Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Association

Day of the Dead in Oaxaca (Atzompa) Featured in New Documentary, "Acquainted with the Night"

2010-10-19T15:04:00.001-07:00

Acquainted with the Night: Documentary Film Review

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

Feature-length documentary “Acquainted with the Night” (Markham Street Films, 2010), is a brilliantly executed examination of how humanity explores, embraces and attempts to protect the night. Shot in seven countries and eight languages, director Michael McNamara and co-producer Jen Recknagel analyze the universality of elements embodied in dusk to dawn traditions – curiosity and the quest to learn, ritual celebration, fear and adaptation, and from a Western research perspective the concern for the night’s adverse impact on the individual, and society.

The movie is based on Christopher Dewdney’s book, Acquainted with the Night: Excursions through the World after Dark. While Dewdney breaks up the night into hourly vignettes based on science, myth and poetry, McNamara proceeds differently, showcasing key segments of time: daytime preparations, dusk, night-time activities, dawn and its aftermath.

In the film’s Prelude, individuals in a diversity of cultures and stations in life are shown preparing for darkness, foreshadowing what the night embodies for them:
• In the town of Atzompa, in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, a family walks along a dirt road with a wheelbarrow and arms full of flowers, destined for the cemetery, the beginning of its Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) rituals;
• Members of Astronomers Without Borders line up telescopes in Bhaktapur, Nepal, for viewing Jupiter and its moons;
• A team of researchers arrive at Arches National Park in Utah, to measure light pollution;
• On the Greek Island of Chios, villagers from two rival towns ready rockets and launching pads in preparation for a century – old, middle-of-the-night pyrotechnics competition;
• A group sets up high – power lamps in New York City near Ground Zero, for a tribute in lights;
• Artists at Parc des Buttes Chaumant in Paris, France, install their art, and lighting, for Nuit Blanche, a unique exhibition.

Introductions continue through Dusk, in Austin, Texas. Crowds gather before dark, eager to watch 1.5 million bats fly out from beneath an expansion bridge in a night-time feeding frenzy. This year the bats emerge unexpectedly early, but the film crew, on the ready, doesn’t miss a beat and catches the event as it happens.

Moving into The Night, we’re whisked worlds away, to a marketplace in Marrakech, Morocco. Children and adults alike are enthralled by the tales of a traditional storyteller, one of only two or three of his kind remaining. But storytelling is universal, as McNamara illustrates, taking the viewer from this Moroccan custom to Anglo- and French-Canadian homes in Canada where parents read the same bed-time story to their children, “Love You Forever,” in English and in French.

McNamara uses his characters, rather than a narrator, to thread his theses. Researcher Chad Moore, measuring light pollution with sophisticated instruments, decries the loss of the ability of Americans to witness true darkness. It “ties all people together across the planet,” states Moore. “We have to decide if it’s worth saving,” he asks rhetorically. Then in Nepal, as if to answer the question, we’re placed amongst astronomers encouraging onlookers to take a peak at the largest planet in the solar system. Curiosity, intrigue, marvel and the quest to learn about the night, each transcends culture and age.

Returning to North America, and The Night Shift, a long-haul trucker drives across Canada with her son, after dark, exposing us to the night’s working world – its allure, its danger, and its necessity. At the Sleep and Alertness Clinic in Toronto we learn of the afflictions which beset the night shift, and are told of modern-day disasters which have occurred during the middle-of-the-night as a result of human error – Chernobyl and Exxon Valdez are cited examples. If humanity must work throughout the night, as is suggested, how do we better adapt?

The dark side of earth’s most densely populated club district is revealed, under the watch of Toronto Police Department’s 52 Division. Another aspect of night shift work: patrolling nightly, and then rounding up mainly youthful revelers as they emerge from partying shortly after 2 a.m., high on drugs or a little too much to drink, in either case resulting in unruly conduct or violence. Detention and in some cases arrest follows; then finally the morning clean-up, Night’s Last Stand.

McNamara also illustrates how differently death is approached depending on societal mores. In the candle – lit Mexican cemetery his cinematographers capture the poignancy of an elderly couple lamenting the loss of their son, decades after his passing. He then switches to the somber spectacle of light near Ground Zero. On a subsequent night in the Mexican village, death is remembered no longer through solemnity, but now with comparsas – parades marked by reveling in costume, dance and song. McNamara then takes us to the pageantry of a Winter Solstice celebration at Toronto’s Kensington Market. The night is a catalyst for celebrating in similar, almost identical fashion, under dramatically distinct circumstances.

Particularly striking and thought provoking contrasts occur within the context of McNamara taking us to a makeshift outdoor hockey rink illuminated by the full moon, then to beyond Yellowknife, where The Dene, one of Canada’s First Nation peoples, emerge from their teepees rejoicing the awe inspiring Aurora Borealis, and yes, telling stories. Cut to Paris, where artificial light gives art a new appreciation, then to New York, where light pays homage to America’s fallen. It’s hard to resolve the conflict between utilizing and appreciating the night and all its wonder and beauty – a motive for its preservation – and perhaps just as valid, transforming and celebrating the night, which leads to its adulteration.

As dawn approaches, thousands of spent rockets are gathered on the Greek island, the Parisian art exhibit has lost its glimmer, the 9 / 11 lights are extinguished, the now exhausted Nepalese storyteller heads home, and the villagers of Atzompa depart through the cemetery arch, until next year’s Dia de los Muertos.

Acquainted with the Night takes the viewer on much more than a cross-cultural journey traversing the exotic and the familiar, and then back again. It opens our minds to a sampling of what most of us miss between going to bed, and arising for work the next day. It inevitably encourages many to re-evaluate an unnecessarily staid lifestyle, through examining a world not previously known to exist. It ensures that we expose our youth to more, yet at the same time cautions, and raises questions – with answers difficult to reconcile.

Alvin Starkman is a consultant to documentary film production companies. He received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School, thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator. Alvin now resides in Oaxaca where he writes, leads personalized tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sights, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Br.eakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), combining the comfort and service of a Oaxaca hotel with the lodging style of a quaint country inn.

New Book Points to Evidence of Oaxaca as the Cradle of Mesoamerican Civilization

2010-10-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

Oaxaca, Cuna y destino de la Civilización Americana: Book Review

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

Oaxaca, Cuna y destino de la Civilización Americana is an impassioned plea for recognition of ancient Zapotec culture in the state of Oaxaca, south central Mexico, as the cradle of Mesoamerican society. As such, the treatise contends, it constitutes one of the world’s six great founding civilizations.

To buttress his proposition, author Juan Arturo López Ramos cites key evidence which supports the contention that Oaxacan settlement should be credited with developing the continent’s earliest known system of writing, calendar, cultivation, and first great city-state, Monte Albán. He bases his thesis on the fruits of primarily archaeological investigation by national and international researchers.

Background to López Ramos’ Knowledge and Investigation Regarding Oaxaca and its Pre – History

López Ramos was born in the Mixteca district of Oaxaca. He studied in Mexico at the Instituto Politécnico National, and did his graduate work at the Antigua Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, in Madrid, Spain. He then returned to Oaxaca to embark upon a career in politics. As both Secretary of Tourism, and member of congress, he gained exacting knowledge of Oaxaca, having had the opportunity to visit virtually all regions of the state. In addition, as a prominent politician he had occasion to meet with scores of academics working in the state over the course of more than two decades. He would inevitably be kept abreast of research in such diverse areas of inquiry as history, geography, anthropology and archaeology, botany and zoology, and linguistics, to name but a few.

Development of the Thesis of Oaxaca as the Cradle of Mesoamerican Civilization

López Ramos begins his analysis by distinguishing development in Mesoamerica from Old World civilizations, noting that the latter had the advantage of being in relatively close proximity to one another and therefore the ability to adopt or assimilate the cultural progress of their neighbors. By contrast, Mesoamerican civilization developed in isolation and therefore independent of outside influences.

After summarizing how Oaxaca was instrumental in the development of Mesoamerica by virtue of developments in astronomy, engineering, agriculture and social organization, the author sets up Oaxaca as the geographic center of Mesoamerica, noting its climatic, physical and biological diversity, and how as a consequence the state stands apart from other regions in Mexico. He emphasizes the quantity and broad array of vegetation and animal life in the state, and of course its ethnic and cultural diversity. Oaxaca’s unique position, in all of the foregoing respects, was therefore conducive to the development of a grand civilization.

The reader is provided with a review of the evidence of the earliest human occupation in Oaxaca (i.e. the rock shelters and pictographs found between Yagul and Mitla, contributing to the area’s recent UNESCO designation as a World Heritage Site), and the inhabitants’ crucial advancement through the domestication of squash, pepper, beans and corn. Campsites became villages, and through village life developed rudimentary adobe housing, industry (i.e. ceramics) and social structure including the earliest ritualistic behavior and governmental function.

The book truly shines where López Ramos advances his contention by illustrating that it was the Zapotecs and not the Olmecs, and it was in the central valleys of Oaxaca and not in Chiapas, Tehuacán, Teotihuacán, Veracruz or in other areas, where several indicia (aside from cultivation) of a great civilization first arose. Much of the evidence derives from the excavation at San José Mogote in the Etla valley, a settlement pre-dating others.

López Ramos acknowledges that the origins of pottery are in four areas, the oldest sites being San José Mogote and Tehuacán. But by comparing evidence at the two sites, he concludes that it was at San José Mogote where the first ever pottery workshop contained in a village, is encountered. The site also bears witness to the earliest use of consciously selected or tooled stones, and the first public buildings – constructed using deliberate astronomical orientation. The existence of a tombstone at San José Mogote, with the oldest writing in Mesoamerica, sets Oaxaca apart from anything similar found in the Olmec region of Veracruz or elsewhere. He then notes the antiquity of the calendar found at the same site, and that its complexity and accuracy exceed that of calendars of European societies of that era.

Using detailed description, López Ramos asserts the importance of Monte Albán, the first great city-state on the continent. He notes its significant advancements over the course of its extensive occupation, and indeed its grandiosity. He quotes archaeologists Damon E. Peeler and Marcus Winter who conclude that Zapotec astronomy played a major role in the design of Teotihuacán.

The author makes his case in a convincing manner, citing the research results of several academics who have worked in Oaxaca for decades. He does so in a highly informative, convincing, and in most cases readable and understandable fashion even for those of us without maximum proficiency with the Spanish language.

López Ramos Provides the Reader with a New or Renewed Appreciation of Oaxaca

In the course of the power-point presentation promoting his book, López Ramos cites the likes of D.H. Lawrence, Guadalupe Loaeza, Danish architect Jorn Utzon, and others who have marveled at Oaxaca and in some cases noted its influence throughout the modern world – just to ensure that even if you don’t entirely accept his thesis, from reading the book you’ll come away with a new or renewed appreciation of the state, and more particularly its central valleys.

Alvin Starkman has a masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes couples and families to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies working in southern Mexico, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique bed and breakfast experience providing accommodations which combine the comfort and service of a four star hotel, with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Wine Bar in Oaxaca Now Open at La Olla Restaurant

2010-10-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

Worth checking out is the wine bar upstairs at La Olla restaurant in downtown Oaxaca:

http://www.suite101.com/content/wine-bar-in-oaxaca-mexico-at-la-olla-restaurant-a292488

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Diet Drinks, Sugar - free Sodas, Available to Tourists to Oaxaca

2010-10-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

The following is an article for those visitors to Oaxaca who will want to track down their favorite sugar - free drinks, diet sodas; canned, bottled or in powder form, for both consumption in Oaxaca, and in the case of powdered Nestea, Clight, ZUKO and others, for taking home at the end of the trip because of the rock bottom prices:

http://www.suite101.com/content/diet-drinks-in-oaxaca-mexico-diet-coke-pepsi-light-clight-a290759

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Grupo Mexicana Informs

2010-08-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

* Grupo Mexicana suspends flights until further notice
* Current management received the company in a state of technical bankruptcy seven days ago after it filed for protection under Mexico’s insolvency laws
* Financial deterioration and lack of agreements force Grupo Mexicana to stop flying
* Grupo Mexicana deeply regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers

Mexico City, August 27, 2010. Nuevo Grupo Aeronáutico, S.A. de C.V. ("Grupo Mexicana") announced this morning that as a result of the group’s delicate financial situation when it changed owners a week ago, compounded by failure to reach agreements that would allow for the capitalization of its three airlines, Mexicana Airlines, MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink flights will suspend operations until further notice as of midday (12:00 p.m.) on Saturday, August 28, 2010.

Among the factors that have contributed to this announcement are:

1. Grupo Mexicana’s fragile financial situation, which has deteriorated further over the last four weeks due to the previous management’s decision to suspend ticket sales, forcing the company to continue operating in the interests of passengers without receiving any revenue.
2. No substantial agreements were reached to give companies in the Group long-term viability.
3. Lack of effectiveness in the insolvency (Concurso Mercantil) process intended to protect additional financial resources available to the company so it could to continue operating.
4. Given the uncertainty of the situation, certain suppliers have begun demanding advanced payment of services that are essential to the airlines’ operations.

Today’s decision is a painful one for the 8,000-strong Grupo Mexicana family, but we will continue seeking out ways of securing the company’s long-term financial viability, so our passengers can once again enjoy the quality services they are accustomed to. We hope to be back in the air soon and would like to thank everyone involved in this process for their support and understanding.

If you have bookings or/and have paid for a Grupo Mexicana flight and have a reservation code, we would like to inform you that:

1. All Mexicana, MexicanaLink and MexicanaClick flights will be suspended until further notice as of midday on Saturday, August 28, 2010. All flights programmed to depart after this hour will be canceled.
2. Grupo Mexicana deeply regrets any inconvenience this decision may cause and will continue to assist passengers to the full extent of its abilities. Passengers who have already flown a leg of their journey and who are scheduled to fly with a Grupo Mexicana airline after Saturday, August 28, 2010 are advised to consult the websites or contact us at the numbers listed below. Priority will be given to minors traveling unaccompanied, passengers traveling with children under age 3 and special needs passengers.
3. If you have not yet begun your journey, we recommend you make alternative travel arrangements.
4. For information on how to apply for a refund, visit mexicanainforms.com (Tickets issued in the United States and Canada; - Tickets issued in Mexico and the Rest of the World), or contact us at any of the numbers listed below:

5448-8634
5998-5998
in Mexico City

01800-837-6150
01800-801-2010
from anywhere in Mexico

1-888-882-9994
1-877-801-2010
from the U.S. or Canada

In other countries please contact the local Mexicana office.

Mexicana Airlines Cancellations, and Travel Options for Getting to Oaxaca

2010-08-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of options for getting to and from Oaxaca, from Mexico City, in light of the August 28, 2010, announcement of Mexicana Airlines that it is suspending all operations, and cancelling even domestic flights (i.e. Click Mexicana). The options are not exhaustive by any stretch, but may be helpful to some:

http://www.suite101.com/content/mexicana-airlines-cancels-domestic-flights-affects-oaxaca-mexico-a279660

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Tattoos in Oaxaca (Oaxaca Tattoo Fest, August, 2010, and More)

2010-08-26T00:37:00.000-07:00

Article about the twelfth annual Oaxaca Tattoo Fest held August 21 & 22, 2010, and the industry as represented in Oaxaca more generally, for those interested in getting a tattoo or some body piercing while visiting the city:

http://www.suite101.com/content/tattoo-fest-in-oaxaca-mexico-piercings-tattoos-tip-of-iceberg-a277869

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Drinks in Oaxaca: Learn the Difference between Wiley Coyote and Chilacayota

2010-08-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

Brief glossary of drinks one often encouters in Oaxaca (alcoholic and otherwise), at times unfamiliar to the tourist who is not a regular visitor to the city:

http://www.suite101.com/content/drinks-in-oaxaca-alcoholic-fermented-juice-water-soda--more-a276713

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Bars, Cantinas and Clubs in Oaxaca for Travelers in Their Twenties and Thirties

2010-08-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

I put together this little article about 12 popular bars, cantinas, clubs, etc, in downtown Oaxaca and in the burbs, for the benefit of those tourists in their twenties and early thirties who are looking for nightlife while visiting (don't worry, my daughter gave me the info, so it's NOT based upon the perspective of someone in his fifties):

http://www.suite101.com/content/twelve-top-bars-in-oaxaca-for-twenty-to-thirty-year-old-tourists-a275463

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Ten Good Eateries and Restaurants in Oaxaca

2010-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

For those visiting Oaxaca who have done their homework, this listing of restaurants should come as no surprise, and of course it is by no means meant to be exhaustive. However, there may be a couple of sleepers worth considering:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/the-ten-best-eateries-comedors-haut-restaurants-in-oaxaca

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Prehistoric Caves of Yagul & Mitla Named World Heritage Site by UNESCO

2010-08-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Newsworthy for those contemplating a visit to the City of Oaxaca and its central valleys, is the UNESCO announcement on August 1, 2010, that two pre-Hispanic archaeological complexes and a series of pre-historic caves and rock shelters have been designated a World Heritage Site:

"Some of these shelters provide archaeological and rock-art evidence for the progress of nomadic hunter-gatherers to incipient farmers. Ten thousand year old seeds in one cave ... are considered to be the earliest known evidence of domesticated plants in the continent while corn cob fragments from the same cave are said to be the earliest documented evidence for the domestication of maize."

The rock shelters with pictographs at Xaagá, outside of Mitla, are fairly easily accessible, and from the highway one can easily see the painting on the steep rock facing at the entrance to Yagul.

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Hierve el Agua Remains Open

2010-08-07T17:34:00.001-07:00

Over the past two or three weeks (July / August 2010), a few travelers to the city have told me that some taxi drivers and tour companies have indicated that "the road to Hierve el Agua is closed" and that accordingly there is no access to the site. That is not the case. The main road to Hierve el Agua via San Lorenzo Albarrada, is closed, but the alternate route up the other side of the mountain, via Xaagá, remains open, albeit not the easiest way to access the attraction.

Some tour buses are going as far as Xaagá, and then having small pick-ups shuttle people to the site, while many private cars, and driver / guide tourist vans are driving all the way up. The ride up that way is not very pleasant for those with weak stomachs, and in particular during or just after heavy rains, but the view going up is spectacular. It's a matter of judgment and interest whether or not to go up while the main road remains closed.

The point is, the site remains open and there is an alternate access route.

For a brief article about the site, go to:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/hierve_el_agua_oaxaca

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Vintage Mustangs, Mezcal and Matatlán, Oaxaca

2010-08-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

This article includes information concerning state-of-the-art mezcal production in Matatlán, Oaxaca:

http://liquor.suite101.com/article.cfm/vintage-ford-mustangs-and-mezcal-meet-in-matatln-oaxaca

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

After Passing of Don Valente, Doña Rosa Workshop Conintues Black Pottery Tradition in San Bartolo Coyotepec

2010-07-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a follow-up article to the earlier one written in the wake of Don Valente Nieto's sudden passing, confirming that the Doña Rosa black pottery tradition continues:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/dona-rosa-picking-up-the-pieces--of-barro-negro-black-pottery

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

From Oaxaca to Huatulco

2010-07-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

Combining the rich Pre-Hispanic and Colonial culture of Oaxaca City with relaxation on some of the best beaches in Mexico could be a formula for the perfect vacation. The question is how to get from Oaxaca to Huatulco, or Huatulco to Oaxaca and is not as difficult as it may seem. If you are coming on either Continental Airlines via Houston or on Mexicana Airlines via Mexico City, it is possible fly into Oaxaca and return from Huatulco (or vice versa). The cost is only a few dollars more and you save a travel day.

To get from Huatulco to Oaxaca there are several options. (Contact information will be provided at the end of this blog.)

• The easiest is the 35 minute commuter flight on Aerotucan. If your time is limited, this is the best option at about $120 USD. There is one flight each way every morning so you have the entire day to enjoy at your destination.
• There is a First Class Bus that goes Via Salina Cruz and takes about 9 hours, including a stop for Lunch. This bus is comfortable and if flying is outside your budget and you are not adventurous this is likely the next best option. There are two departures daily morning and evening. Some people take the night bus thinking they will sleep during the trip and save a day to enjoy at their destination. My experience has been that I arrive exhausted and the day is a loss. Take the day trip and enjoy the scenery.
• The Second Class bus leaves almost every hour and goes via Pochutla, 45 minutes from Huatulco, where you would need to change buses. The route is a about 6 ½ hours from Pochutla. The bus is not bad but the route is windy. I will say more on about this later, under executive van service. Other than the twists and turns, the biggest downside of this is to change buses.
• There are two executive van services directly from Oaxaca to Huatulco which take about 6 ½ hours cost is 150 pesos either way. This service takes a similar route as the second class bus but uses a cut off going via Pluma Hidalgo, avoiding Pochutla altogether. I am going to describe this trip in a moment
• Of course you can rent a car and drive either route. The downside is that you would probably have to drive both ways because the drop off fees is enormous. Furthermore, the need for a car in either Oaxaca or Huatulco is minimal, never mind that parking in Oaxaca is a nightmare. Taxies in both destinations are inexpensive (30-40 pesos or about 2.50-3.00USD per trip, by the hour taxis cost about 120 pesos). If you do drive, either route can be beautiful but the person behind the wheel does not get to see much. You really need both eyes on this road. The southern route, Highway 190, is an easier drive and there is a toll road which eliminates going through Salina Cruz, cutting about an hour off the bus trip.

The Executive Van service from Huatulco to Oaxaca

First off do not be fooled by the term “executive”, this is not a luxury trip. It is the shortest distance between two points and if your expectations of comfort are not too high the trip is excellent value with spectacular scenery. You actually pass through several separate different eco systems:

Leaving the tropical beach climate of Huatulco with palm trees and banana plants you quickly climb into the coffee growing region of Pluma Hidalgo where some of the world’s best shade grown coffee is produced. This is where the road gets pretty rough. Most of this trip is on pavement of varying quality, but there is a cut off onto an unpaved gravel and dirt road for about 20 minutes.

Returning to highway 175 you will begin to see pine trees as you continue to climb into the cloud zone. This trip is more dramatic in the rainy season but even in the dry season the area will be green and possibly misty as you drive though thin clouds. I grew up in western Canada and these are not the pines I am familiar with. Some of the mature pines exceed 20 meters in height but the pine needles are only on the top third of the trunk. These needles are very different from Spruce or Fur trees. They can be up to four inches long and grow in tufts, with new growth at the ends and older growth fanning out beneath, resembling small birds. These trees are unique in appearance and I had made this trip a couple of times before I actually recognized them as pines.

Driving through this region can be treacherous due to both low visibility in the cloud zones and a series of hairpin turns, sometimes you literally have to hang on to your seat. When it is clear the views are breathtaking and there are no guardrails to block your view. This portion of the journey lasts about 3 hours with a short stop for refreshment and a bathroom break. The washrooms are basic “outhouses” hanging over the side of a cliff with a “manual flush toilet”. This means that you fill a bucket from the tap outside and pour it down when you are done. Bring your own paper! The road is dotted with small “comedores” where you can have a quick meal. This will be traditional Oaxacan cuisine, usually with a choice of beef or chicken… if you are really lucky grilled Armadillo may be offered. Being prone to motion sickness I pass on the food when taking this trip, but it is an excellent opportunity to try some real home cooking. Even in summer the air can be nippy up here with the aroma of pine smoke hanging gently in the mist, in the winter it is downright cold.

As you descend into the foothills surrounding Oaxaca City the contrast of burnt red earth against green fields is striking. Trees become smaller with more shrubbery and as you approach the valley of Oaxaca cactus is more prominent. Even in the rainy season the earth is noticeably dryer. In addition to seeing numerous burros along the roadside you are likely to see farmers plowing their fields with pairs of oxen. Common crops are Corn, Nopal, a flat leaf cactus commonly eaten as a vegetable and Agave, for brewing mezcal. The road widens once you reach the valley and is mercifully almost straight for the last hour of the journey.

This trip is not for everyone but if you decide to take it there are some tips that will make the journey easier. The front passenger seat is seat # 1, this is the best one in the van. The next best is the row right behind the driver. You do not want to be riding in the back seat nor do you want to be in the middle seat beside the driver. Most vans have bucket seats but it is worth asking before you book. Sliding around on a bench seat with three other passengers gets tired quickly on the switchbacks. You can book your seat in advance but is rarely necessary to book more than a day ahead. There are several departures daily so, with some flexibility, it is usually possible to get one of the more desired seats. I would advise against leaving later than 2:30 PM to avoid being on the road after dark. Some vans are in better shape than others but don’t expect the shocks to be in good shape. Consider the trip an “adventure” and enjoy the ride.

Contact information:

Mexicana Airlines: www.mexicana.com
Continental Airlines: www.continental.com
To book to Huatulco and from Oaxaca (or vise versa) it may be necessary to book 2 one way fares, or click on multiple destinations.
Note: With the exception of Christmas, Day of the Dead or Easter, you should be able to book fares on any of the following a day or two before your departure.

Aerotucan: Phone Huatulco (958) 587 2427
Phone Oaxaca (951) 502 0840

First Class Bus: Phone toll free in Mexico 01 800 702 8000
Phone toll free outside Mexico 011 800 950 0278
www.uno.com.mx there is a morning bus but it does not show up on the booking site, I called and it does exist.

Second Class Bus: no Reservations, just show up.

Executive Vans Huatulco 2000: Phone Oaxaca (951) 516 3154
Phone Huatulco (958) 587 2910

Executive Vans Cacaluta Unidos: Phone Oaxaca (951) 516 8529
Phone Huatulco (958) 584 7339

Credits to: Brooke Gazer from Villa Agua Azul

Fresh, Updated Restaurant Review of Azucena Zapoteca in San Martín Tilcajete

2010-07-23T16:57:00.001-07:00

Go to the following link for a restaurant review of Azucena Zapoteca, located just off the highway at the entrance to the alebrije village of San Martín Tilcajete. The eatery features some traditional Oaxacan dishes, and some unique, delectable creations.

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-restaurant-in-san-martin-tilcajete-stands-test-of-time

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Oaxaca Recipe for Chile en Nogada Steals Limelight from Puebla

2010-07-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Below is a link to a recipe for Chiles en Nogada developed here in Oaxaca, with brief commenary regarding the history of the dish dating to Puebla in the 1800s, and some apparent inconsistencies regarding ingredients and their availability, seasonality, and so on:

http://celebritychefs.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-recipe-for-chiles-en-nogada-steals-limelight-from-puebla

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Rugs in Teotitlán del Valle: New, Yet Vintage Tapetes May Be an Economical Option for Some

2010-07-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

It recently occurred to me that there are some rug weavers in Teotitlán del Valle, with stock on hand from years gone by. This creates a potential "buying opportunity" for visitors to the town who are not necessarily looking for the most intricate of design or tightest of weave, or a rainbow of colors. The link explains all:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/buying-bargain-tapetes-in-teotitln-de-valle-oaxaca

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Tourism to Oaxaca Given a Boost with Election of Gabino Cué as Governor

2010-07-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

While some may not be as optomistic, here's an opinion regarding the implications of the recent election of Gabino Cué as Oaxaca Governor:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/hope-arrives-as-oaxaca-elects-gabino-cue-governor-with-coalition

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Driving Trip from Oaxaca to Huatusco, Veracruz, to the Bambuver Bamboo Groves is Interesting and Educational

2010-06-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

For those interested in the environment, ecology and sustainable living, or simply buying bamboo for home or garden, if you have a couple of days and a car, consider a trip from Oaxaca to Huatusco, to the Bambuver, A.C., bamboo facilities:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-to-huatusco-veracruz-drive-sustainable-bamboo-trip

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Death of Don Valente Nieto, of Black Pottery Fame, Spells End of An Era

2010-06-26T10:29:00.001-07:00

The legacy left by Doña Rose and husband Don Juventino was carried forward prodominently by their son, Don Valente. While his recent death signals the end of an era, his children and their children will continue the tradition of making barro negro, black pottery, in San Bartolo Coyotepec, Oaxaca. Don Valente is remembered here:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/remembering-don-valente-famed-alfarero-of-san-bartolo-coyotepec

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Alice's Restaurant at Hierve el Agua, Oaxaca: Review and Commentary re ongoing access problems re the site

2010-06-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

This review of Alice's Restaurant at Hierve el Agua (San Isidro Roaguía) includes commentaries regarding the ongoing issue of access to Hierve el Agua. In fact, right now (June, 2010) access is restricted to the circuitous mountain route, the folks at San Lorenzo Albarradas having blockaded passage using the better road. But as the brief essay indicates, it's worth the little bit of extra effort to get there ... to visit Alice's, or otherwise:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/alices-restaurant-oaxaca-hierve-el-agua--arlo-guthrie-tribute

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Wine and Cheese Tour and Tastings, from Oaxaca to Querétaro for a Weekend

2010-06-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

There are quality wines being produced in the State of Querétaro, now accessible by car from Oaxaca in under 7 hours, and perfect for a two or three day weekend drive from the City of Oaxaca. Consider combining your extended Oaxaca vacation with a trek into wine country, for wine and cheese tastings (much more than queso and quesillo are being produced in Querétaro, and more variety than you'll encounter locally at Sam's Club here in Oaxaca - goat, sheep, soft, hard, herbed):

http://latinamericatravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-drive-to-wineries-wine--cheese-tastings-in-queretaro

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Driving from Oaxaca to San Miguel de Allende, Avoids Mexico City

2010-06-21T05:42:00.001-07:00

Article about the drive from Oaxaca to San Miguel de Allende, avoiding the Mexico City area by using the new Arco Norte toll road. It now takes only about seven hours, "door to door." Article is reproduced here:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/easy-drive-san-miguel-de-allende-to-oaxaca-avoids-mexico-city

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

New Series for Prospective Ex-pat Retirees in Oaxaca

2010-06-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

Below are the links to the first four installments of a new series regarding activities for those prospective Oaxaca retirees currently examining various potential warm weather destinations, in Mexico and elsewhere:

1) Art and Fine Arts as Hobbies for Oaxacan Ex-pats:
http://seniors-health-medicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-ex-pat-retirement-activities-1st-in-a-series-fine-art

2) Sports in Oaxaca, as Spectator and as Participant:
http://seniors-health-medicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/sports-in-oaxaca-2nd-in-a-series-of-ex-pat-retirement-activities

3) Group Activities in English, for the Linguistically Impaired:
http://seniors-health-medicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/group-activities-in-english-for-oaxaca-retirees-3rd-in-a-series

4) Four Viable Options for the Ex-pat Retiree in Oaxaca Contemplating Learning Spanish:
http://developing-personal-interests.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-spanish-classes---4th-in-a-series-of-ex-pat-activities

Deliveries by Scooter and Motorcycle in Oaxaca, A Lighthearted Look with Commentary

2010-06-04T07:44:00.001-07:00

Go to this link for a lighthearted yet informative article about the use of motorcycles, scooters and even dirt bikes for effecting all mannner of delivery in Oaxaca:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/deliveries-by-scooter-and-motorcycle-in-oaxaca-mexico

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Market at San Bartolomé Quialana, Tlacolula on Tuesdays

2010-06-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

The tiny tinaguis on Tuesdays at San Bartolomé Quialana, Tlacolula, won't be for many, but for some, with time available, and adventure in the blood, it might be worth a morning - but don't arrive before about 11 am:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/the-tuesday-san-bartolome-quialana-market-tlacolula-oaxaca

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Searching for Antiques in Oaxaca

2010-05-31T06:39:00.001-07:00

This article provides Canadian and American avid antique collectors and dealers with an option, enabling them to combine a vacation to Oaxaca, with opportunities to search for antiques and collectibles in two large open-air antiques markeplaces:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/lack-of-antiques-in-oaxaca-does-not-spell-drought-for-collectors

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Traditional Oaxacan Recipe for Chiles Rellenos con Picadillo de Puerco

2010-05-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to a traditional recipe for chiles rellenos with picadillo, from a Oaxacan chef, plus a bit of commentary about ingredients for the recipe:

http://mexican-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/mexican-chile-relleno-with-picadillo-recipe--stuffed-pepper-plus

It's been a number of years since I've had chiles rellenos using this recipe, but my recollection is that they were quite good! In fact, I recall about a dozen years ago taking a batch of them to Toronto and putting them in the freezer, defrosting a couple whenever I felt the need for a bit of authentic Oaxacan food between visits to Oaxaca.

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Oaxaca Wins Tripadvisor 2010 Travelers' Choice Award, Ranks High in Two Other Categories

2010-05-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

The City of Oaxaca won a Tripadvisor 2010 Travelers' Choice Award for Culture and Sightseeing Destinations, while Huatulco ranked 6th in the world for Beach and Sun Destinations. Details and related commentaries are found here:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-wins-tripadvisor-award-for-culture-and-sightseeing--more

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

New Regulations Change Ability to Exchange US Dollars into Pesos in Oaxaca

2010-05-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

In May, 2010, banks in the City of Oaxaca began applying a new federal dictate which impacts the ability of travelers to Oaxaca to exchange their US dollars for pesos, although there are always the casas de cambio (exchange houses), credit cards, and of course an abundance of ATMs in and around the city - so do not despair. Read the further details:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/new-impacts--on-travelers-to-oaxaca-exchanging-dollars-for-pesos

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Review of Moroccan Restaurant in Oaxaca

2010-05-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Follow this link for a review of a new for 2010, Moroccan restaurant in downtown Oaxaca, review entitled Moroccan Restaurant in Oaxaca Features Fine North African Fare:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/morrocan-restaurant-in-oaxaca-features-fine-north-african-fare

Not noted in the restaurant review are the extremely reasonable prices. In May, 2010, two couples dined for a grand total of 507 pesos plus tip, consisting of three appetizers, four main courses, a coke, two small bottles of wine and a beer. Not bad!

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Children's Cooking Classes Arrive at Casa de los Sabores, Oaxaca

2010-05-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

What better way to begin offering children’s cooking classes than with pizza and mango smoothies. The inaugural children’s cooking lesson at Chef Pilar Cabrera’s Casa de los Sabores, imparted the basics of kitchen safety and hygiene, composting and recycling, and nutrition, all within a three-hour session. And at the same time, lead instructor Ninfa Raigosa infused the morning with helpful food preparation tips that even as adults we don’t always learn early enough in our culinary lives. But best of all, it took place within the context of preparing recipes which are fun for children to make --- with the dreaded green salad snuck in at the end.

Genesis for Offering Children’s Cooking Lessons in Oaxaca

The idea of offering cooking lessons for young boys and girls came to fruition as a result of two phenomena. Firstly, often in the course of fielding inquiries for cooking classes from tourists visiting Oaxaca with their families, Chef Pilar would be asked whether or not children could attend. Of course age has always been a factor, but often requests have had to be rejected so as to ensure that classes proceeded in an orderly fashion without undue disruption, for the benefit of the mainly adult aficionados of Oaxacan cuisine.

Secondly, many Oaxacans are at a loss for what to do with their children once school is out for summer vacation. While certainly activities abound in Oaxaca, relative to what’s available in larger urban centers, they’re limited. Why not offer a two-week cooking course in July?

And so this initial class held on May 1, 2010, was intended as a precursor to initially a summertime cooking course, and then classes during other holiday times throughout the year. For tourists traveling with children, timing should be perfect. And for multiple families traveling together at any time of the year, this could be just what the pediatrician ordered.

Of course Pilar Cabrera’s reputation as a national figure on the Mexican culinary scene has long been established through her “House of Flavors” cooking school and downtown Oaxaca restaurant La Olla, and more recently through her forays onto the international stage (food festivals in Toronto and San Antonio, with upcoming dates in Austin and Stratford). She hand-picked Ninfa Cecilia Raigosa Paras to head up this new initiative for two reasons. Firstly, Chef Ninfa arrives with a diversity of experience, including educational training (at the Rocatti Centro de Estudios Culinarios), in catering and banquets, at various restaurants, and in specialty bakeries (i.e. Deli Cupcakes and Dulce Nectar). Secondly, and perhaps key, is Chef’s Ninfa’s uncanny ability to relate to children using her amiable personality and warm smile – and just like Pilar, she’s bilingual.

The bonus for American and Canadian children is that with a mixed class of Mexican and foreign visitors, and bilingual instruction, the kids are bound to learn some basic kitchen and ingredient words in Spanish, if not through direct teaching, then certainly through osmosis.

The May 1, 2010, Cooking Class for Children at Casa de los Sabores, Oaxaca

Chefs Pilar and Ninfa were both at the helm of this frist class, attended by ten children of varying ages. Most parents remained on site at the outset, to take photographs and to obtain first-hand assurance that their children would be comfortable in a class of predominantly unfamiliar faces.

In this type of learning environment the ice must initially be broken. Here it was achieved by asking each child’s name and promoting interaction between the children themselves, and with Ninfa and Pilar. The ingredients for each recipe were contained in a separate large, round colorful basket. “Who knows why we use yeast?” And then to reassure parents, “when we cut these mangos to make the smoothies, we won’t be using sharp knives; but you should always be extra careful when using knives, and never, ever raise a knife to head level. Can someone tell me why?”

Recipe sheets are distributed. Chef Ninfa goes through each recipe, pointing to the ingredients in each basket and briefly explaining how they will be used.

For the pizza dough segment, the group is divided into two teams, one learning to make the dough from scratch, and the other about kneading and rolling: “Always mix the dry ingredients first, and use your hands.” And for the benefit of those who had grown up watching their abuelitas making tortillas: “Making pizza dough is similar to making tortillas; if it starts to stick, use more flour.” Hands-on classes tend to work best, especially so for children.

“Okay, anyone want a cookie?” Three times in the course of the lesson, short breaks are encouraged so as to not overload information intake nor run the risk of boredom setting in. “There are plastic bottles of water over here, and a couple of marking pens so each of you can write your name so they don’t get mixed up.”

The children are given a choice of making large or medium crusts, by shaping the dough themselves, or choosing from the several small forms which are provided; hearts, mushrooms, trees, and squares, triangles, circles. The sauce has been pre-mixed, but the children are encouraged to choose their toppings from selections of veggies, sliced meats, and even fresh basil. “Did you know that a mushroom is actually a fungus?”

“Now let’s all wash our hands again. But let’s not forget to first clean off our work areas well, and put the organic waste in this bin, and the rest over there. Does your neighborhood have recycling programs?”

“Attention everybody please; now while the pizza is in the oven we’re going to make the mango smoothies. I’m going to teach you how to peel your mangos, safely, by carefully cutting four strips through the skin ... just like peeling a banana.” The children are encouraged to use every bit of pulp, right down to the pit.

“Here’s the bowl with the mango cut up, and now we’re going to add some pineapple, some orange juice, a bit of yoghurt .... and who knows about linseed and why we add little bit to the blender as well?” A brief discussion ensures about omegas and energy.

Smoothies are prepared and poured into plastic cups accompanied by straws and small decorative drink umbrellas. “Taste how sweet it is; and you know, we didn’t put in any sugar. You can make your own smoothies using other kinds of fruit as well, such as watermelon and cantaloupe, and they’ll taste just as fresh, flavorful and sweet, without any added sugar. By the way, there’s a bowl of strawberries over there if anyone wants a little snack.”

The children are then asked to review their printed recipes for the salad. Some had actually put check marks beside the pizza and smoothie ingredients as they were being used. A lesson ensues about the different types of lettuce, its general lack of taste, and hence the reason for using dressing: “We always use oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and today we’re using balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Has everyone tried this kind of vinegar? Okay then, we’ll each try a bit. It’ll be a bit sweet.”

“Is it soya sauce,” someone asks. “It’s delicious,” another pipes in, while a third emphatically states he doesn’t like it.

“Vinegar and oil have to be mixed together really well. See the oil at the top; now watch.”

Plates are passed out, and each child is encouraged to create his own salad by adding pre-cut vegetables and grated cheese to the organic lettuce. The printed salad recipe sheet concludes with: “Taste, check the seasoning, and serve immediately.”

The pizzas then are removed from the oven and allowed to cool; each child is encouraged to take what he made, as well as to sample from the larger pizzas. The group sits around the large rectangular table, indulging in the fruits of their labor, while chatting and joking with their new-found friends.

Children’s Cooking Classes in Oaxaca Provide Exposure to International Dishes

The summer, 2010, two week course will present participants with an opportunity to learn to prepare menus from different parts of the world, each day represented by the cuisine of a different country. Subsequent series of classes will likely follow suit. Groups interested in single lessons will be able to choose from a selection of international menus, but there will inevitably be restrictions in terms of dishes requiring stove-top preparation, out of an abundance of caution. According to Chef Pilar, “children’s safety must remain the foremost consideration.”

Alvin Starkman has a masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Oaxaca Restaurant, Cantina & Bar Gets a Facelift with Expansion

2010-05-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Oaxaca fixture in suburban Colonia Reforma, El Faro (a short, easy walk from downtown Oaxaca), a stalwart cantina, bar and restaurant for strictly local botana fare, recently expanded, celebrating with a traditional Oaxacan inaugural bash:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/oaxaca-restaurant-bar-el-faro-gets-facelift-ritual-inauguration

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Oaxaca Culinary Tour Success Suggests More Gastronomic Opportunities for Visitors to Southern Mexico

2010-05-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

The accolades tell it all: “I had a terrific and very inspiring time in Oaxaca. Your knowledge of the culture and region introduced us to so many interesting people, all willing to share their passion, whether it was for pottery, wood carving, frothy chocolate, the best moles or natural dyes” [Elizabeth Baird].

Elizabeth Baird, one of the foremost Canadian culinary icons of our time, was a participant in the May, 2010, Oaxaca Culinary Tour. So was prolific cookbook author and columnist Rose Murray, who endorsed a copy of her seminal work, A Taste of Canada, A Culinary Journey, with similar praise: “Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge of Oaxaca with us. We know it through your eyes.”

If the foregoing is any indication of the success of this most recent tour, then the thought of what’s in store for participants in future, similarly organized Oaxaca culinary events, should titillate anyone interested in Mexican gastronomy – chefs and foodies alike.

While numbers were small (May is when most Americans and Canadians are content to stay close to home, stow their winter attire, and begin gardening), organizers provided the 8 – 10 participants in each of the week’s daily activities with all that the tour promised, and more: cooking classes with Pilar Cabrera and Susana Trilling, dining at renowned Oaxacan restaurants Casa Oaxaca, Los Danzantes, La Olla and La Catrina de Alcalá, and what impressed the most, getting out into the villages and learning the secrets of local recipes through hands-on instruction from indigenous natives – in their kitchens and over their open hearths and comals.

Background to the Oaxaca Culinary Tour

Internationally acclaimed native Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo spent the month of September, 2009, working her magic in Toronto, both as guest chef at several restaurants and invited instructor at a prominent cooking school. It had been arranged through the efforts of Toronto food writer and researcher Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, and several others willing to dedicate their time and effort to ensure a successful month-long event.

Once the framework of the tour had been decided, Chef Pilar was invited by the Government of Mexico to represent Oaxacan cuisine at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre Hot & Spicy Food Festival’s Iron Chef competition (as it turned out, she also agreed to judge the festival’s Emerging Chef event) which took place around the same time as the tour.

In Toronto Chef Pilar met the likes of Elizabeth Baird (who judged the iron chef event and adjudicated alongside Pilar at the emerging chef competition), Chef Vanessa Yeung (who cooked with Pilar at the cooking school and dined with her at one of the private dinner parties), and a host of prominent food writers and critics, as well as chefs (including Chef de Cuisine Jason Bangerter of Auberge du Pommier) – most of whom had no previous exposure to Oaxacan cuisine.

In true Oaxacan fashion Pilar warmly and sincerely invited virtually everyone she met to come visit Oaxaca. But who would have ever thought that tour organizers would immediately begin receiving inquiries from diners at the various venues, chefs, and media personnel, about traveling to Oaxaca to gain more in-depth knowledge about Oaxaca’s longstanding reputation for culinary greatness. After all, the tour was intended to merely provide an introduction to Oaxacan cuisine. It succeeded in whetting the appetites of Canadians, for much more.

Those who ultimately participated in the Oaxaca tour included aficionados of Mexican cuisine, food writers, chefs and restauranteurs. Some booked the entire tour well in advance, while others only caught wind of the week’s events after they had planned their Oaxacan vacation, and accordingly were permitted to take part in cooking lessons, day tours and evening dining.

Oaxaca Culinary Tour Showcased a Variety of Food Venues and Other Dimensions of Culture

While a theme tour has its raison d’etre, it should not be overly restrictive in its events so as to blind participants to what else a region has to offer – and in this case the impact of other dimensions of culture upon a people’s cuisine. In Oaxaca there is certainly a broad enough diversity of restaurants, food markets, cooking styles and levels of sophistication, to keep foodies thoroughly enthralled for weeks. But it’s the unique and varied cultures, and the melding of New World and Old World ingredients and cooking methods, to which these tour operators also sought to expose their clients.

For this culinary tour, participants learned as much about availability of and regional variation in meats, cheeses and produce (and their cultural significance), as they did about staples such as moles, tlayudas, chocolate, tamales and mezcal. It was all achieved through imparting an in-depth understanding of traditions, through chatting and learning from people at all stations of life. At one end of the continuum were the most humble of villagers who welcomed the group into their homes, to make chocolate by pureeing roasted cacao beans, cinnamon and almonds using a primitive grinding stone (metate), and to make tamales by folding corn leaves over masa, mole amarillo and chicken. And at the other end were the European-trained chefs who explained each dish upon its arrival table from their modernly equipped kitchens.

Oaxaca Culinary Tour Daily Events

One chef arrived in Oaxaca a day early, enabling her to meet with organizers in an informal setting, learning about and indulging at a Oaxaca culinary institution, Tlayudas on Libres, where locals gather between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. for their favorite snacks grilled directly on and over charcoal: a folded, oversized tortilla stuffed with melted Oaxacan string cheese (quesillo), bean purée, lettuce, tomato, depending on one’s sensibilities a thin layer of asiento (pork fat); and choice of chorizo (sausage), tasajo (beef) or cecina (pork). For ardent foodies, a tiny sample of marinated pig’s feet is required. And for the rest, a hot, corn-based drink of atole or champurrado is non-negotiable, especially during the wee hours of the morning.

An American doing his Masters in Nutrition arrived two days earlier, using the time to explore Oaxaca’s centro histórico (downtown historic center) including its quaint colonial buildings and food and craft markets.

Another participant stayed on a day later, after the rest has departed. A local organizer graciously offered to chauffer her to one of Oaxaca’s richest sights known as the San Agustín Center for The Arts, to see a modern ceramics exhibit housed in a spectacular lush mountain setting. And then for last minute gift purchases he drove her to Atzompa, a village specializing in traditional Oaxacan green glazed pottery.

Wednesday

Most participants had arrived by Wednesday, late afternoon, in time for Pilar Cabrera’s walking tour of downtown sights. This enabled group members to gain some perspective on the magic of Oaxaca and to begin planning to how they might want to spend the leisure hours built into the tour.

Dinner was at Oaxacan institution La Olla, Pilar’s own restaurant. The large candlelit table on the roof of the restaurant provided a special view of Oaxaca at night.

[For analysis and critique of the food served at these more upscale establishments, I’ll leave it to the food writers and critics on the tour who are better note-takers and possess greater objectivity and a much more refined palate than this writer.]

Thursday

The morning began with a visit to Tlapanochestli, the research station, museum and teaching facility devoted to understanding cochineal (cochinilla), the tiny insect which has played an integral part in the history of Oaxaca because of its unique quality; when dried and crushed it yields a strong red dye, which with the addition of lime juice and or baking soda changes to tones of orange, pink and purple. Of particular interest for tour participants was its application as a natural colorant for restaurant foods. While sampling a refreshing gelatin / water / sugar based dessert colored with cochineal, our foodies had an opportunity to see familiar grocery store products dyed with the insect (Campari, Danone Yoghurt, Campbell and Knorr soups, make-up and lipstick) and briefly discussed the sensitive issue of adequacy of ingredient labeling.

Then off to San Bartolo Coyotepec in the comfy 18-seater van equipped with bucket seats and A/C. Don Valente Nieto, son of the famed ceramicist Doña Rosa, provided an upbeat, informative and entertaining demonstration of the methods used by his parents and his family members today, in fashioning the well-known folk art form known as barro negro (black pottery). Tour members can now rightly claim that they saw the same demo that Don Valente provided to Jimmy Carter and Nelson Rockefeller, who’s photos alongside Doña Rosa and Don Valente grace the showroom walls.

The humble abode and workshop of Armando Lozano, sculptor and master jeweler of hand-made bronze necklaces, earrings and bracelets, provided the first opportunity for the group to see how most Oaxacans live, and eke out a modest existence. The contrast between the quality workmanship of the family, and its lifestyle, was remarkable, overshadowed only by the welcoming nature of the Maestro’s daughter-in-law who offered the jewelry for sale.

The final two touring stops of the day were directly devoted to food and drink. Lunch was at the unique roadside eatery, Caldo de Piedra, where chef César prepared a tomato and herb based broth which he then poured into a large half gourd for each diner. To each he then added one’s choice of either fresh red snapper, a healthy compliment of jumbo shrimp, or a combination of the two. Red hot rocks from an open flame were then placed in each gourd, and individual meals were thusly cooked, the rocks causing the broth to boil and fish to poach. Only large, hand-made tortillas from the comal and quesadillas amply filled with mushrooms and squash blossoms were needed to compliment the meal, of course along with large pitchers of freshly squeezed orange juice spiked with soda water (naranjadas).

Oaxaca is known for its mezcal (mescal), so what better way to have an introduction to the spirit than to head to Matatlán, World Capital of Mezcal, and learn from a producer with from a five generation pedigree of palenqueros (mezcal producers). Enrique Jiménez welcomed the tour into his parents’ traditional family compound where all witnessed the quaint and primitive production methods, and then imbibed several varieties of mezcal with chasers of lime and orange wedges, and sal de gusano (the salt, chile and ground up gusano worm mixture), together with quesillo and ricotta-like queso. Then to the family’s brand new state-of-the-art facility where Enrique explained his new method of mezcal production. The process dramatically improves quality control while retaining the richest qualities of mezcal produced the traditional way – only smoother.

Dinner at La Catrina de Alcalá provided a nice contrast to earlier events and tastings in the day, with classy Chef Juan Carlos on hand to introduce each dish. Tour participants were so taken with the selection that towards the end of the evening when asked if they wanted to move on to dessert, or perhaps try a venison dish, almost in unison each opted for the latter.

Friday

Cooking classes by Pilar Cabrera are always highly enjoyable and educational, beginning with a visit to Mercado de La Merced for buying fresh produce, through the cooking phase, and finally indulging in the fruits of one’s labor. The entirely of the class has been described elsewhere by me, so no more will be noted.

Each tour participant thereafter had a free afternoon to explore more of downtown, rest, and then dine at a recommended restaurant.

Saturday

After a relatively relaxing Friday it was back on the road for another day of touring. At the handmade knife and cutlery workshop of Apolinar Aguilar, the group watched the master work his wonders, heating recycled metals with the aid of a primitive yet effective stone and clay oven, then forging with only a mallet striking the red-hot metal over an anvil, and finally the all-so-critical tempering stage.

Knife blades are polished to a brilliant shine without lacquer or nickel. Purchasers on this day had an opportunity to have inscriptions engraved on the blades of knives they purchased. In anticipation of the culinary tour, Apolinar had prepared a selection of paring knives, a turkey carving set, a cake cutting ensemble, and bread knives. In addition to the more traditional Bowie hunting knives, swords and machetes, he also had on hand more unusual collector pieces such as knives with deer antler handles and letter openers with blade undulations of the Indonesian genre.

In the tiny village of San Antonino participants were provided with an opportunity to select from the finest imaginable hand-embroidered blouses and dresses – cotton, silk, and blends.

Lunch was in the rustic homestead of the Navarro family, the sisters and mother known for their fine work on the back strap loom, and brother Gerardo for his watercolors. But the main reason for stopping in Santo Tomás Jalieza was to dine with the family in their Eden-like surroundings, and witness their preparation of tasajo on a small hibachi-style grill, and all the steps required to make sopa de guias, a broth made of all the parts of the zucchini plant, and a small piece of corn for added starch. The welcoming nature and all-round hospitality of the family was as impressive as their simple yet immaculately kept rural home and grounds.

The tour day concluded with a visit to the workshop of Jacobo Angeles, master carver and painter of alebrijes, for a demonstration (the particulars and details of which are once again available online as part of a lengthy dissertation about woodcarving in Oaxaca). However what tourists to the region never get to experience, and what Jacobo had arranged for the group, was a lesson in making aguas frescas of limón and jamaica (hibiscus flower), and the pre-Hispanic drink tejate, known as the “drink-of-the-gods.”

After a late afternoon rest back at Las Bugambilias Bed & Breakfast, the group welcomed the leisurely evening walk to Casa Oaxaca, purportedly the best high end restaurant in Oaxaca. Unfortunately on this night chef / owner Alejandro Ruíz was somewhat preoccupied entertaining a group of visiting chefs from diverse Latin American cities, so in this writer’s opinion the experience was somewhat disappointing. Word has it that for the next culinary tour the organizers might pass on Casa Oaxaca unless an acknowledgement of the shortcomings and an assurance of better next time are both forthcoming. Each and every participant in a culinary tour of Oaxaca should expect and receive nothing but the best, of course subject to unforeseen circumstances.

Sunday

The penultimate day of the Oaxaca Culinary Tour provided the broadest diversity of experiences imaginable. The group began at the rug making village of Teotitlán del Valle, but not merely for a weaving and dying demonstration. Rocio Mendoza, one of the daughters-in-law of Casa Santiago owners Don Porfirio and Doña Gloria, with her unwavering warmth and comforting smile welcomed the tour group into the extended family household for a lesson in the traditional methods of making both hot chocolate and tamales de amarillo, the ritual dish served at certain town fiestas.

Both the women and men of the household were present to answer questions and help out. Tour group members to a number were made to feel more welcomed than one could think possible. Each had a chance to take over the task of grinding toasted cacao beans into a hot velvety paste. Matriarch Gloria gave a hands-on lesson on all the steps required to prepare her special tamales, assisting each participant in learning how to place and fold ingredients into a corn leaf, and then ever so carefully stack the batch of tamales into a steaming hot clay container (tamalero) heated over firewood. Once all was cooked, and after a traditional “salud” over small glasses of mezcal, each indulged in the fruits of his or her labor with members of the Santiago family: hot chocolate with sweet rolls on the side for dipping, and a plateful of piping hot tangy tamales de amarillo. Goodbyes were particularly difficult after the establishment of relationships based upon a commonality of purpose – the mentoring and learning about culinary traditions in Teotitlán del Valle.

Two hours in the Sunday Tlacolula market is pretty well required when a group of food enthusiasts is involved; especially when organizers have special relationships with vendors so as to enable tourists to ask questions and take photographs at will. What Pilar did not cover in her Oaxaca market tour leading up to her class, the organizers ensured was explained in detail in the course of the visit to Tlacolula. Traditional market drinks of chilacayota and pulque were sampled. Members purchased decorative gourds, wooden spoons, embroidered aprons and colorful table coverings, and of course chiles to take back home. The aroma of chicken grilling on open flames and steaming caldrons of barbequed mutton and goat filled the air. The pageantry of Zapotec women in their native village dress going about their business buying, selling and trading, impressed all. And the ability of group members to have all their questions answered, sample foodstuffs and drinks without trepidation, take their fill of photos, and wander freely while soaking it all up, provided one of many trip highlights.

The quaint open-air eatery known as El Tigre was a stark contrast to the earlier market scene, but just as welcome, in the nature of a well deserved respite. Each member of the group was able to question comedor owner Sara about salsa preparation, the disinfecting of fresh produce, and cooking techniques and challenges where every menu item is prepared fresh, over a flame on the grill or comal. Once again, a review of El Tigre is available online. The eatery was selected so as to advance one of the organizers’ goals of ensuring as diverse a culinary experience as possible.

The tour day concluded with a visit to the picturesque mountain setting known as Hierve el Agua. The site consists of mineral deposit “water falls,” and bubbling calcium and magnesium-rich springs feeding two pools of water suitable for a safe, refreshing swim. Most took the opportunity to cool off – and perhaps reap the benefit of the legendary curative properties of the water – while others were content to sit in the shade, chat about the day’s events, and of course take photos.

After the filling breakfast at Las Bugambilias, then hot chocolate with sweet rolls and tamales at Casa Santiago, followed by drink samplings in Tlacolula, and lunch at El Tigre, botanas (appetizer plates) and drinks were the order of the evening, at Los Danzantes, without any doubt the Oaxaca restaurant with the best ambiance by a long shot.

Monday

No visit to Oaxaca, be it for a culinary tour or otherwise, would be complete without a guided tour of the most important and magestic pre-Hispanic ruin in all of the State of Oaxaca, the 2,000-year-old Zapotec site known as Monte Albán. After a brief sit-down and opportunity to quench the thirst, tour participants were shuttled to Susana Trilling’s cooking school to make mole chichilo. Once again, Ms. Trilling’s class has been noted elsewhere by the writer.

Group members were welcomed to conclude their visit to Oaxaca by gathering at an event hall that evening to view a folkloric celebration of Oaxaca’s diversity of dance and music traditions known as the Guelaguetza. But to a number each decided to pass on the idea after such a full itinerary. Instead, they welcomed the chance to finish the tour in a much more casual and relaxed setting, over drinks and conversation at the hillside home of one of the tour organizers, sitting on the open terrace and reliving the week’s events with the fond memories.

Future Culinary Tours in Oaxaca

Culinary vacations in Oaxaca have been done before, and will no doubt continue into the distant future. This tour format, however, was unique for its diversity of experiences and the care taken by organizers to ensure that the expectations of all participants – seasoned chefs, media personnel specializing in the culinary arts and gastronomy, and aficionados of Mexican cuisine – were met, or better yet exceeded.

If the current spate of commentaries regarding the success of the tour and level of participant satisfaction is an accurate gauge, then no doubt there will be future tours, perhaps on a bi-annual basis, with each succeeding Oaxaca Culinary Tour improving on the performance of the previous.

Information on future culinary tours in Oaxaca can be obtained by contacting Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, or this writer.

Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School, thereafter embarking upon a successful career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin now resides with his wife Arlene in Oaxaca, Mexico, where he writes, leads small group tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), providing the comfort and service of lodging in a Oaxaca hotel, with the personal touch of a small country inn.

Staying Healthy and Avoiding Illness, While Eating in Markets, Restaurants, and On the Streets, Visiting Oaxaca

2010-05-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

Visit the webpage noted below for commonsense guidelines about how to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill from gastrointestinal upset, while traveling in Oaxaca. Ten simple suggestions make it possible to eat on the streets and in the marketplaces (and in those restaurants which make one ponder "do you think this one is okay?"), without undue fear or concern:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/how-to-avoid-illness-in-oaxaca-eating-in-markets-and--restaurants

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Recipe for Mole Negro from Oaxaca

2010-04-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the recipe for mole negro, as prepared by Chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo in her cooking class at Casa de los Sabores Cooking School:

http://celebritychefs.suite101.com/article.cfm/recipe-for-mole-negro-from-oaxaca-mexico

HOWEVER, as always, there`s nothing like attending a cooking class in person, to have the subtleties shown and explained.

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Safety, Violence and Drug Wars in Oaxaca

2010-03-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

For the latest on safety, violence and drug wars in Oaxaca, go to this link before changing your vacation plans, one way or the other:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/drugs-violence-and-safety-in-oaxaca-mexico

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Two Recipes for Mole Verde from Oaxaca, Very Different

2010-03-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

Follow these two links for very different recipes for mole verde from Oaxaca. One is the traditional recipe using pork, with preparation and presentation just as found when prepared by the older generation of Oaxacan matriarchs. The other Oaxacan green mole recipe is much more contemporary, with distinctly different ingredients, preparation and presentation, with attention paid for the benefit of the health conscious. Note the commentaries as well:

http://dinner-recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/modern-recipe-for-mole-verde-from-oaxaca

http://mexican-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/traditional_mole_verde_in_oaxaca_recipe_more

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Mezcal in Oaxaca as a Green, Environmentally Friendly Industry

2010-03-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

While at least one large corporation has recently been criticized for its methods and practices involved in the production of mezcal in Oaxaca, there's another side to the industry, involving producers who still manage small-scale production using a green, environmentally friendly and sustainable living model:

http://latin-american-culinary-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/mezcal-in-oaxaca--green-and-sustainable-living

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

The Greening of Oaxaca: Environment v. Survival

2010-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Go to the following link for a new article about Oaxaca regarding emissions control for vehicles, green programs, and the reality of each:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/greening-of-oaxaca-the--environment-v-survival

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Culinary and Graphic Arts Merge at Oaxaca Restaurant

2010-02-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

Philanthropic Oaxacan artist Enrique Flores has partnered with chef Pilar Cabrera for an exhibition of Flores' art at Chef Pilar's downtown Oaxaca restaurant, La Olla:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/culinary-and-graphic-arts-merge-in-oaxaca-diner

Chefs Tour of Oaxaca Scheduled for May, 2010

2010-02-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

A Chefs Tour of Oaxaca has been scheduled for May, 2010, to includes visits to a few of the key sights in and around Oaxaca, but with emphasis on Oaxaca's great chefs and culinary traditions. The tour is designed for chefs, butchers and ardent food aficionados, and includes:

classes with renowned Oaxacan chefs
instruction on the use of natural dyes for plate presentation
knifemaking for the chefs' kitchens
dinners ranging from the best restaurants Oaxaca has to offer as presented by internationally acclaimed chefs, to meals prepared in rural homesteads, by the people for the people - not generally accessible by "regular" travelers to the city.

For further details, go to this link:

http://www.sizzlingcommunications.com/documents/ChefTourItineraryFINAL.pdf

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Classic Recipe for Mole Negro Tamales from Oaxaca Available

2010-02-03T11:52:00.001-08:00

Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo's recipe for tamales de mole negro can now be downloaded from this site:

http://mexican-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/mole-negro-tamales---recipe-from-oaxaca

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Charitable Donations for a Visit to Oaxaca: CORAL, Oaxacan Center for the Rehabilitation of Hearing and Speech

2010-02-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

Non-Profit Oaxacan Rehabilitation Center for Hearing Impaired, Needs Aid

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

When the Cole-Gardner family recently vacationed in Oaxaca, Mexico, they brought along several basketballs, soccer balls and baseball gloves, to donate to indigenous children without ready access to such sports paraphernalia. They'd read this writer’s article about the opportunity to help Oaxacans in need, by filling an empty suitcase earmarked for packing Oaxacan handicrafts, with used clothing or anything else available for donating. They also brought 668 hearing aid batteries to donate to CORAL, Centro Oaxaqueño de Rehabilitación de Audición y Lenguaje, A.C., a non-profit organization providing assistance to the deaf and hearing impaired and their families in Oaxaca.

CORAL, the Oaxacan Center for the Rehabilitation of Hearing and Speech, is a vibrant NGO relying on donations from predominantly private and local corporate foundations, to assist mainly young, hearing impaired children whose families are of extremely modest means. The four-pronged enterprise consists of an audiology clinic, hearing and speech therapy center, early detection hearing loss program, and a social work component. One would be hard-pressed to find a more commendable aid organization, in preparation for a visit to Oaxaca and wanting to contribute clothing, cash, or of course hearing aids and components.

History of CORAL, Oaxacan Center for the Rehabilitation of Hearing and Speech

In 1988, an Oregon couple, Drs. Richard Carroll and Nancy Press, began investigating the problems besetting poor, rural Oaxacans. They spent months at a time away from their medical practice in the US, visiting indigenous and mestizo communities. They identified a major impediment to progress in the pueblos: deafness and hearing loss in a number of children, not being treated when hearing impairment began, or ever.

While there was perhaps only one audiologist in the entire State of Oaxaca when the doctors began, over the course of the ensuring decade they nevertheless managed to assemble a team of professionals to assist in what became their passion: to identify the hearing impaired, and provide aid – any kind of aid they could muster through their own resources, and in due course charitable contributions of others.

In 1999, CORAL rented premises in Oaxaca, enabling it to continue the work of Drs. Carroll and Press in a more formalized fashion. It thereafter began associating directly with a registered American charity with related goals, Child-Aid. In 2008, CORAL purchased its current premises, so as to better enable it to advance its goal of identifying those Oaxacans who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, assess their needs and those of their families, and act.

Work of CORAL as a Charity in Oaxaca, to Assist the Deaf and Hearing Impaired

The virtually non-existent component of audiologists in Oaxaca in the 1980s, has grown to at least six, two of whom work at CORAL on a part-time basis. Its hearing impaired facilities now employ eight specialists trained to assist the hard-at-hearing and deaf, and one volunteer. The total complement working at CORAL is 15 individuals. Its director, Oaxacan Saul Fuentes Olivares, is a career NGO organizer and employee. Its coordinator of promotion and fundraising, Megan Glore, is an American, curiously with a Masters’ in ethnobotany from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. They, like the rest, are dedicated to ameliorating the problem of hearing impairment among young children in Oaxaca which would otherwise go unnoticed, and untreated.

The CORAL audiology clinic is designed for testing and diagnosis, repairs and maintenance to hearing aids and hearing-related accessories, and ongoing support. Individuals of all ages have access to the clinic.

The therapy center currently has 35 children enrolled. Parental attendance is a prerequisite. The program consists of morning group sessions and afternoon individualized treatment. Attendance is optimally required four days per week, and 10 is the maximum number children per hearing and speech specialist. With such numbers it should come as no surprise that there is a waiting list.

The early detection program is designed to identify and treat children in infancy, by sending staff out into the field, as well as training doctors to recognize and screen for hearing loss behaviors. A major component of this work is to assist parents in identifying normal childhood development and what to do if they suspect a hearing problem.

Analysis begins as early as two days after birth, with therapy commencing as early as six months old. While therapy generally continues for about two years, there are children who have been treated through the clinic for profound hearing loss for up to nine years, using different therapeutic modalities.

Through the social work component of CORAL, staff travels throughout the City of Oaxaca and into rural communities to identify and serve deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Once in the home, staff educates on the use of aids, troubleshoots problems, provides resources, and monitors.

Why CORAL Needs Charitable Donations to Help Oaxacans with Hearing-Impairment – Mainly Children of Families of Extremely Modest Means

Every family which participates in CORAL hearing impairment programs must make a financial contribution. But such donations are token or extremely modest. For example, CORAL currently has three designated categories of families whose members receive assistance for hearing loss:

· Families with monthly income of less than 1,000 pesos (about $80 USD)
· Families with monthly income of between 1,000 and 5,500 pesos
· Families with monthly income of over 5,500 pesos.

The clinic assists the hearing impaired in mainly the first two categories. The cost to patients in the third category is lower than the prices for products and services charged elsewhere in Oaxaca. Currently each and every one of the 35 children being treated at the therapy center comes from a family earning less than 1,000 pesos monthly. Consider the donations that such households can possibly make!

While for the past five years CORAL has applied to the Government of Mexico for assistance, and has in fact received financial aid, the lion’s share of resources comes from individual donors and a number of Mexican corporate foundations. The total revenue received from all sources for running the 2009 programs was about 1.8 million pesos, or under $150,000 USD – to pay 15 employees; utility costs; maintenance and taxes on the CORAL facilities; for all equipment (including hearing aid batteries which last only 15 – 20 days); and for two vehicles.

Plans to Enhance the Work of CORAL for Deaf and Hearing Impaired in Oaxaca

CORAL is currently working on several projects it’s confident will bear fruit within the next several months, enabling it to better identify and treat deaf and hearing impaired children in Oaxaca:

· Designating a fourth category of monthly family income is in the works, designed to increase contributions from the “wealthy.” With all 35 children in the school coming from families with monthly incomes of less than 1,000 pesos, revenue from CORAL program participants to date has been negligible;
· February, 2010, marks the beginning of an in-home training program for parents in the outlying indigenous communities. Since many deaf and hearing impaired children reside more than a three-hour bus ride from the CORAL offices and are therefore precluded from attending regular weekly classes, this new program will bring CORAL’s resources into the pueblos by educating parents – for all intents and purposes making them therapists of their own children. Naturally, ongoing professional monitoring will continue;
· A plan is underfoot whereby if all goes as anticipated, a particular Mexican corporation will be donating a fully-equipped vehicle to serve as a mobile clinic, enabling the work of CORAL professionals in the villages to proceed more efficiently;
· Through the auspices of Child-Aid, CORAL is a registered charity in the US. One is therefore able to deduct charitable donations against US income. As a consequence of an agreement between Mexico and the US, American donors are entitled to receive tax deductible receipts by donating directly to CORAL. Now, a new arm to the program is in the planning stages, making contributions even more attractive to generous and caring Americans. With the institution of a child sponsorship program, contributors will have a one-on-one relationship with a particular infant or youth, and be able to monitor a child’s progress and note their contributions at work. The program would be akin to Foster Parents Plan.

What Vacationers Can Do for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children in Oaxaca

While cash charitable donations constitute the most obvious and easiest means of contributing to the work done by CORAL for the deaf and hearing impaired of Oaxaca, there are other ways of providing aid and assistance:

· The hearing aid batteries brought to Oaxaca by the Cole-Gardner family were actually donated by the Oregon Lion’s Sight and Hearing Foundation. Like organizations in one’s hometown can be tapped. Those with connections to product manufacturers should be able to approach those companies for similar aid;
· Many medical and dental supplies are accessible through dental equipment and pharmaceutical representatives, doctors, nurses, hygienists, and other staff in related fields. The beauty of items such as tooth brushes, dental floss, band-aids, and hearing aid batteries is that they are light, take up very little suitcase room, and do not need special packing to prevent breakage;
· Donations of used clothing are invaluable. If a family in Oaxaca with a child in treatment does not have to purchase clothes, it therefore has more resources to contribute to the child’s therapy as well as to other necessities of life simply not accessible to those “living on the edge;”
· Given that the therapy center serves a dual function of school, small educational toys and games, as well as sports equipment is helpful;
· Visitors to Oaxaca are at times considering a longer-term stay, as part of a sabbatical or when considering more permanent residency in the city. Those with specific training or experience in a field related to teaching, therapy or medical treatment for the deaf and hearing impaired, can provide much-needed volunteer services. Similarly, those with technical skills related to hearing aid components and other tools and equipment used in assessment and treatment can offer support. Finally, the assistance of a graphic designer, artist and / or computer programmer would be useful to CORAL in achieving its goals.

Contact CORAL: Help The Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children of Oaxaca

Contact the staff of CORAL through its website (http://www.coraloaxaca.org), for more information about CORAL and helping the deaf and hearing impaired in Oaxaca through charitable contributions; or this writer to have your used clothing and other items picked up from your hotel or bed & breakfast.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Chango Mezcalero: Pottery Mezcal Bottle from Oaxaca

2010-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

Oaxacan Clay Spirits Container Has a Curious History in San Bartolo Coyotepec

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

Chango Mezcalero has become a very collectible folk art item whose history has been recounted infrequently, if at all. While by all accounts it originated in the State of Oaxaca, home of mezcal – the spirit distilled from the baked, then fermented agave plant – it’s now highly sought after by collectors residing much further abroad.

The story of Chango Mezcalero may provide a link between the grey, functional pottery produced in Oaxaca’s San Bartolo Coyotepec initially during pre-Hispanic times, and the area’s contemporary black pottery or barro negro. Black pottery is stated to have resulted from the 1952/53 innovation of now famous Zapotec native potters, Doña Rosa Real and husband Don Juventino Nieto.

What Exactly is Chango Mezcalero, the Curious Monkey-Shaped Mezcal Bottle?

Chango Mezcalero is a clay receptacle in the shape of a monkey, often painted in brilliant colors, traditionally used for mezcal. In modern times the monkey shape has been manufactured as mainly decorative folk art, sometimes unpainted yet with detailed etching into the grey clay, occasionally bottomless and without a spout since it’s not intended for serving liquid.

The traditional Chango Mezcalero was used to hold, display and / or gift mezcal for imbibing, and hence the name. The clay bottle is just that, usually with a stopper made of cork, or a small piece of corn cob.

Some of the more common poses of the monkey include eating or simply holding a banana, arms across the chest, and one hand in front with the other covering an eye.

Chango Mezcalero served both the tourist and local trade. It’s encountered with Recuerdo de Oaxaca (Souvenir of Oaxaca) written on the back; and sometimes as a pair, with the name of a man painted on the front of one figure and of a woman on the other, suggested local use as personalized gifts – for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other rites of passage. Sometimes it’s found painted, yet with no inscription, by no means unusual since its original function was as a combined adornment and serving bottle kept on the shelves of cantinas.

Chango Mezcalero´s size is usually between 8” and 9.5” in height. The traditional forms hold between about 700 ml and 1 liter, respectively.

Linking Barro Negro and Chango Mezcalero in an Historical Context

Eighty-year-old Don Valente Nieto, sole surviving progeny of Doña Rosa and Don Juventino, states that anyone else in his hometown of San Bartolo Coyotepec who maintains that they or their deceased relatives were the creator of Chango Mezcalero, is mistaken or misstating fact. He believes that his father, a highly talented sculptor, was the innovator of not only Chango Mezcalero, but other fanciful clay vessels used for holding mezcal.

Don Valente reveals that it all began when cantina operators from Oaxaca – first one, followed by others – started coming to the Nieto-Real homestead, requesting the chango bottle for keeping, displaying and selling mezcal. Eventually other animal forms were requested and produced. While the gifted Don Juventino created those different shapes as well, Chango Mezcalero gained notoriety.

Don Valente notes the clay molds of the chango, mermaid, stylized owl and more, tucked away as mementos of his father’s legacy. He points to vintage photos of his parents alongside such figures waiting to be placed in a rudimentary in-ground oven for baking. Don Juventino died in 1973, at 70 years of age, while Doña Rosa died some seven year later, at 80.

Indeed Don Valente’s parents are the acknowledged innovators of barro negro, the shiny black pottery now providing the livelihood for most townspeople in San Bartolo Coyotepec. In fact Nelson Rockefeller was an admirer of Doña Rosa and her barro negro, and himself had a substantial collection of her work. Before the early 1950s innovation of black pottery, and dating to pre-Hispanic times, villagers were producing only utilitarian grey clay pieces such as San Bartolo’s noted cantaro form.

An alternate version of the origin of Chango Mezcalero comes from the San Bartolo Coyotepec family of Marcelo Simon Galan, deceased. His granddaughter advises that her abuelo used to go on trade routes with his grey clay pieces including water bottles and pitchers. She continues that someone once asked him to make a monkey form, he complied, and then orders began to come in from others. He worked with the clay, while others did the painting.
With further investigation more facts will hopefully emerge which may lead to additional credence being given to this version of the origin of Chango Mezcalero. For what it’s worth, one of Don Marcelo´s changos is on display at the Museo de Arte Popular de Oaxaca in San Bartolo Coyotepec.
Nowithstanding the foregoing, and subject to further information coming to light, if the Nieto-Real family was the creator of barro negro, now coveted by collectors of Mexican crafts across the globe, is it too far a stretch to suggest that perhaps the same family was the innovator of Chango Mezcalero? As to why initially a chango, perhaps there’s a relationship between the black-faced, monkey-feautured Memin Pinguin Mexican comic book character, and the origins of Chango Mezcalero.

Cautionary Notes Concerning the History and Significance of Chango Mezcalero

The foregoing is hypothesis, based on partial oral histories and an examination of various vintage and contemporary pieces. While some would discount the validity of oral histories vis-à-vis Oaxacan studies, they remain an important methodology for piecing together information including chronology; sometimes complementing, while at other times being the only viable research tool yielding results.

When examining the relationship between the development of pre-Hispanic pottery traditions, barro negro and Chango Mezcalero, one must keep at least three points in mind:

The richness, diversity and multitude of pre-Hispanic art-forms developed in the central valleys of Oaxaca, as evidenced in, amongst other places, Oaxaca’s Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre.Hispanic Art;
Two oral histories exist in San Bartolo Coyotepec regarding the origins of Chango Mezcalero, and more may come to light (or perhaps have already been told), with the distinct possibility that there may never be any definitive answer – and perhaps development began at roughly the same time, at different workshops;
There may indeed be physical evidence disputing the foregoing stories of the origin of Chango Mezcalero, and in fact close examination of bottles suggests that at some point in time it was produced using a different clay than that used for making barro products in San Bartolo Coyotepec.

Despite these and other caveats, the little, often colorful monkey-shaped mezcal bottle known as Chango Mezcalero, provides historians with fruit for further research, and folk art collectors with at least provisional answers to their queries.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Ecotourism in Oaxaca: Arroyo Guacamaya, Ixtlan District, Sierra Norte

2010-01-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

Arroyo Guacamaya is one of the closest ecotourism sites to the City of Oaxaca, accessible by private vehicle in about an hour, or public transportation. La Guacamaya has most if not all of the features and attractions of the more distant ecotourism locales in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, including mountain biking, nature trails for hiking and climbing, streams and waterfalls, lodging, children’s facilities, and a restaurant featuring fresh fish from the local trout farm – all within a community-managed forest promoting sustainable logging operations.

Getting to Arroyo Guacamaya, Oaxaca Ecotourism Site in Ixtlan District

The village of La Guacamaya, while in the District of Ixtlan, is only a 45 minute car ride from Villa Etla, and thus just over an hour from the City of Oaxaca. Accordingly, while there are a number of reasonably priced overnight cabins at Arroyo Guacamaya, as a day trip from Oaxaca one can easily enjoy a great deal of what the region has to offer.

There are a number of options for getting to Arroyo Guacamaya ecotourism site:

· Hire a tour guide, driver or taxi, although this option is best for just a day trip since one might end up paying for the driver’s down time if an overnight is preferred.
· Rent a car from one of the several vehicle rental facilities located both at the airport and in downtown Oaxaca.
· Seek out a Oaxaca ecotourism company, although this option might entail unnecessary expense, though an attractive option for those without at least a little facility with the Spanish language.
· From downtown Oaxaca near the Abastos Market, take the bus known as the autobus comunitario de Teococuilco de Marcos Perez, located at Calle Heriberto Jara #118, Col. Libertad.

La Guacamaya is 31 kilometers from the City of Oaxaca, at approximately 9,000 feet above sea level. One leaves Oaxaca driving north towards Mexico City along Federal Highway 190, and continues along the “libre” or free highway, keeping to the right rather than going on the toll road (“cuota”).

About a minute’s drive beyond the Pemex gas station at the entrance to Villa Etla, there’s a clearly marked blue sign indicating “Arroyo Guacamaya Ecoturismo, 13 kilometers,” with an arrow indicating a right turn off the highway.

After leaving the main highway, and until arriving at Arroyo Guacamaya, one does not make any additional turns. It’s therefore an easy drive and extremely difficult to get lost. The road begins as a four-lane paved secondary highway, then narrows to two lanes, and finally, for the rest of the drive one is on a dirt road, often dusty depending on the time of year.

One quickly passes through the villages of San Miguel Etla and then San Gabriel Etla, each with a quaint old stone church located on the right side of the road. The terrain is rolling hills, with mixed semi-tropical vegetation.

The pavement ends shortly thereafter, and the balance of the drive is a gradual climb along a dirt road with numerous easy-to-navigate switchbacks. The roadway is not particularly conducive to motion sickness, so one need not be concerned in this regard.

Ascending, the vegetation changes from agave, cactus and mixed brush, to scrub oak and coniferous forest of predominantly pine. Note the brilliant yellow and occasional red bromeliads growing on the trees.

Arrival at Arroyo Guacamaya, Sierra Norte, Oaxaca

About 45 minutes alter having left the main highway and witnessed changes in vegetation, elevation with corresponding ear popping, and temperature, one finally arrives. A blue sign directing visitors to the cabins and restaurant is clearly visible with arrows pointing to the left down a smaller roadway. To the right the road continues on for a couple of kilometers to the hillside village of La Guacamaya.

Aside from ecotourism and sustainable logging operations, villagers dedicate themselves to predominantly agricultural enterprises. For about half of the year the main products harvested and taken to market (i.e. the nearby Wednesday Etla market) are fava beans and potatoes, and for the remainder of the year fresh flowers (in particular azucenas which have strong cultural significant to natives of the region), berros (similar to watercress), and ocote (wood used as kindling).

Facilities at Arroyo Guacamaya, Oaxaca Ecotourism Site

As of early 2010, the ecotourism site consists of:

· Five brick and adobe cabins each with lighting, a working fireplace, washroom with hot water, and beds. Electricity is provided by solar panels. Beds consist of bunk beds and double beds. Four of the cabins house up to four people, and one up to a family of six.
· A restaurant consisting of a large dining room with kitchen, able to accommodate up to about 50 diners.
· Children’s swings and Jungle-Jim style climbing apparatus.
· An adobe temazcal, scheduled for completion later in the year.

The dining hall, in addition to serving aluminum-wrapped grilled or fried fresh trout, serves standard Oaxacan fare such as meats and quesadillas. Sides include salad, spaghetti with vegetables and mushrooms, beans and tortillas. The fish broth is equally as fresh and delectable as the appetizers and main course offerings. Beverages include water, soft drinks, beer and mezcal.

Ecotourism Activities at Arroyo Guacamaya, Ixtlan, Oaxaca

Adan is a conscientious bilingual guide and resource person, up on ecotourism matters, and anxious to provide advice and interesting information. Consider spending at least one afternoon with him, partaking in the various activities.

The pursuits one can enjoy include:

· Climbing through forests up to the mountain peaks of Siempreviva and La Portillo, from which exquisite panoramic vistas of the valleys and numerous hamlets flecking the mountainsides can be appreciated.
· Mountain biking.
· Walking through the village.
· Learning more about local economic activities and obstacles to the continued sustainability of the community through ecotourism.
· Visiting the trout farm, its pools fed by fast-flowing waters from an alpine spring.
· Hiking to nearby streams and waterfalls, over soft, thick beds of dried pine needles.
· Taking note of and photographing interesting mountain plants such as sedum and echeveria.

As noted, the temazcal should be completed in the year 2010. Tourists to the village will have an opportunity to partake in the ancient healing custom of temazcal – sweat facilitated through the use of steam combined with medicinal herbs – cleansing the body and soul. Some have described the ritual as being akin to the Iroquois sweat lodge.

For children, while the foregoing activities are both safe and educational, Arroyo Guacamaya holds the additional attraction of wooden teeter totters and climbing apparatus, located steps from the restaurant, cabins and temazcal.

Arroyo Guacamaya Compared to Other Oaxacan Ecotourism Sites

La Guacamaya is a relatively new ecotourism site in the Ixtlan district of Oaxaca. It stands alongside Cuajimoloyas, La Neveria, Benito Juarez, Llano Grande, Ixtlan de Juarez, and other similar yet longer-established village ecotourism sites, and boasts similar attractions. While still developing and therefore perhaps deficient in some activities such as horseback riding, the relative lack of tourist numbers in and of itself constitutes part of its allure. And of course, there’s the proximity to the City of Oaxaca, a significant bonus for most.

Contact Information for Arroyo Guacamaya Ecotourism Site, Ixtlan, Oaxaca

Arrangements for visiting Arroyo Guacamaya in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca can be made through one’s hotel or bed & breakfast, or by calling direct: (951) 521-8127.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Consider Lodging in a Hotel or Bed & Breakfast in Oaxaca, Before Committing to an Apartment or Home Rental

2009-12-14T13:59:00.001-08:00

The case for exercising caution prior to making a longterm committment to an apartment or home rental in Oaxaca:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/renting_an_apartment_or_house_in_oaxaca_mexico

Black Pottery, Used Clothing and City Markets in Oaxaca

2009-12-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

For Alvin Starkman's most recent brief articles about barro negro, bringing your used clothing to Oaxaca, and Oaxaca's city marketplaces, please go to the following webpages:

1) The Development of Black Pottery in San Bartolo Coyotepec:

http://folk-art.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_black_pottery_of_san_bartolo_coyotepec

2) Bringing Used Clothing to Oaxaca:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/used_clothing_for_oaxaca

3) Markets in the City of Oaxaca:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/markets_in_the_city_of_oaxaca

Hierve el Agua, Nieves and Helados, and Bicycing Oaxaca articles

2009-12-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

For Alvin Starkman's brief Oaxaca articles about Hierve el Agua, Eating Nieves Sherbet and Ice Cream on the Steet, and Bycycling, go to the following webpages respectively:

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/hierve_el_agua_oaxaca

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/ice_cream_and_sherbet_eating_in_oaxaca

http://mexican-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/cycling_in_oaxaca_with_mundo_cieba_ac

The Veria Network's Under The Sun series: Review of the Oaxaca episodes

2009-11-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

An international documentary film production company was drawn to the central valleys of the State of Oaxaca while investigating regions of the world where sustainable living still plays a major role in the way people live. After a preliminary visit to the state capital to scope out the feasibility of story lines, its production team ultimately shot two, five-segment episodes in the heart of Oaxaca.

The mandate of The Veria Network’s cable TV series Under the Sun is to capture a broad diversity of locales, organizations and individuals involved in healthy, harmonious, holistic, and environmentally friendly living and business enterprises. Each episode features British born Nathan LeRoy, a self-proclaimed adventurer, investigating how age-old means of production persist into the 21st century, and examining sustainable systems and products. This is done with a not-so-subtle underscore: maintaining and promoting unity with the natural world provides humankind the best opportunity to survive and thrive for generations to come.

Episode One

LeRoy accompanies internationally acclaimed native Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo (Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Toronto Iron Chef judge & competitor) to Oaxaca’s Pochote Organic Market. An interesting discussion ensues as to the certification process in respect to organic products. LeRoy propounds that forcing growers to leap through hoops in attempting to obtain certification is actually inconsistent with supporting small- scale local production. He then accompanies Chef Pilar to her Casa de los Sabores (House of Flavors) Cooking School for a lesson in preparing three dishes – an organic salad with a honey mustard garlic dressing; world famous mole negro, the most labor intensive of the many moles, traditionally made with approximately 35 ingredients; and a delightfully fresh and uniquely flavorful organic rose petal sorbet.

Our adventurer then meets up with a family of San Martín Tilcajete wood carvers and painters, headed by Jacobo Ángeles and María Mendoza. His goal is to learn about the town’s longstanding Zapotec woodcarving tradition. While trekking through the countryside he and Jacobo discuss the properties and uses of the copal tree from which most figures – known as alebrijes – are carved. Leroy then explores the use of natural pigments for coloring the pieces; María deftly uses her hands as palettes as she variously mixes tree sap and bark, honey, pomegranate, corn fungus, berries and other natural substances to create a veritable rainbow of paint colors.

Next he receives a lesson from a triumvirate of absolutely charming apron-clad abuelitas (little grandmothers) on how to make three refreshing drinks, each of which is typical to the region and commonly found in both urban and rural Oaxacan markets: agua de Jamaica (juice or water of hibiscus flower), agua de limón (a natural limeade made with the outer peel), and the uniquely indigenous pre-Hispanic drink, tejate. Making tejate is a true art, and highly ritualistic. If a step in the process goes awry, the end result simply won’t cut it. Being the Drink of the Gods in pre-Hispanic times, process must be perfect.

Leroy then gets out into the fields just after dawn one morning, with a woman whose family has been making the naturally fermented drink known as pulque, for generations. Pulque is perhaps the single least understood drink in Mexico, at times mistakenly noted as the first stage in the production of mezcal and tequila. The plant, one of several pulquero varieties of agave or maguey, must mature in the field for 15 – 18 years before it yields aguamiel or honey water. At sunrise and sunset the liquid is religiously harvested from a deep well in the center of the plant. Natural fermentation of the aguamiel occurs over the course of just a few hours. Be it myth or science-based, the indigenous guide counsels as to pulque’s curative and life-prolonging properties.

In the final segment of the episode LeRoy learns about cochineal ( cochinilla ), the minute insect which feeds off of the nopal cactus. Cochineal has been commercially cultivated, harvested and exported since early colonial times because of its unique property – it yields a strong, natural red dye which to this day is used in the production of such diverse products as Campari, Knorr and Campbell soups, lipsticks and make-ups, Danone yoghurt, hot dogs and cookies. Manuel, the engineer / manager of the museum and educational facility known as Tlapanochestli, explains the historical importance of the cochineal industry while going through the lifecycle of the insect and production technique currently employed. Experimentation into the use of other natural dyes and fibers continues at the research station.

Episode Two

LeRoy heads out to the rug weaving village of Teotitlán del Valle, where sheep have been sheered, and their wool spun, dyed and woven into rugs in basically the same manner, since the mid – 1500s. He watches a villager sheer a sheep using nothing but a simple scissors and rope to tie it down; then takes a fascinating tour with Mariano Sosa, the head of a sixteen family co-op, to witness all the subsequent steps such as washing the wool without detergents, then drying and spinning it into yarn, followed by using plants from an experimental site to create natural dyes – with the process’ uncontaminated water returning to the earth; and finally weaving the most intricate of both traditional Zapotec and more innovative designs into tapestries and rugs.

For the next segment our host remains in the rug village, awakening well before sunrise to accompany Rocio and Malena of the extended family known as Casa Santiago to a mill to have corn ground into masa – in preparation for a lesson back at their homestead. Together with Gloria, the matriarch of the family, they prepare amarillo, the mole used in making a very special and typical festive dish unique to their town, tamales de amarillo con pollo. Breakfast includes hot chocolate also made from scratch, enjoyed in the traditional fashion – with a small loaf of pan de yema or egg bread, for dipping. The quaintness and welcoming nature of each and every family member is both striking and memorable.

Leroy then travels back in time to 16th century Toledo, Spain. The ancient and well-chronicled Old World knife-making technique is still practiced in the town of Ocotlán, by Apolinar Águilar. The master craftsman fashions knives, machetes, swords and much more, using only recycled materials. He demonstrates the use of his wood and skin bellows, stone and mud hearth, and a series of hammers, chisels, and other forging tools he himself makes to his exacting specifications. His products range from letter openers, to hunting and butchers’ knives, to turkey carving and cutlery sets, to martial arts weapons, and custom collector pieces. Even the fine finishes of the blades and handles are creating naturally, without the use of chrome or nickel, varnish or lacquer.

Our adventurer next arrives in Santiago Matatlán, the self-anointed world capital of mezcal (also referred to as mescal), for a visit with Enrique Jiménez, a spirits producer with a pedigree dating to his ancestors’ 1870 arrival in the tiny village. Enrique walks LeRoy through all stages of production of mezcal from the harvesting of agave in the fields, to baking it in a pit over flaming logs and river rocks, then mashing it with the use of a horse dragging a multi-ton stone, to fermenting in pine vats, and finally distilling in a brick and mortar firewood-fueled oven. The sampling of the finished product includes a two-year-old añejo aged in oak barrels, a much younger mezcal, and of course one “with the worm.”

LeRoy concludes his visit to the State of Oaxaca with a much needed relaxing and rejuvenating temazcal and massage. He arrives at the home of Doña Emilia, a retired nurse of Zapotec heritage. After decades of tutelage from her grandmother she has become an expert in the ancient art and science of temazcal. One of the hallmarks of temazcal is the environment in which the ritual is enacted – an adobe hut with water and lava rocks used to create and control steam. It’s akin to a sweat lodge where chanting together with aromatic and curative herbs and branches cleanse the body and soul.

Watching the two episodes of Under the Sun gives the viewer a glimpse into some of the present-day manifestations of sustainable living in the central valleys of Oaxaca – and can just as easily be a precursor to the experiences of those contemplating a visit to the city. Virtually every individual and institution highlighted is accessible by tourists within the context of a couple of well-planned tours to the towns and villages surrounding the state capital.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in Anthropology and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Alvin began traveling to Oaxaca in 1991, taking up permanent residence in 2004. He has written over 90 articles about life and culture in Oaxaca for several Mexico travel publications. Alvin consuls to documentary film production companies working in the region, and leads personalized tours for couples and families to the craft villages, market towns, ruins and more off-the-beaten-track locations rarely visited by tourists. He and his wife Arlene operate Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com), a bed and breakfast experience combining comfort of a downtown Oaxaca hotel, with the personal touch of country inn accommodations.

Am I paying my staff too much? (Improving profits and peace of mind: a case study from Oaxaca)

2009-10-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Improving profits and peace of mind: a case study from Oaxaca, Mexico

Am I paying my staff too much?

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

It’s now two months before Day of The Dead in Oaxaca, and Juanita’s hotel still has rooms available for one of the busiest times of the year. The City of Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Mexico, relies on tourism for its very existence. Juanita is trying to figure out where she went wrong, realizing that Día de Los Muertos should top up her bank balance, just like the Christmas season, the summertime festival weeks known as Guelaguetza, and Easter.

Time and again Juanita asks herself, “Am I paying my staff too much?” Merely asking the question reveals why her bottom line is so low.

Oaxacan business owners with non-unionized staff who either think they’re overpaying, or provide a level of remuneration only because they believe they can’t get away with paying any less, will never maximize their profit potential. Attitude towards employees, and failing to recognize the importance and potential value of each and every staff position, affects how business fares.

Here in Oaxaca it’s a well-known fact that non-Mexicans (extranjeros) pay their help more (i.e. “too much”) money relative to Oaxacan employers. Until recently I had assumed that the reason was simply that Americans and Europeans resident in Oaxaca come from wealthy societies in which entrepreneurs can afford to pay large salaries, and although now living and working here in Oaxaca they still think and operate in American Dollars --- not understanding or accepting Oaxacan economics. But now, armed with data concerning the salaries customarily paid to employees in diverse positions of trust, authority and responsibility, and having conducted a rudimentary analysis of comparative levels of success between foreign and domestically owned businesses, it’s clear that the differences are rather simple, and relate to three fundamentals: 1) business acumen; 2) attitudes towards leisure time and piece of mind, and; 3) willingness to acknowledge that “you get what you pay for.” Each is integrally related to the other.

Juanita (names have been changed) pays her receptionists 115 pesos (roughly $9 USD) per day, and her chambermaids 100. Mary, an American who owns a bed and breakfast, never pays staff less than 150 pesos per day. The American travels outside of the country to promote and conduct business, and to vacation, on a regular basis. The Oaxacan rarely leaves the city or takes a vacation of longer than three days, and does so only when there are virtually no guests in the hotel. The Amercan says that she knows she pays her staff too much relative to Oaxacan salaries, but when she stops to think about what “overpaying” enables her to do, and how her business fares, acknowledges that perhaps she is not being unreasonably generous with her staff.

Why is Mary’s B & B one of the top-ranked tourist accommodations on a major international travel website, while Juanita’s is in the doldrums? Juanita says she’s paying her staff double minimum wage, and could pay even less if she really wanted to. Mary has had the same staff for several years, and even acknowledges their birthdays. Juanita has high employee turnover.

Juanita’s financial outlay is significant. She spends an inordinate amount of effort making her hotel look pretty, and money promoting it. Her hotel is in a high rent district in the downtown sector of the city. It should be packed day in and day out given its location and the expenditure to maintain it. Yet two months prior to Day of The Dead, she is one of only two lodgings in her association with rooms still available for the high season. Funds are earmarked for the wrong places; prioritization is skewed.

Juanita’s retort strikes a familiar chord, and at first instance might seem rational: “It wouldn’t matter if I paid my receptionist 30, 40, or even 50% more,” she laments. “She wouldn’t work any harder or be more dedicated, because more money doesn’t motivate them; that’s just the way they are. And besides, I can’t afford any more, with all my other expenses, and business generally down.”

Juanita’s response can be summarized as twofold: paying more won’t yield results, and; she can’t afford it anyway. Dealing with the first, Juanita has to step out of the box, out of the colonial way of thinking. She sees “the culture of poverty,” insofar as it relates to native workers from small towns and villages, not allowing employees to break from a fatalistic pre-determined mold, because that’s just the way they are. More money won’t make a difference to their lot in life and therefore won’t motivate.

It does not behoove me to tell Juanita she’s wrong, and it is beyond the scope of this essay to even try to illustrate that she is, which may or may not be the case. But there’s another solution to Juanita’s dilemma which does not threaten or test her ingrained beliefs. She can seek out prospective employees whose expectations are higher to begin with; those who have perhaps had a taste of higher earnings and what they can provide, or have achieved advanced education, if only a high school diploma which has lead them to a career path (una carrera). Juanita then begins with the knowledge or at least an expectation that the change in hiring will bear fruit. But that might entail going as far as paying her receptionists 200 pesos a day.

Can Juanita afford to pay her daytime and evening receptionists, Alma and Rosita, almost double? And why would she? After all, reception is a non-management position. This leads us to the second prong of the equation, that is, affordability and making a difference. We must look at the question in terms of higher profit potential, and peace of mind and its natural consequences. What then would be the implications for Juanita’s after-tax income, and more generally the quality of her life?

Juanita has eight rooms in her hotel. She would be increasing the pay of only two of three receptionists, on the basis that the all-night position might not yield results with a higher level of pay. It would therefore cost an additional 170 pesos per day to raise each of the two shifts to 200 pesos, plus other sundry expenses, so call it 200 pesos more per day. Juanita could make it up by raising room costs by 25 pesos, or roughly 4%. Or she could absorb the extra cost and see if it makes a difference. Let’s assume, although I’m not certain we should, that vacationing couples would resist paying 625 instead of 600 pesos per night, or 12.5 pesos more per person.

How would Alma react to having a 200 peso per day job, rather than working for 115? Her sense of self-worth would receive a shot in the arm; her name would be on her uniform; she would be more likely to stay at work after her shift has ended, without resentment, if for example Rosita arrived late on occasion; she would less likely be constantly looking for a job paying 10 pesos more a day; and she would feel that her education has paid off. Juanita might even give her the responsibility of making bank deposits if she proved completely trustworthy and loyal. Without a doubt she would be more likely to provide hotel patrons with “value-added service” … and with a smile, literally.

Alma and Rosita would remember patrons returning the next year, and the guests would surely recall them, because of their friendly faces and the service they provided. There’s nothing like returning to a hotel and seeing familiar faces. It breeds comfort … more so than a soft duvet. Both Mexican nationals and foreigners tend to be family oriented. They would perceive the hotel and its staff as a family, again leading to familiarity and comfort. They will be more likely than not return to the same establishment next year, and recommend it to friends.

Over time the nature of and expenditure for advertising can be adjusted, from paying out higher costs every year for the same and new promotional techniques, to the more economical promotion of emailing those on the client list from time to time to keep the hotel’s name in their minds. The hotel will be able to use the written testimonials of its guests, which will undoubtedly be received, instead of pay its marketing specialist to come up with catchy slogans of questionable value (at least that’s the Oaxacan norm).

Staff staying with Juanita for longer stretches of time means Juanita spends less time interviewing and hiring and firing, and less money advertising for positions. Juanita can spend more time with her family, or find more productive ways to keep business growing, instead of constantly being on the defensive by having to staff, yet again. She will no longer have to constantly be looking over the shoulders of Alma and Rosita, since she’ll know that they’re doing their jobs, because they’re happy to be doing them; Alma and Rosita will have begun to appreciate the monetary and non-monetary rewards resulting from meeting and exceeding expectations of management. It takes time and energy to always be watching over the work that staff is doing to ensure that it’s being done competently. If paying higher wages relieves Juanita of that responsibility, she will then have more opportunities to perform other tasks more directly relating to marketing and making money.

Once the level of trust has been established, Juanita can take the odd day off, knowing that Rosita will be able to resolve small problems on her own such as calling the plumber, the electrician, the water delivery man and the municipality. She’ll have the confidence and the sense to call Juanita when she cannot resolve problems, not feeling as though she’s been a failure for not dealing with issues on her own. Juanita won’t be constantly calling the hotel to make sure everything is running well.

Rosita will sense her value to Juanita, and anticipate regular raises, which will keep her content. And Juanita will hopefully have the sense to not wait until Rosita takes the bold step of asking.

Juanita will be able to take off not only the odd day, but actual vacations.

Reception is the most important staff position a hotel can have. It provides the first impression that a prospective patron will receive about Juanita’s hotel, whether the inquiry is by phone, or in person. Unless Juanita wants to be the one answering the phone and selling her hotel to off-the-street tourists, she’d better begin paying Alma and Rosita the value of their positions … or they’ll be gone, and Juanita will in fact be working 24/7.

Once her staff is patterned to provide value-added service, Juanita can raise her prices. No one will begrudge that extra 25, or better yet 125 pesos per night. After all, Alma and Rosita will be doing the selling for her.

Next adjustment? Think of the level of responsibility entrusted to chambermaids, and how much they are being paid. They ensure patrons’ valuables do not disappear, and the cleanliness of surroundings and level of comfort for a full one-third of the time travelers are on vacation!

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in Social Anthropology from Toronto’s York University, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Alvin ceased practicing law in 2004, when he and his wife Arlene began living permanently in Oaxaca. Since that time, Alvin has written over 90 articles about life and cultural traditions in and around Oaxaca and its central valleys, for newspapers, magazines, and websites promoting tourism in Mexico and abroad. Alvin and Arlene operate Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com).

Oaxacan chef inadvertently sets Toronto ablaze, steals limelight from Clinton, Clooney

2009-10-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Steals limelight from Clinton, Clooney …

Oaxacan chef inadvertently sets City of Toronto ablaze

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

All Pilar Cabrera really wanted was to do a little promotion for Oaxaca, and make a few Canadian dollars during one of the slowest months of the year for tourism. But by the end of Chef Pilar’s four-week September visit to Toronto, she had set both local and national media on fire – so much so that coverage of her trip resulted in every restaurant in which she was scheduled to cook being sold out; she had to turn down last minute requests to work her culinary magic at additional private dinner parties and cooking schools.

The stellar reviews throughout the trip kept chatter alive; Sheryl Kirby of Women’s Culinary Network described her cena at Frida, a highly praised Mexican restaurant, as “one of the best meals of my life,” then continued to note “the sheer brilliance of Cabrera’s 30-ingredient authentic Oaxacan mole.”

Like many Oaxacan women, Pilar learned to cook from her mother and grandmother. But when the time came to think in earnest of her future, her path diverged from that of others. While living in Mexico City she earned a degree in food sciences and nutrition, and thereafter worked in research and development for food giant Herdez, McCormick. She then returned to Oaxaca to open Restaurante La Olla, and Casa de los Sabores Cooking School.

Pilar has been featured in publications such as Bon Appetit and The New York Times, and lauded by the likes of acclaimed restauranteur Rick Bayless who regularly brings his staff to Oaxaca where they take her classes. Over the years she had been offered and then rejected opportunities to teach and cook outside of Mexico. It was not until Spring, 2009, at the encouragement of this writer, and with the invaluable media and culinary industry contacts of Toronto food researcher and writer Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, that the Toronto tour became a reality.

A planned two week tour rapidly turned into three, as eateries and a prominent cooking school expressed immediate interest. The trip was extended to four weeks when the Mexican Consulate to Canada learned of Pilar’s trip and asked her to represent Mexico at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre International Hot & Spicy Food Festival – Pilar was a judge at the Emerging Chefs competition, and was pitted against Louisiana in the Iron Chef main event.

Throughout September, the diversity of plates Pilar prepared was matched only by the broad range of restaurants and teaching venues in which she plied her trade – as honored guest chef, and as instructor. At the high end was Frank, the 120-seat dining room of the Art Gallery of Ontario, with a menu which included tiger shrimp al mezcal skewered with mango, fresh Ontario sweet corn bisque garnished with pomegranate, and chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms and poblano chile atop a bed of tomatillo salsa. Pilar’s opportunity to showcase Oaxacan botanas came near the end of the trip at Torito Tapas Bar where a packed house munched on tostaditas with habanera-marinated red snapper and with octopus a la hierba santa, red mole tacos, mushroom and epazote quesadillas, bacon and cheese memelitas, with pastel de tres leches at the finish.

Pilar spent two days at Nella Cucina Culinary School. Managing Director Joanne Lusted lauded Pilar and Ms. Mejia for somehow managing to sell out sessions totaling 80 students, where prominent Canadian chefs had failed to attract such numbers. And at The Chef’s House, the restaurant and hands-on teaching facility of George Brown College School of Culinary Arts, Pilar taught both chefs and students, ultimately providing totally enthralled foodies with the likes of potato and chorizo molotitos, sopa Tehuana, pescado Istmeño, flan de vainilla with seasonal berry coulis, and café de olla.

Media activity began prior to Pilar’s arrival, with The Toronto Sun, in an upcoming events column noting Pilar’s tour ahead of President Bill Clinton’s much-touted talk to Torontonians. The day after her arrival she was live on National TV, showcasing five dishes she had prepared that morning, as well as Herencia del Mezcalero mezcal. September 11th she was in the test kitchen of The Toronto Star preparing moles – verde and amarillo.

“I was nervous about being able to source the ingredients I would need, in Toronto, especially for dishes like verde,” Pilar admits. “I knew the newspaper would not publish a recipe unless all ingredients could be purchased locally. I was amazed at how many of our herbs, chiles and other foodstuffs are found in Kensington Market.” And so was The Star; on the 16th it ran almost a full page about Pilar in its Entertainment & Living section. While the photograph of George Clooney promoting the Toronto International Film Festival was a bit larger than that of Pilar, Jennifer Bain, The Star’s food editor, was allotted much more space to write about our own Oaxacan star.

Other media coverage included several food blog entries, articles in magazines such as City Bites, and a wonderful little piece about Pilar’s take on huitlacoche, aired nationwide on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Here and Now.

All told, Pilar judged, competed, cooked and instructed 11 full days and evenings, in addition to at least an equal number preparing – sourcing ingredients and meeting with administrators and chefs.

The epic journey did allow a few days for visits to several museums; Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and tastings at wineries; a cottage on Lake Simcoe for relaxation; and even Casino Rama (“not for me, but it was interesting to see Las Vegas – style gambling”). And there was an opportunity to sample ethnic eateries including Thai, Sechwan, Ethiopian, Indian, Jewish and Greek; as well as indulge at restaurants ranging from the finest of French (Auberge du Pommier) to neighborhood jazz and wings bistros.

“The warmth with which I was welcomed into the kitchens of other chefs to ask and learn, and the appreciation shown for the little I was able to impart to Torontonians about Oaxaca, was truly remarkable. There is so much the people of Toronto and Oaxaca can learn from each other, relating to gastronomy and other aspects of culture and tourism.”

Indeed. The tour has ignited interest in future tours by Pilar as well as other Oaxacans. With the continued support of the Consulado General de México, and the willingness of the Mexico and Toronto Tourism boards to jump on the bandwagon, perhaps the State of Oaxaca will see the benefit in providing more support and encouragement for its own to travel abroad, for the benefit of all Oaxacans.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in Social Anthropology from Toronto’s York University, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Alvin ceased practicing law in 2004, when he and his wife Arlene began living permanently in Oaxaca. Since that time, Alvin has written over 90 articles about life and cultural traditions in and around Oaxaca and its central valleys, for newspapers, magazines, and websites promoting tourism in Mexico and abroad. Alvin and Arlene operate Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com).

Toronto Culinary Tour of Chef Pilar Cabrera under way

2009-09-20T08:20:00.001-07:00

The month-long culinary tour by Chef Pilar Cabrera in Toronto, showcasing Oaxacan cuisine, is well under way. After both judging and competing in the Toronto Harbourfront Centre International Hot & Spicy Food Festival, Chef Pilar has now begun working her magic at select venues. Tonight marks her second evening working at private dinner parties in the Toronto area. And she has already appeared at Frida Restaurant, at an evening entitled A Taste of Oaxaca, featuring Chef Pilar as well as Chef Jose Hadad, with Master Sommelier John Szabo. It was an artistic celebration of the Mexican Independence Day, on September 16:

Course 1 - Chef Pilar:
Crema de Chile Poblano, with fresh Ontario corn, zuchini and woodland mushrooms, paired with NV Cava Cordonui, Seleccion Raventos Reserva, Spain

Course 2 - Chef Jose:
Ensalada de Nopalitos; fresh nopal cactus, feta cheese, Ontario roma tomatoes and onions, with arbol chile vinaigrette, paired with 2007 Off Dry Reserve Riesling Henry of Pelham VQA Niagara, Ontario

Course 3 - Chef Pilar:
Brochetitas de Camaron, with a mango and chile salsa, paired with 2008 Gruner Veltliner Kies Vineyard, Kurt Angerer, Kamptal, Austria, or Mini Margarita de Mango

Course 4 - Chef Jose:
Tamal de Barbacoa de Cordero; steamed lamb tamal with Ontario spinach, tomato-morita sauce, Ontario Asparagus, paired with 2004 Tempramillo Crianza "Puerta de Alcala" Vinos Jeromin, Madrid, Spain

Course 5 - Chef Pilar:
Medallon de Pavo Relleno; stuffed turkey medallion with plantain, served with Mole Negro and Mexican rice, paired with 2006 Petite Sirah, L.A. Cetto, Baja, Mexico, or Cerveza Negra Modelo.

Course 6 - Dessert Duo with Chefs Pilar and Jose:
Pay de Requeson con Salsa de Chocolate Oaxaqueno and Churros de la Esquina with fresh Ontario berries and warm goat's milk cajeta, paired with 2007 Late Harvest Riesling, Chateau des Charmes, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.

All remaining venues except one, are completely sold out for the month, and in fact Frank Resaurant at the Art Gallery of Ontario, overbooked by 20, in part due to the pairing of Chef Pilar's event with renowned Oaxacan artist Gabriela Campos.

There are a limited number of seats still available at Veritas Local Fare, on King Street East in Toronto, for September 23.

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Oaxacan invited to Iron Chef Canada competition

2009-08-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Government of Mexico has partnered with Toronto's Harbourfront Centre Hot & Spicy Food Festival, to invite Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera to compete in its Iron Chef competition. The festival, which runs from September 4th through the 7th, will feature Chef Cabrera competing against a chef from Louisiana, USA, in a semi-final scheduled for Sunday September 6 at 4:30 pm. The winner of this and the other semi-final will compete for the Iron Chef title the following day. This appearance for Chef Cabrera adds to the earlier noted dates of her Toronto culinary tour. The full calendar of events, with websites in most cases indicating chef Cabrera's attendance, now reads as follows (not including private dinner party engagements:

Harbourfront Centre Hot & Spicy Food Festival, Iron Chef Competition, Sept 6

http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldroutes/festivals.cfm?id=1284

Frida Restaurant, Sept 16

http://fridarestaurant.ca/events.html

Frank Restaurant, Art Gallery of Ontario, Sept 21

http://www.ago.net/latin-inspirations

Nella Cucina Cooking School, Sept 22 & 24

http://www.nellacucina.ca/cucina/event.html?Year=2009&Month=9

Veritas Local Fare, Sept 23

http://localfare.ca/

Torito Tapas Bar, Sept 28

http://www.toritorestaurant.com/index.php (not yet noted on website)

The Chef’s House, Sept 29

http://www.thechefshouse.com (not yet noted on website)

Alvin Starkman, Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Canadian artist Fiona Dunnett: Images of self and death in Oaxaca are muted with comic style and collage

2009-08-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B.

Comic strips, a young Canadian’s self portraits, and photographs of violent deaths in a Mexican daily newspaper, make strange bedfellows. But they constitute a major part of the driving force for the creative energies of Fiona Dunnett.

Ottawa-born Dunnett has been living in Oaxaca since 2005. As in the case of so many artists who now reside in this city in southern Mexico, her arrival has been rather circuitous. And like so many others, her artistic talent has been influenced at virtually every stop along the way. At age five she left Canada for Bangladesh with her Canadian diplomat mother and the rest of her family. After three years it was back to Ottawa, and then a further three years in Zimbabwe.

“When I left Zimbabwe I felt close to South Africa. I took a course in stone sculpture while there, so yes, I suppose living in Zimbabwe has had somewhat of an influence on what I do today,” she surmises. But it was her upper level academic training, first at the Canterbury School of Arts, followed by British Columbia’s University of Victoria from which she graduated with an Hons. B.A. in Fine Arts, which exposed her to the personages who have impacted her creativity the most.

“I’ve had a strong interest in the work of Gustav Klimt [1862 – 1918],” Dunnett reveals. The Austrian symbolist painter was one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Art Nouveau movement, yet a controversial figure in his time, criticized for his works being too sensual and erotic. She continues: “But it’s Lichtenstein whose art I’ve actually made more of a conscious effort to respect and carry forward, imprinting it with a bit of my own personality and life experiences.”

Roy Fox Lichtenstein [1923 – 1997] was a prominent American pop artist, whose work was heavily influenced by both popular advertising and the comic book style. The latter clearly shines through in Dunnett’s more recent works, and in an earlier piece which graces a wall in her home in Oaxaca’s Xochimilco neighborhood which she shares with her boyfriend and three others: “That one’s based on a dream I had, certainly with overt comic book imagery; in the particular dream there was a calenda (parade), with bodies being dragged through the streets. I once did a series based on my dreams. I dyed the red sky forming part of the background of this canvas with cochineal [the minute insect with naturally produces carminic acid, and was an important export industry for Oaxaca during colonial times].”

Dunnett is much too modest. Since moving to Oaxaca there’s no doubt that she’s put her own mark on the comic style, with her un-daunting desire to learn, and innovate. The geographical, cultural and political environment in which she lives provides her with diverse opportunities for artistic inspiration. She attended a workshop to learn about the use of natural dyes such as flowers, plants and of course cochineal, at the educational and research facility known as Centro de Difusión de la Grana Cochinilla Tlapanochestli. “For quite some time I’d been thinking about using natural dyes in my work, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I realized that here in Oaxaca [actually a few kilometers out of the city, in Santa María Coyotepec] I had the opportunity to learn about their use from an expert, Manuel Loera Fernández, the chemist at Tlapanochestli. There’s just so much artistic stimulation in Oaxaca that it’s hard to resist taking advantage of everything available.”

Dunnett has also participated in more traditional hands-on seminars, at the well-known Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca (IAGO) and at a couple of other institutes in the city. Towards the other end of the spectrum, she credits two local graffiti stencil art groups with providing her with additional inspiration, which becomes apparent after an examination of her work.

“I began moving out of realism and into stylized, surreal works towards the end of my Canadian academic training. It was about the same time that I began working with mixed media, my strong preference at this stage of my development.” Coming to Oaxaca was perhaps the catalyst she required in order to begin more experimental work, within the context of an extremely encouraging environment.

Aside from a leaning towards the use of natural colors for backgrounds on her canvasses, one of the major identifying features of Dunnett’s work is her use of collage --- cut-outs from newspapers, magazines and comic books. Another is using photographs of her own head and face to provide the stimulus for her portrayal of expressions and poses she seeks to capture for each subject. Almost every head in every work is based on a self-photographic portrait:

“I started doing self-portraits when I began doing photography several years ago. Then when I moved into painting, I had this corpus of self-photos, so I was able to draw from them for my art. Although I wanted to shoot other people, I never felt at ease doing so. And though my boyfriend and I have been together for close to four years, I still don’t feel comfortable photographing even him. So it’s all me, perhaps because of being shy when it comes to shooting others. But that red one over there, textured with corn husks from tamales, it’s an experiment, using a face that’s not my own --- I think it’s best if I stick to my own face.”

Each face evokes different emotions, and images of self. “The faces make eye contact; viewers’ eyes move around each work and then return to the eyes and face,” she explains. It’s undeniable that Dunnett’s own pleasing facial features, and her comport, once transferred to canvas, play a significant role in directing the viewer. She has masterfully photographed her head and upper body at every angle and with a plethora of facial expressions for use in her work.

But there’s another reason we return to the images of Dunnett’s facial expressions: The torso and limbs of each primary subject portrayed is far too troubling --- each is a digitalized version of a photograph of a person who has died a violent death, usually in a traffic collision or as a consequence of domestic conflict, captured by Dunnett from both print and online versions of a Oaxacan daily, Noticias Voz e Imagen de Oaxaca. But in the artist herself, there is a sense of calm.

“I started using those photographs because they just began to jump out at me. You never see anything like it in Canada. In Oaxaca, it’s on the street corners and in the newsstands. Death here seems to be an everyday thing, and attitudes towards death are so different than from where you and I come from, not so hidden away.”

Dunnett stresses that her intention is not to invoke feelings of horror, nor reveal the gruesome. The facial expressions she initially captures with a lens, then transposes onto canvas with brush, lead us away. In the case of her work with a collaged iguana, it’s curiosity in her face, rather than demonic imagery of death, which draws one in.

The juxtaposition of death against the aesthetics of comic imagery is striking, almost as much as the multiplicity of presentations of Dunnett’s own self. It’s that combination which maintains the viewer’s awe of and transfixation upon her work. Perhaps Fiona Dunnett never should break out of her reticence about photographing the faces of others.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in Social Anthropology from Toronto’s York University, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Alvin ceased practicing law in 2004, when he and his wife Arlene began living permanently in Oaxaca. Since that time, Alvin has written over 90 articles about life and cultural traditions in and around Oaxaca and its central valleys, for newspapers, magazines, and websites promoting tourism in Mexico and abroad. Alvin and Arlene operate Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com).

September final itinerary for Oaxaca culinary month in Toronto

2009-08-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

For those who reside in Southern Ontario or will be visiting Toronto, September offers a rare opportunity to indulge in authentic, Oaxacan food, prepared by one if the best in the business, native Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera.

Pilar Cabrera, owner of Casa de los Sabores Cooking School and Restaurante La Olla, will be in Toronto from September 10th through the 29th, as honoured guest chef at several Toronto restaurants; and teaching the art of Oaxacan gastronomy at a popular cooking school. And for a limited number of dates, Pilar will also be available for private dinner parties for those wishing to showcase the rich tradition of Oaxacan cuisine to friends and family in their own home. (Scroll down for details of an up-to-date schedule of dates and events).

Those who attend one of Pilar’s events will be able to participate in a raffle for a complimentary week’s accommodations in Oaxaca, to be awarded to two lucky couples.

For Americans and Canadians who have not had an opportunity to learn about Oaxaca’s rich culinary heritage by taking one of Pilar’s classes or dining at her restaurant, a brief biographical sketch is in order.

Pilar grew up in Oaxaca, enveloped by the state’s history of culinary diversity and unique ingredient and flavour combinations. She learned the basics and the cuisine’s subtleties from her mother and grandmother. After completing a food engineering and nutrition degree in Mexico City, she worked in research and development for the food giant Herdez-McCormick before returning to her true passion – cooking.

Pilar has found a growing fan base of intrigued foodies through her “House of Flavours” cooking school. As well, she has taught both novice and renowned chefs from around the globe. Well known American chef and owner of Chicago’s Frontera Grill, Rick Bayless, regularly brings his own staff as well as private groups of food aficionados to Oaxaca, where they dine at Pilar’s restaurant, and attend her classes – at his insistence. Chef Bayless recently had this to say about Pilar:

I would strongly urge anyone with an interest in Mexican food to take advantage of any opportunity to learn from and experience the Oaxacan cuisine of Pilar Cabrera. She is one of the greats!

And if that praise isn’t enough, both New York Times and Bon Appetit have echoed similar sentiments.

Pilar’s schedule of September attendances in Toronto, thus far, is as follows:

· Wednesday, September 16th at Frida (http://www.fridarestaurant.ca/index.html ) - arguably Toronto's best Mexican restaurant where Pilar will be cooking with the chef/owner of Frida- Jose Haddad. That will likely be a six-course dinner event- half the menu prepared by Pilar, half by Chef Jose;
· Sunday the 20th, Private Dinner Party;
· On the 21st of Sept., Pilar will be at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Frank Restaurant, preparing a Prix Fixe Menu with the talented Chef Anne Yarymowich and her team. That evening will also feature Latin American/Mexican art for diners to enjoy. http://www.ago.net/frank-restaurant-contemporary-comfort-cuisine-toronto
(we’re hoping to get Mexican artist Gabriela Campos to participate);
· On the 22nd of September (Tuesday), Nella Cucina's Cooking School under culinary Director Joanne Lusted's guidance, is hosting Pilar for a cooking class. To order your spots on-line- go to: http://www.nellacucina.ca/cucina/event.html?Year=2009&Month=9 or feel free to call the school if you'd prefer. It will be an, interactive demo class where you'll learn how to make Oaxacan classics from Pilar herself and take home the recipes too;
· On the 23rd of September, Chef Pilar joins the Food Network Canada's Brad Long at VERITAS located on King Street East for a special multi-course, prix fixe meal. http://www.dine.to/profile_features.php?feature=website&id=3710 - the focus here will be on using as many local, seasonal and sustainable products from Ontario as possible, in keeping with Chef Long's philosophy;
· Nella Cucina’s Cooking School has reserved this date for members of the Women’s Culinary Network;
· The 28th of September- Pilar will prepare a Botanas-based menu for Torito Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Kensington Market. She'll join Torito´s talented team to bring Torontonians Mexico's version of tapas which are sure to please: http://www.toritotapasbar.com/ ;
· On the 29th, the culinary students and professional chefs of George Brown College's "The Chef's House" will host Pilar for her last guest cooking spot in Toronto. She'll craft a special menu prepared by her and the students for her farewell dinner to Toronto. http://www.thechefshouse.com/ .

Feel free to contact whichever venue interests you to ascertain hours of operation and further details. Alternatively you can contact Toronto food researcher, writer and TV producer, Mary Luz Mejia, who has been instrumental in orchestrating Pilar’s visit, at 416 -763-3455; or email, mluzy@hotmail.com.

This culinary tour is the first of hopefully several forays by Oaxacans who are at the pinnacle of their careers, into Canada. All proceeds from this series of events will go directly to Pilar. Proceeds of future tours, by others, will follow suit.

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Retire in Oaxaca, on international radio July 29 / 09

2009-07-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

Go to this page, quickly download, and you'll find a 3 minute or so piece on retiring in Mexico, Oaxaca being the featured destination. Published by The World. Short and sweet:

http://www.theworld.org/2009/07/29/retire-in-mexico/

SWINE FLU (NOT) IN OAXACA ... COMMITMENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE OAXACA BED AND BREAKFAST ASSOCIATION

2009-07-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Swine flu cases in the state of Oaxaca are rare, and in fact reported cases are no more prevalent per capital in Mexico than in the US, and much less prevalent than in Canada. However, in an effort to provide prospective visitors to our establishments with all reasonable assurances as to their safety, each member of the Oaxaca Bed and Breakfast Association commits to do the following for every guest at our member B & Bs in Oaxaca and its central valleys, until every prospective traveler to Oaxaca has had an opportunity to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus:

1) gratuitously deliver any guest with signs and / or symptons of flu or cold to their choice of a private medical clinic in the city of Oaxaca, a public hospital in the city of Oaxaca, or an English speaking doctor in the city of Oaxaca;
2) gratuitously deliver any guest to a pharmacy in the city of Oaxaca for the purpose of buying cold / flu medications;
3) gratuitously assist any guest in translating an reasonable medical forms regarding diagnosis and treatment of cold or flu symptoms, from Spanish to English, for the purpose of facilitating reimbursement of medical / medication costs from an American or Canadian insurer.

It's time for Mexico's Calderón to act against Canada

2009-07-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Alvin Starkman, M.A., LL.B. (July, 2009)

As much as president Felipe Calderón is doing to combat drug trafficking in Mexico, he’s doing little if anything to combat Canadian anti-Mexico sentiment. And the result has been taking an enormous toll on tourism to previously popular Mexican tourist destinations. Now is the most opportune time for Calderón to strike back.

It’s fine for the Canadian government to warn against travel to Mexico. In 2006 travel advisories were rampant against travel to the southern state of Oaxaca as a result of civil unrest there, despite the fact that no Canadian (or American) tourist was harmed or even threatened – videographer Bradley Will was not a tourist but rather a wannabe journalist electing to embed himself, video camera in hand, with the far left in the midst of conflict with government troops.

Just two short months ago Canada did it again, telling its citizens to not venture to Mexico because of the swine flu.

Mexico just sits back, while its economy continues to take hits to the head.

Just last month The Toronto Star’s Linda Diebel scared the heck out of Canadians through her series of articles about the Mexican drug trade. She began by tracing the problem to conflict and violence in British Columbia. So where was Calderón? Should he not have been issuing warnings to his people against venturing to war-ravaged British Coloumia?

And where has he been more recently, with new statistics regarding reported cases of swine flu indicating 20 per 100,000 Canadian residents, yet only about 7 per 100,000 of his own countrymen? Should he not be warning against travel to Canada? “Stay on the American side of Niagara Falls, folks, where reported swine flu cases are no more than they are here in Mexico.”

The most recent example of the Mexican government’s lackadaisical approach to tourism and Canada is how it has sat back and let the new visa requirements pass, without significant protest. At least the Czech Republic had the cajones to make a statement, through its actions.

Isn’t it time for Mexico to strike back against Canada, for all that the Canadian government and its journalists have done to adversely affect travel to Mexico? A plea to President Calderón: teach a lesson to Canadians who rely on tourism from Mexico for their livelihood. You’ve got the swine flu, the visa requirements, B.C.’s drug violence – and just take a look at the Greater Toronto Area pages of The Toronto Star newspaper, every day, if you want to see how dangerous it is in Toronto; teen killings, children disappearing, and the continual violence in the northwest corridor of Toronto known as Jane-Finch. Just one strong travel advisory should teach Canada a lesson, and convince its weak and impressionable Prime Minister Harper to think, independent of the U.S., before he acts.

Former Toronto resident Alvin Starkman now resides in Oaxaca, where he operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com), boasting all the attributes of downtown Oaxaca hotels, with the quaintness and personal touch of country inn style accommodations. Alvin is also a writer and tour guide, taking couples and families to the ruins, craft villages and market towns in Oaxaca’s central valleys.

Principles of universal design and cohousing, as well as economic necessity, spur green housing project in Oaxaca, Mexico, for aging North Americans

2009-07-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

At first blush David Hornick appears to be the most unlikely candidate to be spear-heading a housing development in the state of Oaxaca, one of the southernmost and poorest states in Mexico; his Spanish is sparse to be generous, until earlier this year he had never ventured to this part of the country, he’s never designed or built a home, and he’s lived virtually all his life in Schenectady, New York, leading a more or less typical, middle-class Jewish existence.

But Hornick had a vision, born of other life experiences which made him more qualified than most to proceed with the project. “One thing about me,” he explained on his first trip to Oaxaca, “is that once I decide to do something, you know it’s already been thoroughly considered – and then there’s no stopping me.”

For more than three decades Hornick has been a family physician, diagnosing and treating exclusively aging Americans … through home visits. He and wife Roberta, his partner in the medical practice, have learned that where and how we traditionally live is rarely conducive to graceful and easy aging from a position of economic security.

The answer, as I’ve come to conclude over the past several months of tutelage from Hornick, at least for creating a blueprint for the solution, is to import some of the characteristics of collaborative housing (cohousing) and as many key elements as practicable of universal design, into a region of the world where the concerns can best be addressed – Oaxaca … for starters. And that’s exactly what Hornick’s done.

Collaborative housing

Cohousing communities are usually designed as a series of attached or single-family homes along one or more pedestrian walkways or clustered around a courtyard. While the concept originated in Denmark, since the early 1980s it has been promoted in the U.S., and since then similar communities using the basic concept have developed throughout other countries in the Western World such as Canada, France, Germany and New Zealand.

Each community includes a larger building facility, a “common house,” constituting the social center of the complex where neighbors can meet, dine, attend to activities which traditionally are not required on a daily basis (i.e. laundry), and even host guests in small apartments. The latter two points have implications in terms of minimizing overall cost for each resident, since space not normally occupied on a daily basis is omitted from individual homes.

While in the purest of models residents actively participate in the design of their own neighborhood, in this case prospective members are spared that effort – Hornick has devoted his entire adult life assessing the needs of Americans as their stages in life change. Accordingly, substantial progress for the Oaxaca project has already been advanced, and in fact there is a website in place, addressing those interested in pursing a lifestyle change in the foreseeable future. It currently includes photographs of the two proposed tracts of land, site plans and architectural drawings of the two models of home (http://www.mexicommunity.com).

Hornick prefers to avoid commonly used terms such as intentional or collaborative housing, as well as cohousing, in favor of simply “neighborhoods” and “communities.” The former import the idea of consensus decision-making, which he does not believe is workable. He does envision, however, a “resident council” (perhaps similar to a condominium’s board of directors) to assist with suggestions relating to the neighborhood. This indicates that his approach is realistic and his model is feasible. The project does require, he stresses, participants’ acceptance of, and working together to promote, certain basic goals: energy efficiency; respect for the environment; the utilization of locally produced “green” materials (in construction and otherwise); affordability; and universal design which enables people of all ages to grow and mature well.

Universal design

Universal design (UD) can be defined as the creation of products (including communication systems) and environments (including landscapes) which are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. It has often been associated with exclusively addressing the elderly and infirmed. And in fact there should be no doubt that within the context of the Oaxaca project the concept will be extremely attractive to those in their fifties and older, many winding down their careers and embarking upon a new phase of life, “retirement.” But the project’s use of universal design addresses more – compatibility with a natural progression of functional changes throughout the lifespan, according to Hornick.

So how does UD address all ages and levels of capability, and thereby make the project attractive to families at every life stage? Hornick explains:

“We’re all born helpless and short. We can’t reach most light switches until we are about four years old, long after we can stand and walk. Functional capability improves (normally) up to our mid- to late-teenage years, then begins to decline.

“Light switches can be lowered to three feet to be reachable by children as well as people in wheelchairs with limited shoulder mobility. Round door knobs can be replaced by lever handles that accommodate arthritic hands, but also permit people encumbered with arms full of groceries to open a door with a free elbow. Steps can be replaced by ramps, even at the entrance to a home. Lighting intensity can be adjustable to accommodate vision as it dims with age. Shower stalls can be built without that little step-up-and-over. And there are literally a hundred or more other alternate designs and products available in the marketplace which can be considered, which do not detract from either ‘normal’ functionality or aesthetics of the home.”

Hornick has been consulted on seniors’ apartment retrofitting projects involving production of state-of-the-art adaptive design prototypes. The Oaxaca project enables his wealth of knowledge and experience to be put into action using a slightly different orientation.

We’re in an era when an increasing number of individuals and couples in North America are becoming disillusioned with the work-until-you-drop mentality, the less-than-optimum environments in which they’ve felt compelled to live and raise their families, increasing inaccessibility to basic goods and services including healthcare, and much more recently both insecurity in the workplace and shrinking nest eggs.

The Oaxaca blueprint

Based upon Hornick’s due diligence, Oaxaca proved to be a potentially attractive location to develop a prototype for what he initially labeled, when he first contacted me for advice in November, 2008, a “retirement community.” That initial characterization was probably meant to pique my initial interest without having me ask too many hard-to-answer questions. I fell for it, and have been enthralled ever since, hosting David at our home, introducing him to a number of professionals he could potentially tap to advance the project, and advising him regarding prospective plots of land.

Latin American locations have distinct advantages over Canadian and American prospective project sites. While remaining north of the Rio Grande may initially appear attractive because of language, ease of access for friends and family as well as for return visits, and cultural familiarity, Oaxaca was selected because of its own unique set of pluses:

1) Access via ground transportation is consistently being improved and upgraded through Mexico’s system of toll roads, already extending from various locations along the the U.S. border, directly to the City of Oaxaca; and via more convenient flight paths (such as being able to avoid Mexico City by using Continental’s non-stop service from Houston, and Mexicana’s from Los Angeles);
2) Its highly agreeable climate, 12 months a year, attractive both on an individual personal level and for providing solar energy;
3) Proximity to Pacific Coast beach destinations such as Puerto Escondido and Huatulco;
4) A modest cost of living (i.e. labor, public transportation, entertainment, food and taxes) relative to the U.S. or Canada, and even to the northern half of the country;
5) Availability of reasonably priced tracts of land, fertile enough and with sufficient rain and ground water to support partial self-sufficiency in terms of agricultural production;
6) A number of prospective development locations from which to choose, no more than a half hour’s drive from downtown Oaxaca, assuring proximity to restaurants and cafés, galleries, museums and other cultural institutions, as well as health care professionals and hospital facilities;
7) Its burgeoning expat community (including programs facilitated through the English language Oaxaca Lending Library) together with support from the Canadian and American consulates;
8) Local populations which welcome non-Mexicans, motivated by both a recognition that Canadian and American immigration translates into more work and higher wages for a relatively depressed economy, and an innate desire to embrace foreigners with open arms;
9) An understanding on the part of many of its professionals, trades and business people, and government, of what the project hopes to achieve, and the potential for the growth of more of the same in other parts of the state.

Each of the two “eco village” sites identified on Hornick’s website is equally attractive, meets all criteria, and easily facilitates advancing the set of common goals. The San Juan del Estado development consists of 25 acres and is about 30 minutes from downtown Oaxaca, and San Lorenzo Cacaotepec sits on 75 acres and is only 15 minutes from the city. Each is about 10 minutes from the town of Etla, known for its bustling Wednesday marketplace and production of dairy products, in particular the well-known Oaxacan cheeses (queso, and the more popular “string cheese,” known as quesillo).

Each of the two developments will contain 30 detached homes of about 1,000 square feet, the common house, sheltered walkways, green and garden areas, and its own sources of water and energy as well as waste-disposal facility, thereby providing for independence from the vagaries of municipal, state and federal government utilities.

Hornick emphasizes that with more than 300 sunny days per year, the communities will be able to generate and store electricity using photovoltaic technology. Hot water will be produced using solar water heaters. Interior temperatures will be kept comfortable all year round using passive solar heating and cooling techniques – such as constructing walls of locally mined stone (known as “cantera”), clay brick or adobe, depending on relative direction of the sun and prevailing winds.

But self-sufficiency has its limits, and to some extent dependence on the broader Oaxacan community will be a key element. Hornick plans to develop relationships with residents of nearby towns and villages who are interested in employment as housekeepers, gardeners and personal care aides. In addition, there’s a well entrenched practice in the state of Oaxaca whereby expats engage locals in an intercambio language arrangement, whereby a couple of hours a week informal meetings are held to help Oaxacans with their English and expats with their Spanish.

Hornick assures: “…both [locations] will have access to health care services via home care professionals who will live onsite and also via internet video teleconferencing with professionals at recognized centers of excellence.” For several years he has been advancing his own medical practice along such lines. Naturally, in today’s technological world he does not see distance, political boundaries, or differences in language and other aspects of culture, as impediments. “Of course there are challenges, but with perseverance they are readily overcome,” he continues. “Look at where I was just a few months ago, with merely an idea and my index finger pointed to a strange location on a globe – and look at where we now are.” Indeed, Hornick with his team of professionals (including Prometeo Sánchez Islas, Dean of the School of Architecture at a Oaxacan university) continue to work diligently on the project.

While visiting Oaxaca Hornick paid particular attention to indicia of cost of living, to the point of photographing sale prices in a supermarket (which attracted the attention of store management). He is currently attempting to pin down other costs such as transportation; medical insurance and other expenses; housekeeping, maintenance, landscaping and gardening (although he believes that it’s important for residents to participate in such activities for exercise and to maintain a sense of function and purpose). “I’m trying to come up with a ‘soft’ figure to enable interested parties to determine if they can survive on social security alone.” he reassures. But one thing is for certain – cost of living should be less than 50% of what most live on in the U.S. or Canada.

The horizon

Hornick plans to begin pre-selling houses at summer’s end or perhaps into autumn, at a small discount for those electing to participate early on in the project, as a kind of kick-start to the development. For him, and for most on his team, the motivation is pure altruism, having identified a sense of urgency on the part of many American, Canadians, and even Mexicans, and being in the enviable position of being able to address it in this fashion, without profit motive.

In a sense he’s a pioneer, having started with a dream for a better, more respectful, easier and self-fulfilling life for others in a new environment, virgin land to continue with the metaphor. He plans to lay down roots in Oaxaca, and carry on a medical practice, encouraging others of similar means to follow suit.

It was clearly different for those who had the fortitude and the instinct to find something better hundreds of years ago in opening up the American frontiers. Today there’s more of a necessity, yet with virtually no gamble involved. After all, investing between $100,000 and $150,000 to have a quality constructed new home, in a safe, secure southern climate, while at the same time substantially cutting expenses through supporting a sustainable living environment, shouldn’t be too difficult a lifestyle decision to make – especially for those who have already been contemplating change.

Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School, thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin resides in Oaxaca, where he writes, leads personalized tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sights, is a film consultant, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), combining the comfort and service of a Oaxaca hotel with the lodging style of a quaint country inn .

Guelaguetza in Oaxaca, Mexico

2009-06-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

Guelaguetza (from the zapotec word “guendalizaa”) means “Shared Offering”. This word represents the maximum celebration of art and culture in Oaxaca. The Guelaguetza is celebrated this year in July 20th and 27th. Communities from within the state of Oaxaca gather in the city to present their regional culture in the form of costumes, dances, music and food in front of thousands of curious spectators. The Guelaguetza is the spirit of Oaxaca throughout the year. It is the most famous celebration of its kind in Mexico.
Every thing you want to know about Guelaguetza from PLANETA.COM

Aurora Cabrera is a native oaxacan artist who operates Casa de las Bugambilias Bed and Breakfast. Under her guidance Casa de las Bugambilias is taking on a fresh new face. Her interest in art and culture as well as her commitment to earth consciousness shows in every detail at the B & B.

Casa de las Bugambilias B&B tu casa en Oaxaca

Photo by Manuel Jimenez

Casa de los Sabores Cooking School in Oaxaca expands options for food enthusiasts

2009-06-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Oaxaca, Mexico, June 10, 2009

Internationally acclaimed Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera (NY Times, Bon Appetit) has expanded the roster at her well-known downtown Oaxaca cooking school, Casa de los Sabores (House of Flavors). Effective immediately, indigenous Zapotec chef Reyna Mendoza joins Pilar’s team, offering a new dimension to the already stellar selection of options available to intrigued foodies, those with a keen interest in Mexican cuisine, as well as chefs from around the globe seeking to add to their existing menus.

A native of Teotitlán del Valle, Reyna brings her knowledge, skill and experience to Casa de los Sabores. She specializes in the preparation of Zapotec dishes.

Reyna has worked with the likes of chefs Rick Bayless and Ricardo Muñoz. Accordingly, her pedigree is beyond reproach, combining technical aspects of the culinary sciences, with lifelong experience in the modest kitchens of her mother and her family’s other matriarchs of gastronome. And today, members of the Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Association (http://www.oaxacabedandbreakfast.org) had an opportunity to learn for themselves.

Pilar invited colleagues from the association to attend her cooking school, so that owners and managers of small hotels and bed & breakfast guest houses in Oaxaca, would be able to experience for themselves what Reyna can add to the vacation of any visitor to the city and its central valleys. And for four hours, we grilled, chopped and filled, and finally indulged in the fruits of our labor, at this hands-on demonstration.

While we prepared a complete comida, we focused on the preparation of three distinctly different types of Zapotec-style tamales. The complete menu consisted of:

1) Tamales of mole amarillo with chicken, wrapped in large corn stalk leaf;
2) Tamales of mole negro with chicken, in banana leaf;
3) Tamales of mole negro with quesillo, in banana leaf;
4) Tamales of black bean, flavored with avocado leaf, wrapped in corn husk;
5) Salsa of tomatillo and dried Oaxacan chile
6) Salad of organic lettuce, locally grown tomato, avocado and scallion, with cilantro and chile poblano dressing;
7) Mango sherbet served with pecan cookie.

And of course, upon completing the preparation of the foregoing dishes, and throughout the comida, there were rounds of the requisite “salud,” while imbibing … Corona beer and village mezcal.
More than providing an opportunity for us to learn about Reyna and her ability to teach, and to experience for ourselves the exquisite flavor and ingredient combinations of Zapotec cuisine, it was one of those rare opportunities for members of the Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Association to tell stories, laugh, and enjoy a day away from the office.

Classes for both traditional Oaxacan recipes with Pilar, and Zapotec cooking with Reyna, can be booked by contacting Pilar through her website, http://www.casadelossabores.com.

Alvin Starkman has a masters in social anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of downtown Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Oaxacan chef to visit Toronto, Canada

2009-06-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

Renowned Oaxacan chef Pilar Cabrera is taking the bull by the horns. With tourism predicted to be a little weak for the remainder of the year as a result of the adverse publicity generated by the Swine Flu, her way of dealing with an economic downturn which will likely impact the entire country, is to not only seek ways to bring tourism to Oaxaca, but to take a little bit of Oaxaca on the road ... and out of the country; at least for a couple of weeks.

September is traditionally a slow time for tourism, so Pilar is seizing an opportunity by flying up to Toronto, and with the assistance of a well-known food researcher, writer and television and documentary film producer, is offering her services to Ontario restaurants and cooking schools:

The press release features a couple of photos, with the following text:

A Taste of Oaxaca, Mexico in Toronto, Canada with Chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo
The sun-drenched valley city of Oaxaca, in the Mexican state of the same name, is considered by many to be the country’s culinary capital. Apart from being the land of seven moles (pron. moh-leh), Oaxaca also boasts an impressive gastronomic repertoire long admired by the rest of Mexico and gastronomes the world over. Working within the state’s rich and proud culinary heritage is one of Oaxaca City’s brightest lights in the food world, Pilar Cabrera Arroyo (in photo holding one of her luscious flans).

This September, 2009, Pilar will be visiting Toronto, ON to share those well-preserved traditions with food enthusiasts throughout the GTA.

Pilar grew up in Oaxaca City surrounded by the state’s vast food history and ingredients- including chile dusted fried grasshoppers (chapulines) and pre-Hispanic dishes that tell the tales of ancient, native peoples. After completing a food engineering and nutrition degree, she worked in research and development for the food giant Herdez-McMormick before returning to her true passion- cooking. In 1994, she opened her own restaurant, the award-winning “La Olla” (or the Pot), featuring the produce of regional (when possible, organic) farmers who help make her Oaxacan cuisine a living work of art.

Pilar has also found a growing fan-base of intrigued foodies around the globe through her “Casa de los Sabores” (House of Flavours) cooking school where banana leaf wrapped tamales, rose petal sorbet and Oaxacan yellow mole have become oft-requested recipes. Oaxacan cuisine is a labour of love that requires attention, a deft hand, fine-tuned taste buds and old-world knowledge. Pilar learned the basics and the cuisine’s subtleties from her mother and grandmother. She’s an excellent teacher and speaks English fluently.

Some of Pilar’s Oaxacan Menu Options Include:
• Sopa Azteca (Tortilla soup seasoned with avocado leaves)
• Tamales de Calabaza con Chocolate (Squash and chocolate tamales)
• Taquitos sauves de nopalitos (Tender cactus paddles in soft corn tortillas)
• Mole Negro con pollo o guajolote (Black mole with chicken or turkey – see photo inset)
• Memelitas (Small corn tortillas stuffed with cheese)
• Gelatina de rompope (Eggnog gelatin)
• Flores de calabaza rellenas de requesón (Squash blossoms filled with requesón cheese)

For Pilar, sharing the food of Oaxaca with Torontonians is akin to giving them a glimpse into the region and the dishes that satisfy both body and soul. And for the first time in the chef’s illustrious career, she’ll finally have the opportunity to do just that this September.

To inquire about restaurants and cooking schools in Ontario where Pilar will be working her magic, or for further information regarding opportunities for your own restaurant or cooking school, please contact:
Mary Luz Mejia - Sizzling Communications (in Toronto)
E: mluzy@hotmail.com ; Cel: 416 -992-2644 ; Office: 416-763-3455

Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Casa de los Sabores Cooking School

2009-05-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

Many people who come to Oaxaca want to know more about the wonderful unique food from this region especially the variety of "mole" sauces, the banana leaf-wrapped tamales and the vast array of soups, all using typical Oaxacan ingredients.

Experienced chef and owner of La Olla, Pilar Cabrera, offers you the opportunity to learn, hands-on, the complex cuisine of Oaxaca. Pilar´s cooking classes, held in La Casa de Los Sabores (House of Flavors), are set in her spacious, newly remodeled traditionally styled Oaxacan kitchen located on Libres # 205. In a warm and inviting atmosphere, you will learn to create the traditional Oaxacan dishes of your choice, made famous throughout Mexico and spreading worldwide.

After your class, you will enjoy the 5-course meal you yourself have prepared. Pilar will teach you her family´s generations-old cooking secrets so you can learn and enjoy a Oaxacan culinary legacy.

Joining the cooks team, Reyna Mendoza with her zapotec roots and flavors. We are looking forward to taste her delicious meals!

Reyna's Bio:

Reyna Mendoza was born in the Zapotec town of Teotitlan del Valle in the Oaxacan Valley. From an early age, Reyna began to learn how to grind on a "metate", make tortillas and toast chilis as most women from her town learn.

In 2001, Reyna became and integral part in the project "Que Tamal" created and sponsored by "La Mano Magica" whose purpose was to share with others the different kinds of tamales from Teotitlan del Valle. Shortly thereafter she began to work in the Bed and Breakfast, "La Casa Sagrada", as their head chef and reknowned cooking class teacher.

But it was in 2002 that Reyna took part in some of the most important culinary events such as "Culinary Adventures" and colaborated with other well-known chefs including Rick Bayles, owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago. She also attended the highly sort after cooking classes of Chef Ricardo Muñoz in his restaurant Azul Café y Oro. In 2005 she travelled to Canada to broaden her culinary horizons, give private cooking classes and to learn English.

Casa de los Sabores Cooking School

Visit our new website: Restaurante La Olla

Oaxaca Update

2009-05-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

We are all well and happy! After the FLU scare, I believe the Mexican government and people did a brilliant job of keeping this outbreak very much under control. ¡Bravo Mexico!
We are still living the aftershock with some flights canceled. But day by day, we see an increase in reservation requests as the flight restrictions have gone away. May is one of our slowest months and is the time when some B&Bs are doing mayor repair jobs to take advantage of the slow period.

We hope that people won't stay away for long.

The rainy season is here, we start with cool morning and up to mid 80´s for few hours in the afternoon. The best time in the year.

Best regards,

Aurora Cabrera
Casa de las Bugambilias B&B
www.lasbugambilias.com

Mexican Folk Art From Oaxacan Artist Families: Book Review

2009-05-10T12:31:00.001-07:00

Book Review: Mexican Folk Art From Oaxacan Artist Families
by Arden Aibel Rothstein & Anya Leah Rothstein

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Aficionados of folk art of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico are already familiar with Arden Aibel Rothstein and Anya Leah Rothstein’s Mexican Folk Art From Oaxacan Artist Families (Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2007). It was surprising to learn, however, that some people with an interest in the crafts of Oaxaca’s central valleys, are not even aware of this seminal work – particularly since it was first published back in 2002.

The 2007 edition of Mexican Folk Art is a comprehensive compilation and detailed examination of each major type of contemporary Oaxacan folk art, set out in a refreshingly user friendly format. The book is divided into ten chapters, each devoted to a different medium: Ceramics, Textiles, Woodcarving, Metal (including tin work, cutlery and knives), Miniatures and Toys, Jewelry, Candles, Basketry and Dried Flower Crafts, with the final chapter devoted to Day of the Dead.

Generally, each chapter begins with a broad description of an art form, including significant variations within. In the Ceramics chapter, for example, the divisions are Terra Cotta, Green Glazed, Multi-Color Glazed, Black (barro negro) and Painted Red. Often a village in Oaxaca’s central valleys is known for the production of a specific type of folk art. Accordingly, in some cases a chapter then proceeds to describe a particular pueblo, giving the reader additional context. We find descriptions of, amongst others, the ceramics towns of Atzompa, San Bartolo Coyotepec and Ocotlán.

Where a family is noted for a special innovation or its adeptness at creating a certain craft, a family history follows. The individual craftspeople are then highlighted. For the black pottery of San Bartolo Coyotepec, we find descriptions of the De Nieto Castillo family, of which the famed Doña Rosa was a member, along with biographies of her son Don Valente Nieto Real and members of his clan; and of the Pedro Martínez family with biographies of acclaimed Carlomagno Pedro Martínez and his relatives.

All told, Mexican Folk Art showcases the works of 100 artists from 50 families living in Oaxaca or one of 13 nearby towns and villages. In most cases we’re enlightened regarding the personality, worldview and motivation of each individual carver, weaver or potter, as well as provided with a biographical sketch, enhanced with the inclusion of a direct quote. In this way the reader gains insight into the inspiration of each craftsperson. In many instances the authors also include a section on the techniques used by the artist, which variously includes the sourcing of raw materials such as wool from the Mixteca region of the state for making rugs and wall hangings, or clays from other regions of the state for changing tone and texture of sculptures; and processing methods including the extracting of natural dyes from fruits, plants, soils and the cochineal insect.

With its glossy front cover and approximately 700 photographs, Mexican Folk Art can rightfully be termed a coffee table book. But it’s much more. The photos in and of themselves bring the book, and the artists, to life: Apolinar Aguilar of Ocotlán, forging a red hot piece of recycled metal into an artistic hunting knife; a display of provocatively painted clay ladies of the night made by his cousin Julian, son of celebrated Guillermina Aguilar; Jacobo Ángeles of San Martín Tilcajete carving a figure from the wood of the copal tree, or standing alongside wife María and their family, each proudly displaying an exquisitely painted alebrije; Teotitlán del Valle weaver Isaac Vásquez, working at his loom creating a tapete, the pattern inspired by a pre-Hispanic pictograph; and fine examples of multi-colored highly detailed hand embroidery from San Antonino, such as the yoke and sleeve of a wedding dress.

This gem should easily entice any reader with an interest or background in anthropology, history or geography. The importance and influence of indigenous Zapotec ancestry and its present-day cultural manifestations shines through many of the ethnographic accounts. The genealogies (referred to as Family Trees) comprising one of the appendices are in-depth, and date as far back as the 19th century. They assist the reader in better understanding the historical and generational context of Oaxacan craft development.

To help those with an interest in exploring the craft villages and visiting the artists on their own, without the assistance of a Oaxaca tour guide, throughout the body of the book the address and all available additional contact information for each artist is provided, such as phone number and email. A second appendix consists of a series of easy-to-read pueblo maps, detailing the precise location of each featured artist, further facilitating contact.

Authors Arden and Anya Rothstein correctly caution that their presentation of artists constitutes “a sampler” of what’s available to those interested in exploring Oaxaca’s hinterland. They in fact encourage getting out and exploring on your own, finding that next folk artist who might rise to international stature. They are careful to qualify that their inclusions are based on which craftspeople are the most innovative, or produce work which is of especially high caliber according to certain criteria. The Rothsteins recognize that the work of any innovator of an entire class of folk art, and of those producing quality a cut above that of the rest, is often out of the financial reach of many. Therefore, they feature additional artists whose works are more affordable, yet also of exceptional quality.

Collectors of folk art often need a reminder that buying the work of a recognized name does not necessarily mean that the product is the best, in terms of coloration or patina, form, design, or the imagery it provokes, and that what strikes the fancy of most, or of the so-called experts, might not be your particular cup of tea. Along this vein, “honorable mention” is provided for makers of certain crafts whose works are not featured (under the heading of, for example, “Additional woodcarvers in Arrazola”). The clear suggestion is that readers should get out there and explore, and make their own determinations and choices based upon personal preferences.

Is it worth purchasing the 2nd edition if you already have the 1st? Certainly give it some consideration if you have not already enmeshed yourself in the appreciation and collecting of Oaxacan folk art by having explored the central valleys. Where the 2002 volume boasts 500 photos and features 87 artists within 44 families, the most recent publication, as noted earlier, has been expanded to 700, 100 and 50, respectively. Some of the craftspeople merely mentioned in the earlier volume under the “Additional” heading, have been elevated to “featured artist,” with their works and stories duly chronicled. And in some cases where families have grown and pueblo demographics have been altered, the authors have appropriately noted changes. Wisely, at least in this critic’s opinion, the U.S. dollar “Price Guide” has been omitted from this new volume, since more than anything else it likely lead to confusion for the buying public, with the potential of putting up barriers between artists and prospective customers. As between Mexican and American economies, there are so many variables and market conditions at play, best to allow vendor/creator and purchaser do their own assessment respecting value for workmanship.

Mexican Folk Art is a well-researched exhaustive study of all major types of contemporary Oaxacan folk art and their makers, past and present. Don’t let its appearance as “just another fancy coffee table book” deceive you. It accomplishes what it sets out to do, and then some. It should be viewed as a guide, rather than a bible. If we’re ever blessed with a 3rd edition, perhaps the publisher will deem it advisable to place duplicates of the pueblo maps in a separate pocket … it would be a pity for such a wonderful work to become unduly worn by toting it from village to village.

Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School, thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin resides in Oaxaca, where he writes, leads personalized tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sights, is a film consultant, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), combining the comfort and service of a downtown Oaxaca hotel with the lodging style of a quaint country inn .

La Catrina de Alcalá - Oaxaca restaurant review

2009-05-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

La Catrina de Alcalá: Oaxaca restaurant review

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

La Catrina de Alcalá ranks amongst the city’s finest restaurants, rather unsual since most other restaurants within two blocks of the Oaxaca’s zócalo manage to get by with cafeteria-style atmosphere, mariachis and marimbas, and mediocre food. But owner / artist Rolando Rojas took the plunge, and the gamble has paid off: both quality Oaxacan, and unique continental fare in a tasteful courtyard setting, in the heart of the Centro Histórico.

The establishment is actually three businesses combined in a two-story piece of prime real estate, along Oaxaca’s famed pedestrian walkway, Macedonia Alcalá: an upper level boutique style hotel; an art gallery featuring the works of Rojas and several other respected local artists; and the adjoining eatery, managed by chef Juan Carlos Guzmán Toledo.

The experience begins with an attractive young woman clad in regional dress, smiling and welcoming at the restaurant’s entranceway, ushering you to your table. The focal point is a large, cantera stone fountain. Otherwise the décor is minimalist, white walls adorned with sparsely placed art and a series of gilt stars. Yet the ambiance somehow exudes comfort and warmth, perhaps facilitated by the lone strumming troubadour, half hidden behind a strategically placed cluster of plants.

Waiters are eager to show off their English proficiency, whether needed or not, as bowls of salsa, one smoky tomato-based, and the other with a hint of shrimp are placed alongside totopos (crispy, toasted corn-flour crackers).

The restaurant prides itself in its use of seasonal, locally produced ingredients, and boasts that when you patronize La Catrina you’re helping local economies. Vegetarian dishes, “slow food,” and plates from the Isthmus region of the state are noted. However, occasionally the odd import sneaks in as a special, such as kobe beef.

The menu otherwise covers all the bases: soups, salads and appetizers; meat, poultry and pasta; fish and seafood, and regional specialties such as a selection of three Oaxacan moles. But even those dishes in the continental genre are often presented with local flare.

Particularly noteworthy as starters are the poblano pepper soup with mushrooms, squash blossom and bacon, and hierba santa leaves stuffed with Oaxacan string and goat cheeses in a green tomato and mecco chili sauce. The salads range from the traditional to the unique (jícama, sunflower seeds, toasted almonds, wheat quenelle, fried hibiscus flowers and fresh cheese with hibiscus dressing). The staff is extremely accommodating in terms of sensitivity to those with dietary restrictions or a purist palate. For example, at our most recent evening out, chef Juan Carlos was happy to comply with my wife’s request for a simple small green salad.
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The seared tuna with mango and habanero sauce, alongside white beans in coconut milk is prepared to perfection, with the flavor of each ingredient easily discernable. The sliced duck and fresh fig is served on a bed of julienne of zucchini “spaghetti,” smothered with a dark purée of honey-fig. And beef lovers are able to experiment with the non-traditional, be it a rib eye served with guacamole and creamy garlic-stuffed chili, or go for something more Oaxacan, steak marinated with mezcal, pineapple and apple, served with garlic purée stuffed chilito.

All of the after-dinner non-alcoholic hot beverages are available high-test, or decaffeinated, so extend your evening without concern, perhaps concluding with a martini glass brimming with a selection of three tropical fruit sorbets.

Also noteworthy: La Catrina has developed a dedicated breakfast and lunch crowd, often comprised of predominantly local residents. Coffee or tea is suggested upon arrival, with warm, freshly baked breads and an assortment of sweet rolls for the asking. Dishes include an assortment of eggs and omelets, traditional Oaxacan breakfast fare such as enchiladas, tamales, chilaquiles and typical Oaxacan grilled meats with garnishes, both unique and traditional salads, and sandwiches featuring spinach, goat cheese, pecan, apple, basil, mushroom and squash blossom.

La Catrina de Alcalá (www.casacatrina.com.mx). M. Alcalá 102, a couple of blocks north of the zócalo. Oaxacan cuisine with an international flare. Locals and tourists.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in Social Anthropology from Toronto’s York University, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Alvin ceased practicing law in 2004, when he and his wife began living permanently in Oaxaca. Since that time, Alvin has written well over 80 articles about life and cultural traditions in and around Oaxaca and its central valleys, including numerous restaurant reviews, for newspapers, magazines, and websites. The Starkmans run Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com), a unique bed and breakfast experience combining the comfort and service of a downtown Oaxaca hotel, with the personal touch of country inn style lodging in a quaint semi-rural setting.

VIERNES DE SAMARITANA EN OAXACA

2009-04-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

escultura sobre hielo

2009-04-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

DIA DE LA PRIMAVERA EN OAXACA

2009-04-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

mi amor por oaxaca

2009-03-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hace algo asi como 23 años me invitaron a pasar unas vaciones en Oaxaca, fue de lo mejor que pudo haberme pasado, apartir de ese momento mi vida cambio, cuando llegue proveniente de un pequeño poblado en Veracruz me enamore de Oaxaca y decidi que queria vivir aqui, fue una buena elecciòn como Oaxaca no hay 2, sus casas antiguas, sus calles empedradas, sus iglesias, su zocalo, los textiles, la comida , los colores, las tradiciones, la guelaguetza (que cuando vine por primera vez fui directo a verla), y lo mejor.......su gente, si yo una mexicana normal se enamoro a primera vista de Oaxaca ahora entiendo lo que sucede con tantas personas que nos visitan de otras partes del mundo, apesar de haber crecido Oaxaca sigue siendo una buena ciudad para vivir, yo he hecho aqui mi vida y no me ha ido mal, estoy orgullosa de esta ciudad y por eso siempre que puedo la promuevo, la cuido todos los dias y trabajo por ella, invito a todos a que vengan a conocerla estoy segura que se enamoraran igual que yo. Ahora tengo una familia hermosa Oaxaqueña a los cuales amo y he aprendido su oficio, trabajamos en lo que mas nos gusta, dar a conocer a oaxaca, recibimos amigos en nuestras casas, le mostramos oaxaca desde su comida, textiles, artesanias y los orientamos para sus visitas por los lugares de mayor interes, cuando vengan a méxico no dejen de visitarnos no se arrepentiran..........gracias........Lorena

Recicado from the Mixteca Alta: Part II in a series about mezcal production in rural Oaxaca

2009-03-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

SHORT ESSAYS ON RURAL OAXACA MEZCAL PRODUCTION

Part II: Recicado from the Mixteca Alta

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B

It won’t win any contests for being a quality spirit. And in fact residents of the region don’t even call it mezcal, but rather “recicado,” a Mixteco name, they say. But after a five hour drive from the city of Oaxaca, deep in the Mixteca Alta one encounters agave distillation which does take the prize for giving the true aficionado as genuine a glimpse as possible, into the means and materials of production likely encountered by the Spanish at the beginning of the Conquest: clay pots; carriso (river reed) tubing; mud and stone still; pulverizing using a tree burl and wooden trough; fermenting in an animal skin; and of course traditional baking in an in-ground oven.

Pueblo Viejo is a tiny hamlet an hour’s drive from San Juan Mixtepec, along a badly potholed dirt road. The tranquil valley leading to the settlement is known as Rio Azucena, and for good reason … the Sánchez Cisneros family lives alongside a river, a pre-requisite for producing recicado in this part of the state.

Nineteen year old Hilda Sánchez Cisneros lives with her sister, Natividad Sánchez, 47, and four of Natividad’s six children. The other two live and work in the countryside in North Carolina. Fernando, Natividad’s husband, is away this day, doing tequio (community service). Their 10 old son Esteban, and daughter Dália, 16, are fully trilingual, because they and their mother spent several years living in the US, and accordingly they had an opportunity to attend American public school. But here they are, eking out the most modest of existences, producing recicado for Friday sale in the San Juan Mixtepec weekly marketplace.

The family also subsists by growing squash, corn and beans. It’s clear that meat and fowl are not staples in their diet, not unusual for families in the most rural communities in the state.

The stream is an occasional provider, supplying the family with small fish at certain times of the year. And then there is rabbit, squirrel, possum, and fox. “I know that city folk won’t eat small animals like squirrel and possum,” Natividad explains, “but we do up here, when we can get it, and it’s actually quite good.” Esteban proudly adds that occasionally you can also come across coyote and wolf, but more often than not it’s higher up in the mountains.

Hilda and Natividad learned to distill from their parents and grandparents. However during the early years, the plants used in production were wild varieties of agave that had to be collected by climbing the hillsides. Then a couple of years ago Fernando went to Matatlán, the acknowledged world capital of mezcal, and brought back a number of baby agave espadín plants. Espadín continues to be the only type of maguey that is successfully cultivated throughout the state. So now the family is able to grow its own agave in this fertile yet sparsely populated valley, part of which forms the homestead. But the degree of knowledge of family members concerning scientific process and function, seems to be lacking, or rather basic.

The appearance of the chiote (stalk) is the first sign that the maguey has fully matured. Allowing the stalk to shoot up and produce baby plants should be the primary means of reproducing agave espadín. But Fernando and family harvest before the chiote ascends from the heart of the plant. This inhibits their ability to increase the number of fields under cultivation (the plant does produce “hijos” or children through the root system, but this is a secondary means of reproducing and is not relied upon in commercial enterprises). Equally important is that harvesting the plant prematurely, by not awaiting the chiote, cutting it, and then allowing the natural sugars an opportunity to gather in the base or “piña” of the plant, adversely impacts the quality of the finished product.

But just as traditional mezcal production dictates, the piñas are baked in a pit perhaps eight feet deep and six feet across, atop firewood and river rock. Rather than use synthetic material to cover the “oven,” a layer of palm leaf topped with earth is utilized. However the similarity between customary mezcal production, and recicado, stops here.

Instead of crushing the baked agave using a mule or pony pulling a limestone wheel over it, around a circular enclosure, the cooked plant is pulverized by human power, using a tree burl or hand hewn long wooden mallet to pound the baked agave into a pulp in a five foot long canoe-shaped wooden receptacle. Four posts --- thick, straight tree branches --- support a large “bag” made out of bull hide, at about four feet off the ground. Covered with plastic, the mash is left out in the sun to ferment,for four to five days.

Distillation takes place in an area sheltered by laminated metal roofing, located 20 yards from the home. The family employs four igloo shaped stills, aligned in a straight row. Fashioned from stone and mud, each is virtually identical to the next. Beginning from the bottom, the opening where firewood is placed contains a tubular stone which supports a clay cylinder into which the fermented juices and fiber are placed. Vapor rises from it into a bottomless clay pot. The pot is covered with a bowl, or whatever else is available for use.

Water from a halved and hollowed out tree trunk runs above the stills, and fills each of the four bowls through concave pieces of agave leaf leading from four exit holes in the canal above. As the vapor rises and reaches the bowl, by now cooled by the water, condensation takes place. Liquid drips onto another piece of agave leaf, this one affixed to the inside middle of the clay pot, and angled down to a small hole in the side of the container. The liquid exits the vessel through the hole. A hollowed length of river reed, tightly inserted into the hole and pointing downward ensures that the recicado flows slowly out of the pot and into an urn.

The primitive process does mirror many of the steps and adheres to some of the principles required to produce mezcal in the more artisanal technique. But key elements are lacking, no doubt reflected in the quality of the spirit:

1) as noted, the piña is not harvested at the optimum time;
2) fermentation is complete after only a third of the time usually required to adequately ferment espadín for mezcal production in Oaxaca’s central valleys, although exposure to the sun on a continual basis assists, as does the sheltered lowland semi-tropical environment;
3) recicado is distilled only once.

The result is a relatively low alcohol content watery beverage, almost sour to the taste. Yet the local populace buys it and drinks it, and pays about double the price it costs to acquire traditional 40 – 46 percent alcohol by volume mezcal in the towns and villages surrounding the city of Oaxaca. To be sure, I did try the recicado produced by a competitor up the road, and found it to be only marginally less displeasing.

On my return visit to Pueblo Viejo, I intend to bring two or three liters of my favorite village mezcals for the Sánchez Cisneros family to sample. The hope is that Fernando, Natividad and Hilda will embrace the opportunity to experiment with production, and conceivably begin to distill a spirit more acceptable to the palate … and with at least a bit of a kick. Then who knows, the family may even begin to market it as mezcal, leaving recicado to die a slow, and perhaps even welcomed death.

However care should be taken to not disrupt the basic means and materials currently used in production. They hold a strong attraction for the enthusiast willing to make the trek to Pueblo Viejo. But more importantly, the principles of distillation adhered to must remain for time immemorial, to bear witness to the proposition that the manufacture of spirits, beyond the mere fermentation of the juices of the agave, developed in the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca prior to the Conquest, and independent of the science and technology of the Western World.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in Social Anthropology from Toronto’s York University, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Alvin ceased practicing law in 2004, when he and his wife began living permanently in Oaxaca. Since that time, Alvin has written over 80 articles about life and cultural traditions in and around Oaxaca and its central valleys, for newspapers, magazines, and websites promoting tourism in Mexico and abroad. Alvin takes couples and families to off-the-beaten track sights such as the quaintest of mezcal factories, within the context of touring Oaxaca’s central valleys. The Starkmans operate Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique bed and breakfast lodging combining the best in service of a fine Oaxaca hotel, with quaint and country inn style accommodations.

Oaxaca´s treasure, the Etnobotanic Garden

2009-03-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

"Centro Cultural Santo Domingo" houses an etnobotanic garden that contains a variety of trees and plants that can be found all over the regions of Oaxaca.

Holy week in Tlalixtac de Cabrera,Oaxaca.

2009-03-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

In Tlalixtac de Cabrera where Casa Adobe B&B (www.casaadobe-bandb.com) is located, this year as in centuries past, preparations are already beginning for Holy Week, when on ‘Good Friday’ the Passion of Christ is re-enacted. Jesus' final days are evoked in the rituals that take place during the week.
Hundreds of visitors and pilgrims pour into our village, watch the procession and join in the festivities.
Holy week starts with Palm Sunday or Domingo de Ramos where woven palms are sold outside the church, according to the Bible Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people in the streets laid down palm branches in his path.
Holy Thursday or Jueves Santo commemorates the washing of the feet of the apostles, the Last Supper and Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane. Oaxacans visit seven churches to recall the vigil the apostles kept in the garden while Jesus prayed and they finish with Holy Communion.
Good Friday or Viernes Santo recalls the crucifixion of Christ. On this day there is a solemn religious procession in Tlalixtac. A man from our village is selected to portray Christ, he carries and then is later hung (fastened with ropes) on the cross, during this procession he is accompanied by participants dressed in costumes to evoke the time of Jesus.
Sabado de Gloria or Holy Saturday in Tlalixtac and in Oaxaca city is the custom of burning Judas in effigy because of his betrayal of Jesus, cardboard figures are made, sometimes with firecrackers attached, and then burned.
Easter Sunday or Domingo de Pascua in Tlalixtac is generally a day when people go to Mass and celebrate quietly with their families.
Throughout the week typical food and drink, such as quesadillas, memelitas, tejate and regional sweets are enjoyed by all as old Mexico is on display.

¡Domingos de Jazz en Casa Colonial!

2009-03-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

El pasado Domingo 15 de Febrero como cada mes, tuvo acontecimiento uno de los eventos mas esperados para Casa Colonial....nuestra tarde de Jazz.
Como cada uno de los proyectos de nuestro b&b, la idea es realizar un programa sin fines de lucro, para ayudar a lugares como La Estancia Fraternidad o a los Hijos de la Luna, asociaciones civiles con objetivos sociales muy importantes.
Es por ello que como siempre contamos con la presencia de grandes músicos , como es el caso de Miguel Samperio, Memo Porras, Charles Grey, entre otros mas. La tarde trascurria muy amena con grandes interpretaciones de la mejor época de Jazz, cuando repentinamente apareció entre el público, la gran cantante Mexico-americana Lila Downs al lado de su esposo Paul Cohen, no tardo mucho tiempo en que el público presente le pidiera que cantara al lado de la banda, a los cual el maestro Samperio accedió sin dudarlo; lo mismo hizo el Sr Cohen a través de se saxofón y fue una de las tardes mas espectacuales que hemos tenido en la Casa Colonial.
Después del concierto nos transladamos a nuestro pequeño "Agave bar" en dónde a la luz de las velas continuamos degustando deliciosas margaritas.
Muy pronto subiremos fotos al blog para que puedan darse una idea como es el "Sunday Jazz"
La próxima fecha para nuestro Domingo de Jazz es este 15 de Marzo a las cuatro de la tarde en punto; están cordialmente invitados. La cita es en Miguel Negrete 105 Centro Oaxaca, entre las calles de División de Oriente y Calzada Madero.

CULINARY SECRETS FROM OAXACA`S KITCHENS

2009-03-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

Women potters of San Marcos Tlapazola, Oaxaca

2009-03-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Every Sunday Gloria awakens at 3 am, and begins preparing tejate, a frothy, tasty corn and cacao based drink, which she will offer for sale in the Tlacolula market. A couple of hours later her sister-in-law María and Maria’s daughter Luci follow suit, but in preparation for their own day of vending pre-Hispanic-style figures and masks, comals, and an assortment of other fired clay bowls, cups, plates and containers. Sundays, the women laugh, is their day of rest, when they don’t have to worry about scrounging for firewood, tending fields, lugging raw material for kneading into clay --- the lifeblood of their economic existence --- and in the case of María, looking after preparing breakfast for Luci and her older brother and getting them off to school.

The family of four lives in a modest yet fair sized dirt-floor compound in San Marcos Tlapazola, a Zapotec village about an hour outside of Oaxaca. Nearby Tlacolula is known by tourists and native Oaxacans alike for the pageantry of its Sunday marketplace, its bakeries’ wonderful chocolate-filled buns, the church, proximity to fields of agave and mezcal factories, and products offered for sale by the women of San Marcos.

Gloria, María and Luci are 40, 38 and 12 years old respectively. While in the market, their traditional dress, consisting of brightly colored and embroidered taffeta dresses and head-dresses, easily sets them and others from nearby villages apart from the rest. Luci confesses that she also likes wearing regular clothing.

In her lifetime, only once has Gloria been to Oaxaca. The mere thought of venturing into the big city intimidates her.

Clumps of hard earth are soaked. On a concrete floor in an almost barren dark room, María kneads the then softened mud with water and a bit of sand, while kneeling and working her magic, until a buttery smooth clay is ready to be fashioned into a vase. With her hands raised to just about head level, she molds a cone, pounds out the inside to create a funnel, then places it on a small hard piece of plastic atop a flat stone, with a bit of sand as a buffer. The sand enables her to spin the form into a sphere. She uses rolls of clay to build up it up. A piece of corn cob is used to make the outside surface even, and another piece of plastic to cast the inside. A small round segment of hardened gourd assists in producing the desired, final exterior shape. A strip of soft leather facilitates the creation of a smooth finish. Then onto the next one.

Gloria is sitting a few feet away, beginning to burnish a small bowl she has removed from under a cloth covering several others. She’s using one of two almost golf ball sized highly polished river stones given to her by her grandmother. She has already coated the series of bowls with a mixture of a different, much redder clay, and water, so as to create a terra cotta colored paint tone. Once hard and dry, all that Gloria and María have produced over the course of days, is ready for baking.

Some alfareros in the town of Atzompa use above-ground brick and cement ovens. Others in San Bartolo Coyotepec and Ocotlán use below-ground brick-lined pits. Manuel Reyes in Yanhuitlán constructed his own twin kilns out of clay brick, lengths of re-enforced steel, and mud. But the women of San Marcos, each and every time they want to bake their clay pieces, build a makeshift enclosure at ground level, made variously of discarded bed spring, pieces of rusted through wheel barrow, bent bicycle tire rim, old sections of otherwise unusable laminated metal, and broken pieces of pottery which have not survived a prior firing.

A cousin sometimes comes by in a truck to sell Gloria and María a load of twigs, branches and rotted out logs, for anywhere between 400 and 1200 pesos, depending on the load size. Sometimes he brings by dried agave leaves, stock, and pieces from the heart or piña which have for some reason not been harvested for mezcal production. The women themselves often gather up similar pieces of potential fuel while in the course of walking the hills outside of their village, and tie them up to both sides of their mule before heading back home.

A day of baking can usually proceed smoothly if there is no rain, and any earlier precipitation has not left the wood wet; if it’s not too windy; and of course if there is a sufficient supply of burnable product on hand, and not too much of the scrap metal has been rendered unusable through the beginning stages of decomposition / disintegration.

Typically, María is in charge of process, while Luci assists, and Gloria divides her time between doing other household chores such as cooking tortillas and being called upon when María tires or has been affected by the intense heat, or a stage in production is time-sensitive.

All the pottery to be baked is assembled outside, in close proximity to the area where the “oven” will be built: a series of rustic clay pots --- an order for a client who makes and sells piñatas; three comals which were not sufficiently fired on a previous occasion; numeral clay figures of different sizes and forms, for the Tlacolula tourist trade; and an assortment of functional pots, bowls and plates, as well as a few small spoons and tiny colanders.

A circular base approximately two meters in diameter is created, using preferably bed spring placed atop a couple of staggered layers of brick, since such a foundation provides for aeration. Broken pots, old metal receptacles, roofing tile, and whatever else is close at hand creates a confining perimeter. Small twigs and pieces of agave heart are placed underneath. María cuts agave leaves with a machete. With the aid of an extremely heavy, meter-and-a-half long crow bar known as a barreta, Gloria pitches in by splitting log pieces and lengths of dried agave stock. María and Luci build a flammable base atop the spring. With gingerly proficiency, María both directs and assists in placement of the pieces. From her years of experience she knows how to best achieve even firing and avoid breakage.

More of each class of burnable, as well as dried tumbleweed, is carefully placed on top of the clay pieces. Hot ash from making tortillas is shoveled into crevices to facilitate incineration, while a couple of matches set to a few special added twigs, a natural kindling, assures a quick light. A fairly strong wind fuels an initially fledgling fire, and within seconds the blaze is raging and smoke is billowing. More branches and died agave parts are tossed on, with the upmost care since multi-directional wind tunnels have been created. Gloria must fully cover her head to ensure that spark does not ignite her hair. Each takes a turn extricating herself from the swirling, seemingly out-of-control flames. Finally, sheets of rusted metal are strategically placed alongside, and atop, to control the entry of air being drawn to the inner portions of the enclosure.

The morning’s work completed, flames are left to dissipate, while Gloria, María and Luci sit, have a drink of fresh fruit juice, and rest. After about 45 minutes baking will have been completed. The area will be left to cool, while Gloria and María return to their simple work room, add a bit of water to their drying clay, and begin kneading before once again beginning production of another diverse lot. Later in the day the oven will be disassembled, pottery removed with hopefully a minimal amount of breakage, ash dusted off. The women of San Marcos Tlapazola will then wrap and box their merchandise in preparation for their next trip to market.

Most Sundays María can be found sitting on the ground with Luci, with an array of rustic clay figures and masks, as well as a selection of traditional Zapotec cooking and serving utensils displayed in front of them, on one side of an outside aisle in the Tlacolula marketplace. Gloria will be directly across from them, pouring cups of tejate to thirsty passersby.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and a law degree. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, tours travelers to the sights --- including excursions to visit San Marcos Tlapazola --- and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DEL ORGANO HISTORICO DE OAXACA

2009-03-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

LA ACADEMIA MEXICANA DE MUSICA ANTIGUA PARA ORGANOPRESENTA LA AGENDA DE LOS CONCIERTOS PARA ESTE 2009, EN LA BASILICA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA SOLEDAD, EN EL MARCO DEL FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DEL ORGANO HISTORICO DE OAXACA.

El Festival Internacional del Órgano Histórico de Oaxaca que año con año realiza la AMMAO, es el pionero en su tipo en México, inicio en febrero del 2001, con conciertos en la Basílica de la Soledad presentándose todos los sábados primeros de cada mes. Desde esta fecha la AMMAO ha presentando numerosos conciertos ininterrumpidamente.En este sentido el Festival es un foro donde organistas internacionales, nacionales y locales ofrecen un repertorio que va de la música gótica a la contemporánea, es un espacio para todos y todas, en pro de la recuperación de la cultura del órgano en Oaxaca. Por ello el Festival se ha caracterizado por el nivel de excelencia que siempre se ha intentado mantener, así como la gratuidad que se ofrece en los conciertos.En este marco se presenta la agenda del Festival Internacional del Órgano Histórico de Oaxaca para este año ofreciendo un extraordinario programa, que inicia este sábado 3 de enero a las 17:00 horas, en la basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad.
Estos conciertos se realizan con el apoyo de la autoridades eclesiásticas de la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, así como el de diversas instituciones como: el Instituto Nacional de Desarrollo Social (INDESOL), el Centro Nacional de las Artes (CENART), la Escuela Nacional de Música (ENEM-UNAM), Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (CONACULTA), la Embajada de Portugal, Embajada de Polonia en México y Fomento Musical. En este sentido expresamos nuestro agradecimiento a todos los colaboradores y a las entidades patrocinadoras que hacen posible que se lleve a cabo el Festival Internacional del Órgano de Oaxaca.Basilica de la Soledad. Deseamos que este programa sea de su interés y agrado.

CONCIERTOS PARA EL 2009:

Sábado 3 de enero, 17:00 horas Héctor Cruz y Elizabeth Castañeda (Oaxaca)
Sábado 7 de febrero, 17:00 horas José Martín Panting (Estado de México)
Sábado 7 de marzo, 17:00 horas Ana Laura Cerón y Tonatiuh Gonzáles (ENM-UNAM)
Sábado 4 de abril, 17:00 horas Javier Estrella y Eric Omar (ENEM-UNAM)
Sábado 2 de mayo, 17:00 horas José Manuel Tapia (Michoacán)
Sábado 6 de junio, 17:00 horas Soledad Hernández, Ricardo Vargas e Hildeberto Jiménez (Oaxaca)
Sábado 4 de julio, 17:00 horas Angélica Guerrero y Hernán Cortes (Michoacán)
Sábado 1 de agosto, 17:00 horas Gustavo Delgado Parra y Ofelia Gómez Castellanos.

Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas and Palenque, and more: a driving tour

2009-03-02T05:43:00.000-08:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Introduction

This 2,000 kilometer driving tour serves the needs of vacationers to Oaxaca who also want to take in the sights in central Chiapas, as well as those who want to at least consider visits to the Pacific coastal resorts in Oaxaca and the Gulf beaches and cultural sights in the state of Veracruz … all without foreclosing a side trip to Puebla. The south central circuit of Mexico provides travelers with a leisurely and culturally diverse driving segment within the context of a two or three week vacation, with virtually no backtracking.

For this particular trip, our first day took us from Oaxaca to Tuxtla de Gutiérrez, then to Chiapa de Corzo. After visiting the impressive lookouts at the Parque Nacional Cañón del Sumidero the following morning, we carried on to San Cristóbal de las Casas where we spent two days in the city and visiting nearby villages. The following morning we drove to Agua Azul, and then on to Palenque, touring the ruin the following morning. That afternoon we continued through Tabasco, then Veracruz, spending our final night at Orizaba. Our sojourn concluded with a return home to Oaxaca, via Puebla. As a result of personal time constraints the excursion lasted only six days. It easily could have been extended by a week or more, taking in many additional sights and cities. Accordingly, while we saw many of the highlights noted in the tour books, a close examination of all that is available is highly recommended, in particular for those with time to spare.

For most of the drive the highways were excellent. We passed through 14 toll booths and nine military checkpoints, at the latter having been stopped, questioned and required to pop the trunk, only once. We did experience, however, one disturbing incident involving state police, in Acayucan, Veracruz, noted as an Addendum. It convinced us to deviate from our otherwise steadfast rule against night-time driving.

Distinct from Oaxaca, in Chiapas there is signage encouraging drivers to use the paved, wide, right hand shoulder; warning that physical abuse of women is met with jail time; cautioning that the fine for littering is ninety times your (daily) wage; and along many stretches of two lane highway there are small home-made signs indicating where gasoline is for sale (from householders; sometimes in plastic 10 or 20 liter containers out front as your notification). In addition, one encounters checkpoints aimed at regulating and policing the transport of animals.

Oaxaca to San Cristóbal de las Casas

The drive from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal takes about 8.5 hours, but is best done in two segments, with an overnight, assuming you want to visit more than one sight en route.

As you leave Oaxaca for the drive towards Mitla along Highway 190, fill up with gas, since there are lengthy stretches of highway without stations after you turn off and head towards the coast. You’ll approach that first interchange after close to a half hour of proceeding along straight, essentially flat highway. Take the 190 cut-off to Tehuantepec / Matatlán. After about five kilometers of rolling hills, you’ll reach the “world capital of mezcal,” Matatlán, with production facilities and shops peppering the roadsides for about three kilometers. The billowing smoke is from deep pits being readied for baking agave, and to a lesser extent the stills fueled with firewood.

For the next hour and a half you’ll be climbing, at times considerable inclines, then descending into fertile river valleys, along curvy, well-paved yet at times repaired highway. If you hadn’t filled up for gas earlier, do so just beyond the first military checkpoint, an hour into the drive, at San Pedro Totalapan.

The predominant vegetation is agave under cultivation --- occasionally on the steepest of hillsides --- and mixed brush, with pole cactus and palm interspersed. Towns are encountered, with small stores, restaurants, pharmacies, mechanic shops, and even a guest house at about the two hour mark, in San José de Gracia. In the area around El Camarón you’ll one again encounter a few fábricas de mezcal.

Your final descent towards the coast begins at about three hours into the drive, when you’ll finally find yourself speeding along straight-aways. Once you reach Marilú, you’ll feel you’re in the tropics, with signs offering fresh fish (mojarra) and cold coconut milk.
You’ll then have the option of heading up the coast to Huatulco, or down towards Salina Cruz, Juchitán and Tehuantepec.

The new toll road to Chiapas, along Highway 200, has an interchange which can potentially create a bit of confusion. At kilometer 240 of the trip, more or less, you’ll encounter a traffic circle with signs which do not assist in terms of reaching your destination. Take the exit which includes the words María Romero, and then ask to ensure that you have the right highway. Traffic and pedestrian activity, at least as of early 2009, are sparse. You’ll be heading towards La Ventosa, so when you see a sign so directing you, you’ll know you’re on the right road. At about four hours into your trip, near kilometer 270 of your day’s drive, you’ll pass through the La Ventosa toll booth, with clean washrooms and a gas station close by. From this point, until your arrival at Tuxtla, you’re home free.

For the next 60 kilometers you’ll be driving across flat winding plains. There’s a stretch of 15 kilometers with two sets of large white windmills, very unusual and impressive to the eye, the second set with power generating equipment apparent. There are thereafter a couple of provisional checkpoints along sections of new, and then old and badly pot-holed road in the process of being repaved.

Your arrival at San Pedro Tapanatepec follows along good highway traversing mango orchards, with a bit of ranching. In town you’ll find a gas station, Banamex, etc. After passing through the next military checkpoint, once again you’ll begin your climb into the mountains, arriving in Chiapas approximately six hours into the drive.

The approach to Tuxtla is uneventful, marked by continuing periods of ascent and descent, stretches of plains, and traveling through a couple of small cities. Upon arriving you’ll encounter a traffic circle, easy enough to navigate. You are not required to enter the city, but rather, will be traversing a number of overpasses in the course of about 20 minutes. You’ll be passing high above and to the left of the city, then descending towards the fork in the road leading you to Chiapa de Corzo. Note that the cut – off is not well marked, so when you see the choice to veering to the right or left, turn off to the right.

The two main attractions which you may find at Tuxtla and / or Chiapa de Corzo are the zoo and the Cañon del Sumidero. Both are easily accessible via Chiapa de Corzo, but could require a bit of backtracking. The advantage of staying in Chiapa de Corzo is that it’s quaint, you do not have to enter the metropolis of Tuxtla de Gutiérrez, and it makes for an easy morning beginning for a boat tour of the canyons. However, if you wish to take the boat trip as opposed to driving through the national park, you may have to wait an hour or two in the morning until there are sufficient tourists to fill up one of the many waiting vessels. It all depends on the time of year in terms of level of tourism. We arrived at the docks shortly after the 8 am opening, only to be told that we’d likely have to wait at least an hour. We therefore hopped back in the car and drove to the lookouts in the Parque Nacional Cañon del Sumidero. The site, via boat or drive, should not be missed.

The highway from Tuxtla to San Cristóbal de las Casa is perhaps the best quality stretch of roadway and most pleasant to navigate on the whole trip. Unfortunately the drive takes only about 35 minutes. It begins immediately after you pass through the toll booth as you leave Chiapa de Corzo. Almost all of the drive is ascent with easy curves. You’ll descend to San Cristóbal over the final five minutes of the brief ride. “Must” visits while in the area of San Cristóbal, preferably with a guide notwithstanding that you’ll have your own vehicle, include Chamula and Zinacantán.

San Cristóbal to Palenque

Although along the basically good, two-lane highways descending from San Cristóbal to Palenque there are several homes and businesses offering gasoline for sale, and at Ocosingo you’ll find gas stations, it’s best to fill up as you leave San Cristóbal. Don’t worry about your departure time, since with stops en route you’ll probably be too late to take the tour of the ruin, and in any event it’s best to visit the site during the early morning hours before the afternoon sun and heat preclude enjoying your visit to the maximum. Without stops, the trip takes about 4.5 hours, over the course of about 200 kilometers.

About 11 kilometers into the drive you’ll find a cut-off to the left, onto highway 186 to Ocosingo. Take it, even though there is no sign for Palenque or Agua Azul. Notwithstanding several ascents, you’ll gradually descend into the hot jungle environment characterizing Palenque, a stark contrast to the relatively cold climate of San Cristóbal you’ve just left

You’ll pass through pine forests and lumber mills, ranches, quaint roadside eateries, and stalls offering local produce for sale. At about 65 kilometers into the day’s drive, a “don´t miss” stop is at one of the two or three amber outlets, in an area where the mineral is mined and then worked into predominantly silver accented jewelery. If you’re in the market for amber, wait until your arrival here. You will have likely visited the Amber Museum in San Cristóbal, so by the time you’ve reached these workshops you will have learned how to detect the real thing from the glass and plastic imitations. These stalls boast true amber, and for the asking you’ll be shown pieces in the rough, how to identify the fakes, and how raw amber is fashioned into fine jewelery.

On the approach to Ocosingo you’ll have an opportunity to also stop at craft and coffee outlets. In the course of the decent you’ll encounter cultivated bromiliads used as impressive garden borders, and produce changing to tropical varietals such as bananas, coconut palms, sugar cane, and perhaps surprisingly, still some corn.

Almost immediately you’ll then begin to encounter more switchbacks and peaks and valleys, with once again a net descent into a lush, green forest environment with streams, waterfalls and even a water park and an ecotourism site. After the military checkpoint just over 100 kilometers into the drive, your descent will be characterized by predominantly straight-aways for close to 40 kilometers as you arrive at the cut – off to the left, for Agua Azul, another “must” on your trip. Don’t be surprised to find that you have to pay two separate tolls or entrance fees. In the parking area, you’ll be asked by a youngster if he / she can guard your car. We declined. Later we found that our car aerial had gone missing. Give the kid 10 or 20 pesos, both here and at Palenque.

The ride from Agua Azul to Palenque takes about two hours. A few kilometers into the drive you’ll pass through a stretch of stalls on both sides of the highway, selling hand embroidered skirts, blouses, dresses and shirts. From here on, until Palenque, the highway descends, with easy curves and lengthy straight-aways, featuring corn, sugar cane and plantain.

Get an early start to your day at the ruin. The gates to the park open at 7:30 am, with tickets to the site available for purchase at 8 am. You can secure a guide while waiting to buy tickets. Suggest that you wait for a group of about eight people to make the cost more reasonable. You’ll be given a per person rate on the basis of eight or ten in the group. In our case, the guide decided to take us for his per person rate for eight, with only six of us, presumably anticipating that it would take a fair bit of time to get the other two, and preferring to finish the tour before the hottest time of the day … or perhaps anticipating being able to fit in another tour if he finished with us early enough.

Palenque to Orizaba, or other stopovers in Veracruz

If you intend to spend the night in Córdoba or Orizaba, you might want to consider leaving Palenque early the following morning because of the driving time involved. Of course if you intend to head to the city of Veracruz, another plan might be in order. Between Palenque and Orizaba you’ll encounter at least three cut – offs leading to Veracruz, and at one point you’ll only be about 50 kilometers away from the city.

Choose carefully from your various lodging options, if for no other reason than to reduce the likelihood of encountering the problem which beset us … feeling compelled, at dusk, to change our plan regarding where to spend the night, and as a result having little choice but to drive at night, not the optimum way to enjoy any trip through Mexico.

Leaving Palenque along route 186 you’ll immediately encounter palm and sugar cane under cultivation as well as cattle, on both sides of a good, two lane highway with flat curves and straight-aways. After about 25 kilometers, immediately after passing through your first checkpoint you’ll turn left. During 2009, the highway was being converted from one lane in each direction, to a lane and a half, quite common throughout southern Mexico. As noted earlier, this wide shoulder is perfectly legal to drive on, and in fact speeds up traffic flow as long as drivers are prepared to yield to the right. Aside from this construction, the highways for the rest of the trip back to Oaxaca, or to Puebla, are excellent.

Within an hour or so the highway will be solid four lane, minimum. It will be basically toll road for the rest of the journey. About 125 kilometers into the day’s trip you’ll have the option of staying at an impressive Hilton Hotel & Conference Center, easily visible from the highway. Just before that complex you’ll see a large underpass where there’s a gas station. About 25 kilometers further, as you enter Villahermosa, take the Cárdenas cut off and proceed along highway 180. You’ll be continuing along a highway with plantations of bananas, coconuts and sugar cane, and fields of familiar tropical flowers. Consider a brief stop at La Venta, a small town known for its Olmec ruin. But the site closes at 4 pm, so keep that in mind if interested in a visit to the site.

After about a half hour, roadway curves will once again begin, and less crops will be apparent, now with more herds grazing. You’ll pass through river plains and over a large suspension bridge. Based upon the recommendation of at least one tour book, we had planned to spend the night in Acayucan, Veracruz, but as noted earlier felt compelled to continue on to Orizaba, after dark (see Addendum). The saving grace, at least in our minds, was somewhat of a comfort in passing through four toll booths over the next 2.5 hours, between Acayucan and our ultimate stop for the night, Orizaba. The cut – offs are clearly marked and leave little room for error. From Acayucan, just continue along the highways marked for one or more of Puebla, Mexico City, Oaxaca, since it’s well after Orizaba that you’ll actually be turning off for Oaxaca.

For those interested in floriculture, plants, cactus and succulents, consider a stopover at Fortín de Las Flores, perhaps as a taking – off point for a diversion to Veracruz. Córdoba is a reasonable option for spending the night, close to Fortín de Las Flores, and with many more hotel options as well as daytime sights. But Orizaba also has a number of interesting options worthy of consideration for a stopover, and a visit to its tourist office makes for a good start for a short, pleasant visit to the city before continuing on to Oaxaca.

Orizaba to Oaxaca

The drive from Orizaba to the Oaxaca / Puebla interchange is extremely scenic, climbing dramatically for all but the final few minutes. The snow-capped peak of Orizaba is particularly impressive. You’ll pass by areas of large, ornamental agave, used as property boundary lines. Simply follow the signs indicating Puebla / Mexico for about 30 - 40 minutes, until you finally see the Oaxaca cut – off, at which point you’ll either carry on to Puebla, or return to Oaxaca.

The home stretch of your journey should take about 2 ½ hours, without stops other than to rest and gas up. However, there are couple of worthwhile sights to consider. Unless you want to spend time in Tehuacan, your first stop will be at the onyx / marble village of San Antonio Texcala. Take the second Tehuacan exit (after the Tehuacan toll booth), onto highway 125 leading to Huajuapan. After 6 km you’ll arrive at the village, with several factory outlets where you can by almost anything into which onyx and marbel can be shaped --- tequila sets, plates, sinks, lamps, tables, bowls, boxes, unicorns, fish, hash pipes, and of course a number of diverse ornaments with religious imagery. Prices are about half of what you’ll pay elsewhere.

Next is the Museo de Agua, or water museum, actually a misnomer because it is so much more. Take the well-marked next exit after your return to the toll road, for Sangabriel and Chilac. There will also be signage for the museum. You’ll be given a tour (in Spanish) in the main building, and of the outside surrounding landscapes. You’ll learn how progress is being made to teach villagers in desolate regions where water is scarce and soil fertility is lacking, to conserve and recycle water; to use compost, worm culture and other techniques to enrich the land; and to grow and market nutritious produce such as amaranth.

In terms of the land use and sights, near Tehuacan you’ll see long narrow white-topped buildings where poultry is produced and then trucked throughout the state of Puebla and other nearby states. There will be a couple of lookouts demarcated as stops for tourists to pull over and appreciate and photograph the deep valleys and high mountaintops. Long, well-marked expansion bridges showcase the valleys and mountains. You’ll pass over a geological fault. There will be several kilometers of impressive pole cactus. Close to the approach to Oaxaca you’ll see vendors on each side of the highway selling brightly colored miniature wooden trucks.

The last of several toll booths is Huitzo. About 15 - 20 minutes later you’ll approach Oaxaca. A few minutes after entering the city, you’ll be given two opportunities to turn to the left (one of the signs is difficult to interpret), but unless you’ve been provided with specific instructions to get to your hotel or B & B, and know it’s in a northern suburb, best is to just keep driving straight, eventually entering onto a one-way street which will lead you to the core of the downtown area and the zócalo.

Addendum

We had planned to spend our last night in Acayucan, Veracruz, having noted three hotels, one of which piqued our interest because it appeared to be the only middle-of-the-road and acceptable option, at least for us. Immediately upon entering the town, at about 6:30 pm, we were pulled over by two state troopers, and asked to produce some type of sticker about which we knew nothing. I produced license and ownership without a request to do so. The more belligerent of the officers, Taurino Santiago Ramas (Santiago) insisted he would phone for a tow truck, and did pull out his cellular and make a call.

After ten minutes of heated banter, I told me wife to just ask him “how much?” Santiago said he didn’t want money. This was a shock, since my initial assumption was that it would just be a matter of how long, and how much. He became more testy, almost as much as we had become.

Out of the blue, Santiago’s mood suddenly changed. He asked us about our plans for the night. We indicated that we intended to stay in town. He immediately mentioned his hotel recommendation and how to get there. It was the same hotel at which we had planned to stay. We assured him we would indeed lodge there, whereupon he told us that we would have to pay a 1,000 peso fine the next day. In the same breath, in a softer tone, he proposed “but since I’m a nice guy, and have a kind heart, if you like, instead you can pay something to me.”

I pulled three fifties and a twenty peso bill from my pocket, and offered him one hundred pesos. Santiago demanded, “I’ll take them all.” So 170 pesos lighter we got back in the car, hearing Santiago’s loud laughs, directed at his partner, us, and anyone else on the crowded street within earshot.

But I think we got the last laugh. Santiago certainly assumed that we were going to stay at his suggested hotel, and in fact we drove off in that direction with he and his sidekick watching. He had probably called not for a tow truck, but the hotel, and advised that we’d be coming by, and confirmed the amount of his commission for the referral. Otherwise, he probably would have demanded a bigger bribe. Of course we did not want to stay anywhere he suggested. We were concerned that overnight our belongings might be snatched from the car. We decided it would not be prudent to stay in Acayucan at all, so we high-tailed it out of Dodge, and drove a further 2 ½ hours, during the night, until bedding down in the city of Orizaba.

Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School, thereafter embarking upon a successful career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin, a good-standing member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, now resides with his wife Arlene in Oaxaca, Mexico, where he writes, leads small group tours to the villages, markets, ruins and other sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), providing the comfort and service of lodging in a Oaxaca hotel, with the personal touch of a small country inn.

ENDUROAX2009

2009-02-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

ENDUROAX 2009

EN TEOTITLAN DEL VALLE SE LLEVO ACABO

LA PRIMERA COMPETENCIA NACIONAL DE

ENDURANCE ECUESTRE EN LAS CATEGORIAS

DE 40, 60 Y 80 KM EN LA QUE HUBO PARTICIPANTES

DE VARIOS ESTADOS DE LA REPUBLICA

Nuptials and Baptism in Rural Oaxaca: The Mandate of Tradition

2009-02-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

We usually think of weddings and baptisms as rites of passage we attend on separate occasions. But November 27, 2008, marked the celebration of both in San Lorenzo Albarradas: the nuptials of a couple in their early twenties, and the baptism of their three-year-old daughter. What resulted was a melding of highly organized custom characterized by extremes of indulging, giving, and all-out merriment.

San Lorenzo Albarradas (“San Lorenzo”) is a village with about 1,900 inhabitants of Zapotec ancestry, located 60 kilometers east of the city of Oaxaca. It’s accessed by a paved highway which, beyond Mitla, winds as it ascends foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur. San Lorenzo has the usual municipal building housing the office of its presidente municipal (mayor) and local police, a health clinic, school, marketplace, and of course Catholic church and cemetery. Residents engage in predominantly subsistence economic activity: cultivating corn, beans, squash, palm leaf and agave; tending sheep and goats; gathering firewood; and servicing the local population as well as tourist vans en route to and from San Isidro Roaguía (“San Isidro”). San Isidro, designated a marginal community by the federal government, is home to the bubbling springs and petrified waterfalls known as Hierve el Agua. San Lorenzo, San Isidro and environs are home to seven small, rudimentary yet wonderfully functional fábricas de mezcal (mezcal factories).

The marriage of Gladis and Eli and the baptism of their daughter Lexy were planned in early autumn. Santos and Lupita were selected as padrinos de la boda (godparents of the wedding), and long-time grade school friends Daniel and wife Alma as padrinos of the baptism.

If not through blood or marriage, then through compadrazgo (fictive kinship), most people are related one way or another in small Oaxacan towns and villages. On this occasion about a quarter of the residents were invited to partake in at least some of the festivities. Many have relations in nearby San Isidro. But as a result of a longstanding dispute between the villages regarding the right to exact a fee from tourists visiting Hierve el Agua, only recently resolved after years of Hatfield and McCoy antics, invitations were extended to only residents of San Lorenzo, apart from that extended to me and my wife Arlene.

As custom normally dictates, we arrive in town for the mass shortly after the designated 12-noon start time. Daniel and Alma, and Daniel’s parents Hilarino and Sara, had counseled that we would be expected to remain until the madrugada (middle of the night, generally until just before sunrise), and to thus be prepared. We really didn’t take the advice to heart. As once again custom normally dictates, we were just as clear that we would arrive fairly early on, with no guarantees regarding the duration of our visit.

We’d known Hilarino, Sara and family for about four years, initially as a result of purchasing mezcal from Hilarino’s roadside palenque (mezcal facility), and subsequently from eating and imbibing in Sara’s adjoining eatery. We’d broken bread in their home, and they in ours. We’d laughed and traded stories of differences in our respective cultures, and cried over the death of their forty-day-old grandson. They’d missed our 25th anniversary, and we Daniel’s wedding. But for this occasion they required our assurance that our attendance at the festivities would not be pre-empted.

Booming bottle-rocket fireworks direct us to the standing-room-only church service. Guests cram the entranceway and sit under the shade around the courtyard. Dress ranges from Sunday best to workday usual. Gladis, Eli and Lexy emerge about a half hour after our arrival, shockingly early based upon our prior attendances at functions with a religious component. But perhaps ritual was rushed in anticipation of more important local custom to follow. In rural Oaxaca there is often not very much to rejoice, so when the opportunity arises, no expense is spared, figuratively and literally.

As rice showers the honored celebrants, and candies the rest of us, the six piece brass and percussion band begins with upbeat traditional song. I spot a familiar face, Santos the palenquero, competitor of Hilarino:
“Hilarino invite you? He’s my cousin you know.”
“And what about you and your wife?,” I ask.
“Lupita and I are the padrinos de la boda, so you have to come to our home with the procession. Hilarino’s coming too.”

I’ve yet to see Santos without his stiff, off-white cowboy hat, and this occasion is no different. Others wear the softer felt-like version in beiges, greys and blacks, many adorned with peacock feather. The groom, Eli, is dressed in a smartly tailored, very formal light olive suit with all the trimmings, while his bride is in a traditional white strapless gown with long train. Their daughter’s dress is equally appropriate, and yes, predictable. Several downtown Oaxaca retailers have found their niche marketing dresses for weddings, quince años (celebration when a girl turns 15, similar to the Bat Mitzvah in the Jewish faith), baptisms and confirmations. Clearly in San Lorenzo they go all out. In fact the young family, aside from being in this physical environment could have passed for urban Oaxacans of much greater means.

As the band, bride and groom leave the church grounds, Hilarino informs me that I’ll accompany him and others to Santos’ house, my wife Arlene will stay with the rest of his family at theirs, and we will reunite in a short while. Arlene and her group trail off. Close family members stop at the bride and groom’s residence to make final preparations for later festivities. Our procession walks about a mile further, to the padrinos’ home at the end of a meandering potholed roadway.

During 2005 – 2007, pavement of the main street through town was completed. However with few exceptions the rest of the roads are dirt, connected by narrow pathways. Land ownership is in the process of reform, with privatization on the way and promised for 2009. Homes range from extremely modest adobe construction with laminated metal roofing, to a number of large, contemporary-styled two storey clay brick and block abodes. Foundations are often made of locally mined limestone, known as cantera. The padrinos’ compound is somewhere in between, with a couple of buildings composed of brick and adobe, plastered and brightly painted, and a few outer structures for cattle, cooking and storage. The mezcal trade has been good to them.

Our arrival is greeted with fireworks. Without missing a beat the band takes its place aside a manger. About 15 of us are now inside a room with couches facing an altar where Gladis and Eli are kneeling. Additional seating is brought in, along with mezcal and then beer. I take both, as is now my custom, not unlike that of many others. I follow the lead of the elder to my right, pouring a few drops of mezcal on the floor, a sacrament in this village. I think back to the past 57 years of annually spilling ten drops of wine at Passover Seders, recalling the plagues heaped upon Moses’ people by Pharaoh. Chuckling ensues as I then knock over and spill Hilarino’s beer to my left. At first I decline a second beer, but after convincing I accept. After all, the bottle had already been opened for me. Where custom dictates, I rarely decline.

Beer and mezcal are the most typical alcoholic beverages served at rural celebrations in and around the central valleys of Oaxaca. Urbanites of the middle classes tend more towards tequila and scotch, usually Johnny Walker Red Label, simply referred to as whisky. But we all have our favorite mezcals, usually produced in small mom-and-pop operations peppering roadsides in specific regions of the state, usually much better than the commercial labels.

The presidente municipal, Hilarino’s brother, mistakes me for a priest acquaintance of his … a Spanish guëro (white person) with moustache and grey hair. “Not even close,” I answer to laughter. A couple of children begin rhyming off numbers in English. I inform that Arlene gives private English lessons. The ears of each in attendance perk up, since while learning English is valued, aside from very limited instruction in the local school there is no one to teach:
“I’ll make you a deal, Mr. Mayor,” I say. “Once privatization arrives, you find me a small plot of land or very modest home for Arlene and me to buy so we can spend the odd weekend in San Lorenzo, and I’ll make sure she gives free lessons to the kids.”
More chortling, and of course the obligatory “salud!” as we toast the idea.

Someone spots a bull seemingly charging towards the house, having broken loose from its tie. “No es bravo,” we’re assured, so we re-take our seats and continue with levity and further small talk.

After the better part of an hour, following the lead of Santos and the newlyweds we move outside to the covered dining area, taking our seats on benches accommodating about 20 of us. The band continues. More family has arrived and is milling about along with those involved in meal preparation. A large bowl of traditional hot chocolate is placed before each of us, together with two loaves of bread, one small and the other the size of a regular unsliced rye. This is pan de yema, a type of egg bread, similar to challah, the bread that accompanies many Jewish celebrations and Friday night dinner.

Pan de yema is a Oaxacan tradition, served at many rite of passage fiestas as well as for yearly celebrations such as Day of The Dead, when it’s known as Pan de Muertos. Many villages are known for the distinctiveness of their bread, some baked with cinnamon, others anise, and so on. Hot chocolate, a customary beverage in the state, is almost always accompanied by the challah-like bread. Oaxaca is known for its chocolate, made in small mills in virtually all towns and villages. Oaxacan chocolate is made from toasted cacao beans, sugar, usually a bit of cinnamon stick, and at times a small quantity of almonds. Many Oaxacans have their own recipes of stipulated percentages of ingredients, and so instruct the mill operator. Witnessing the simplicity of production is fascinating, and as a non-native Oaxacan, having one’s own chocolate made, even more so.

Barbacoa de chivo (BBQ goat) in a broth with vegetables arrives in deep ceramic soup bowls, along with tortillas and platesful of chopped onion, cilantro, cabbage, fresh chili and radish. “The radish will give you twice as much stamina,” I’m assured, to the amusement of all. More mezcal follows, this time pursuant to statewide custom because of its tendency to cut the grease of barbacoa, whether goat, sheep or beef.

Raw chopped vegetables and greens are traditionally served alongside barbacoa, enabling you to control level of spice and type of flavor, on your own. Another typical Oaxacan dish, pozole, is similarly served with accompaniments on the side, in this case including small dishes of chopped dried oregano and chili powder.

While we’re seated a teenage girl distributes clear plastic bags for carrying home the leftover bread. Some have eaten not a bite, while others have broken off chunks to use as dippers in the chocolate. None, however, comes close to putting a dent in all that has been given. We get up, and the next shift, including band members, takes its turn.
“Who decides who gets to eat first?,” I inquire, needing to know that I did not take someone else’s place. Hilarino enlightens:
“Everyone knows. That’s just the way it is. Those who stay sitting down near the band are aware that their turn will come later on, and that we eat before them.”

I am anxious to compare notes with Arlene about our respective comidas, so Hilarino agrees to drive us back to his house in an old pick-up. Arlene was sitting with eight women and children in a tiny dark living-room jam-packed with sofas and an entertainment unit crammed with electronic equipment … eating peanuts, drinking tequila, and watching Bambi II … for the second time. All unfolds while Alma, whose infant had died some eight months earlier, watches her 40-something-year-old mother nursing her own newborn.

Arlene whispers: “I’m starving. They didn’t feed us anything except this. It’s already three o’clock. We’re supposed to be waiting for the procession to arrive, and then we’ll all be going to the fiesta for comida.”
“Well I’m stuffed, and the barbacoa was great,” I respond, to her mild disgust.
“Have some of this bread. It was great with the hot chocolate,” I continue to tease.

We wait, and we wait, until I get bored with Bambi. To pass the time I go out to son Daniel’s adjoining pool hall to play snooker with him and a couple of friends:
“I just opened the place a couple of months ago. There’s nothing in town for kids to do at night except drink and have sex, so I figured that with a pool table, card games and dominos, and pizza and other snacks, it would be a winner.”
I would later learn to better appreciate Daniel’s motivation.

At long last fireworks resume, signaling that the procession is once again departing. We hear the band starting up far off in the distance. The procession has finally begun to retrace its tracks, heading back to the couple’s homestead, its outer fence now draped with white ribbon and floral bouquets. Earlier in the day we had noted two other homes duly decorated with white banners and streamers. We had been told that those residences were to be the focus of later festivities, but uncertain as to when and why.

We walk to the newlyweds’ home to await their arrival. The fiesta will take place in an open, dirt floor courtyard facing the village’s main street. Tables are set, adorned with flower arrangements. Smoke billows from the two, primitive in-ground BBQ ovens. Women are busy coming and going to and from two close-by buildings sheltering food and storing stacks of ceramic dishes and pails of plastic spoons. I spot another palenquero I’ve known for a few years, already mildly inebriated, sitting at a table holding court with his friends. But familiarity breeds comfort, so we join them, and there we continue to drink, more beer and more mezcal. At this household the latter is not of particularly good quality, so after downing a small plastic cupful I stick to seconds of the former. “How do you know the gringos?,” I overhear. I pipe up with the answer, correcting that we’re Canadian.

In Oaxaca most use the word “gringo” in a non-derogatory way, yet are usually sensitive to its common connotation. While always setting the record straight, I make it clear that I know that no offence is intended and none is taken, and that I simply want all to be aware that we’re Canadians, and not gringos. Gringo is a term coined during the revolutionary wars, when the American soldiers in their green uniforms were shouted down, “green go home,” or simply “green go.”

The procession arrives just as I’m finishing another hot chocolate (Arlene, her first), and contemplating what to do with four additional loaves of bread, two for each of us. This time all are super-sized. Once again I hear the ripping off the roll of plastic bags.

But the band and revelers pass right by the house. We hurriedly join in, stopping a block down the road to bring back baptismal godparents Daniel and Alma and everyone else still at their home. By now the pyrotechnics have become continuous and the music is at a feverous pitch. Some 50 well-wishers arrive back at the party. Slowly another 100 or so arrive and seat themselves. A rose bush is placed on each table, two on ours pursuant to the instruction of Sara: “You’ll take this one, so don’t forget. I’ll take the other, and someone else can take home the centerpiece.”

Hot chocolate No. Three is placed before me, along with two more loaves and a bag. And then more beer, followed by mezcal yet again, foreshadowing another heavy comida for me, and the first, at long last, for Arlene.

Mezcal in the pueblos is served from either a multi-liter plastic gasoline container (purchased new for selling and transporting the spirit), or a 2.5 liter plastic coke bottle. Purists, upon arriving home after purchasing in such receptacles immediately transfer their liquor into glass, the fear being that leaving it in plastic may taint the subtle nuances.

Barbacoa de res (beef BBQ) arrives, similar in presentation and with the same cut-up legumes and leafy herb as I had enjoyed only three hours earlier. But it’s not often one gets to indulge in such proportion. The band continues, the number of musicians somehow having grown to 10.

Bands are an extremely important part of Oaxacan society, cultures and the multitude of micro sub-cultures. Musicians are highly respected because of not only their training and talent, but because of what they offer the community: familiar tunes; an opportunity to dance ranchera, cumbia, danzon and the pinotepa; and more generally a medium for advancing the celebration.

Towards the end of the comida, Tupperware-style containers are distributed to everyone, marked “Recuerdo de nuestra boda, E y G, 27/11/08” (Souvenir of our wedding, etc.). In goes the leftover beef and broth. We decline to take home tortillas. We’re then showered with an array of gifts commemorating the baptism, each personalized with particulars of the event: a wooden basket containing suckers and other assorted sweets, adorned with pink ribbon and a small pink baby doll; a plastic bowl; a frilly, pink cotton doll blanket; children’s birthday loot bags. Everyone packs up his bounty. I walk back to our vehicle to stow away umpteen bags and containers, as well as the rose bush. I return with our wedding gift, placing it in a designated room.

Very few gifts at rural Oaxacan functions arrive in a wrapped box or gift bag with card affixed. Instead they are fashioned so that all in attendance will know who is giving what. The present, be it a set of dishes or mugs, a blender, clothing, linens or even a lamp, is taped or glued to a piece of decorated particle board, then shrink wrapped with cellophane. The gift can then be proudly paraded in front of everyone as it’s put in its proper place. Hence, often guests do not even include a card. Of course this makes it difficult for the recipient to know who gave what, unless he or she has a keen memory. But there are no worries, since thank you’s are not the norm, and sending a note of appreciation is unheard of.

Tables are quickly cleared. When they’re then folded, it signals that guests had better stand up. At the same time an 11-tier wedding cake is being assembled, along with a somewhat more modest cake in honor of the baptism. At first the taking down and setting up all seems rather incongruous, but only until the band takes to the street and guests follow behind, once again signaled by the commencement of fireworks.

By now it’s nightfall. We’re clearly a spectacle as we march through the town’s main thoroughfare, picking up more celebrants as we proceed, turning onto a dark dirt road, and then into an alleyway, followed by a right, continuing up a steep dusty gradient, and finally some 20 minutes later arriving at the home of the bride’s godparents from her own baptism. Tradition dictates that on the occasion of her wedding, they present her and the
groom, in the presence of the throngs, with a large wooden wardrobe. But not before prayer and advice. All the while the band’s tempo picks up and dancing begins on a large makeshift patio.

“Don’t you remember me?,” I’m asked by a young girl toting a four-year-old. “I used to work for Sara in the comedor, but now I can’t because I have to take my son to school every day. I’m already 21. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” She appears closer to 16, slight, short and moderately attractive, clearly pretty enough to attract the attention of a local suitor. “I live with my parents and sister.”

The bride, groom, her godparents and other honored guests emerge from the well-wishing, together with four men holding up the white ribbon adorned wardrobe, and yes, dancing with it. We’re showered with candies. More beer. I accept, only reluctantly since it’s getting late and the thought of the drive back to Oaxaca begins to weigh on my mind. Next time perhaps I’ll opt for the bottled fruit drink being offered. If it’s good enough for young mothers to feed their infant children, then maybe it’s okay for me.

An older man passes out unfiltered cigarettes, in singles, from a plate: “It’s a tradition, so take one.” I comply, and get a light. More mezcal, this time much smoother. I decide that soft drinks can wait until a little later. The band continues, as do the four friends dancing with the closet. It looks heavy to me, but they persevere for perhaps 15 minutes. The merriment builds. Bags of goodies are distributed to the extraordinary number of young children, most supervised by teenaged moms.

The band leaves its designated playing area, and begins to trace its steps. The wardrobe follows, along with the rest of us. We stop at the bottom of a hill for more deliberate and formal dancing. Then at the residence of the bride’s godparents of her confirmation, tradition once again prevails: more drink, more candies, more cigarettes (this time filtered), and more milling about, but this time in a large, poured concrete floor courtyard of a relatively lavish looking home. And of course dance. These hosts are required to present the couple with a metate, the large grinding stone used for hand-milling corn for tortillas and tamales.

The metate remains a common and highly appreciated gift for special occasions, at least in towns and villages. It’s usually painted with brightly colored flowers along the sides, with a dedication such as “Souvenir of my wedding” followed by the year, or other wording appropriate to the occasion. At all weekly town marketplaces there’s at least one metate vendor, and at the large Abastos Market in downtown Oaxaca there are several metate stalls. Metates were traditionally as important to a Oaxacan family as a car for most Americans and Canadians today. Even though blenders are now a more common wedding gift, the tradition of gifting a metate in this and other villages remains well entrenched. And why not … its use probably dates back some 3,000 years, albeit in simpler form.

A man is dancing with the 135-pound metate strung across his back. A woman is parading a large galvanized aluminum wash basin, another gift. Someone else is entrusted with carrying a huge clay cooking vessel with a petate (palm leaf mat) rolled up inside. About 40 others are dancing, accompanying those who are presenting these additional gifts.

Now more under the influence than before, our third palenquero acquaintance takes me over to his wife for a chat. His daughter is also present, clutching her infant son.
“Our son’s getting married December 29, and we want you to come, so I’m going to give you a special invitation the next time you’re at my palenque.”

It’s common for people to give last-minute or unexpected invitations to rite of passage celebrations in both rural and urban Oaxaca, even, perhaps surprisingly, for the middle classes. Especially in the villages, extra tables are set up if necessary to accommodate additional guests, and there’s always an abundance of food and drink on hand. It’s a custom with which most North Americans are not familiar, and when confronted with such an 11th hour offer or request to attend, we usually feel insulted or at minimum a little uncomfortable. But the intention is generally to honor and show respect and friendship.

We are now back on the street, once again with music, dance, fireworks, and upwards of 300 in the procession, having picked up invitees from the last two stops, and undoubtedly others along the way. The furniture-foursome continues, joined by metate-man and others, strolling with the most recent gifts.

We finally arrive back at the party site. The band repositions itself off to a corner. But now, with the last of the endowments having arrived, it’s time to take notice of the riches being heaped upon Gladis, Eli and Lexy. All presents are brought out, and each is given to a different person, to rejoice and dance with above the head. A spectacle of potlatch proportion ensues, with baskets, dishes, small appliances and every other class of gift hoisted to the starlit sky and spun around as the band plays on. Those not directly participating clap in unison.

Many are in the street, oblivious to the odd passing vehicle. Children are playing, men and women imbibing. A municipal police pick-up stops out front. The mayor goes over for a chat. All is under control.

Oaxacans returning from the United States to their rural Mexican roots, in the course of expressing their reasons for coming back home, frequently comment about the excessive regulation and control exercised by the American government over its residents:
“Why shouldn’t I be able to have a beer in the street out in front of my home as long as I’m not drunk?”
“Why can’t I keep the music turned up until midnight if I have a party only once a year?”
“If I can’t afford to keep my car’s catalytic converter functioning well, it’s not fair to pull my vehicle off the road.”

The bride and groom are getting more advice, and providing all assurances that they will be faithful and remain together, be good Catholics and lead forthright honest lives, always supporting one another. A conjunto, the more contemporary musical group with amplifiers, electric guitars, singer and MC, is setting up just as the band packs up. It’s after 9 pm. Chatter continues, now about the upcoming waltz, la culebra (snake dance), toast, and other traditions. Many comment that they’re ready for dessert. Dancing with a live turkey is not a custom in this village as it is in many others.

A young girl approaches, yet another former employee of our friend Sara of roadside eatery fame. She’s 20, with a two-year-old. But she’s holding her 15-year-old sister’s three-month-old. Her sister also has a two-year-old:
“So she had her first at thirteen?”
“Yes, I guess that’s right.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No, I don’t like boys, and I don’t think they like me now.”
“My parents are very strict. They never want us going out with boys, so we have to sneak around.”
“But don’t you see how it hasn’t worked? Look at your sister now.”
She looks confused. She doesn’t get it. In a flash the wisdom of Daniel’s one room billiard parlor strikes home. Giving young people something to do might just have an impact on the youth of his village.

There are class distinctions in the village of San Lorenzo Albarradas. But fiestas seem to transcend economic distinctions in terms of the guest list, at least for the middle and lower classes. Those with barely a skill set are noteworthy: the youngsters getting pregnant at 13, working for Sara for perhaps $6 - $8 a day, appearing to be going nowhere, and barely subsisting. Then there are Hilarino and Sara, and Santos and Lupita, with drive and motivation. Their children, while having families when relatively young as compared to current North American trend, aspire to be in long-term monogamous relationships, learn trades and attend higher education. They aim towards a future, while others seem to not. It’s perhaps never even entered the realm of their worldview.

But neither San Lorenzo nor San Isidro has a school beyond junior high. There is no preparatoria (high school) in the area. The closest are in the towns of Mitla and Tlacolula. It costs approximately $20 a week to get there and back by public transit, money that most don’t have. And if a family does send a son or daughter to high school, apart from the cost of doing so, there’s one less income earner in the household.

Arlene is whisked away to the waltz, forming a ring with young women and female children, arm in arm, while Gladis and Eli begin to dance. They hadn’t taken dance lessons. The circle moves ever so slowly to the right. Arlene catches on pretty quickly. The MC begins to call out names of guests to be honored by being invited to dance with bride or groom. Every other surname called out is Martínez.

A half hour goes by, with more drink, talk and laughter. Daniel asks me to participate in the long awaited snake dance. He instructs me to remove my glasses. I initially decline, but then recall from prior experience what it entails, so off they come. The bride and groom each stand on a chair about three yards apart, Eli holding onto the end of Gladis’ train. I and four other men grab onto the bride’s chair, holding it firmly, while another group does likewise with the groom’s. Women begin circling around the main attraction in the center, bumping into us and trying to topple us over, and consequently the bride and groom from their chairs. As the pace of the music picks up, likewise the movement of the snake … the women circling. So does the fervor in trying to knock us over. It’s a draw. Next the men do the same, but the bumps and grinds are more deliberate and severe. We are firm in our resolve to protect Gladis by ensuring that our feet remain firmly planted on the ground and our hands are not dislodged from her chair. Those hanging onto Eli are similarly steadfast. The second snake slithers away as the music dissipates, both newlyweds still standing.

By now, Hilarino and Sara have left for home to put their other son, a two-year-old, to bed. The village’s main street remains alive with drinking, coming and going, and of course sporadic bottle rockets going off. The conjunto is now playing in full swing as the next ritual unfolds. The groom, suit jacket removed, is being ushered around the courtyard by Daniel, so as to enable guests to write a congratulatory note on the back of his shirt, and then affix a peso bill to it with a safety pin. At the other end, Alma is similarly assisting Gladis. Gladis is approaching guests with a crystal slipper, inviting each to fill it with coins or bills. Alma, trailing, periodically empties the slipper’s contents into a decorative wooden box.

The expense involved in throwing a wedding in Oaxaca can be significant, and while most cannot afford much of the pomp and ceremony involved, they nevertheless pull it off. It’s tradition. There’s a saying that most people in Oaxaca have two jobs, one to meet their normal day to day expenses, and the other to fulfill their social obligations. Asking for direct contributions assists in defraying the cost. Honoring specific friends and relatives by asking them to be godparents of a particular aspect of the function further reduces the outlay; godparents of the music, the cake, the wedding rings, and so on.

It’s now 10:30, and it’s a long drive home over dark winding roads. Gladis and Eli continue to solicit contributions. Cider has been distributed in small plastic cups in anticipation of the toast, but no one knows when it will occur. And still to come are the cutting of the cake, the bride or groom having his or her face smashed into it, and other longstanding traditions, not to mention dancing to familiar song … sure to continue throughout the night.

To a person, our friends and acquaintances are shocked at our “premature” departure, Daniel ready to burst into tears, Alma pouting. Weeks earlier we had indeed spoken about spending the night and sleeping over, but not without qualification. I do a quick calculation of the number of drinks I have had over the past
10 ½ hours, to assure myself, and Arlene, that we’ll be safe for the drive home. I had been conscious of my intake all day and evening long, for that very reason.

A week later I see Alma at her mother-in-law’s comedor. She is clearly still disappointed, as well as angry. Many partied until six in the morning. Others closer to our age called it a night at about two or three. But there’s always an opportunity for us to redeem ourselves, perhaps at the next wedding in a month’s time, now that we are much better acquainted with the customs and traditions of San Lorenzo Albarradas.

Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology from York University in Toronto in 1978, taught for a few years, and subsequently attended Osgoode Hall Law School. From 1986 to 2004 he was the litigation partner at Banks & Starkman, specializing in family law. Although a frequent traveler to Oaxaca since 1991, it was not until he ceased practicing law that he took up permanent residence in the state capital in 2004. In his spare time Mr. Starkman takes couples and families on personalized tours to the craft villages, towns on their market days, ruins and other attractions including more off-the-beaten-track sights. He also writes articles about life and cultural traditions in Oaxaca, translates from Spanish to English for a Oaxaca-based website, writes a legal column for a Canadian national antiques magazine, is occasional consultant to documentary film production companies, and together with wife Arlene operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ). The Starkmans’ Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience is unique in that their accommodations combine the comfort and service found in a downtown Oaxaca hotel, with a lodging style characterized by quaintness and personal touch.

Upcoming 2009 Culinary Tour of Oaxaca

2009-02-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

The Annual "Culinary Secrets from Oaxaca's Kitchens", a seven-day gastronomic extravaganza and tour, is scheduled for April 25 - May 1, 2009. The theme of this year's tour is "The evolution of Oaxacan cuisine." The itinerary, designed for both the novice with a keen interest in Oaxacan cookery, as well as the seasoned chef, includes: 3 days of class at different venues, each lead by an internationally renowned culinary expert; native market tours; exploring important sites contributing to UNESCO's designation of Oaxaca as a World Heritage Site; keynote speaker; tastings of traditional regional foods, sweets and beverages; and select comidas in critically acclaimed restaurants. Participating chefs include Pilar Cabrera of BB Sabores Cooking School, and Alejandro Ruíz, owner of Casa Oaxaca Restaurant. Members of the Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast Association, sponsor, will be offering discounts, and a number of restaurants are expected to follow suit. Send inquiries to tours@oaxacabedandbreakfast.org, where you can also request the provisional tour calendar. Alvin Starkman - Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast

Should I rent a car in Oaxaca?

2009-01-29T12:16:00.001-08:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Driving a car in Oaxaca has always been dangerous, be it using your own or a rental vehicle (see my earlier article entitled Driving in Oaxaca: Rules of the Road). But with a dramatic change in the law respecting obtaining a driver’s license, it’s now more precarious, and scary, than ever.

Until recently, to obtain a license you had to either take a written test, or pay a small bribe to avoid having to do so. In either case there was no road test and no eye examination. But now the state has done away with virtually all licensing requirements relating to safety: no written test, no road test, no eye test. The new law is advertized as “more secure.” However, the fact of the matter is that drivers, passengers and pedestrians are much less secure on the roads, curbs and sidewalks.

As long as you’re at least 18 years of age you can apply for licensing for two, three or five years. For the longest period, the cost of obtaining a license to drive a car or light truck is 552 pesos (about $42 USD using early 2009, exchange rates). Add a further 66 pesos ($5) and you can obtain a chauffeur’s license, enabling you to drive a tractor trailer. And with a payment of only 375 pesos ($30), you’re off on your Harley Davidson roaming the roads for a half a decade.

Those 16 and 17 years old must produce an original certificate confirming that they’ve taken a driver training course, but naturally producing such a document has nothing to do with how you’ve performed on the road while taking your lessons. If you can’t afford the lessons, or if your road skills are so bad that driving instructors refuse to teach you out of sheer fear for their own lives, all you have to do is wait that extra year or two, until your eighteenth birthday, and then there are virtually no hoops to jump through.

The requirements with which you must comply are:
1) You must be able to sign your name, which of course does not preclude placing your mark (i.e. an “X”) instead;
2) You must produce proof of residence, such as a water, phone or hydro bill;
3) You must have identification in the form of a voter registration card, or in the case of non-Mexicans, a visa and passport;
4) You must have the name and minimal contact information for a next of kin;
5) You must provide fingerprints of all of your digits, but it’s not clear if this requirement means that those missing one or more fingers simply have to ink up those, if any, that they have;
6) You must be able to pose for a photo.

It appears that if you are legally blind, you can still be licensed. You are simply asked if you need eyeglasses to drive, with no mention of the nature or strength of prescription. It appears that you must be able to speak so as to enable you to comply with the fourth requirement noted above, but if you bring along a piece of paper with the name and contact information of your next of kin, or attend with someone assisting you who can speak, this possible prerequisite may not apply at all. And of course if you read lips when being addressed by the application officer, the ability to hear becomes irrelevant. It appears that you must have at least one arm, or portion thereof enabling you to sign, but there is no suggestion that you must have a lower limb.

So why is it so dangerous for those of us driving in Oaxaca with years of experience and not a single traffic violation on our record? Think about it; the lane to your left could be occupied by a fully licensed sixteen-year-old blind youth who has rarely been behind the wheel or even a passenger in a car, trying to make a right hand turn in his three ton cube van, all the while oblivious to you honking your horn in sheer fright.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes couples and families to the sights, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Consumer protection in Oaxaca, Mexico: a case study

2008-12-28T13:03:00.000-08:00

Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B.

Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO), Mexico’s Federal Office of Fair Trading, is the closest you can get to an American or Canadian style government administered consumer protection bureau and mediation facility. Its Oaxaca regional office is run in a relatively swift and efficient manner, meaning that it is extremely user friendly from the perspective of an expat seeking recourse against trades and businesses located both in the state and further abroad. Naturally, though, it’s subject to limitations, and to idiosyncrasies to which we are not accustomed.

I purchased a hot water heater made by Hidro Electrica, SA de CV (HESA), which to my amazement came with an eight-year limited warranty. Usually in Oaxaca one buys domestically produced or assembled goods with a 30 day guarantee. In the odd case it’s for three months (extended warranties are rarely available, since manufacturers and insurers are aware of the lack of adequate quality control in Mexican production). Typically your widget stops widgeting within a week after expiry date … be it a washing machine, microwave, TV, or long-life bulb.

After about a year one side of the dual-tank HESA boiler sprang a leak, and then a couple of months later the other side followed suit. After six months and several phone calls to my retailer, Tubos y Conexiones, the HESA authorized repairman arrived with two pairs of replacement tanks, neither of which matched the tanks which came with the unit I had purchased. “Don’t worry,” Roberto assured. “I’ll bring you the right tanks when they’re in stock, so just choose one of these two sets for the time being so your heater will at least function.”

Whenever you sign anything, if you’re not entirely satisfied with the service provided or product received, qualify your acknowledgment. Doing so assists when availing yourself of the resources of PROFECO. “Temporary solution pending the arrival of the elite stainless steel tanks,” I noted on the work order. Anything in writing appears to be taken as gospel in Oaxaca, therefore regarded as almost irrefutable evidence. Just ask anyone who’s been held in jail for two years pending trial, based on little more than newspaper clippings alleging criminal activity.

Over the course of the next year I periodically attended at Tubos y Conexiones, each time pleading with my contact person, Boneque the branch manager, to help me get the proper tanks before the replacements went awry. Boneque was in fact cooperative, so much so that he admitted to me that the HESA service department had become a real pain, with complaints and lack of their resolution mounting. Hilda, HESA’s Oaxaca representative, had left the company, and serviceman Roberto was no longer accepting work from the manufacturer.

Three or four emails to the HESA service department went unanswered, as did the message left at HESA for its chief technician. Hearing “Mr. Levin will return your call in 15 minutes,” by this time did not instill the confidence in the company I had been seeking.

With my bill of sale and warranty booklet, copies of emails, the qualified work order acknowledgement, and notes of every communication or attempt at reaching a resolution all in hand, I attended at the offices of a friend, litigator Lic. Edna Franco: “Don’t worry about my fee Alvin. My concern is that on a claim worth less than 15,000 pesos, the out-of-pockets will kill you. Go to PROFECO … that’s what I tell all my clients to do before they retain me.”

Oaxaca doesn’t have a small claims court system, which means that regardless of the peso value of your claim your costs will be the same, subject to working out a deal with your lawyer for a reduced fee. Edna advised me that proceeding through the court system on your own, even for a former Canadian litigation lawyer, is an almost insurmountable task. Hence, PROFECO is the way to go, subject to your fact situation meeting its mandate and guidelines, and your willingness to use a government-run mediation facility.

The Oaxaca PROFECO offices are well staffed, yet used by a relatively modest percentage of the populace, meaning that compared to government offices of transportation, immigration and taxation for example, they are a welcomed and expedient breath of fresh air. Intake reviews your documentation and advises what if anything is lacking, and how many copies are required. Your primary advisor then reviews your paperwork, asks for clarification, and prepares a claim package. Feel free to supplement the information she selects to append to your claim, by suggesting the inclusion of any additional documentation you might have. Remember that as competent and seemingly helpful as she might appear, she is nevertheless a Oaxacan civil servant: “Is it okay if we also attach copies of these notes I made over the past year?,” I queried. More hard evidence.

My initial September 11, 2008, attendance terminated with a hearing date I negotiated to meet my schedule, October 10, 2008. “You know,” advised Aurea Guzman Palacios, “you should also name your retailer, Tubos y Conexiones, as a respondent, even though it seems like it didn’t do anything wrong.” I wouldn’t have advised a client with a legal dispute any differently!

“We’ll look after serving them, but remember to make sure you’re here at 10 am sharp on the October 10th.” Even in Toronto we’re accustomed to giving 15 minutes grace, so how could it possibly be that Oaxaca, government to boot, could possibly adhere to a more stringent and exacting timetable?

Service of the proceeding and notice of the date is effected by the regional PROFECO office where the company carries on business. In the case of HESA, this meant in the State of Mexico.

A Tubos y Conexiones representative attended, arriving shortly before the appointed hour. HESA was a no show. The PROFECO mediator, Javier, called the Estado de México PROFECO process server, and was advised that HESA was not served because company employees were on strike and the factory was shut down. The mediator was skeptical, indicating to me that sometimes federal government employees forget to do their jobs, or simply can’t be bothered and make up stories. But in this case we should give them the benefit of the doubt and simply ask them to once again try to serve the documentation with a fresh return date, a month down the road. November 10th was set for the new appointment, with more documentation drafted, the preamble including the circumstances of the adjournment.

Before conceding that PROFECO was unable to serve HESA, in the presence of Javier the conciliator and Engineer Octavio the Tubos representative, I called the HESA offices. Lorena Torres, receptionist, advised me that the employees were not on strike, nor had they been in the recent past, and that the company was functioning as normal. So much for the veracity of the State of Mexico PROFECO process server.

PROFECO levies a fine against a company for each missed appointment, the amount increasing with each failed attendance. Should HESA fail to attend the next date, after having received notice, the fine would be 172.79 pesos, making it hardly a compelling reason for the company to send someone from head office.

By the time November 10th had arrived, my hot water heater, wrong new tanks still in place, had once again sprung a leak, albeit a small one. The main implication is that the dripping water puts out the pilot from time to time, so unless you’re constantly checking, you never know when your shower will be hot or cold.

Neither HESA nor Tubos attended on the new date for the proceeding. The PROFECO mediator checked on his computer, and with the State of Mexico regional office, once again being led to believe that HESA was on strike. And once again I called HESA and confirmed that business was operating as normal, without strike. “Don Alvin,” Javier assured, “we’ll try to serve HESA once more, and hopefully this time the process server’s supervisor will have a word with him and tell him that there is no strike.” More importantly, the conciliator decided to levy a 3,000 peso fine against Tubos for not sending its representative to this second meeting.

I didn’t ask why the fine for Tubos was so steep, simply stunned that my ally was being dinged with a sizeable stipend while the scoundrel was getting off unscathed because it ostensibly had no notice of the proceeding. “I think we should be trying to convince Tubos that it should share responsibility, and maybe this fine will be what it needs to convince it to come to the table and acknowledge that you were relying on the judgment of its salesperson when you decided to buy a HESA product.” Javier was treating me with the utmost respect (i.e. “Don Alvin”), giving me advice, and being pro-active in his approach to the matter. “Let’s give them a bit more than a month to be served, just to be safe. How about December 15th?”

On December 15th, Engineer Octavio once again attended, but no one from HESA. This time PROFECO had a statement from its process server stating that indeed HESA was on strike, all very strange since there has not been any such indication on the internet. “It could be that some company employees are striking, and HESA is able to use this as a way to avoid service of legal documents for the entire company,” Javier surmised. Only PROFECO is permitted to effect service of PROFECO documents, so my offer to have a friend in Mexico City attend at HESA with the papers was rejected.

I decided enough was enough, and if I could exact upwards of the 3,000 peso fine from Tubos, and buy a new, alternate brand product, that would be the best, at least in terms of finishing my business with PROFECO. I could continue to pursue HESA, but only in court since the PROFECO proceeding would be closed out. We adjourned until the 17th, the plan being that in the interim I would attend at Tubos, select a comparable product of another manufacturer, and be given a 2,500 peso credit.

As long as PROFECO does not register a fine with a companion governmental branch, presumably finance or collections, the amount or any portion thereof can be applied to a comprehensive resolution as part of a negotiated settlement. PROFECO doesn’t otherwise receive the fine amount, nor does the consumer. The paperwork which reflects the levying of a fine can be redrafted with no mention of a fine. Literally, one branch of government does not know what the other branch has done.

I selected an alternate brand, Delta, with equivalent specifications and a six-year warranty, for a net cost to me of 9,800.25 pesos. Three years earlier I had paid 11,736 pesos for the HESA hot water heater. Given Mexico’s rate of inflation, I didn’t do too badly. Although I have released Tubos y Conexiones from any further obligation to me, I have preserved the right to proceed in court against HESA, for all losses including the cost of my new Delta boiler. Economically feasible or not, that’s the way I intend to go.

PROFECO has its limitations, especially since its power to force and enforce resolutions in this type of consumer dispute are restricted. However, it does provide an important and valuable alternate means of dispute resolution, attractive for a number of reasons:
1) The system works fast, much more so than that to which we are accustomed in Canada and the US;
2) There is no cost to the consumer;
3) The staff are helpful, obviously well trained, and willing to render legal or quasi-legal advice … although not necessarily correct advice, it’s nevertheless helpful for foreigners, often with limited networks otherwise able to provide counsel;
4) Its mediators appear to have good mediation skills and be sincerely motivated to bring parties together with a view to achieving resolutions in a cost-effective and sensible fashion.

Alvin Starkman has a Masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast ( http://www.oaxacadream.com ), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.

Day of the Dead 2008 at Casa de las Bugambilias B&B

2008-12-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

We built a beautiful altar between guests and staff. After 2 1/2 hours of hard work!
It's always a joy to share our customs.
Casa de las Bugambilias B&B www.lasbugambilias.com