Fiber Arts of the Oaxacan South Coast . . .
February 22 - March 2, 2009 Printer-Friendly Version
A journey to visit backstrap weavers, dyers, and a few beaches on the Pacific Coast of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico
 he land of Mixtecs, Zapotecs, Amuzgos, Chatinos, Chontales and Afro-Mexicanos, once the lair of pirates and coffee traders and still filled with mysteries and secrets, the Oaxacan south coast was virtually closed to the outside world until 1982 when the coastal highway was paved. Now the coast has opened up and tourists have discovered the wonderful beaches of this south coast and travel the long highway to bathe in the warm Pacific. But the Oaxacan coast still hides many secrets.
Principle among them are a group of 25 Mixtec dyers who are the last people on earth to still dye purple with Murex shell fish as part of an intact tradition. On this pioneering trip to see the textile traditions of the Oaxacan coast we will enjoy the unique honor of traveling with one of the last shell dyers to see where and how this ancient process is done. We'll visit the weavers who make pozahuancos, or traditional wraps, with this purple cotton. We will travel to an Amuzgo village to meet some of the finest backstrap brocade weavers in the country, visit a Mixtec village where brown cotton is cultivated and travel to the world of the coastal Zapotec women who embroider and wear the floral blouses and dresses once so dear to Frida Kahlo. And always, to our south, will be the luring blue water, mangrove lagoons and sand beaches of the Pacific. The ocean, being the greatest of all fabrics, will not escape our attention either and we will splash in its inviting waters at some of the finest beaches the coast has to offer, and eat of its fruits, for here fresh fish, lobster and shrimp abound.
This is a unique and rare trip created as a result of years of exploration and research among the villages and weavers of the Oaxacan coast. It is an adventure not to be missed.
Guides for this adventure will be Carlos Ortega and Joshua Sage.
For more about shell dying, please see our article, Purpua! and our slide show, Dying Murex on the Oaxacan Coast
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Day 1, (D). Our trip begins at the Pacific coast
resort beach town of Puerto Escondido. Participants will make arrangements to get to Puerto Escondido and the hotel where we will hold our first meeting in the evening. There are daily flights to the Puerto Escondido airport from Mexico City and Oaxaca. Evening in Puerto Escondido.
Day 2, (B,L,D). After a fine breakfast overlooking the beach and surf we travel up coast and deep into the realm of the traditional coastal Mixtec people. We'll stop in Jamiltepec to visit the hilltop market where handspindles made of mangrove root and clay can be bought. Then we will visit Huazolotitlan, a Mixtec weaving and mask-carving village. We will spend lunch and the afternoon with a family of weavers, learning about back strap weaving and the traditions of this village. We will spend the evening in Pinotepa National.
Day 3, (B,L,D). Today we travel inland to the village of Pinotepa de Don Luis. Here we will visit Habacuc Avendano, a traditional purple shell dyer, and see how the shell-dyed purple cotton is combined with red silk and indigo blue dyed cotton to make pozahuancos, the traditional wraps used by Mixtec women along the coast. We'll also meet with Habacuc's sister who heads a woman's weaving co-op in the village and his wife and daughters, all proficient weavers, who will have many goodies to tempt us with. Time allowing in the afternoon we'll travel out to a nearby beach to watch the waves crash. Evening in Pinotepa Nacional again.
Day 5, (B,L,D). This morning we head into the hills to visit the Amuzgo village of Xochistlahuaca where we will be honored by the presence of Florentina Lopez de Jesus (see page 359 of Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art). The work she and her peers in Xochis produce is among the finest and most beautiful brocade work being produced in Mexico and I wager you will never see cotton spun more finely than by these women with their hand spindles. We will see Amuzgo backstrap weaving and brocade, as well as learn about cotton cultivation, natural dyeing and the work done by Florentina to make this group of weavers successful. In the afternoon we'll stop in a town where glass beads are used to adorn blouses and dresses. Evening in Ometepec.
Day 6, , (B,L). Do your yoga before getting into the van today, because today we will cover long miles in the van, heading back down coast to our final destination. A lovely hotel and a fine beach. Along the way we will stop in the town of Cuajinicuilapa (say it 5 times fast) to visit the Museo de la Cultura Afromestizo, the only museum in Mexico dedicated to the African presence in Mexico. Along this stretch of the coast there are many Afro-Mexican communities, founded hundreds of years ago by escaped and freed slaves. At the end of the day the sea awaits us and its warm water and waves will wash away our road weariness. Evening in Puerto Angel area. shoulder bags out of agave fiber. Evening in San Cristobal
Day 7, (B). We have traveled hundreds of miles and seen many things and now it is time to take a breather. The day is yours to play on the beach, lounge in your hammock or explore. In the morning, if you are interested, you can join me to visit a nearby lagoon where we take a boat ride to see crocodiles and iguanas and we can venture up to a place where hammocks are woven. Also, as an option, you can take a boat trip out to sea to spot sea turtles and dolphins. Evening in Puerto Angel area.
Day 8, (B, L,D). Habacuc Avendano, the Mixtec shell dyer we met several days ago, joins us today for a trip to the rocky coastline and a boat ride out to a white sand beach with sky-blue waters where the little shells live that produce a regal purple dye. We will stand witness to this rare and ancient process (bring water proof shoes for rock hopping) as Habacuc harvests the shells to dye a skein of wool and explains to us how it is that, after thousands of years of harvesting shells on this coast, there are still shells to dye with. We'll have a picnic on the beach and a swim and a snorkel (bring your mask if you have one). In the afternoon we boat back to the big bay where the van is parked and head back to our restaurant with a view for one last dinner together. Evening in Puerto Angel area.
Day 9, (B,D). After breakfast we say our final adioses and each head our own way. Transport can be arranged to the Huatulco airport, about 45 minutes away.
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| SUGGESTED READING Artes de Mexico, 'Textiles de Oaxaca', No. 35, Mexico City, 1996. English translation at back of volume.  Artes de Mexico, 'La Tehuana', No. 49, Mexico City, Spring 2000. English translation at back of volume. Klien, Katheryn, ed.The Unbroken Thread: Conserving the Textile Traditions of Oaxaca. Los Angeles, California: J. Paul Getty Trust, 1997. Fomento Cultural Banamex, The Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art, Fomento Cultural Banamex, A.C., Mexico City, 1998. Gonzalez, Alicia Maria, The Edge of Enchantment, Sovereignty and Ceremony in Huatulco, Mexico, Smithsonian, Washington and New York, 2002 Whipperman, Bruce. Moon Handbooks, Oaxaca. Emeryville, California: Avalon Travel Publishing, 2001. Franz, Carl, The People's Guide to Mexico, John Muir Publications, Santa Fe, NM, 1998. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monday, December 10, 2012
Fiber Arts of the Oaxacan South Coast . . .
Discovering Oaxaca Viva Veracruz & Viva Puerto Escondido
December – 2012 – Viva Veracruz & Viva Puerto Escondido
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Discovering Oaxaca
The Calpso Clan (now including Anita’s Brother and Ethel his mate) has wanted to discover more of our area. Some short one to three day trips were on our minds. So we planned a trip westward heading towards Acapulco – but not that far. Our target destination would be within 100 miles or so from Puerto Escondido our home base.
Our plan started with Pinotepa Nacional. Located on the coastal highway 200 (Carretera Costera) 90 miles to the west of Puerto Escondido. The 30,000 residents are mostly Mestizos with surrounding areas of mostly indigenous people dominated by the Mixtec with Amusgo and Chatino Indians as well. Pinotepa comes from the Aztec words pinolli (crumbling) and tepetl (mountain). To the Mixtec, Pinotepa has always been called Ñíí Yu-uku, meaning place of salt.
As our plans jelled Pinotepa ultimately became the end of our planned journey west. We had a particular restaurant in mind and several hotel options.
Earlier in the week our friend Franco the owner of Mana Restaurant on El Morro (more on Franco this coming week) suggested we checkout the smaller pueblos: Santiago Jamiltepéc and Mechocan. Franco explained these authentic Old Mexico communities would probably be of more interest. So they were added to the itinerary.
Yesterday Anita and I left early. We actually arrived a few minutes ahead of the scheduled 8 AM time to pick-up the Ricardo’s (Anita’s aforementioned brother Ricardo and his woman). They are living across town from us in Bacocho. The four of us headed west out past the Puerto airport.
Follow along our photo journal:
After an hours drive we stopped and ate roadside at a Cocina Economica – yum!
Roadside Stand Coastal Highway 200
This little fellow, a ubiquitous green parrot, entertained us at breakfast.
The Travelers getting ready to load up after breakfast (I think Anita is hiking up her slacks – an action shot).
Also ubiquitous – colorful signage Mexican Style.
My BIL – What is he Photographing?
The Ubiquitous Mexican circular entrance with a statue monument.
A Closer Look Those things protruding from her head – what? Maybe skewered marshmallows? A bare chested woman statue is probably not something you would see in the U.S. at the entrance of any small community. We have seen several here in Mexico 
Mexico’s free ancient spirit thrives – more on bare breasted women below.
Mexico’s free ancient spirit thrives – more on bare breasted women below.
Mechocan was our destination at this point – just 5 kilometers ahead.
Mechocan seemed like a town forgotten out of the past. It was up in the hills and quite isolated, and yet as the sign points out there is a secondary schooling teachers education program that happens there:
Colegio Bachilleres del Estado de Oaxaca (COBAO)
Oaxaca, Mexico (for student teaching at the secondary level)
Oaxaca, Mexico (for student teaching at the secondary level)
Program Information:
Student teaching in Mexico is an opportunity for students in ESL (English as a second language), Bilingual Education and/or Spanish to complete eight weeks of directed teaching in Mechocan, Oaxaca, a center of indigenous culture, history, and the arts in south central Mexico. A program agreement between the Collegio Bachilleres del Estado de Oaxaca (COBAO) and the College of Education for student teaching at the secondary level.
We noticed some large satellite dishes that are typical of remote educational processes here in mexico. But other than that there was nothing in this small community that would have indicated a technology invasion in this primitive community.
The ubiquitous Mexican small town ‘Welcome to our town’ sign. We should mention that just a few feet further up this road we were welcomed (NOT) with a wire barricade across the road – this being the main entrance to Mechocan.
After some confusion and conversations with several people – we learned there was a festival in town happening in mere hours; therefore the road was blocked to vehicles. We were diverted to an area where we could park and walk.
Another colorful sign – in Mechocan. They remain until the need to promote the next event. We like them.
This Woman Befriended Us in the Calle
The pueblita was alive with preparations for the celebration of the Virgin of Guadelupe. Before the Christmas season “officially” begins on December 16, day when the first Posada takes place, Mexicans join together for the festivities of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe, on December 12. This is one of the most important dates in the Mexican calendar. Actually this celebration can be for several days usually beginning on a weekend.
As we four wandered the streets (wide and nicely paved by the way), little children and most of the populace stared at us – gringos are rarely seen in their community.
We love Architecture! We spied some nicely designed and constructed buildings, even some very upscale – but the old cob (mud daubed) construction was fascinating.
The mujer in the above photo was most kind to us. In the street with Coronas she had sold us in our hands she explained that their community had been an artisan pueblo – “but not so much any more”.
We asked about weaved, embroidered products and wicker furniture. We had been told these kinds of things would be available in this area. But not so much anymore. Any thing like this available would be found in Pinotepa.
Even still the girl called to an older Indian woman who joined our circle. She spoke mostly a Mixtec dialect. The old woman was taller than most and had a long African mask like face – most exotic we thought – the helpful local girl acted as an interpreter (from Spanish to the old woman’s language). We were invited to follow the old woman to her casa to see some embroidered items.
We traveled several blocks and then through a yard into a dark casita. There were a few dogs, children and obviously several generations of family. Plastic chairs were placed for us to sit down. The old woman went away to get her wares while we chatted with a younger generation family member.
Has this happened to you?
Soon the old woman returned with a large cloth bag of ‘napkins’ or embroidered cloth from place-mat to small table area sized. But, what was first noticed was the old woman came out to us naked from the waist up – National Geographic Style.
The half naked lady proceeded to pull her products from the bag – passing them along to each of us. The work was delicate and colorful – really beautiful. I did not venture out to get photographs – it just did not seem appropriate.
I whispered to Anita, “What is going on? Why is she naked?”
Anita thought it was because she was in her home and comfortable with us – as a gestured of this she was taken to be as she normally is sans a blouse.
OK no problem . Having only been as far on the African continent as Morocco, we just adjusted to this. In truth we had read that there was an African population in this area – but we assumed this was as in “African American” not Out of Africa.
A couple of lovely examples of her work were purchased.
A photo of one of our purchases
Moving along we spotted a small marching band (heard before seen)
Many Curious Gazes as we Wandered Around Town
The Pueblo Public Address System (also ubiquitous for these small communities)
On a hill far away stood some old rugged crosses, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love those old crosses where the dearest and best. For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Touching to see those old wooden crosses decorated with banana leaf palm fronds (Palm Sunday?). Say what you might about these simple folks – their faith is to be admired.
We rounded a corner. Down the way there was a rare photo opportunity - one in which you had to act fast. A lineup of women carrying a chicken under each arm – food for the fiesta still on the hoof (or yellow chicken feet in this case). The chickens were calm – obviously no idea where they were HEADed OFF to.
These Ladies Will Not Go to the Party Empty Handed. They Come Bearing Chickens
In the above photo the women second from the left has a rather unique and quite costly skirt wrap. We saw several ladies in the community sporting these particular colorful skirts. There is an amazing story about the protected purple dye snails from which this fabric is colored. Read More About This HERE and HERE)
After an hour or so of walking we ended up back near the car. Quite a few borrochos were looking like they probably would NOT making another four hours before the actual celebration began.
Marching in view were a few firework laden toros. Not the expensive Xico Celebration kind – but a more simpler version – still going to be some fun we bet.
The party still about four hours off was something we decided to pass on – been there, done that. We wanted to move on the Jamiltepéc and then Pintotepa – lots to do.
We drove what seemed to be the Looooongest 15 miles in history to Pinotepa Nacional. It turned out to be quite a large city – larger than Puerto. Perhaps a supply depot in the future – but it had little else in the way of attraction. (To be fair – we were warned that this would be the case by Franco).
Forging on we were going to find the restaurant “La India” as in the original plan. Of course it was all the way across town at the west end. We ere now only about 10 miles from the Mexican State of Guerrero – but we planned to stay in Oaxaca this trip.
Here is proof we made it this far (and no further). The restaurant was empty of patrons, large and rather dark. The menu did not particularly impress us – so we had a few cold beers and some botanas (snacks). It was late in the afternoon. We decided we had had enough fun. We would head back to Puerto Escondido rather than spend the night.
In central Pinotepa we saw this huge Cathedral
It was a long drive home – arriving a mere 11 hours from departure. We covered a lot of ground and even MORE TOPES! A standard shift car is no fun on Mexican Highways.
A good time was had by all – but we were happy to spend the night in our own bed after a long and adventurous day. Stay Tuned!
“ Pochutla Market Haggling? ” 30 November 2012, 10:28 Is it as common in this area of Mexico to barter with the prices as in Playa Del Carmen?
Pochutla Market Haggling? - Huatulco Message Board - TripAdvisor
Is it as common in this area of Mexico to barter with the prices as in Playa Del Carmen? I must say I don't really enjoy haggling but if you don't do it in PDC you ...
www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-
Is it as common in this area of Mexico to barter with the prices as in Playa Del Carmen? I must say I don't really enjoy haggling but if you don't do it in PDC you ...
www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-
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