Monthly Archives: July 2018

Wear Your Apron: Photos From the Feria del Barro Rojo

Posted on Sunday, July 15, 2018 | 11 comments

First, the last day of this year’s (2018) Feria del Barro Rojo in San Marcos Tlapazola is tomorrow, Monday, July 16, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Grammy Award-winner Lila Downs is feria Madrina, charms us all, gives her all

If you go, wear your distinctive Tlapazola apron, like I did. It’s gingham trimmed in folded ribbon that ends up looking like frosting on a wedding cake. Too much fun. And, that’s exactly what it evokes — the hilarity of a gringa (otherwise known as Huera — White Girl) wearing indigenous dress. I get called Huera a lot in these parts.

Oh, those aprons! All handmade icing on the cake

If you don’t have an apron, you can buy one at the fair.

Now, we know I will never pass as a local and even if I tried, I’d never get away with it. But, that’s not the point. The point is to honor and appreciate the local culture and one way I’ve found to do that best is to make a point of dressing like a local. Everyone in the village finds this more than amusing. They like it. They smile, giggle, laugh and wave.

Front and center, beautiful red clay pottery

They invite me to sit with them and have a tejate (not a Tecate, which is a Mexican beer). They offer an embrace and accept mine.

Lila Downs speaks with everyone, congratulates them, shakes hands

Some of the ladies I know from years of meandering and buy from them at the Tlacolula Sunday market and they recognize me.

Beribboned young women comprise the welcome delegation

I have time. I sit a while. Visiting with people and taking your time is another way to show respect. It was late afternoon and my second visit of the day after taking two friends to Mitla. (I decided to return for a more leisurely visit and to pay for a blouse I put on hold.)

Meet Paul Cohen, Lila’s husband, and their son, oh, and me

We broke open a bottle of wild agave tepeztate mezcal and shared a sip or two with fair organizer Gonzalo Artuza from the Oaxaca Government Office of Social and Economic Support in Oaxaca, that underwrote the event.

Red clay with painted design

Sometimes I like to travel solita just to experience the serendipity of what can happen by just being somewhere with no other plan than to just BE.

My apron, bought last year, gives my friends a giggle

Many of the women here are the pottery makers whose work is distributed by and sold under the name of others more famous. Few of them get personal recognition. The fair is a great way to collect this beautiful ware and to offer much-needed economic support in this Zapotec village of about 3,500 people, while directly supporting the women makers.

Sometimes the only roadblock is a bull and a bunch of cows

How to get there: Drive through the main street of Tlacolula and go southwest, toward the coastal mountains. Follow the main road out of town. There are no road signs. In the distance you will see a village straight ahead — that’s San Bartolome Quialana. Don’t go there. Tlapazola is the village to the far right, so as you get closer to Quialana, there is a road (unmarked) that will take you to the right and directly to Tlapazola. This road has curves, straightaways, potholes and some smooth pavement. If you use GPS, it’s pretty accurate. Just look for the church with the rounded red dome off to the right in the distance!

Many farmers are giving over their corn fields to the planting of espadin agave for mezcal production. It is now a high-paying cash crop. The road goes through these fields and it’s gorgeous.

Who can stop taking photos of beautiful, talented Lila Downs? Not me.

And, our last laugh! They are acculturated to be serious!

I want to recommend Maria Aragon Sanchez and Gloria Cruz Sanchez for their excellent red clay dinnerware. Privada del Porvenir #1, San Marcos Tlapazola, Cel. 951 281 3329 and email: lucinam@live.com.mx

11 Comments

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Photography, Pottery, Travel & Tourism

Tagged fair, Oaxaca, red clay pottery, San Marcos Tlapazola

Feria del Barro Rojo del San Marcos Tlapazola 2018: Red Clay Pottery Fair

Posted on Friday, July 13, 2018 | 2 comments

Who wants to join me for lunch in San Marcos Tlapazola tomorrow, Saturday, July 14? I’ll be there by 11 a.m. in time to see Lila Downs, the madrina (patron) of the celebration, cut the ribbon for the official opening.

This is the third year of the festival and each year it grows bigger. In addition to selling the specialty ceramics of the village — the beautiful red clay dinnerware and accessories — you can dance, eat, take photos, drink atole and mezcal, buy aprons, and just overall enjoy the festivities.

My own Teotitlan del Valle kitchen has a shelf of red clay dinnerware made by Macrina Mateo Martinez, one of the more famous artisans.

San Marcos is located in the hills about 20 minutes above Tlacolula. You could combine this with a visit to the Sunday market, too.

I took the photos below in 2015, the year I separated from my wasband, still deciding how I would spell my new last name which is a derivative of my mother’s maiden name (in case you were wondering why the names don’t match!).

Red clay pottery, San Marcos Tlapazola, photo by Norma Schafer

Fueling the kiln at San Marcos, photo by Norma Schafer

Portrait of a potter, San Marcos Tlapazola, photo by Norma Schafer

Mujeres del Barro Rojo, San Marcos Tlapazola, photo by Norma Schafer

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Posted in Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Photography

Tagged Mexico, Oaxaca, pottery, red clay, San Marcos Tlapazola

In The Cloud Forest at San Antonio Cuajimoloyas, Ixtlan, Oaxaca, Mexico

Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 | 8 comments

Oliver Sacks, medical doctor and writer, talks about Oaxaca biodiversity and you can read about it in his Oaxaca Journal. He talks about coming to Oaxaca for forty years. You can also easily experience the climate range by visiting the Ethnobotanical Garden behind Templo Santo Domingo, where there is a sampling of the microclimates found throughout the state.

The cloud forest at San Antonio Cuajimaloyos, misty mountains

But, nothing quite matches the real thing — a visit to the cloud forest high above the Oaxaca valley floor in the Pueblos Mancomunados where eco-tourism is front and center. A packed dirt road (that could be called a trail) goes between the villages along the spine of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range.

I imagine the Cotswolds might look something like this

Here you will find rustic cabins, simple and delicious comedors with local food prepared in homestyle kitchens by knowledgeable cooks, and a range of outdoor activities to delight hikers, bikers, runners, climbers, horse riders, and zip line enthusiasts. Some people like to go village-to-village to fully experience the mountains.

Flower gardens and succulents thrive in this climate

Perhaps not much could be better than being up here in a hot summer, when ten to fifteen degree cooler temperatures prevail. But, this has been no usual summer and cool weather in the valley means it is much cooler higher up. But, summer has just begun here and who knows? I may head for the hills again.

A beautiful hill town with vibrant color everywhere

San Antonio Cuajimoloyas hosted a race last Sunday and I decided to go along with Eric and Elsa, since he decided to compete with his Oaxaca running team. That meant leaving Teotitlan del Valle at 6:30 a.m. for the about forty-minute (plus) ride up the mountain on a very curvy road via the Tlacolula intersection.

Under cloud cover everyone is bundled up

We passed Diaz Ordaz and the vegetation started to change: dense pine forest, huge cactus the size of a cow, leafy ferns with arms outstretched ten feet, steep hills, flowing stream beds, an occasional bull plowing a vertical field.

It’s an un-selfie. Too cold to be fashionable.

Atmospheric, colorful houses, tin and lots of weathering

As we ascended, Eric turned on the windshield wipers as we entered the cloud cover. It wasn’t really rain per se. It was more like a soft blanket of drizzle, comforting, though the road was obscured and we couldn’t see more than twenty feet ahead.

Elsa in front of a giant, non-mezcal producing agave. Brrr.

Road signs welcomed us to San Antonio Cuajimoloyas. The scene was like a diffused Rembrandt landscape painting, the subjects in the foreground sharp and those in the background fading out to a blurred gray in the fog.

Runners wait for the horn to signal the race start

Packed dirt path makes for great hiking, biking, running

We climbed the 45-degree angle cobbled streets to the trailhead where the race would begin. There were two groups: the half-marathoners and those running a 10K. At this altitude, 10,490 feet, I needed to stop for breaths even though I’m a seasoned walker at 6K feet altitude. My Fitbit claims I climbed 23 flights of stairs that day.

Taking a long stretch to get those muscles ready

Those assembled looked much like USA runners and those all over the world. They had on the gear: hydration packs, polypropylene shirts and shells, familiar shoe brands, caps and scarves for warmth. We live in a small universe with much in common. Perhaps some day, the current government in the USA will recognize that.

A running team posing for the camera

Racers gather at the starting line and sprint as the horn sounds

Gosh it was cold up there! Refreshingly perfect for exercise and to be in nature.

Taking a hot chocolate break away from the cold

While Eric ran (10K in 58 minutes, a great time for him), Elsa and I hung out on the main street in a cafe, sipping Oaxaca hot chocolate and dunking sweet bread into the rich liquid.

After the race, let’s have some water! He’s happy with his time.

By The Way: We haven’t had much rain here since I returned in late June, so I’m hoping the clouds will give enough moisture for the annual Wild Mushroom Festival held in August in Cuajimoloyas. (Who says there’s no Global Warming?)

Another finisher who ran the 1/2 marathon

Onlookers or are they getting their morning exercise, too

On the way down the mountain, a San Miguel del Valle border sign

A view of Tlacolula and Teotitlan del Valle from up high

Where Teotitlan lands end, at the border of Cuajimoloyas, in Spanish and Zapotec

Our stop on the way home included barbecue goat tacos for breakfast at the Tlacolula Sunday market, and home by 1 p.m.

Barbecue goat taco, Tlacolula Market

Eco-Tourism in San Antonio Cuajimoloyas: One to Three-Day Tour Operators

If I am missing anyone, please let me know and I will add them to the list.

P.S. This is not an endorsement. Please do your research and if you decide to go, choose a tour operator best suited to your own needs.

8 Comments

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged bike, biodiversity, ecotourism, hike, mancomunados, Mexico, Oaxaca, run, San Antonio Cuajimoloyas, tour operators, trails

In Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca It’s Dance of the Feather with Basketball and HonkeyTonk Fair

Posted on Thursday, July 5, 2018 | 6 comments

Los Danzantes and the Dance of the Feather, Danza de la Pluma

There’s a lot going on this week in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, where I live part of the year. Next to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Precious Blood and the annual saint’s day celebrations honoring the church founding with the Dance of the Feather, there is a carnival fair with kiddie rides, a basketball tournament, and the daily market. To say there is a traffic jam is an understatement.

Today’s Danza de la Pluma starts at 5 p.m.

How many basketball courts are there in Teotitlan del Valle? Who knows?

At the lighted court, two teams are competing while a crowd looks on. Basketball is a big deal here. This court, next to the village market and across from the church was completed last year, complete with grandstand seating and a raised platform for scorekeeper and the guy who does the play-by-play.

Playing basketball under the shadow of the 17th century church, Teotitlan del Valle

The tournament continues through the entire week and attracts young and older alike. This is important entertainment here. A new court was recently built in my neighborhood and each of the five administrative districts of the village will field their best team for this event.

Ball is in the air. Will he make the hoop? YES!

Some of these young men are talented enough to play for the UNC Tarheels, I think.

Meanwhile, back in the church courtyard, hundreds of visitors are watching

This is the third and last year of this 2016-2018 group of Los Danzantes. It is particularly meaningful now as they get ready to pass the baton to the next group who make the three-year commitment to their church and village traditions.

La Malinche, Moctezuma and Doña Marina hold court

Teotitlan is widely known for its Dance of the Feather. Each group tries to outdo those who came before. They are all capable of high leaps and dizzying spins.

Exit the church courtyard to a world of rides and games

Bright lights, loud music projected via huge loudspeakers, screams of delight from children, and booths filled with all types of cakes and cookies are just beyond the church courtyard.

In the distance, we see the sacred mountain Picacho, but who is paying attention? Surely not those who are playing bingo for a chance to win a large plastic trash pail or those tossing the ring with the hope to land a teddy bear.

Family and friends enjoying nieves, Oaxaca version of ice cream

Families and lovers stroll holding ice cream cones, called nieves here. The word means snow. This treat is more like sorbet or gelato. Moms and dads watch over their children who are deep into the moment.

A commitment to recycling, organic and inorganic waste baskets

I’m with my host family. We stop for esquites and boiled corn cob on a stick. Both are slathered with mayonnaise, shredded cheese, lime juice, hot sauce and chili pepper.

Slathered corn cob on a stick, a Mexican favorite

The esquite maker — an art form, too

Back in the church courtyard, a mezcal toast — salud!

The tradition here is to give and receive guelaguetza, which represents mutual and community support. This includes the significance of gifting mezcal, fruit, bread and chocolate representing abundance for all. It is the responsibility of those more fortunate to help those in need, especially family members.

Members of the church committee distribute fruit to audience members

Stray dog stops play for a moment

Back at the basketball court, the tournament comes to a stop, interrupted by one of the many roaming dogs in the village that is searching for a scrap of food.

Shadows grow longer as the sun descends

The dancers have danced since 1 p.m. It is almost past eight o-clock in the evening. They take breaks with rest, water and Gatorade. There has been no rain so far, so this year the dancing has been a bit easier as temperatures hover in the low eighties (fahrenheit).

Moms watch their children at the rides.

This is a huge regional festival. People from other villages come to enjoy the party. Here, a group of women from Santa Ana del Valle watch their children and take a respite. I can tell where they are from by their elaborate aprons and pleated skirts, a different costume than what traditional women in our village wear.

The grand finale, a prayer by the dancers in the church courtyard

Inside the church, long lines to pay tribute to the altar of the patron saint

Night descends and fiesta-goers shift from church to the adjacent carnival

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Posted in Cultural Commentary, Teotitlan del Valle

Tagged basketball, Carnival, celebrations, Dance of the Feather, fiestas, Mexico, Oaxaca, Teotitlan del Valle

Preview: Teotitlan del Valle Celebrates Village Life with Basket Parade

Posted on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 | 12 comments

The fiesta in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, is an annual event, always celebrated the first week in July. This year it continues through July 9. I’m posting the schedule below for those of you in Oaxaca.

Gathering in the church patio, Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca

This is a festival that honors the village church, Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Senor Jesucristo. This is a religious event primarily that also includes La Danza de la Pluma (Dance of the Feather), daily masses, an adjacent carnival next to the market (making it impossible to park), fireworks, and lots of parties with tamales and mezcal.

Out in front of the parade, children with papier-mache animals atop bamboo poles

I couldn’t imagine a better homecoming than by celebrating the kick-off event by attending the Desfile de Canastas — Parade of the Baskets — that started yesterday, July 2 at 6 p.m. from the church courtyard.

Miles to go with a heavy decorated basket on their head

All ages take part, from children, pre-teens and young adults

Young women who have never married are selected by the festival sponsors to hold ornate and heavy baskets on their heads and process about three miles through all the village neighborhoods.

Village officials go with the young women through the cobbled streets

They are solemn. This is serious respect for traditions and religious life. Even three and four-year olds participate, helped by parents. Learning the culture starts young.

My friend Danny Hernandez with his daughter

Group photos in front of the 17th century church

How do I know the distance? I clocked it on my FitBit, starting right along with the group of hundreds, including the two bands, the Feather Dancers, the Canasta walkers, church and village officials, children out in front holding whimsical animals atop poles, various relatives and volunteers.

The children are a special feature of this event, joyful and eager to take part

As the parade wound through the village streets through all the five administrative sections, up hill and down, crowds of onlookers assembled at strategic corners. In every neighborhood, I passed people I knew. Since I’ve only returned three days ago, it was an opportunity to greet people and feel welcomed.

At the corner behind the municipal building, a crowd of all ages gathers

Hand-carved amulets and rattles are held to keep evil at bay

This custom of community celebration and mutual support goes back thousands of years in Zapotec life, long before the Spanish arrived to conquer Mexico, name it New Spain, and integrate Catholic rites into already existing spiritual/mystical practice. Today, we call this blending syncretism. Zapotec tradition has very strong roots here.

Los Danzantes stop to offer homage in each neighborhood

Today, joking with the children and the crowd is one of the jester jobs

Festival Schedule

Tuesday, July 3: The Dance of the Feather will start around 5p.m. in the church courtyard accompanied by the Band, followed by an extravagant fireworks display that usually doesn’t start until 11 p.m.

Wednesday, July 4: The Dance of the Feather starts at 1 p.m. and continues until about 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 5: This is a day of rest.

Friday, July 6: At 6 p.m. there is another procession with the beautiful young women of the village wearing their traditional indigenous dress.

Saturday, July 7: At 4 p.m. the Dance of the Feather dancers meet in the church for a mass, then at 5 p.m. the Dance of the Feather resumes in the church courtyard.

Juana Gutierrez with her niece.

Sunday, July 8: At 11:30 a.m. there is a procession through the village with Los Danzantes, and at 1 p.m. there is a Dance of the Feather ceremony in the church courtyard.

Monday, July 9: The festival ends with an 8 a.m. mass in the church.

The fair (feria) is filled with rides and carnival games — open daily.

Felipe Flores is on live camera for his California family

All of this is organized and produced by village volunteers. To be a member of the community, one must make a promise to serve. This involves being part of a committee for one to three-years, including the job of village president. Because this is a traditional indigenous Usos y Costumbres village that is self-governing, this is a responsibility by men, women and families who live here.

The jester. In the conquest story, he was an Aztec spy, invisible

Committees determine priority projects and moderate conflicts, levy local taxes and make village improvements. Even the police department is based on two-year volunteer service of one week a month — a daytime or nighttime duty.

The band in reflection

Quite a marvel in today’s complex, law-driven universe.

I hope you come and enjoy. It’s a wonderful experience to be here.

Santiago family sisters with grandsons. Their father was a danzante 12 years ago.

After the procession returned to the church courtyard, we met for a taco at Buky’s, under the lights of the tent, watching the children racing between the rides, enjoying the chill summer air.