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.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Confite in Teotitlan del Valle

It never fails to be an uplifting and powerful experience as the girls, young ladies and women of Teotitlan del Valle process through the streets carrying canastas adorned with flowers, flags and saints.  This was the annual celebration of the "Solemnes cultos religiosos en honor a la Santisima Virgen del Rosario."
Carrying these canastas is no piece of cake for the baskets are heavy and the women walk two or three k. at the very least.  I am not sure I could do it just carrying nothing, merely hold my hands up for that long.  They make it look easy.
I am not sure how many confites I have seen thus far, but no matter rain or sun, it is one beautiful tradition.  I think it may happen at least six times each year, but it seems like more.   I am always moved and struck by the beauty.
It is always fun to show up nice and early and watch as the people arrive.
It was pouring when we arrived, but the rain was very localized and it soon moved off leaving puddles, mud and glistening slippery streets.
It gets dark much earlier now and by the time the confite ends it is too dark for shots, so we concentrated on the assembling, the setup and the start.

Just so you know, this is a procession of unmarried women from the village.
 Some are very young and some are quite old.
There were even a couple of gringas marching and they were amazed at how hard it was to carry the baskets on their heads with their arms up for so long a distance.  One was carrying hers on her shoulder, unable to do what even the little kids could do.  I totally understand that one.
 ¡Viva los tradiciones!  ¡Viva Teotitlan del Valle!  Next fiesta in Teo is in December.  I'll be there.

2 comments:

La Cubanófila said...

Beautiful post in every way, Cristóbal.

Anonymous said...

I love the baby with the basket on her head. Already she has the right stance.

Could you explain the word "confite"? I did not know what to call the celebration this weekend. We had one in my neighborhood of Los Libres and Abasolo too. I would have called it a convivencia.

Joan