gar bii dauu | Oaxaca Cultural Navigator : Norma Schafer

Mexican Independence Day, September 16, 1810

We had a five-day photo challenge on the Facebook page I moderate, Mexican Travel Photography. I thought I’d publish the set of five photos I submitted here. Except that I couldn’t find FIVE. I only found FOUR. Oops. Lo siento.

Tlacolula Market Candy Cart

I must have been too preoccupied commenting on others’ beautiful posts. So I’m adding one here, but I disqualify myself from posting for five days in a row! Counting is such a challenge.

Birthday pinatas and papel picacho, Teotitlan del Valle. iPhone photo.

Mexico Independence Day is coming up on September 16. It marks Mexico’s liberation from Spain after four hundred years of occupation. So many streets throughout Mexico, in all the little towns and villages, in all the big cities are named 16 de Septiembre. For good cause.

Colorful plastic woven baskets, Tlacolula Market.

And, not to be confused with the Mexican Revolution of 1920-1920, or Cinco de Mayo and the Battle of Puebla, the fight again the French that became a cry for freedom by African-Americans and Mexicans living in the U.S. during the American Civil War.

Oaxaca Red casita color. With Gar Bii Dauu. Local endangered succulent.

I recently repainted the casita this intense red. I guess this was the photo I forgot to post to make up the Set of Five. Disculpeme. Gar Bii Dauu is an indigenous succulent found in Oaxaca. It is a Zapotec word and endangered specie.

Coming Up: Next Mexico Travel Photography photo challenge. Join and weigh in with your choice for what subject you want represented next. Or, join and just enjoy the photography by people who share our enthusiasm for Mexico.