Christmas Posadas in Oaxaca

One of my favorite Mexican Christmas traditions is Las Posadas. In this tradition, the biblical passage in which Mary and Joseph search for shelter in Bethlehem is re-enacted each evening for the nine nights leading up to Christmas. In my neighborhood, a posada is held on a different street each night. One family will host the posada at their home, but everyone who lives on the street is invited to contribute food, hot drinks, candy, or piñatas.

The 16th of December is the night of the first posada. Because this is the first night, it begins with a mass that is held either in the local church or chapel (in this case a tiny neighborhood capillita). Following the mass, the group will form a procession to the home where the first posada is going to be held. Often they will carry candles or small lanterns, and sing hymns or Christmas carols (called villancicos in Spanish). In some cases there are children dressed up as Mary and Joseph leading the procession (sometimes they’ll even have a real donkey to ride), but most often there are figures of Mary and Joseph which are carried at the front of the procession.

Upon arrival at the home of the family who is hosting the posada, the group will gather around the front door of the house and sing a special song to ask for shelter. In this song the people outside sing the words of Joseph requesting a place to stay for his pregnant wife, and the people inside the home sing the words that would have been spoken by the innkeeper. At the conclusion of the song the innkeeper consents to let them stay, and the door of the home is opened, and all the participants enter joyfully. Read the lyrics and translation of the posada song.

In a traditional posada, once the crowd is inside the home, there is then usually a Bible reading and a religious reflection and some prayers, and then the fun begins. There are several piñatas to break, hot drinks are served, either hot fruit ponche or atole, and something to eat, like tamales, tortas or tostadas are distributed to the guests. Besides the candy in the piñata, all the children are also given loot bags full of candy (to the delight of the children, and this parent’s dismay). There is a festive atmosphere with the whole neighborhood coming together to take part in the celebration.  

The images of Joseph and Mary will stay in the home where the first posada was held until the following day, when people will gather there again and form a procession to the home of the family hosting the 2nd posada, and the same will take place each night until December 24th, when the images are returned to the church for Christmas Eve mass.

Posadas are great fun for the whole family, and a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit. The tradition of holding posadas is celebrated differently in different parts of Mexico, but this is the experience I’ve had of posadas in Oaxaca, and I’m glad to live in a place where the traditions and the bonds of family and community are so strong.

Read more about Mexican Christmas traditions.   

Marca País – Imagen de México, is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination. This program is designed to shine a light on the Mexico that its people experience every day. Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating content as a Contributor for the México Today program. All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own. Visit Mexico Today on Facebook and Twitter.

Oaxacan Handicrafts and Folk Art

Oaxaca is known for the variety and beauty of its handicrafts. Oaxaca’s diversity is reflected in its popular art: pottery, woodcarving, weaving, basketry, candle making, embroidery, and many more crafts are practiced here. Collectors from all over the world come to Oaxaca to purchase the folk art created by skilled Oaxacan artisans.

Many of the small towns and villages surrounding Oaxaca City specialize in a particular type of craft. In some cases this specialization dates back as far as prehispanic times when different villages were required to pay tribute to the ruling group in specific goods.

Oaxacan families who create folk art pass their knowledge down through the generations. In most cases the finished product is the result of family cooperation, with different family members taking responsibility for different tasks. Though skills and knowledge are passed down, each individual brings their own creativity to their work and each piece bears the personal touch of its creator.

Barro negro from San Bartolo Coyotepec, Oaxaca

Several villages in the Oaxaca valley specialize in pottery. The black pottery (barro negro) produced in the town of San Bartolo Coyotepec is one type for which Oaxaca is famous. The color of this pottery is the result of a technique that was developed by Doña Rosa Real, a potter from the village. She found that if the pieces weren’t fired as long as usual they would come out black instead of the usual grey. This black ware is decorative but not practical, as it will not hold water. The pieces are burnished with a smooth stone before firing to give them a shiny metallic gleam. This innovation came about just in time - prior to that time pottery had been used for many practical purposes, but as the use of plastic became more common, the potters were losing business. The switch to creating highly valued decorative pieces allowed many families of potters to continue practicing their craft. 
 
 

Painting a woodcarving, San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca

Woodcarving was practiced in Oaxaca throughout history, but the term “alebrije” which is given to the carved wooden animals is of fairly recent provenance. Pedro Linares, an artist from Mexico City, created the first alebrijes in the 1930s; these were fantastical animals made of paper mache. In the 1950s, Manuel Jimenez from the village of San Antonio Arrazola, Oaxaca, began to make the same type of designs in wood. The theme became popular, and soon many Oaxacan woodcarvers were creating alebrijes. There are now three villages in the Oaxaca valley which specialize in woodcarving: San Martín Tilcajete, San Antonio Arrazola and La Union Tejalapa. The themes and styles vary, but they all reflect the rich heritage and imagination of their creators.
  
 

Wool tapestry with feathers by Francisco Martinez of Teotitlan del Valle

Weaving is the main economic activity of the village of Teotitlan del Valle. This Zapotec community is famous for the quality and beauty of its woolen rugs which are woven on pedal looms. The inhabitants of Teotitlan wove in ancient times, but prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, they wove cotton and used the backstrap loom. Wool and the pedal loom were introduced later, and revolutionized the weaving process. The weavers began to use synthetic dyes in the 1920s,  but the use of natural dyes such as cochineal and indigo has been revived in the past few decades. Natural dyes are more time consuming to prepare, but the finished piece is of finer quality. In recent years, other innovations have taken place in Teotitlan’s textiles industry, including, for some weavers, the inclusion of other materials in their weavings, for example the use of feathers as in the tapestry pictured above.

 
 

Master weaver Francisco Martinez proudly displays his work

Monte Alban: Capital of Zapotec Civilization

Monte Alban is one of my favorite places in the world. Located on a mountaintop some 4 miles to the southwest of Oaxaca City, this archaeological site, along with the historical center of Oaxaca City, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

This ancient place is less well known than some of Mexico’s other archaeological zones, such as Chichen Itzá and Teotihuacan, but no less important. This was the first urban center of Mesoamerica and the capital of Zapotec civilization. Once known as Dani Baá to the Zapotecs, and Ocelotepec to the Aztecs, this site is now named Monte Alban (“white mountain”) for the white flowering trees called casahuates which flourish in the area and bloom in November and December.

Casahuate tree in bloom - Creative Commons photo by Ruddy Benezet

In order to build the city, the top of the mountain was flattened off, and the architectural plan was laid out; tons of rock and dirt were moved and used to construct a new sacred landscape. The architecture of the site is on a grand scale, characterized by massive pyramids and immense open spaces. When we contemplate the human resources, materials and logistics necessary for such an undertaking, it becomes clear that this was a highly organized civilization.

The archaeological record tells us that the construction of the site began in about 500 B.C., a few centuries before the founding of Teotihuacan. Although it never attained the size of Teotihuacan, the Zapotecs maintained control over the Oaxaca valley and the surrounding region for over 1000 years from the vantage point of their mountaintop capital.

The inhabitants of Monte Alban made several important intellectual achievements. They developed a calendar and writing system (as yet undeciphered). They used the number system inherited from the Olmec civilization. They had astronomical knowledge, which can be seen in the alignment of certain building features with celestial phenomena. Their architectural and engineering abilities are obvious. There are also clues pointing to the extent of their medical knowledge.

Monte Alban was deserted some seven hundred years before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Zapotec people abandoned the city and subsequently, other sites in the valley flourished (Yagul, Zaachila and Mitla). Many Zapotecs remain in the valley and continue to speak their language; today there are over 400,000 speakers of Zapotec.

Alfonso Caso, a Mexican archaeologist, began a major excavation of the site in 1931. During his first year of fieldwork, a tomb was found which contained a spectacular treasure which surpassed anything that has been found in Mesoamerica to this day. The treasure contained over 400 pieces of gold, silver, turquoise, and intricately carved bone. This is not a Zapotec treasure, but was deposited by the Mixtecs in a later re-use of a Zapotec tomb. The majority of this treasure is on display in the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca, in the Santo Domingo Cultural Center.

Gold jewellery from the Treasure of Tomb 7 on display at the Santo Domingo Museum.- Creative Commons photo by hmerinomx

From Building E, the highest point you can climb on Monte Alban’s North platform, you can take in a spectacular view of nearly the whole archaeological site, the expanse of valley around it, and the surrounding mountains, and get a sense of how the design of the site reflects the natural landscape and blends harmoniously with its surroundings. 

Although this site still holds many secrets, it is clear that its original inhabitants possessed substantial knowledge of architecture, engineering, astronomy and art. Beyond what the archaeologists have been able to discern, it’s a place that has a distinctive energy - whenever I’m there I have a feeling of peace and connectedness. Maybe it’s because of the site’s antiquity, or perhaps the ancient Zapotecs chose that spot because it was a special place to begin with, but it is certainly a location that seems to hold great power.

Marca País – Imagen de México, is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination. This program is designed to shine a light on the Mexico that its people experience every day. Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating content as a Contributor for the México Today Program. All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own. Visit Mexico Today on Facebook and Twitter.

Making Memories in the Riviera Maya

A few months ago, as my mom was planning her yearly trip to Oaxaca to visit me and my family, she suggested that we travel to some other place in Mexico for a portion of her trip - she’s visited Oaxaca almost every year since I moved here and thought it might be fun to get to know more of Mexico. I realized that this “Mexico expert” has been remiss in her duties! It was high time I introduced my mom to more of Mexico, especially considering that she’s the one who first introduced me to Mexico. I took on the role of vacation planner and, since my 12 year-old daughter Jasmine is always game for an adventure, I spoke with her teachers about her missing school for a few days so we could have a multi-generational girls getaway.

I quickly decided on the Riviera Maya as our destination. Planning a trip for people of varied ages and interests can be quite a challenge, but the Riviera Maya offers an overwhelming array of choices of activities for everyone. It wasn’t difficult to find things to do that would appeal to all of us. In fact, I encountered the opposite problem. We only had five days, and that isn’t enough time to even scratch the surface of all there is to see and do in the Riviera Maya. We wanted some time to relax and enjoy the beach and natural areas, but we also wanted to explore archaeological sites, cenotes and parks.

We met up with my mom at the Cancun airport, then spent our first two days in the lap of luxury at the Fairmont Mayakoba. This AAA Five Diamond resort isn’t all-inclusive, but we took advantage of the special Appetite for Luxury package which includes meals and drinks at the hotel’s fabulous restaurants, so we were able to enjoy wonderful meals at no extra charge.

All three of us loved the Fairmont Mayakoba. The natural surroundings, luxurious rooms (with enormous bathrooms), and attentive, friendly staff, not to mention the delicious food, made our stay one to remember. My mother’s favorite part of our stay was the boat tour of the property which gave us the opportunity to appreciate the varied ecosystems and abundant wildlife of the Fairmont Mayakoba.

Mom enjoys a boat tour of the Fairmont Mayakoba

Jasmine’s favorite thing about this hotel is the bicycles which you can find throughout the grounds - you can grab one whenever you like and leave it at any of the bicycle stands on the property. This is a great way to explore the extensive grounds, and my daughter took full advantage of it, using the bikes whenever possible. I joined her for a bike ride from the beach back to our room in the late afternoon, and I found it both an exhilarating experience and a convenient way to get around.

Riding a bike at the Fairmont Mayakoba

We left the Fairmont Mayakoba well-fed and relaxed and ready to embark on some hard-core exploring. We traveled south along the Riviera to Tulum, where we checked in at Om Tulum, which was very bare bones in comparison with our previous digs, but located on the gorgeous Tulum beach. The following day we visited two archaeological sites: the magnificent Mayan ruins of Tulum, and Cobá, where we climbed the highest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula. Although we were exhausted, at my daughter’s insistence, we stopped at the Gran Cenote for a swim before heading back to the hotel. We were very glad to have given in to her pressure, because a dip in the cenote’s crystal-clear water was the perfect refreshing finish to a long day.

On our last full day we visited Xcaret park. I had been wanting to visit this attraction for a very long time, but had not had the time on my previous visits to the Riviera Maya, so I was thrilled to finally be able to go, and the park does not disappoint. Xcaret offers the best features of a zoo, aquarium, water park and cultural center all rolled into one. We loved everything we saw and did there, from the scarlet macaw breeding area, to the butterfly pavilion, and the aquarium, and swimming in an underground river. However, the highlight for all of us, hands down, was the Mexico Espectacular show at night. I have been hearing about this show for years, but it was much better than I could have imagined. We left singing the show’s finale, “Mexico en la piel” all the way back to our hotel.

Swimming an underground river at Xcaret

I had hoped that this vacation would be an enjoyable getaway for the three of us, and that I would have the opportunity to research a few places that I’ve wanted to experience and write about more in-depth, but I didn’t count on creating so many wonderful memories. Our five days in the Riviera Maya were packed with fun, adventure, learning, and great moments that we will always remember. 

Great memories from the Riviera Maya

_{Marca País – Imagen de México, is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination. This program is designed to shine a light on the Mexico that its people experience every day. Disclosure: I am being compensated for my work in creating content as a Contributor for the México Today Program. All stories, opinions and passion for all things México shared here are completely my own. Visit Mexico Today on Facebook and Twitter.}