The here and now... and what and why

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

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

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

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

Saturday, May 4, 2013

El Picacho - Dí­a de la Santa Cruz

Warning: objects may appear closer than they really are....
And so it was with climbing El Picacho in Teotitland del Valle on May 3, el Dí­a de la Santa Cruz, the Day of the Holy Cross.  El Picacho is both iconic and sacred, so it was an honor to follow in the footsteps of so many before us as we did our best to celebrate this tradition. 

No matter what anyone says, it is a pretty good trek up to the top.  It is steep in spots, depending on which path you follow, and the altitude makes it tougher... or maybe that is just me.  There is also a race up the mountain and I think we saw the winner as he blazed past us near the top.  He was flying.

It was hot and we were all sweating, but then, as we got higher, the cool winds engulfed us.  It took about an hour and a half to reach the top. 
Upon making it all the way up, we were greeted by people from the village who offered us horchata, agua de jamaica and tamales. 
The mood was friendly and celebratory.  A few cohetes, rockets with a loud boom.
 
The food and drink are a part of these folk's cargo, or community work and was carried up on burros.
There was a simple altar at the very top. 
As we ate and drank, basked in the bright sun, we were surrounded by happy people. 
There was much laughter in the air as the winds whipped across expansive vistas. 
 
We recovered from the trek up and headed down, but not before drinking an incredibly cold beer that some young guys had carried up as a part of a little feast.  They are living in the US now, but had returned to their village and this was just a part of doing it right.  Tradition!

We heard that two of the crosses had been hit by lightning very recently.  According to legend, the three crosses represent the ones found in Jerusalem.  El Dí­a de la Santa Cruz is also the day of the Albañiles (masons, construction workers) and little crosses appear on the roofs of all the new projects before the workers all go off and party.  They know how to do it right, as well.  Tradition!

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