FINALLY OAXACA!

I have wanted to go to Oaxaca for over a year now. The very name invites. Wikipedia says that Oaxaca is the Nahuatl word “Huaxyacac”, referring to the”gauje” tree (Leucaena leucocephala) found around the capital city.  After a two hour flight from Guadalajara we sped away in the car with our hostess and friend, Norma Schafer, tour guide extraordinaire. A city of 300,000 people serviced by a myriad of cars, businesses, and restaurants, Oaxaca was more fast paced than I’d expected. Traffic was crazy, loud, chaotic. But we made our way and saw a world of wonders.

The state of Oaxaca is known for its crafts, especially textiles. A private historical collection of jewelry and other items also included a marvelous display of HUIPILS (wipils), an indigenous garment created from strips of handwoven fabric sewn together with decorative seams. Nearby stores tempt. Do we all want to look like the iconic Frida Kahlo? Who hid her disabilities with indigenous clothing and jewelry, bringing them into the lime light.

After breakfast AND lunch in wonderful Oaxacan restaurants, Norma guided us down a back alley on a side street. Entering the dark, simple dirt floor room we are introduced to J. Manual Garcia Esperanza, Grand Master Filigree Jeweler, and his son, José Jorge García García. A private showing of their award-winning work was laid out before us, accompanied by streams of oh’s and ah’s. And pursuant purchases. We were then led to the son’s small, crowded studio where the current selection of masterpieces is produced. Ben, jeweler that he was, was duly impressed.

It was an amazing experience to stand in the presence of these humble men who so readily shared their time and space with us. Afterwards we took off for Norma’s casita in Teotitlan Del Valle. But that is a very long story, to be saved for another post. There was more to be experienced in the city proper.

On our 2nd day Norma took us to a funky alternative gallery where her neighbor’s daughter, 34 year old Janet, was part of a panel discussion and preview of a documentary about reviving the Zapotec language. https://www.youtube.com/c/DizhsaNabani Followed by an amazing lunch. Janet is one of the Zapotec young people who has chosen life in the city, away from the more traditional village of her birth. Janet and her older brother operate a small artisanal boutique in Oaxaca. Her parents and younger brother have become quite famous for their rugs created with wool hand-dyed with natural materials. (Norma’s casita is behind their house, on their land, and will revert back to them when she no longer lives there. As she says, “It is an investment in our friendship and relationship.”)

Monte Albán was our next tour, an easy taxi ride from the city, and a significant Zapotec archeological site. This was the capital for the Zapotec civilization beginning around 400BC and the place where their language and creativity began to shine. Amazing to see and to know that theoretically only a third of the city has been uncovered! (“ZAPOTEC CIVILIZATION: A CAPTIVATING GUIDE TO THE PRE-COLUMBIAN CLOUD PEOPLE…” is an easy and fascinating read about this culture.)

We met Norma and her friend Jackie, who lives in the city, for a late lunch after our adventure. Sweet…we shared a taxi from Monte Albán to the city with a Mexican couple who live and work in LA. They had called for the taxi but happily shared with us. They refused to let us pay our half of the bill. Tip only. Another example of Mexican generosity. After lunch we wandered through the streets on our way back to the car, running into many festivities, including a parade celebrating new graduates.

We spent parts of 3 days in this gorgeous city. But there was so much more to our trip. Below I’ve included a brief slideshow for more of a view of the Oaxaca City, but I’ll stop here and save Mitla (second capital of the Zapotecs), Hierve Del Agua, Santa María del Tule, and Tlacolula for the next post. Teotitlan will come later as it rocked my soul and deserves a post of its own. Enjoy & stay tuned!