Oaxaca-The Year After: Palm Sunday in San Antonino - part 2

The here and now... and what and why

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

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

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

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Palm Sunday in San Antonino - part 2 - The procession

After all offerings had been made and all the fruit, vegetables, breads had been carefully tied around El Burro, it was time for the procession to the church, where hundreds of people awaited its arrival for mass. These gentlemen were ready to cover the path with rose petals.

And here they go.

It is about a kilometer to the church. Imagine the weight.

This celebration operates on several levels. One of them is the penitence of many in the procession. Certainly for the men carrying the statue, it must be a very powerful experience. I can only imagine how much it all weighs... looks like about a million kilos to me. The effort, the strain on the faces.

The procession left promptly at around eleven in the morning, and led by drums and a whistle, followed by the priest and all the altar boys and girls and then hundreds of people, all carrying something, all walked in the clear morning sun.