's the sky behind a roofless room.

Good to be back....

2011-12-03T19:13:00.000-06:00

My luggage and I were finally reunited after three absolutely horrible days of being apart. There was a bit of intrigue and some tense moments as it was driven around the city from one wrong address to the next, but finally... the cheddar cheese and crunchy peanut butter were set free.

So today, it was a nice walk through the city basking in the warmth. It has been cold here. The tender plants in San Sebastian got nailed and it is only the first week in December. Last year we had a fairly hard freeze, but it was later. However, the sun was out and it felt great to reacquaint myself with the city. This guy was way up there restoring a church. Look at that face.

How can you not feel happy seeing that.

Different palettes

2011-12-02T09:10:00.000-06:00

It is a world of colors.
New England's autumn

to market day in Etla

Knock, knock,

Who's there?
My luggage,
My luggage?
My luggage finally made it here.
Now to go and find it.

Vuelvo

2011-11-30T13:44:00.001-06:00

Ahhhh.... I'm back. My bag is somewhere else, but I am here, only slightly dazed and confused.
I got in last night to crystal clear skies and colder temperatures than any I experienced in Boston. I would tell you exactly how cold it was, but the outside thermometer I just got.... is in my bag.

I shopped like an Egyptian, I mean Mexican, and brought back all sorts of good stuff... crunchy peanut butter, soy sauce, cheddar cheese, perelite.... Hope it all makes it here.

No better way to get going than market day in nearby Etla. These gentlemen, down from Puebla, were set up right next to my car and the aroma of fresh garlic greeted me as I opened my door. Talk about ahhhh....

What's more the street dog that I always try to buy lunch food whenever I see him, actually wagged his tail when he saw me. He got a nice big fat tamale with pork and flor de calabasa from Doña Melisa, my tamale lady. I told Melisa that there was no one in Boston who could touch her tamales. She has no idea. Hers are consistently some of the best I have eaten here and I have bought from her every week for a few years now.

It is funny, but this all seems so much more normal to me than anything I experienced in El Norte. And shopping for food? Reverse culture shock.

Here's what I got for about $15 US.

Tortillas, five tamales, four chiles rellenos, cheese, salsa, avocados, tomatoes, tangerines, sweet rolls and of course, garlic.

It's good to be back.

Vista Hermosa -Dia de los Muertos - Video

2011-11-27T10:58:00.000-06:00

See what I mean?

Fantastic!

Vista Hermosa -Dia de los Muertos

2011-11-27T10:17:00.002-06:00

One of the best things that we got to see and participate in was the early morning adventure with the danzantes from Vista Hermosa, which is just up the road... and I do mean up.

For Day of the Dead there are three groups of dancers in the area that go from house to house all night and into the morning. I have been with each of the other groups a couple of times, from San Jose and San Agustin, but this was a first with Vista Hermosa. I thought that all three groups met in the end, but Vista does its own thing.

They were not easy to find. One has to stop and listen, to try and hear the band, to follow the sound. However, there were other bands playing across the mountains and valleys. Initially, we only heard them. We had no sign of our guys so we asked a few people and they all pointed up a steep road. Oaxaca is already at a mile in altitude and we were well above that, puffing our way up dirt roads until... "I think I hear something." We made it over a crest and they they were. This was the first dancer we saw so we knew we were in for a good time.

I did an earlier post on the band. They were killer, laying down infectious, non-stop, fast rhythms and the dancers were in another world.

The whole thing had started the night before, so they had been dancing and playing for fourteen hours before we caught up with them.

These outfits, covered with bells and mirrors, weigh a ton.

Easy to see why the are so heavy.

Leg work.

And they come in all ages, showing great pride in their traditions.

I can't imagine walking with them on, let alone dancing for hours in them.

The group goes from house to house where they are welcomed and given food and drink. The band plays for about 20-30 minutes and then it is off to the next house. They knew all the back ways down. It was a much shorter trek than the one we had followed up. The band led the way and played while we walked. Having a little mountain goat in you helps.... and some mezcal.

It all ends at ten in the morning in front of the church.

I'll be back next year, ojala. However, I will head down a little earlier so I can catch the mosh pit melee between San Jose and San Agustin at the foot of the mountain.

Number of undocumented Mexicans in the US continues to fall

2011-11-25T07:25:00.000-06:00

Elections have consequences. Maybe this is the desired effect, but in my opinion we are moving in exactly the wrong ways. If compassion was a part of people's thinking, things could be much different.
The Obama administration has deported more people than ever. No tiene verguenza?

from the Latin American Herald Tribune

The number of undocumented Mexicans in the United States continues to fall, and between 2007 and 2010 the figure declined by about 400,000, mainly due to the harsher immigration policy in several states and high unemployment....

The report says that the number of Mexican immigrants decreased in states such as Arizona (by 13.2 percent between 2007 and 2010), Florida (41.4 percent), Georgia (21.6 percent), Alabama (37.3 percent and Tennessee (31.9 percent), in which anti-immigration laws have been implemented or are being discussed.

In contrast, in other states such as California, where the number of Mexican immigrants fell by 4.7 percent, as well as in Maryland (51.2 percent), Oregon (41.2 percent) and Arkansas (49.8 percent), “the high unemployment among Mexican migrants could be spurring their exit,” the report said.

In general, Mexican migrants “are moving to states with low unemployment, or to states near those that have toughened their actions against immigrants like: Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington and Michigan,” BBVA said.

The poverty rate among Mexican immigrants is double that of the U.S. population in general, the report said.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2011-11-25T07:15:00.000-06:00

Buffy St. Marie was one of my early heroes and this song is one of the reasons. She has such a unique sound, one that probably is a mix of folk and her indigenous roots. This song, "My Country Tis of Thy People You're Dying," performed on Pete Seeger's show, "Rainbow Quest" is so powerful, so passionate, one cannot help but be humbled and ashamed by the actions of our government in the past. And even sadder, actions that still continue to this day.

Listen to the words. It is a history lesson. An amazing performance.

Now that your big eyes have finally opened,
Now that you're wondering how must they feel,
Meaning them that you've chased across America's movie screens.
Now that you're wondering how can it be real
That the ones you've called colorful, noble and proud
In your school propaganda
They starve in their splendor?
You've asked for my comment I simply will render:
My country 'tis of thy people you're dying.
Now that the longhouses breed superstition
You force us to send our toddlers away
To your schools where they're taught to despise their traditions.
You forbid them their languages, then further say
That American history really began
When Columbus set sail out of Europe, then stress
That the nation of leeches that conquered this land
Are the biggest and bravest and boldest and best.
And yet where in your history books is the tale
Of the genocide basic to this country's birth,
Of the preachers who lied, how the Bill of Rights failed,
How a nation of patriots returned to their earth?
And where will it tell of the Liberty Bell
As it rang with a thud
O'er Kinzua mud,
And of brave Uncle Sam in Alaska this year?
My country 'tis of thy people you're dying.
Hear how the bargain was made for the West:
With her shivering children in zero degrees,
Blankets for your land, so the treaties attest,
Oh well, blankets for land is a bargain indeed,
And the blankets were those Uncle Sam had collected
From smallpox-diseased dying soldiers that day.
And the tribes were wiped out and the history books censored,
A hundred years of your statesmen have felt it's better this way.
And yet a few of the conquered have somehow survived,
Their blood runs the redder though genes have paled.
From the Gran Canyon's caverns to craven sad hills
The wounded, the losers, the robbed sing their tale.
From Los Angeles County to upstate New York
The white nation fattens while others grow lean;
Oh the tricked and evicted they know what I mean.
My country 'tis of thy people you're dying.
The past it just crumbled, the future just threatens;
Our life blood shut up in your chemical tanks.
And now here you come, bill of sale in your hands
And surprise in your eyes that we're lacking in thanks
For the blessings of civilization you've brought us,
The lessons you've taught us, the ruin you've wrought us --
Oh see what our trust in America's brought us.
My country 'tis of thy people you're dying.
Now that the pride of the sires receives charity,
Now that we're harmless and safe behind laws,
Now that my life's to be known as your "heritage,"
Now that even the graves have been robbed,
Now that our own chosen way is a novelty --
Hands on our hearts we salute you your victory,
Choke on your blue white and scarlet hypocrisy
Pitying the blindness that you've never seen
That the eagles of war whose wings lent you glory
They were never no more than carrion crows,
Pushed the wrens from their nest, stole their eggs, changed their story;
The mockingbird sings it, it's all that he knows.
"Ah what can I do?" say a powerless few
With a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye --
Can't you see that their poverty's profiting you.

My country 'tis of thy people you're dying.

Street Art cont.... I miss it

2011-11-23T12:44:00.000-06:00

This is what I need.....

along with this

and this

and for sure, this

More Lila Downs

2011-11-23T12:35:00.000-06:00

Because you can't have too much.

One of my absolute favorites.

I play my own version of her arrangement.

A magical concert. Rare for both audience and musicians.

The same, only different

2011-11-22T14:51:00.000-06:00

It seems like I go from taking care of one place to taking care of the other, San Sebastian Etla to The Garden City, Newton, MA. The differences are profound. For various reasons, those being cultural, financial, spiritual, aesthetic and a few others, I prefer the former.

I am a campesino in both places, except that there are no campesinos here, so I guess I am the guy who shows up every now and then to take care of the house.

Ah.... houses. It is always something. Problems and pests. No, leaf-cutting ants here, but the temporary bane of my existence, squirrels.

I had a friend that called them "rats with bushy tails." I had not really ever cared one way or the other... until now. They moved in and enjoyed the new insulation job I did in the attic and when I sealed that off, they moved into the roof over the kitchen,

This was not good. It was war.

I tried everything, but eventually went with a couple of Havahart traps, one of which was too small for the big boys. However, I have managed to catch fifteen of the little darlings and relocate them in Norembega Park..... on the other side of the Charles River. Plenty of oaks there and I hope they are happy.

I would add that I was surprised how dirty and disgusting the whole adventure has been. Also, too, there were times when I felt like Travis Bickle.

What the US could learn from Oaxaca

2011-11-20T11:16:00.000-06:00

The right to protest is a part of life here. It is respected at all times. Many times these protests cause disruptions in the daily flow of life. What's more, it is a rare day when there are no protests, marches or blockades. They may inconvenience people, but people adapt and we live our lives. The over-arching principle being people's respect for the right of others to protest. They may not agree, but protesting is fine. Oaxaqueños are famous for their protests, their resolve and their political involvement.

At the same time, Mexico is a militarized country. We see big guns every day. There are checkpoints at various points on strategic roads and others that pop up randomly. To go through them is just a part of normal life. However, being way up in the mountains and hitting upon a group of soldiers, some of whom are wearing black ski masks... well, it can readjust one's thinking real quickly. There is always a big "whew!" at the end.

With that said, I am watching what is happening in El Norte right now and certainly the right to protest is being trampled. I feel more like an alien here than in Oaxaca. Where am I?

Everyone knows that the US is #1 in military/police technology and seeing it in use on our own people is just plain scary.

Oaxaca is so far ahead of the curve on this, the US should study it. The protests in 2006 came after years of building tensions. It was a perfect storm with Ulises as governor. It all ended horribly in October of 2006. People died. The economy collapsed. Everything changed. For all the artesanos, the carvers, the weavers, ceramicists, it ended.. over. People have adapted. There has been a recovery of sorts, but let's face it, the world economy is in the tank, so it ain't great.

In hindsight, and no great revelation, sending in the troops to end the 2006 protests brought on a whole world of pain. Violence and brutality versus the right to protest. Look how that played out.

For now, Oaxaca has returned to normal and I say, ¡Viva Oaxaca! where the right to protest is inviolate and very well exercised.

2006? Given the opportunity to do it differently, I think most would say, "Let's try."

And now, in the US, we have such blatant abuse by police, who look like they are from some sci-fi movie. The images that the rest of the world sees...... Uh, guys, this is not a good thing. Are you aware that everyone has phones that take pictures and video? And can post them in seconds? I mean, haven't you seen "The Bourne Ultimatum???" We are all on camera, all the time. Pepper spraying someone in the face and arresting our grandmothers is not playing well. It is a very difficult sell to a world that is very plugged in. Egypt? Greece? Arab Spring? As they say, "The whole world is watching."

One of the things I love about Oaxaca is its 10,000 year history. It is a wonderfully rich and advanced history. There were mighty empires here. They came and went. There are patterns there. They are fascinating to study.

There are whispers from the past, "We were up and then we fell. We may be down now, but we are still proud. Look at what we accomplished. And someday, we will be up again."

El Norte. Calmate. Stop. Think.... Learn something.

Santiago Apostal

2011-11-18T18:08:00.000-06:00

Every church is different. Just compare this spectacular edifice to the one I just posted from San Dionisio. The painted churches in the Ocotlan area are really something, well worth the visit.

It would be easy to see three of the best in Santa Ana Zegache, Ocotlan and this beauty in Santiago Apostal.

From a distance it looks as if it may be tiles or large bricks, but it is painted.

Wonderful details.

The pineapple is a symbol of welcome.

The belltower.

Overlooking the plaza and the sweep of the valley.

San Dionisio

2011-11-17T20:08:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite drives, preferably starting with barbacoa in the market in Tlacolula and then heading towards Mitla. Just before Mitla, the road heads south across mezcal country and what beautiful country it is.

Any road trip with Henry Wangeman from Amate Books is a good road trip. Henry has forgotten more about Mexico than I will ever learn. I have a post to do about our mezcal adventure, but before we made it that far, we stopped in San Dionisio Ocotepec to see the church.

San Dionisio is one of Henry's favorite saints. He loves telling the story of St. Denis, who ended up being beheaded, catching his head and then walking quite a ways, all the while preaching. So he is often pictured with his head in his hands.

Each church is different. This one had clean lines and very little ornamentation on the outside.

It has a tropical feel with the palms and the white benches underneath.

Inside it was quite colorful and refined.

San Dionisio is just above Jesus over the altar.

The interior dome or cupola.

A gold tabernacle that holds the Host and Chalice.

Here is Dionisio with head in hands.

A wonderful and peaceful setting. Well worth the trip.

¡Qué diferencia!

2011-11-17T19:08:00.000-06:00

Lunch last week in Etla. Two memelitas and tasajo

Lunch yesterday. Dim Sum in Chinatown.

Lila Downs in Oaxaca - La Llorona

2011-11-16T15:02:00.000-06:00

Here's a short clip from the concert of Lila singing one of her trademark songs, the classic, "La Llorona."

Singing/Chanting - Day of the Dead - Teotitlan del Valle

2011-11-15T16:34:00.001-06:00

I posted some stills from this event a week or so ago.

About that post, a commenter wrote:

"I agree with the previous commentor-a special moment- but a sacred moment-the photographer's veritable "decisive moment"- as a photographer and an observer- has this crossed the line from the sacred to the profane - am I entitled to record this moment because I have a camera in hand- when does the subject become the object- tricky question- but as for me- I'll pass on viewing the video."

Well, here is the video. Watch or pass on it. It's you're choice.

These gentlemen arrived at the panteon or cemetery, in mid afternoon and went into the small chapel. I was alerted by friends that these were the singers and that I should go back into the capilla to listen and shoot. I have heard this singing before, but there was too much happening around them, there was other music happening in the cemetery, so it was impossible to hear, to absorb the ethereal quality.

As a musician, I find the sounds to be fascinating. They remind me of Korean or Tibetan chants and they do the same things for me.... they calm, awe and inspire.

Update: The chapel is in the panteon just at the end of the path from the entrance. So the families are with them. Most are just outside preparing the graves or socializing. Many cemeteries have little chapels so these singers were actually right in the middle of the action with people coming in and out taking pictures, listening and paying their respects.

Lila Downs in Oaxaca

2011-11-13T08:59:00.001-06:00

Here are a couple videos from what was truly a remarkable concert. The energy, pride and love coming from the audience fed Lila's performances. It was off the charts, just wonderful, sublime, inspirational...

Tubas of Oaxaca

2011-11-12T10:09:00.000-06:00

Man, I love these guys. I have taken to filming them whenever I get the chance. All the tuba players I have met have a certain aura around them. They are almost always strong personalities, friendly and happy to aggressively show their chops. I have seen them go head to head when bands meet, each trying to outdo the last guy. They carry on wonderful conversations with their instruments. With competing bands, the conversation is not always filled with niceties. Kinda like a "your mother is so ugly" contest. And they can swear with their horns, too. I've heard it. Enjoy!

¿Dónde estoy? - Where am I?

2011-11-12T08:39:00.000-06:00

Peter the Other is correct. It is Beautiful Beantown, Boston. When I arrived the leaves were on the trees. The next morning, they were falling like rain. Now the trees are almost bare. Where is that rake?
While here, I am going to post all the things that take too long to upload in Oaxaca and there is some good stuff, so stay tuned. It does crack me up that it takes just a sec to upload pics while a mi casa oaxaequeña, it takes minutes. Great to be here in the Athens of America. Boston is such a great city. And simultaneously, it makes me appreciate Oaxaca all the more. The best of both worlds... make that, the best of all worlds.

More hints

2011-11-11T14:46:00.001-06:00

¿Dónde estoy? - Where am I?

2011-11-11T10:17:00.000-06:00

Experiencing culture shock, that's where. Or maybe that should be "culcha" shock. Here are a few hints.

Moments make a life..

2011-11-09T20:47:00.001-06:00

Life is full of moments and Oaxaca has blessed me with more than my fair share. Some are sweet and powerful enough to make one's life complete.

While in San Antonino last week, I saw a woman across the cemetery and said, "How is this possible? I recognize this person, but I don't know anyone here." She was leaving and stopped to talk to people as she made her way out. It was obvious from watching her as she moved through the crowd, that she was one of the respected village elders.

Who was she and how could I could I possibly know her?

Then I remembered. I have seen her and her amazing work at La Noche de Rabanos every year. I have seen her face many times as I looked at photos over the years. She is one of my loves, my heroes, my inspirations. Doña Oaxaqueña. That's how special Rabanos is and how remarkable her work with dried flowers is. I think I saw her for the first time in the 90's.

She had left by then, but I took off after her. Unfortunately, I was in a cemetery overflowing with flowers and people and a mass had just ended. Getting out was tough. It was actually pretty comical as I got stuck behind a group of older women, some of whom were nuns. I hope they will forgive me for knocking them over... just kidding..... I waited patiently and then when I made it out I saw my friend not too far away. I caught up with her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned.... and in this amazing moment, her face exploded into a smile and a look which were enough reward for a lifetime.

How are these things possible? Somehow, she knew me and knew how much I loved and respected her. Rabanos is always so crowded and crazy with thousands of photographers and people talking to her. But.... look at that smile.

Muchisimas gracias to sister blogger spixl for getting these shots.

Shhh... I'm hiding

2011-11-07T13:39:00.000-06:00

Really just recovering from a wonderful week of Muertos. This is one of the dancers from nearby Vista Hermosa. More on them soon.

Lila Downs in Oaxaca - Oaxaqueña all the way

2011-11-06T14:55:00.001-06:00

Last night, in the Auditorio de Guelaguetza, Lila Downs and her band performed and it was a wonderful show, filled with music, beauty and pride. Lila is a oaxaqueña and was received as such, meaning with love, respect and joy.

The opening group was La Momposina, a large ensemble whose music had a Caribbean feel. Their set was filled with dance and lots of rhythm. I think they had eight percussionists and they laid out some incredible grooves, hypnotic and trance-like. Really good stuff.

After an hour set, Lila hit the stage and it was pure love... and mighty fine music. She is such an accomplished performer with an amazing vocal range. She can sing operatically and she can belt with the finest cantina singers, with a wide range of styles in between.

She had a bottle of mezcal with her when she hit the stage that she carried forward, poured a little on the ground, a tradition zapotec blessing, took a sip and the show was on.

I have to say, the new roof on the auditorio really worked for me. The sound was good, although loud. La Momposina had a bass drum that one felt deep in one's soul... and that was if you were a mile away.

The one thing I would say is that with the first group, one watched the whole band and all the dancers. With Lila, I did not notice anyone else on stage. My eyes never left her. She is that powerful a presence. And man, can she sing.

Lila sang some things from her latest album and some classics like, "La Llorana" and "La Martinana" (one of my favorites) many of which, the crowd sang with her.

Here she is in a serape from Teotitlan del Valle. If I had to guess, I would say it was from Arnufo Mendoza.

Photos were tough because, uh, it was dark. I should have brought a different camera, but here's what I got.

From the closing number, "La Llorona."

A beautiful evening. ¡Viva Oaxaca! ¡Viva Lila!

Tumbas, sepulcros - Tombs, graves

2011-11-05T10:52:00.001-06:00

As I mentioned, it would be great to shoot San Antonino from a higher vantage point, to climb a tree or something, but I was limited to stretching out my arms and shooting from above. Here are the results.

Sea of flowers - Mar de flores

2011-11-05T10:03:00.000-06:00

It is hard to convey how special the pantheon in San Antonino is. Maybe an aerial shot would do it. I can just imagine what it might look like, an acre or two, exploding with color.

As the days progressed, people just kept bringing more and more, huge armloads.

People continued cleaning and decorating the graves.

The flowers seemed to glow.

There was music, laughter, happiness, as families worked with a subdued intensity.

The more I learn, the more accepting and open I am, the more I am humbled and blown away by this culture. This is such wonderful and healthy way to deal with death. There was such energy, happiness and we were in a cemetery! There were times when I was so overwhelmed, my head spun, like I was tripping... uh, not that I would know.

What a band!

2011-11-04T09:08:00.000-06:00

In order to find the dancers in Vista Hermosa, we had to stop and be very quiet and just listen. Down in the valley there were two other bands playing and for quite awhile we couldn't hear these guys, but once we were over the crest of the hills, the others died out behind us and we just followed our ears.

And what a band they were. Four tubas!!!!

One with a bejeweled mouthpiece.

Fast infectious beats that one just had to start moving to. Some of these guys were killer players, I mean, they could really play. Every now and then one of them would just start soloing over everything and really wailing. Fantastic! And remember, they had been playing for twelve hours already. As a musician, I can't even imagine it. These guys have such stamina and they were not holding back at all, just blasting it out over the mountains and valleys.
What a great look. Not too cool, eh?

And he could really play.

Do you think it was loud?

And that was just the band. Wait until you see the dancers!

Ethereal

2011-11-03T09:47:00.000-06:00

There are so many aspects to El Dia de los Muertos, it is impossible to begin to describe. Much of it is visceral. It needs to be experienced.

Yesterday in the small chapel or capilla, in the cemetery in Teotitlan del Valle, was such a moment. The chapel is empty save for the altar, so it is acoustically very resonant. These four men came in, knelt before the altar and began to sing. It was a combination of Tibetan and Gregorian chant. The words were Spanish, but the atmosphere was entirely Zapotec. The sound was unworldly and mesmerizing. I got some of it on video and will post it later. The air was filled with the fragrance of copal and smoke. The sun beamed in and blessed the day. In truth, you had to be there.

Emilia and Lila Downs

2011-11-02T18:51:00.001-06:00

Incidentally, while at the home of Zac and Emilia, Antonio showed me the latest video from oaxaqueña singer, Lila Downs, and guess who is featured in it? Emilia making her amazing tortillas! Remember this post on Emilia and the Art of making tortillas? Most of the footage in the video is from around their house. It is their corn!

Lila is performing here on Saturday and I will be there. She is just a wonderful performer and person.

Whew!! El Dia de los Muertos extraordinaire!

2011-11-02T18:40:00.000-06:00

This is how I started my morning, running up these mountains in search of dancers covered with mirrors and bells.

Sometimes one can blog and yet, other times one must simply live. Lotta living in the last few days.

Just to give you a small taste.... hmmm..... the mirrored dancers in Vista Hermosa as the sun came over the mountains, the amazing flowers in the panteon or cemetery in San Antonino del Flores, the church in Santiago Apostal, the market in Zimatlan, the singing in the little chapel in Teotitlan del Valle and tuba players like you wouldn't believe. It is quite a list and every bit of it was magical. It will take a couple of days to process and post.

Just back from Teotitlan where we went to the panteon after having a spectacular meal of special tamales and mole negro at the home of good friends, Zacarias y Emilia Ruiz and their sons, Antonio and Sergio and their families. I am wiped out, but oh so happy to be alive and to have experienced these moments. Most of all, it was the joy and unbelievable kindness and openness that we shared with people. Everywhere we went, we were welcomed and new friends were made.

I had the pleasure of meeting several folks who read this blog, three a couple of days ago and one in the chapel in Teotitlan. Que milagro! And I saw lots of folks I knew or knew me, including two of my favorites and the subjects in many photos from Teo, Beatriz Ruiz, age 9, and her cousin, Angelica, age 5.

It just doesn't get any better. Now, I need to work on photos and videos, but here is one from San Antonino to whet your appetite. Uh, I made need to get some sleep, too. I was up a 5 AM for the Vista Hermosa dancers.

El Dia de los Muertos...beginnings

2011-11-01T09:29:00.000-06:00

There is so much happening, it is hard to keep up. It will take a few days to get photos up. It seems like I go from one wonderful experience to the next. Here is just a glimpse of yesterday. There was so much more.
The main entrance to the Panteon General in the city.

Detail

Right from the source. I stopped by one of the fields near my house where marigolds and celosia are grown and talked to the family. It was a very good year, but there were tons of flowers yet to be picked and sold. Here is el dueno, the owner, Don Milton, working with his little pick axe.

I had just come from the cemetery in Atzompa where the plan was to return later in the night.

Here's what it looked like in the daylight.

And when night fell....

It was cold. That why people are so bundled up.

The serenity and happiness were palpable. Just wonderful...

and ethereal.

See I told you, you should be here.

Off for more. More later.

Shots of the day...

2011-10-30T19:20:00.001-06:00

Living out in the country, el campo, has its advantages. Today, as I drove over to Etla for breakfast, the roadsides were filled with people selling marigolds and celosia or cockscomb. Here, known as cempasúchitl and Iwillhavetofindout. These are the most important flowers for people's altars or ofrendas. It looks like it was a very good year for both plants. I saw lots of brilliant healthy flowers.

I passed these two women and turned left off the highway. Then I realized what I had just seen and stopped the car, jumped out, ran back across the highway, which is four lane and poco loco, stood in the middle of the road and snapped this shot. I said, "You are going to be famous tonight." and you can see from their faces what a fine moment it was.

It doesn't get any better. And they even gave me a beautiful, tall cockscomb.... for free. Totally made my day.

These are busy times with lots of places to visit. Let's see how it goes

La Catrina.... always with us

2011-10-30T09:18:00.000-06:00

Oaxaca knows how to celebrate Day of the Dead. The energy, excitement and happiness are contagious. For those who have never experienced El Dia de los Muertos, all I can say is that it is one tradition that actually changed my life. My perspective on the whole life/death thing was altered so powerfully and positively...... and after over forty years of Buddhism that is sayin' sumpin'.

La Catrina is a constant companion. She hangs out in my hallway.

Such remarkable work!

Some of the finest papel picado appears at this time of year.

I'm going back to shoot more of these.

Where are you???

2011-10-28T19:18:00.000-05:00

You should be here. In Oaxaca and buying books at Amate. It is not too late.

The place is really poppin' as folks arrive for El Dia de los Muertos and as families buy all the wonderful things needed for their altars. This weekend will be spent in preparation, but today, the kids from various neighborhoods were out dressed in their costumes.

Each group paraded down the streets led by band.

Walking home with an excellent school project.

Kids just being kids.

Martyrs

2011-10-27T09:48:00.001-05:00

On a more serious note, it has been five years since Indy journalist Brad Will was killed and the newspapers are making some reference to it. It was a galvanizing moment. Oaxaca has not been the same since. That was a different time, a different governor. I do find it sad/ironic that it took a North American journalist being killed to change the dynamic, even though there were horrible things happening to oaxaqueõs for years leading up to that fateful day.

However, it did change everything. Movements need martyrs. That why I am struck by this photo of the Iraqi-war veteran who was shot in the head when the Oakland Police cleared out the OWS protesters. I am outside the country. I do not know if this is getting any play or notice, but I cannot help but think of images from Kent State or Vietnam, that became iconic and catalysts for change.

And so this photo from Reuters

Cops shot a vet in the head. I mean, seriously, WTF? Check out the BagNews link for analysis.

The shot has elements of the Pieta, especially with the cross/lightpost in the background. I thought my shot from a couple of days ago had a crucifixion element to it.

So how is this playing at home? To the rest of the world.... well, you can imagine how it looks.

Oh, grate

2011-10-26T09:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the metal work here, no doubt installed for protection, looks like art.

Just a beautiful window.

A day late

2011-10-25T20:10:00.000-05:00

I missed the annual fiesta of Señor del Rayo last Sunday, but managed to see the cathedral the next day while mass was being celebrated. The flowers were absolutely spectacular.

They were everywhere.

This is the eastern most wall, behind the altar. Normally tough to photograph, but the light seemed just right this time.

For more info on this unique Oaxacan tradition check out spixl's posting about it.

Comin' at ya

2011-10-25T19:54:00.000-05:00

A sure sign that El Dia is almost upon us.

Let there be light - Hágase la luz - again

2011-10-24T18:33:00.001-05:00

Well, here's the story, a perfect example of how things work or don't work. This morning, in front of Amate Books, I was watching these workers carefully remove streetlights. It was happening up and down Alcala.

The thing is that these lights were just put in last year, as Ulises was spending money like crazy before his term ran out. What's more, it was the second time they had been replaced in the last six years.

Obviously, they are good looking and in fine working order, energy efficient as well.

but it was on to the trucks to be whisked away to who knows where.

I guess a new administration means new lights. It is how the bread gets buttered or the tortilla gets toasted or...... you know what I mean. New ones will go up in the next few days, I am sure, but really, is this the best use of scarce funds? I think not, but it is how the system works here and many other places. I will leave it at that.... and with this image.

Fud for thought

2011-10-23T18:29:00.001-05:00

"Repo man is always intense"

It is funny how the mind works. When I saw this truck I immediately thought phonetically, "foood." One of the best things about Spanish is the sound of the vowels, they are always consistent and that really helps in figuring out how to say words.

So here is "Fud" which sounds like "foood" and I realize Fud is a huge company, famous for their prepared meats, but all I could think of was Emilio Estavez in "Repo Man," one of my favorites. All the products in the film are labeled generically.

The scene that came to mind was the one in which Otto (Estavez) is eating what looks like dog food out of a can marked "Food" and his mom says,"Put it on a plate, son. You'll enjoy it more." He replies, "Couldn't enjoy it any more, Mom. Mm, mm, mmm."
As I say, food for thought.

"Nothing but blues skies....."

2011-10-22T10:33:00.000-05:00

This is a wide-angle shot of this morning's sky. It is in the 40's here at night, 80's during the day.

Next rain? If we are lucky, maybe in May, but who knows, we could get lucky.
For now, "nothing but blue skies from now on."

Let there be light - Hágase la luz

2011-10-20T19:31:00.000-05:00

There have been lots of workers out digging up squares in the sidewalks primarily on the pedestrian walk of Alacala,

but on other streets as well.

I could not figure out what they were doing, but suddenly a light bulb went off in my head. They are installing lights!

It should look cool.

Maybe they are trying to finish before all the throngs descend for El Dia de los Muertos at the end of the month.

Come one, come all....

2011-10-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

Neurotic? Who isn't? Well, here they have a convention for us. 25th Anniversary of it, no less.

And it is free. I'd go, but I'm paranoid, too.

Murals

2011-10-18T12:16:00.000-05:00

Murals are such a part of life here and throughout Mexico. I love this one at one of the little private schools right on the main street leading into Etla. Note the cell tower disguised as a palm.

Iconic imagery and history as public art.

Works for me.

Ulises in New York

2011-10-16T14:46:00.001-05:00

You can run, but you can't hide.

Any other politicians come to mind that deserve this treatment? I can think of a few.... oh, I forgot, we are not supposed to look back, only forward.

Meanwhile, back in reality....

2011-10-16T14:18:00.003-05:00

from McClatchy

With too few hands to pick the apples in Washington state, Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire says the farm labor shortage has prompted a crisis.

In the Wenatchee Valley east of the Cascade Mountains, apple growers have posted their help-wanted signs across the countryside. And for the first time in years, growers in the state have launched a radio campaign, offering pay of $120 to $150 a day, but there have been few takers, much to the governor's regret

"We're not getting anybody to take a bite on these jobs, so we don't have anybody to do these jobs," she said Thursday night.

While much of the talk on Capitol Hill is tough, with opponents of illegal immigration vowing to seal the borders, Gregoire said Congress should instead focus on a way to get more foreign workers to help with harvesting in her state, the nation's top producer of apples.

From El Imparcial

In Oaxaca, there are 1.3 million oaxaqueños that suffer undernourishment and hunger, a number that could increase due to the rise in the price of the basic necessities, indicated Gerald Go'mez Tort, president of the Food Bank of Oaxaca (BEAM). "The most serious repercussions are for the most vulnerable sectors of the population and will increase major poverty and extreme hunger. Due to the increases in the prices of the main consumables - like gas and gasoline, as well as new taxes, the condition of the families in extreme poverty will be affected seriously."

Words fail....

2011-10-16T14:12:00.000-05:00

I am speechless... well, not really. There are words that come to mind.

This is a person running for president of the United States????

“It’s going to be 20 feet high. It’s going to have barbed wire on the top. It’s going to be electrified. And there’s going to be a sign on the other side saying, ‘It will kill you — Warning.’” At an earlier rally, on the campus of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tenn., he added that the sign would be written “in English and in Spanish.”

“This nation has always been a nation with wide open doors,” Mr. Cain said at the second rally. “We want to make it easy for people to come through the front door. And we’re going to shut off the back door so you don’t have to sneak into America.”

Saying that some critics have told him that his remarks about building a fence are insensitive, Mr. Cain said that the fault lies with the actions of some illegal immigrants. “It’s insensitive for them to be killing our citizens, killing our border agents,” he said. “That’s what’s insensitive. And that mess has to stop.”

In addition using a fence and unspecified “technology” to cut down on illegal immigration, Mr. Cain added: “If we have to put troops with real guns and real bullets for part of it, we can do that too.”

October 15th

2011-10-15T10:22:00.000-05:00

It is a day of protest around the world. For an event near you click here.

In Oaxaca, it seems as if someone is always protesting something and with good reason. That is one of the things I love about this place. People are involved and politically active. They have been since Cortes showed up.

Locked box?

No, it is not OWS.

It is a hunger strike directly in front of the entrance to the Governor's Palace in the zocalo. There have been political problems and some violence in nearby Atzompa and people are sick of it and want fair elections.
Think I'm (we're) really asleep? No matter what they think, we are watching.

Right across from this hunger strike, Section 22, one of the teacher's unions, was protesting and speechifying.

The struggle continues.

So everyone's is doin' it. How about you? If not now, when?

Church work

2011-10-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

Hand me the.... whaddya mean, you forgot the socket wrench?

Working on the upper reaches of Sangre Preciosa de Cristo church on Alacala on a non OSHA approved scaffolding.

I'm not sure what this is going to be, but some installation is going up in front of Santo Domingo.

Todo el mundo

2011-10-13T17:25:00.000-05:00

It's everywhere, in every language. Check them out at http://www.gstrike.org/

Of course, in Oaxaca, this is an every day event. ¡Viva!
h/t spixl

Hmmm...

2011-10-11T19:09:00.000-05:00

This little school, or that's what I think it is, is just on the plaza next to Carmen Alto. It is opposite one of my favorite graffiti walls, so I walk by it all the time. Maybe it is just me, but the sign above the entrance to Jardin de Ninos or Children's Garden is not only almost impossible to read, a font nightmare,

but the Soeur over the door kinda looks like....

wait for it.... a vampire.

Or is it just me?

Word of the day - Canoodle

2011-10-10T18:27:00.000-05:00

One thing that any visitor to Oaxaca would notice is the amount of canoodling that goes on in this place. Not only in the city, but everywhere. And we are talkin' serious canoodling, not merely PDA's.

We always speculate as to where it all leads. Some think that because of the strong church influence and the crowded home scenes, that WYSIWYG and that's where it ends, but as a former teacher of adolescents, I am skeptical.

Best in the West

2011-10-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

Tuba players!

I ran into this band as I was walking down Alcala. Every time I see one of these guys, I realize that I am in the heart of an area with some of the best tuba players in the world. OK, what do I know? Well, actually, I do know something after being a musician, composer, and conductor for lo, those many years. I worked with lots of brass players in classical, jazz and rock and I think the tuba players here could eat all their lunches. They play with such abandon and strength. They are aggressive, but friendly. Lots of this has to do with the music the groups play here. They are the foundation, the bass and instead of doing the old "oompa" thing, they dance around in the rhythms and generally kick total ass.

Just what I need. One more aspect of this place about which I should write a book.