Oaxaca-The Year After: More Guelaguetza from Reyes Etla

The here and now... and what and why

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

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

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

Saturday, July 27, 2019

More Guelaguetza from Reyes Etla

As everyone gets ready for the next guelaguetzas on Monday, it makes sense to share a few more shots from last Monday's performances in Reyes Etla. Always a favorite, the wonderful embroidery of Santa Maria Tlahuitolepec.

As I said, there are lots of villages presenting their own versions of annual celebration of traditional regional dances with the dances performed by local folkloric troupes. And they can all really dance!

And every guelaguetza is different, although there are many common threads, like the trajes or clothing.

And smiles all around.

There are some fun parts like this, when the women trip up the men, they show no mercy.

One of the high points was during this dance, that I'm pretty sure depicts a chicken seduction. When they finished and got up, there was an egg, which the guy immediately cracked and ate raw. And the crowd went crazy.