Moments make a life..

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!

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

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...

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