Category: Blogging

Pandemic Effects: Episode #2

I doubt anything has fascinated me about Mexico as much as the colors, diversity, and creativity of the indigenous clothing.  Before we settled here I decided to make a project of shopping for pieces I could wear on a fairly frequent basis.  I’d love it if I had black hair (I’m a little too blonde!) and could dress like my hero Frida Kahlo, who worn “native dress” to show her support of the indigenous people of Mexico. The love of Mexican clothing has led me to the love of learning about the numerous variations in style and pattern and the women who create them.

The indigenous women of Mexico have historically spent hours, days, months, processing primarily cotton, wool, and silk, weaving it into clothing of many different styles and adorning it with embroidery, designs based on the region they live in.  Somewhere along the way I read that the dress of each region was “encouraged” by the Spaniards during the Conquest in the 1500’s, as a way to identify each indigenous group, but I haven’t been able to find my source on that.  From region to region styles have been affected by weather, religion, European influences, techniques, and availability of equipment and supplies, ie., looms, fibers such as cotton, bark, and agave, dyeing materials such as indigo, flowers, and insects, etc.  Over time the work that was a necessity for daily clothing became a necessity for subsistence. Very few women wear  village costumes these days, except for special occasions.  Their time is spent creating items for sale instead of for daily wear.  The diversity and beauty of the work is now sought after by tourists, businesses, and collectors.

The Mexican states best known for their clothing are Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.  Michoacán has many indigenous groups – Purépecha, Mazahua, and Otomi among them.  Backstrap looms are used for making wool and cotton rebozos (shawls).  Cross-stitch embroidery (usually yellow) on checkered aprons is typical of the Purépecha.  Storytelling embroidery does just that on blouses, shawls, pillows, etc.  And deshilado (pulled thread) embroidery can be as basic or elegant as you’d like.

In Oaxaca the women of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are noted for their densely embroidered flowered tops and skirts made famous by Frida Kahlo. The typical “wedding dress” (or top) made familiar by the hippies of the 70’s is usually white fabric with elaborate embroidery on the yoke, sleeves, and front.  There are cheap versions but authentic versions take weeks to months to create.  Mandiles (aprons) are created in smock, half apron, and pinafore styles, generally made from acrylic fabrics with machine embroidery that may be simple or very elaborate.  On the coast a Mixtec master weaver may take 300 hours to make a traditional skirt, 200 hours for a huipil.  The Museo Textile De Oaxaca created educational programs for weavers that have blossomed into high end expositions, providing much needed income.

Those who’ve been to Chiapas (I haven’t made it yet!) will tell you that the range of textiles and clothing is astounding.  Cooperatives there, as in other states, have been developed to allow the artisans more profit for their hard work, with set prices and the opportunity to be more visible to buyers.  Mothers are encouraged to teach their craft to their daughters so that there is continuity of the traditions of Maya textiles.  Small villages in Chiapas have outdoor market days, some representing more than one community.  Typical findings are long-haired wrap skirts, satin blouses, and chales, or capes, hand or machine stitched.  Dense embroidery of flowers is typical of Zinacantán women, with patterns hand drawn then meticulously stitched by machine numerous times.   In 2015 there were over 1 million weavers and embroiderers in Chiapas, and 2000 sewing machines (MAYA THREADS: A Woven History of Chiapas by Walter F. Morris, Jr.) (Photo below found online.)

So, these too are the artisans I worry about.  With COVID-19 limiting travel, markets and fairs, and other methods of sales, and so many artisans unable to sell online due to lack of knowledge or access to computers, I wonder how many of these women will be able to endure this blow.  Their designs are unique, sacred, personal, and often highly symbolic. For many ONE sale can make a difference in whether their family eats that week, that month.  I’m not sure how to help the indigenous women of Mexico other than to stay well and hope that I can travel to meet and buy from them in the near future.  After all, we’re all in this together!

(There is so much information about the clothing and the people who create them.  I could go on much longer.  But I’ll stop now and leave you with a list of websites and books of interest.  You can also write to me in the comment section if you have questions.  If I don’t know, I’ll find out.) 

TEXTILE FIESTAS OF MEXICO: A Traveler’s Guide to Celebrations, Markets, and Smart Shopping by Sheri Brautigam/2016

OAXACA STORIES IN CLOTH: A Book about People, Belonging, Identity, and Adornment by Eric Sebastian Mindling/2016

Interesting websites: Historyplex: Tradition of Mexican Clothes and Costumes: A Beautiful Riot of Color; The Classroom: History of Mexican Clothing; Everyculture.com. – Mexico; https://relativitytextiles.com/mexican-textiles/

In-depth studies:

https://ethnycorner.com/en/2019/08/24/quelle-est-lorigine-des-fleurs-mexicaines-sur-les-vetements-mexicains/

https://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/unbroken_thread_eng_vl.pdf

 

 

Pandemic Effects: Episode 1

Pondering the effects of the current pandemic brings to mind all those Mexican people I have met, heard, or read about since I’ve been here who are caught in the grips of such mind-boggling change while trying to carry on their normal day to day routines.  I fear for their lives, for their health, and for their subsistence.  Let me tell you about the rug weavers of Oaxaca.

Forty minutes south of Oaxaca City, nestled in the hills, is the Zapotec village of Teotitlán Del Valle, “Land of the Gods”.  Legend has it that the villagers never used rugs, that their weaving was originally for cloth and clothing and that after a villager visited Texas and saw thick wool weavings on the floors, everything changed. Still other sources say that the change was driven by gringo dealers coming south to find a cheaper source for “Navajo-style” rugs.  What we know for sure is that in the mid-twentieth century the farming village of Teotitlán became a tourist town with generations of self-governing villagers working together, proudly and patiently producing their quality rugs.

Weaving started in Mexico with backstrap looms, but with the Spanish conquest of 1521 came the pedal loom, along with Churro sheep for wool and mineral salts and oxides for toning and fixing dyes.  Men became the primary weavers, often standing for hours at a time.  Nearly everyone in the village became involved in some way.

Raw wool, imported or local, is used for weaving the famous rugs. Women generally clean and card the raw wool, then spin it into yarn.  Years ago synthetic dyes took over the trade, decreasing the price and easing the whole process.  But eventually local weavers realized the synthetic dyes were often toxic and not as desirable for consumers.  Gradually many began switching back to natural dyes as a way to stand out in their trade.  Some do their own dyeing.  Others obtain the dyed yarn from the workshops they weave for.

The Chavez Santiago family of Fe y Lola Rugs, one of the most famous weaving families in Teotitlán, shares their land with my friend Norma Schafer.  While visiting her last July I was lucky to see their clothesline covered with miles of strands of gorgeous freshly dyed yarn hanging in the sun to dry.  We also visited the workshop of Francisco Martínez Ruiz and his wife Maria Del Lourdes (above) where they gave us a beautiful demonstration of their entire process, a process that takes many hours to complete.  I learned quickly that carding and spinning are not as easy as they look.

The rug dyes of Mexico are famous, with many stories to tell.  Probably most famous are the reds of the cochineal insect and the blues of the indigo plant from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.  There is a wonderful book called A PERFECT RED by Amy Butler Greenfield that tracks the history of red dyes, concentrating on the use of the cochineal insect that feeds on the liquid of the nopal, or paddle, cactus.  Dried and crushed they produce an amazing deep red color.  The indigo plant produces a deep denim blue.  Other dyes come from tree bark, nuts, mosses, leaves, and flowers (such as marigolds), and a complex system of mixing and/or over-dyeing renders a variety of deep, soft colors.  (I also referenced MEXICAN TEXTILES: Spirit and Style by Mask Takahashi and TEXTILE FIESTAS OF MEXICO by Sheri Brautigam, which includes a chapter on Teotitlán Del Valle by my friend Norma.)

 

The patterns of Oaxacan rugs cover a wide variety of symbols, some ancient, some modern.  Rug patterns are taken from paintings, Navajo symbols, geometric shapes, and ancient symbols of Mexico.  The Greek key, mountains, snails, feathers, and candles appear, as well as symbols of the ancient Aztecs.  As younger weavers who chose to stay involved in the family business step in, more modern symbols and custom designs appear as well.  Learn more about the history, patterns, and process of rug weaving in Oaxaca from Norma Schafer’s blog Oaxaca Cultural Navigator.

I had heard about Oaxacan rugs for years so when we visited San Miguel De Allende in 2016 I knew I had to go shopping.  Our trip to the weekly organic market, geared toward the local gringo population, turned up an authentic Oaxacan rug weaver and his teenage daughter.  So many gorgeous rugs to choose from!  I picked a runner for our hallway back home and asked them to ship it.  No problema.  I couldn’t imagine how long it would take to get to North Carolina or what shape it would be in.  “Don’t worry,” another gringa told me.  “It’ll arrive packaged like you won’t believe and it won’t take that long.”  Two weeks later a package the size of a small shoebox arrived, surrounded by rows of duct tape.  There was my rug in perfect condition.

Taking my cues from Norma, I was struck by a beautiful 8′ x 10′ rug on the floor of the rental house we looked at before moving down.  Not for sale, sorry.  A month later I received a message from the previous renter: Our hearts are broken but we cannot use the rug in our small house.  Would you like to buy it?  The answer is below.  My treasure.  All natural dyes.  From the famous Porfirio Gutierrez workshop in Teotitlán.

So it is these people that I worry about.  Tourist trade has decreased dramatically with the pandemic.  I have no idea how online or gallery sales might be going.  The rug trade sustains the village of Teotitlán Del Valle.  My experience with the people there is that they know how to take care of each other, how to survive.  They are resourceful and dedicated so I hope they will figure it out.  Many are resistant to the mandates of masks and social distancing.  It is not their way.  Whatever will be, will be.  Blessings to all the hardworking people of Teotitlán.  Here’s to better times ahead.

 

Not much of a pandemic related title…or is it?  Through these weeks of social distancing my partner & I have stuck close to home.  No cheating.  Always mask & gloves when we go out for food & cash (an essential item in Mexico).  Being home so much gives you lots of time to think.  Which isn’t always a good thing.

Depression, melancholy, fear, agitation, loneliness….so many emotions arise.  After too many nights with a nightcap & too many days of tears, lethargy, sadness, I realized I had to do something or I was going to sink into my bed or our couch & refuse to move.  So I got up, showered earlier than usual these days, dressed, & sat down at my computer to make a list of projects I could tackle, because I finally have the time.  (And for me, structure is a good thing.)  One of them was to renew my study of essential oils.  It’s been 4 years since I certified through the online AROMAHEAD INSTITUTE.  What better place to zero in on than the emotions this lockdown has raised in me.  And in many others.

What I love about oils is how you can customize a blend for the combination of emotions you’re feeling.  And your blend might be completely different from the blend I would use.  I don’t want to get bogged down here…there’s sooo much information out there.  But I’ll say this: Essential oils are strong chemicals, not to be taken lightly.  They are subtle but powerful & they must be used with caution.  The #1 rule with all oils is – Dilute! Dilute! Dilute!   Please note, also, that I do not advocate ingestion of oils without a very high level of education.  Now, let’s talk.

Essential oils are the concentrated “essence” of herbs, seeds, grasses, trees, flowers, fruits, etc.  The chemical composition of each oil is different & there is the potential to interact negatively with specific medications & diseases.  Also, sensitive skin can react adversely, especially if an oil (a citrus oil, for example) has oxidized because of frequent exposure to air & sunlight.  In short, don’t use an oil without studying it first.  aromaweb.com is a good source.  And I recently found an excellent discussion of quality & storage of oils on ESSENTIALOILHAVEN.com.

Here are two of my favorite go-to books (I have many!) for using oils with emotional issues, both well known authors in aromatherapy:

Yesterday I knew I needed oils to help get me through so I grabbed these books & started reading.  Situational depression in the midst of such serious global issues, causing the delay of my trip to visit my granddaughter in North Carolina, guided my choices.

Gabriel Mojay teaches oils from a Chinese medicine perspective, breaking emotional issues like depression into different categories depending on cause & symptoms.  This time I picked oils based on “fear of an external or known cause” – Thyme linalool – & depression that causes a loss of “ability to motivate, seek, and aspire”.  Yep, that said it.  His suggested oils for that are Bergamot & Mandarin.  All I did was place one drop of each on a small felted wool ball someone gave me & breathe in (deeply) the aroma several times in the afternoon/evening.  The clue that you’ve taken in too much is simply beginning to feel a headache or nausea.  If you experience these symptoms, just back off. I must tell you that I feel much more clear, focused, & calm today.

My other book led me to a very different list of oils, to be used in three phases as needed. Worwood suggests specific blends totalling 30 drops to be combined with massage oil, placed in a diffuser, or dropped on a cotton ball for simple inhalation.  You can breathe directly from the bottle but I prefer not to open my bottles any more than I have to to protect their integrity.  She suggests Grapefruit, Rosemary, Eucalyptus citriodora (there are several Eucalyptus species), Cypress, Helichrysum, & Clary sage, to be used in different combinations for light, moderate, or deep depression.

I’ve also found myself having mild panic attacks sometimes at night when the lights are finally out & my mind starts cataloguing all the craziness we’re living through right now. Lavender is the #1 first aid oil for that & in this case it’s OK to use it straight, or “neat” as we call it.  So I keep a bottle by my bed now.   All I have to do is open the bottle once & take a couple of deep breaths to calm my “fight or flight” response, or place 1 drop on my inner wrists or my upper chest.  For more serious cases of panic attacks the oils you see in the picture above can be combined in specific proportions to apply in a massage oil or to inhale from the bottle or a cotton ball.  

You probably noticed that I have several brands of oils.  I’ve experimented over the years & these are the brands I’ve stuck with.  Here in Mexico it’s difficult to find oils & shipping costs from the US are outrageous.  That means that any time we’re in the US or someone’s coming to visit us (when will that be???) oils are on my list of must-haves.  

Well, that’s it for today.  I’m happy to discuss any of these suggestions in more detail.  Just send me a message in the comment section.  Don’t self-diagnose depression.  You know how you feel.  Remember my safety comments above.  Don’t forget essential oils when you’re looking for a little help.  Most of all, be safe!

 

 

It rarely rains here in January so when the huge intermittent drops started hitting the stone floor of the courtyard outside my bedroom window, I woke up.  2:30 AM. Ruminating.

The Truth is…

This move has been dang hard.  We’ve been sick &/or exhausted a lot of the time. We’ve been to doctors more in 14 months than in the last few years.  Bronchitis, salmonella, flu?  Our immune systems took a major hit starting last fall when we had repairs & remodeling going on at the same time that the estate sales folks were prepping for our big sale.  It let up a little bit when we first got here.  Adrenaline kicked in.  We were excited, on a high.  I guess we pushed too hard for too long.  And tried to adjust to new food, new germs, new ways of doing almost everything.  Then the construction started in October.  One layer too much.

The noise here is very difficult sometimes.  We’ve lost our view.  Construction is going on on 3 sides of us, one side right up against our bedroom wall.  A pick ax is a popular tool here.  You wonder what they’re chipping away at hour after hour.  The truth is that when you need to add electrical wires in a brick wall, you simply chip away a gulley to lay it in.  Loud music doesn’t bother us much anymore.  But roof dogs & hammers & buzz saws are over the top now.  We expected noise but now we understand how much we valued our quiet back in our old neighborhood.  Do people leave because of it?  I don’t know.  Maybe they just change locations.  We will do the same.

Gringos here still get caught up in fast pace life…Mexicans, thankfully, slow it down.  At a recent yoga workshop of about 20 gringos the teacher spoke of the relentless multitasking in our lives.  I couldn’t help but wonder why this was a topic.  Would a class of Mexicans hear the same speech?  Didn’t I move to Mexico to enjoy its slower pace?  That slower pace we know as “mañana”?  Where tomorrow means “whenever I can get there”.  Where people move slow enough to greet each other on the streets & celebrate with their families on a near monthly basis.

Integrate? Learn Spanish to integrate?  We are truly just guests here so it warrants the effort to speak the local language.  My original goal was to be able to interview elderly Mexican women & order food in restaurants.  That last goal came easily.  The first one has been a significant challenge with my poor memory & lots of distractions.  Letting it go would take the pressure off.  Until I needed to communicate.  Guess I’ll keep going. 

 

I’ve changed…I’m more tolerant & less judgmental.  I try to understand that trash in the street is a reflection of at least 2 things:  different values & a flailing infrastructure.   I value my friends, old & new, more than ever.  I’m more apt to accept them for who they are & who they have been or hope to be.  For being human.  Like me.

I’m more willing to try new things, to stretch myself.  “Every day try something that scares you” quotes a magnet given by a friend.  Moving here was the biggest leap, of course.  Getting my Mexican driver’s license, my permanent visa, & taking road trips into unknown territory.  Taking a small boat into a harbor full of humpback whales was something I never dreamed of doing, having been raised in a fearful home, afraid of deep (or murky) water (among other things).  It was astounding to be on that silver-black bay with creatures from a world so much larger than my own.  Connected to Mother Earth.  Grateful.

Why do I stay?  Because it is still a grand adventure.  For the most part the local people are kind, friendly, & helpful.  It is easy to create a community of local friends with the abundance of interesting people here.  And I love Mexico, with all its quirks, & want to explore it further.  Once we get our feet on the ground.  Some folks seem to settle right in.  Or maybe they just don’t talk about the difficulties.  For us, retiring, closing down a business, leaving behind friends of many years, &, of course, family, coming to a new country where nearly everything is a learning curve & you barely, if at all, speak the language, ranks in those top 5 life events that can really send you tumbling.  But we’re determined.  We’ll find a way.

 

 

The rain stopped.  Huge splattering drops we may never even notice in the morning.

 

Once a year, in November, the masters of Mexican crafts come to Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico, thanks to Los Amigos del Artes Popular (ladap.org). LADAP began in 1996 with weekend socials and visits to collectors home.

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Membership has grown to over 350 people in the US and Mexico, with dues and guided tour fees going to support the Feria. LADAP “honors, celebrates, and promotes Mexican folk art”. Its main purpose is to support continuation of indigenous art which is slowly being lost to migration and industrialization. Artisans are not charged booth fees and are often awarded funds to help with transportation of themselves and their wares, as well as housing and social events with local residents. The Feria takes place over three days in a gorgeous spot called The Yacht Club, which of course is right beside Lake Chapala.

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For a mere 80 pesos (about $4) you can walk into a maze of the best arts and crafts of Mexico and buy your heart’s desire from textiles to pottery to jewelry and more. From a beginning group of 13 artisans the Feria has now grown to over 80 participants representing a vast portion of Mexico. Some of them have never been outside their villages. Many speak no English and some are illiterate. Food, music, demonstrations, raffle prizes, and fashion shows (Mexican textiles and costumes) round out the annual event that began in 2002. The idea for the Feria originated with Marianne Carlson after she visited 17 indigenous villages around Lake Patzcuaro and knew the hard working artisans deserved a broader audience. This year’s attendance was reportedly the largest in the Feria’s history.

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Walking through the crowded tents was like walking through a wonderland for me. I had visited some of the artisans in their studios or bought from them in markets. It felt good to receive their warm welcomes. I knew what I wanted to look for after reading numerous books on textiles and perusing websites, visiting and talking with collectors. But there was so much to see!

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The handmade crafts of Mexico are amazing. Color, ingenuity, creativity, and symbolism abound. Detail is often astounding. The artisans are kind, proud, and dedicated.

I did not have deep pockets and I knew I had to be selective. Bargaining is not considered acceptable and prices are not as low as you would pay in the artisans homes and villages. But here you find the finest representative crafts from several Mexican states located in one area, and your purchases support the artisans and continuation of their amazing work. It’s a win-win!

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Here in the Lake Chapala area we’re used to seeing the costumes and crafts of the Huichol tribe. They were well represented at the Feria.

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Attending the Feria Maestros del Arte was a long awaited and worthwhile experience. Ben and I will definitely go back next year, most likely as volunteers and members of Los Amigos. I’m already looking forward to it!

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By the way, you may notice a DONATION button at the bottom of my blog now. The cost of maintaining the WordPress website can be a bit steep if you continue to improve and expand your site. Your donations of ANY amount (through PayPal) are welcomed. Gracias!

We were so happy to welcome my dearest friend of 20+ years to our home last week. She came a long way – from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – to visit us and see our new home. It felt so good to pick up right where we left off when we saw each other 2 years ago. We did our best to show her the routine things and some of the highlights of our life here in Mexico. Friends, markets, the Malecón, Chapala, restaurants, and an overnight visit to Mazamitla. So come along as I recap our visit.

After resting up from a 3-legged flight with numerous delays, we took Margaret to the Wednesday tianguis (market) then met friends at Go Bistro! for dinner. Lovely place with nice atmosphere and yummy food.

Next day we were off to show her Chapala, our nearby town of about 35-40,000 residents, with a strong Mexican flavor and a beautiful malecón. A weekend destination for Guadalajarans, Chapala was once a short term home for Tennessee Williams while writing A Streetcar Named Desire. Recent rains brought in fields of lyria, land-locking small fishing boats for weeks. The market in Chapala is open daily, stocked with meat, vegetables, cheese, candies, fruit, etc. as well as several outdoor eateries, a great spot for authentic food and people watching.

In an effort to find another source of authentic Mexican food – Ajijic more often caters to gringo tastes – we found our way to Viva México Restaurante, where the food and service are always top notch. A new place opened in Ajijic recently and we found it pretty tasty! El Sombrero, former furniture display room, with an owner from the Yucatan, now serving to please!

Driving toward Mazamitla we traveled past the berry growing town of Jocotepec on the west end of Lake Chapala, with beautiful views of the mountains and lake. Once we arrived at our destination we quickly figured out that the “sleepy mountain town” isn’t so sleepy on Sundays. But we enjoyed our little cabins and walks to town, nonetheless, especially on Monday when the crowds had cleared.

Mazamitla (Nahuatl for “place where deer are hunted with arrows”) is a mountain town in the state of Michoacán, established in 1165 by the Aztecs. The evergreen and deciduous forests contribute to its architecture which includes wooden beams, doorways, stair rails, and balconies, atypical for México. This “get away” town is mostly known for its unusual cathedral, built around the mid-20th century and believed to have been influenced by Chinese architecture. The sanctuary was packed when we visited on Sunday so we didn’t go inside but outside by the entrance I found a heart-shaped container for depositing bottle caps for charities.

Wandering through el Centro there was much to see. Street vendors and the town market caught our attention most. Colors, colors, everywhere, inside and out. Neat and orderly store shelves packed with kitchen items, candy, garden supplies, you name it. And food, always food. La Troje Restaurante is highly rated for its food and service. It’s a busy place where the walls are covered with pictures of movie stars. It’s popular with visiting Mexicans and gringos alike.

Heading home on a gorgeous Monday. We saw this little village on our way up the mountain and decided to check it out on the way back. “The apple of peace” is a sweet and friendly little village, mostly quiet with few people milling about. We’ll go back sometime and stick around a bit.

A sweet ride home. Beautiful scenery with little traffic. The clouds lie on the mountaintops nearly every day, in incredible formations. We’ve craved quiet lately with construction going on on 3 sides. We’re searching for our next dwelling. For a few minutes I thought I saw it…here on the other side of the lake, with only the sound of a gentle breeze.

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It was hard to tell Margaret good-bye, we so rarely see each other. It’s been 2 years and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever was rearing its ugly head last time we were together, unbeknownst to me (until after she left). Two friends, close as sisters, bumping into each other every year or two, picking up where we left off each time. We both chose life “outside the box”, in far away places. Neither of us content with the status quo. We’ve both experienced a lot, learned a lot. And I hope it will always be that way, picking up the threads each time we meet. Adios, mi hermana! Hasta luego! Thank you for coming.

Independencia…70th birthday (Ben’s)…family and friends…September was time to celebrate!

Every year in September Mexico celebrates its independence from Spanish rule. A long weekend is filled with festivals, parades, contests, dancing, special food, and “El Grito”, the battle cry for independence. Raised in 1810 by Miguel Hidalgo, the battle cry stirred the citizens to fight for freedom in a war that lasted over eleven years. All over Mexico the recitation of Hidalgo’s speech occurs at the same time on Independence Day Eve (September 15th): delegados, mayors and even the country’s president recite the famous battle cry known as “El Grito”. Crowds of Mexicans gather in plazas around the country to hear the famous words. Es muy importante para Méxicanos!

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Ben celebrated his 70th birthday for days it seemed. But the highlight was a party of fifty guests held in the home of our friend Judy Miller, who’s sister Carla was celebrating her birthday as well. We’re still a bit amazed at the number of people we’ve connected with already. And we loved it that Ben’s sister Melanie and her husband joined us from Oregon. A good time was had by all!

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And the fun continued! Beautiful weather. Great for exploring the town of Chapala.

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And in the midst of it all – Global Climate Strike. A “celebration” of sorts as young and old step forward to raise awareness and demand action on the state of our world. I had reached out looking for folks interested but got very little response. With company coming and a party to organize I just didn’t have time to make something happen. But two days before the Strike an email arrived from Democrats Abroad announcing a gathering of support on the day after the international Strike. I was only able to go for thirty minutes before the party but it was wonderful to be part of the small crowd that stood on the street (Carretera) with signs as passersby waved and honked their allegiance. It was exhilarating!

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We’re moving into October now. The temperatures are lovely – apologies to those of you suffering in North Carolina. The vibrant green of the mountains is losing a bit of its luster though small trees provide patches of fragrant yellow flowers dot the hillside. We are grateful.

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We’ve been here ten months now. The building going on around our rental house is increasing along with the accompanying noise of hammers and saws. We’re contemplating our next move. Feeling a bit steadier on our feet, speaking a bit more Spanish, it is nearly time to find another home. The thought of moving is “unsettling” but not nearly as daunting as ten months ago. Life is good here. Not perfect. But good. We’ll see what’s next. Meanwhile, VIVA MÉXICO!

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The town of Pátzcuaro (pats-kwaro) lies about three and a half hours from Ajijic, a gorgeous drive on an excellent tolled highway. Part of the thrill for me was going into geography that looks very much like the mountains of North Carolina where I was born and spent many years, though twice as high at 7200′. The colonial town of Pátzcuaro (or PTZ) was established around 1320 and has become a mecca for tourists and craft collectors. The indigenous people and crafts of the area give it a special old town feel. Lago (Lake) de Pátzcuaro is within sight and surrounded by small villages well known for various Mexican crafts. With the Spanish Conquest came “Tata Vasco” (Father Vasco) who assured that each village specialized in a specific craft, removing the element of competition and at the same time offering them a livelihood. After checking into Victoria Ryan’s beautiful B & B Hotel Casa Encantada, we were privileged to spend 3 delightful days with tour guide Jaime Hérnandez of Patzcuaro Magic Tours as he gave us a broad sampling of a few lakeside villages. Let me introduce you:

So much to tell. Our first morning there we ventured into town, just a block or so away, and strolled through the 3 town plazas centered around churches. The main plaza is one of the largest in Mexico, providing a place for lovers, musicians, demonstrators, dancers, students, and anyone else interested in being out and about. Restaurants and craft stores, strollers, and performers abound.

Friday afternoon. Visited the wonderful cultural museum where the guide spoke very little English but was patient with my Spanish. One of my favorite rooms was filled with indigenous clothing, some of which we saw in the streets. Afterward, time to eat. La cena. We went to a restaurant we’d seen earlier but the door was closed, though not bolted. I stepped over and said “Hola” to the gentleman in the window. He excused himself from his meeting (oops!) and invited us inside. Turned out they were filming a TV show of famous regional cook Victoria Gonzalez Chavez and we were the only customers. Seated in a narrow central room we had a birdseye view of the filming while enjoying THE best Mexican food I’ve ever had. The manager, Eloy, was most gracious, as was his staff, who waited on us patiently as we did our best to interpret the Spanish menu. Señor Eloy rushed into the room to check on us while the TV crew rearranged for the next set. Luckily one of the crew spoke English and informed us that the manager was apologizing for leaving us “isolated” and hoped we enjoyed our meal. We went back a few days later hoping to thank him but ended up leaving a card instead. What a fun adventure!

Now, let’s go see the artisans! First on the docket, Santa Clara del Cobre.

Kids being filmed, copper museum, and carnitas on the street!

Cuanojo – Though famous for brightly painted furniture, the latest version of which includes characters from the movie COCO, we went to visit Jaime’s “secret treasure”, Nati. Nati’s small concrete block house with outdoor kitchen is at the end of a small dirt foot trail, surrounded by cornfields. Her award winning belts are created on her backstrap loom AFTER she hoes the corn and makes her tortilla dough for the day. Nati is “disabled” by a clubfoot and must always use crutches, but her smile is a mile wide as she welcomes us into her home. I walk away with one of her prize belts, adorned with complex prehispanic symbols, patterns Nati carries in her head and teaches her family with cardboard, string, and sticks.

Tupataro – Home of a 18th century church filled with history and legends, brought to life by our guide Jaime. An effort to preserve the amazing church dictates only one photo per visitor. The ceiling decoration began in 1725 and was used as a “brochure” for educating the indigenous population and winning them to Christianity.

Quiroga – Named after the Catholic “bishop” Vasco Vázquez de Quiroga who fought for fair treatment of the indigenous populations after the Conquest. We visited a family who creates candelabras and incense holders for local churches.

Santa Fe de la Laguna – Home of Nicolás Fabián and Rosario Fermín, internationally known potters. And two of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Rosario is a revered cook and her cocina shows it. She’s been invited to Ajijic to cook at a celebration in December. Hoping to see her!

Also home of the first “Pueblo Hospital”, a gathering place for indigenous residents, founded in 1533 by “Tata” Vasco Quiroga and run by a council of elder men. At a ceremony each Friday a newly wed couple is chosen to clean the church and replace the flowers for the week. Outside the women gather in celebration, cooking for the entire week, though not this week. And one more secret treasure – this Santa Fe is home of the people who inspired the characters for COCO.

Tzintzuntzan – Home of the hummingbirds. Here we visited the award winning potters Luis Manuel Morales Gamez, who has shifted to more modern designs, then Guadalupe García Rios, who creates her own line of ceramics with her daughters (and grandchildren). We came away with only small items as prices run high here.

Around the lake then to a women’s embroidery cooperative run by Teófila and Bertha Servín. I’d been looking for “storytelling” embroidery and found it here in abundance. Exquisite work.

Tocuaro – Home of Felipe Horta, master mask maker. Avocado and copal wood are used for the masks as they are abundant, lightweight, and easy to work with. December brings a special event where the “3 wise men” travel from home to home to visit baby Jesus in the family creche. But, wait! Who’s that masked man getting in the way??? It’s the Devil, who wants no part of Jesus worshiping!

“Jimmy” Horta’s studio was our next stop. Ear to ear smile while he showed us the technique he invented for carving reeds into figures. Delightful!

Uneamich is a furniture factory that used to employ 300 locals. It now has 60 employees. The painted furniture and accessories there are beautifully done and can be custom ordered. Painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera once visited this town. Even now, the streets bustle.

Jacucuaro – This town was an island until the 1970’s when a dam was built connecting it to nearby villages. Reeds are abundant along the water’s edge and are collected for use in other towns. But here the hat-makers use palm fibers grown in hotter areas of Michoacán. Many are employed here, young and old alike, to split, braid, bundle, and transport the palms for hat-making. The smaller the braid, the finer the hat. If you want to show off at a celebration, you buy the best. $20-$30. Erasmo Bautista is doing well. He has a new studio and nicer home than most of the artisans we visited.

Back in Pátzcuaro the markets bustle. So much to see and smell. Funny, a local warned us not to eat the street food there. After sharing his reasons I was glad I hadn’t been tempted!

Notes of interest along the way…

We leave today and I resist! I love having my breakfast served and my room cleaned every day leaving me free to walk through the gorgeous lower patio, through the gate, and out into the streets seeking adventure. This place, the large nearby green fields, the beautiful mountains, the lake, hold me gently. Nurture me. It took me years to feel at home in Hillsborough. Yet every place we visit in Mexico calls my name on some level. I wonder where it will take me next.

I leave you with this…on a Sunday morning walk I spied an elderly woman exiting her door to take a seat on her stoop. Addressing her and asking permission, I reversed my camera orientation and showed her her picture. As she giggled I snapped two shots then showed them to her. “Oh, Señora, Señora!” she said with laughter as she covered her face. I wonder how long it had been since she’d seen her own image.

Ahh…Pátzcuaro!

As I continue to read the work of Joanna Macy and Jem Bendell and continue to consider the state of our Earth and our global society, it comes to me that this move to Mexico has had a bigger purpose than I imagined in the beginning. I now believe that I am here to learn about community (see my post COMUNIDAD from early July) and its broader meaning. Here in Mexico, where family is so very important and everyone comes together for the good of all. Now my task is to create community for myself from a sea of strangers.

In searching the internet for ideas about what community means, I came across a post called “Community is Everything: How to Build Your Tribe” in Inc. This Morning newsletter. Miki Agrawal gives her ideas about creating her “tribe”. She’s hand-picked her members of “inspiring friends” who “challenge me to be the best version of myself and support me through the great and the not-so-great.” Here’s her list of how to nurture your group: “Express happiness when you see your people…Let everyone share stories and participate…Forget the small talk (dig in)…Give credit as often as you can…Instill confidence — it’s free…Challenge your people to push themselves…Connect people!” I love her ending statements: “Don’t make friends just to make friends. Build the right community…(It) is so much more about what you put in than what you get out.” This young person has great wisdom already. I think of these words as I meet and interact with people. Perhaps because of my age I am “pickier” as well. No time for small talk. Now the climate issue — the Great Turning — has become an important conversation for me. And there is much to say. Many of you know how terribly serious I can be. I’m counting on my new community to help me see how much fun there is to be had! (Like the concert by Celia Farran that I attended with my Spiritual Friends tribe yesterday. Her songs are connecting and soulful.)

Coffee shops and markets, fiestas and concerts. Hiking, traveling, classes. Walking around the village. All places to find folks to connect with. People are anxious to connect here, anxious to tell their stories. Just by moving here we often have a great deal in common.

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We found this house in the country at the last minute a year ago. Luckily we landed in the midst of a mixed community that looks out for each other. My growing Spanish allows me to interact with the Mexican families on a casual level. The neighbors behind us are gringo & Mexican, bilingual, and often helpful in figuring out the politics and protocols of the Mexican world. I understand there are some gringos here who hide away and see the local culture only as servants. But most are here to be involved in and learn about the culture I believe. Hopefully we can learn from each other.

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Here in Ajijic I have the opportunity to create the “right community”. But I am also realizing that my community does not have to be just here. It includes friends (and family) from everywhere I’ve lived previously, as well as those I’ve yet to meet. In fact, new friends are arriving here from North Carolina in October and January. We’ve met, shared some good times, connected by email and Facebook, and look forward to getting to know each other. From St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to Sweden, from Ohio, Florida and Oregon, from North Carolina, my home state, and from Oaxaca and Teotitlan del Valle to Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico, we are all community. We are all family, by birth, choice or circumstance. We are all in this together. We are all One. Connecting the dots.