THE CENTRAL VALLEY
Our Stops:
SANTA MARIA del TULE
The population of Tule is ~9,000 residents, most of whom provide services of some sort to tourists (taxis, shops, ice cream, restaurants); some farm (corn, alfalfa, beans, garlic and onions); and others commute to work (either further into the Valley to work with mezcal, or to Oaxaca City for professional or government jobs).
We came to see the famous tree and church and left with so much more. Plans were for a quick stop, then on to two other villages, but wandering away from the zocalo and the town center struck a chord, and we stayed. In the end, we experienced part of an annual celebration and had a fabulous meal in a traditional family restaurant. Research helped us understand deeper meanings behind everything.
Walking towards the tree, there is an artisanal market on the right, followed by beautifully manicured grounds and gardens, before arriving at the ticket booth to pay our 20 pesos each. Beyond the church and tree is another market.
Tree & Church
Apparently, the Pilgrims did not bring the turkey to North America. The Mexican people were the first to domesticate the common turkey, known as guajolete, related to the Nahuatl word meaning: "great, monstrous bird". Researchers at the Mitla ruins found unequivocal proof of animal husbandry by the Zapotec people, long before the Spaniards introduced other animals and chickens. Turkeys were used by the early peoples as food; some eggs were used as offerings to the gods, and feathers were dyed and woven into intricate clothing and headdresses.
El ARBOL del TULE
Known as Ahuehuete (Old Man of the Water) in the Nahuatl language,
and as Yaga-guichicina (Shining Tree) by the Zapotec people.
We saw the photos and read the stats: 1,400 to 3,000-year-old Montezuma cypress - only one tree (proven by DNA) - circumference: 177' (biggest in world, takes 30-32 adults holding hands around tree to encompass its girth) - 130' tall - weight 636 tons - BIG IMPRESSIVE.
We are not into spirituality big time, but being in the presence of this magnificent tree was a very moving experience. We took some time to walk around and around it. The photos below are different perspectives from that walk.
The tree appears healthy, and all sorts of birds call it home, but there is great fear for its health. Oaxaca state, like many places in the world, has had critical water shortages for some years, and the water table is shrinking. The water-loving Tule tree needs to drink a thousand gallons of water every day, so much that as it drinks, the water table moves and the church near it leans into the shifting ground.
The fact that the tree is even here suggests that long, long ago the area was a marsh.
The beautiful little Church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion, built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, didn't open until late afternoon when we would be on our way back to the city. The church has priceless art, so it is always locked when someone is not around.
Leaving the area, we see another Montezuma cypress behind the church. It is El Hijo del Tule (the Son of Tule) - only a thousand years old, and closer to the plaza is Il Nieto, the grandson, only a few decades old, planted to ensure the lineage of these sacred trees.
As we walk around, we hear the music of a banda de viento (brass wind band - heavy on the brass) playing and wandering the town. We don't get to it, because we come upon a big canopy (iona) stretched over some space, and it appears that most of the townspeople are seated under it, waiting to be served. And then we see a pot big enough to be a bathtub (cazo) filled with mole and another huge pot with pieces of chicken cooking away.
We were hungry, our Spanish is incomplete, and we didn't know what kind of event it was (public or private), so we were reluctant to ask if we could participate. When we mimed if we could take a photo, the woman welcomed us with the camera, and we later felt she would have invited us in, had we asked.
Let's dissect the above photo: these women have been working for days standing over a hot fire, cleaning, seeding and toasting dozens of kilograms of chillies, nuts, seeds, chocolate and spices, and they are smiling, laughing while greeting neighbours. Note the size of the paddle needed for almost constant stirring of the mole - it's heavy work, and the women share it. See too that they are wearing their traditional embroidered aprons (mandiles). After the people have been fed, all of the coloured buckets will go home with them, filled with mole and chicken to be shared with extended family and friends who couldn't make it to the communal meal.
Here the saying is: "Donde comen dos, comen tres" (Where 2 eat, 3 eat). In other words, there is food for all.
We finally remember that this day is Cinco de Mayo, a day celebrated more by Mexicans living outside of their country than inside (except for Puebla and here in the Valley). One of the heroes from 1862, an Oaxacan general (Porfirio Diaz), distinguished himself on that day, so it's with pride and joy that he is remembered here each year.
A celebration like this is called a Mayordomo. Each year a different family takes responsibility to host the event, but the entire community steps in to help. It's a sacred system of reciprocal labour (Tequio) to the Zapotec people. Those cooking and serving today will be waited on and fed another year.
Finally, we move on to find lunch and stumble upon the traditional Restaurante el Milenario.
The three murals on the outside wall are very informative: three people who have passed on, likely the patriarchs and matriarchs of this family restaurant, who farmed the land and perfected the recipes. Their names are announced with pride on each mural.
The lacy 'cloth' holds these words: "One always returns to the old places where they loved life ..."
We are warmly welcomed into the restaurant and can't help but have a look at the traditional open kitchen, then a wander through before sitting down.
In a short time we grew very fond of this town. It's only about a ten km bus ride from Oaxaca and the driver actually swings through town to drop you off, then it's a quick walk to the tree and the church.
TLACOLULA de MATAMOROS
On our final Sunday in Oaxaca, we catch a colectivo for the forty-minute ride to the weekly four hundred-year-old Tlacolula Market, a trading hub since pre-Hispanic days for the Zapotec people of the central valleys, the Mixe people of the eastern mountains and other indigenous peoples from the valley. This is a true tianguis (open-air market) that, still today, vendors, craftspeople, mescaleros, and farmers travel from towns and remote areas all over the region to participate in. For many, it forms a major portion of their income.
Walking into town, it's gridlock in every direction. In addition to city squares and block after block of the town, the vendors also spread into all major arteries into Tlacolula, which has become a sea of tarps. It appears that local vendors are doing a booming business as market attendees pop in to buy refreshments and goods, and the local grocery stores are buying up produce for their shelves. It has been said that the market is not something that happens in Tlacolula; it is simply who they are.
We have been to a number of the great markets of the world: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Chorsu, Chatuchak and the markets of Fez, but everything here comes together to make it our favourite: the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and sense of community and respect; the traditional clothing worn by women, young and elder; hearing indigenous languages, learning that in the Pasillo de Hume (Hall of Smoke) you can buy raw meats and veg and grill them yourself, over hot coals waiting for your special touch; seeing the anchor of the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman where the courtyard acts as a socialization and relaxation place for the vendors and knowing that people coming from remote communities can come together before or after market to participate in their religion if they choose.
COMMUNICATION
With so many people coming from isolated pockets all over the Oaxacan Valley, I wonder about language, and learned this:
- ~500,000 people speak Zapotec (most in Oaxaca), there are 62 distinct variants of the Zapotec language.
- ~520,000 people in Mexico speak Mixtec; there are 81 distinct variants of the Mixtec language
- With all of these distinct variants, people speaking Zapotec from one region may not be able to understand someone speaking Zapotec from another area, and the same for Mixtec.
- Many elders may be unilingual in their indigenous tongue; however, most are bilingual today in their first language and Spanish (Spanish is the bridge to connect people). And many today who have come home after working in the USA are fluent in their first language, Spanish and English.
This is one of just many grills in a nearby building called the Hall of Smoke. We couldn't stay in there for long. The women in charge of the grills are often called the Mujeres de Humo.
We were unable to get inside the church this day; a service was packed to standing room only. We hear that there may have been a special procession today, ending at the church, for it is Día de las Madres (Mothers' Day).
Research tells us that historic murals are painted in the nave and that the attached chapel is a masterpiece of Oaxacan Baroque style with detailed plasterwork, mirrors and silver work. This used to be a silver mining area, and over generations much fine silver was gifted to the church.
The market does have a celebratory feel about it today. Whole multi-generational families are working, eating and enjoying the day together. Vendors have beautifully wrapped bouquets of flowers and thoughtful, wrapped gift baskets for sale to honour mothers.
Walking is a challenge as there is so much to look at, and some vendors are mobile, carrying their product up and down the center aisles in wheelbarrows or bicycle carts.
Here it feels as though one can stop to admire produce and handiwork, without pressure to buy and even to have a quiet chat with a vendor.
The food smells are enticing, but we hold off until we find what we are looking for. We aren't fussy and would like to find either barbacoa de borrego (lamb) or barbacoa de chivo (goat). Lamb it is.
The slow-cooked barbacoa is made in one of two ways: either in a fire pit in the ground or in steamer pots in a kitchen.
For the fire pit method, a pot is prepared with water, herbs and possibly rice and/or garbanzo beans to go on the coals in the pit. This will become the consomme. Then the meat, along with chillies and spices, is wrapped in either maguey or banana leaves and placed on a rack over the pot. The entire pit is covered in wet cloths, hot coals and dirt, trapping steam and smoke that work their magic. The juices from the meat drip into the pot, making a rich broth. This process takes six to eight hours.
In the kitchen, huge steamer pots fit one over the other. The bottom pot holds the water, vegetables and herbs for the consomme. The steamer pot on top is lined with the leaves, with the meat on top and a lid to seal in the juices. With this process, the meat is tender in three to four hours.
The lamb is served in one of two ways: as tacos and in consomme. Both are like nothing we have tasted before - so flavourful.
Just as in professional kitchens, each market stall with food cooking has a Mayora ... the matriarch of the kitchen, keeper of the recipes, conductor of all the complexities of running a kitchen large or small. She cooks from decades of experience and uses her senses to measure amounts, judges when the comal is hot enough, or a dish is ready, and oversees family and staff. Hers is a position of earned respect. She may be a community leader when not in the kitchen, and she may be the main breadwinner in her family.
The Mayoras wear traditional embroidered aprons (mandiles) that contribute to her professional identity and wear their long hair braided with bright ribbons, often weighted to keep them in place.
In a large roped-off section of the market, a crew of men are preparing the castillo structures they have built and are attaching artisanal fireworks to them. We have seen these firework shows in San Miguel de Allende, and they are very impressive. The more colourful and loud, the greater the tribute to whoever is being honoured; but we can't stick around until dark.
What a great day this has been.
RANDOM PHOTOS FROM THE MARKET
We thought these men's T-shirts with the added woven strip and sleeve borders were very original and attractive, but the vendor did not have one small enough for Paul, and he was the only vendor who had them. These strips likely were made on a backstrap loom.
This lovely woman was happily getting Paul to try samples of her homemade beverages.
It is said that women in their traditional clothes at the market get tired of tourists asking them to pose, so I tried to be unobtrusive with these photos showing colours, aprons and scarves.
SAN PABLO VILLA de MITLA (Pueblo Magico)
To read about the ruins of Mitla, go to Part 2 of this series.
Walking the streets, the rhythmic sound of wooden looms heard through open doorways seems to be the heartbeat of this town of about 15,000 people. The weaving tradition here goes back 2,000+ years when the Zapotec people used backstrap looms. The wooden pedal looms of today date back to Spanish technology.
A half hour drive from Oaxaca City, the artisans in Teotitlan del Valle are world-renowned for their handwoven 100% sheep wool rugs and tapestries, using natural dyes and centuries-old Zapotec weaving techniques. We see their work in markets and high-end shops, but never did make it out there. The fascinating story of the weavers of Teotitlán is told here.
Apparently there are a few families in Mitla that use the backstrap loom to weave the very detailed patterns for shawls, sashes and intricate ceremonial borders that we see for sale in the artisanal shops.
This mezcalaria is closed, but we admire the steel entry gates.
There is a town in the Valley (Santo Tomas Jalieza) where most of the weaving is done with the ancient loom. We have seen women in Malaysia using a backstrap loom, and I read that women in Guatemala also keep the tradition alive.
Street Art in Mitla
CORTEJO FÚNEBRE
Walking down the street one day, coming towards us is a band, and from a distance this photo is quickly snapped, then just as quickly we realize it's a funeral procession. So, as is the custom, we stand aside, stop, remain silent and remove our hats...Catholics might make the sign of the cross; I prefer to hold my right hand over my heart.
THE MEZCAL HIGHWAY (#179 between Mitla & Matatlan)
Another reason we are here is to learn about mezcal.
SANTIAGO MATATLAN (World Capital of Mezcal)
Matatlán is famous for mezcal. In part 3 of this series, we visited a palenque to learn how it's made, sampled Pink Mole, and in the final post, we saw ancient artifacts from the town's archeological site as well as photos and equipment from the early days of mezcal-making. Rather than repeat those stories here, I'll focus on the role mezcal plays in the community's everyday life.
Below is the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (built 1856 - 1899). The inside of the church has layers of plaster carved into decorative details that have been painted or gilded.
Mexico is the only country that produces certified authentic mezcal, making both Ancestral mezcal and Artisanal mezcal. Today, mezcal is the economic engine of the region, supporting tens of thousands of rural families; but beyond its commercial importance, it remains deeply woven into community life.
MEZCAL in DAILY LIFE
"Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, tambien"
(For everything bad, mezcal, and for everything good as well)
The museum documents the role that mezcal plays in daily life, and some uses that follow ancient ritual and protocol:
CEREMONIAL AND RITES of PASSAGE:
BLESSINGS at weddings, baptisms and quinceañeras;
BUILDING a HOUSE: mezcal is poured onto the ground and in the four corners of the house, to appease the earth;
FUNERALS, WAKES & RITUALS: consumed to give strength to a grieving family and poured into the grave as a 'drink for the road' to the deceased.
SPIRITUAL CONNECTION/OFFERINGS:
(Some agave takes 30 years to mature during which time it absorbs energy from the sun and the earth, so it's seen as holder of time and spirit):
La MADRE TIERRA (Feeding the Earth): before a bottle is opened at a celebration or a sip is taken from a new batch, the Maestro Mezcalero pours a few drops into the earth in gratitude and to return some of the spirit that grew the agave.
DIA de los MUERTOS (Day of the Dead): along with food and marigold offerings on a family's altar, the aroma of mezcal is another way to attract the souls of ancestors back home, and comforts them when they arrive.
FESTIVAL DANCES: the dancers drink mezcal before putting on their heavy wooden masks and to help them get into the 'character' they are representing.
MEDICINAL & HEALING USES:
An important part of rural medicine chests and of the 'healers' (curanderos) tools. It was rubbed on the body to release negative energy, ease discomfort in muscles and joints, or to break a high fever; and finally it was a digestive, ingested after a heavy meal to ease discomfort.
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