Another Oaxaca Tours

ONE- AND TWO-DAY TRIPS
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Wednesday, January 5: Masters of the Loom. (folkart) A village of 5,000 weavers. Tapestry weaving, spinning, dyeing

Thursday, January 6: The Artisans of Ocotlan. (folkart) Famous potters, the unknown hatter, weavers, blacksmiths, and leather tanners.

Friday January 7: There’s Silk in the Sierra Madre! (folkart/social  change) The last inheritors of a 450 year-old silk cultivation and weaving tradition.

Tuesday January 11: Tejate, Tlayudas and Alegrias (food/culture) A pre-Colombian power drink, a uniquely Oaxacan tortilla and the lost grain that once powered empires.

Wednesday, January 12: The Blind Potter and a Mirror to Build a Church (folkart/social change) A potter loses his sight and continues working; a village church and local jobs rebuilt one mirror at a time.

Thursday, January 13: Rooted Past, Growing Future (ecology/social change)  From ancient farming wisdom to inspired modern efforts at living sustainably.

Thursday, January 20: Walking Between Kingdoms (hiking/nature/roots) Follow ancient footpaths joining the fallen kingdoms of Yagul and Mitla.

Friday, January 21: The Folk Art of Oaxaca City. (folkart) Weavers, jewelers, tin smiths, traditional toy makers and an artisan  turning garbage into art.

Saturday, January 22: Fiesta! Mitla! (festival/village life) This tour only offered late January. The yearly village party with parades, music, fireworks, food, etc.

Tuesday, January 24: Teotitlan: A Village Portrait. (village life/folkart) We meet a village up close-, a candle maker, woman’s coop, weavers, social traditions & inclusive government.

January 26 and 27: The Wisdom of Simple 2-DAY (environment/sustainability/hiking) Mountain farmers, a town of potters, a thriving village market-  We explore simple technology, sustainable practices, local self-reliance and wisdom born of deep experience. Moderate hikes. 

The Original Craftsmen(folkart) Journey into the village workshops of old-time trades people whose products have been the cornerstone of village life for centuries. 

Paper, Clay, Threads, and Cane (and a bit o Flame) (folkart) A jaunt through the Zapotec artisan villages of the Tlacolula valley.  

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Masters of the Loom. (Folkart) An in depth journey into the Zapotec village of 5,000 weavers, Teotitlan del Valle. Weaving, natural dyeing, spinning, art tapestries, 15 ft looms and a home cooked lunch. We immerse ourselves in this creative and culturally rich village, visiting a cross section of weavers who exemplify the diversity of tapestry weaving being done here from well made floor rugs to luxury center pieces of fine alpaca and mohair wools or even contemporary loom “paintings”. We’ll spend time with one of the few authentic master natural dyers who is part of a small dyeing renaissance happening in the village. Much of the best weaving in Teotitlan happens behind workshop doors and it can be hard to know where to go and who to visit. We know and take you there, sharing a quality look at this most spectacular of artisan villages. Travel with us today and go beyond the front row shops that cater to large tour groups.  Let us take you deeper into this village and its art, taking the time to meet the artisans, connect and get a sense of this very special place.

The Artisans of Ocotlan. (Folkart) A journey into the creative workshops of Ocotlan to meet a mixture of traditional and contemporary artisans. Famous potters, the unknown hatter, weavers, blacksmiths, and leather tanners. We meet a town through it’s vital crafts, from the local tanner using 500 year-old methods to cure his hides, cotton weavers turning out yardage on clattering flying shuttle looms, a not so mad hatter turning felt and straw blanks into head pieces, a sooty workshop of the iron smiths making forged and hammered knives and swords, a family of traditional potters who are the last of their trade and a family of internationally renowned clay sculptures inspired by old traditions but creating fun new styles for a modern public.  This is a journey into the rich and varied arts of Ocotlan, a chance to go visiting from one house to another, a special opportunity to meet a town, to meet its creative masters and get a glimpse of past, present and changing times.

The Blind Potter and a Mirror to Build a Church (Folkart/Social Change). Going against the odds, a potter loses his sight and continues working; a village church and local jobs rebuilt one mirror at a time…and more! A journey into unique stories: Jose Garcia has been blind for years but creates with more passion than ever, his home and courtyard a fairly tale land of his clay sculptures; nearby in Zegache there was an ancient and decaying church and decaying work options, but a creative project (Zegache Project) is afoot offering alternatives to both, renovating the church and generating local jobs through the crafting of…mirrors! And more- the craftsmen of dried flower art and the weavers of the finest cane baskets in Oaxaca all await us today. Come see the folkart you won’t see in the markets, meet the creators, learn their stories and see how art, craft and creativity can change lives.

Walking Between Kingdoms (Hiking/Nature/Roots) We follow ancient footpaths joining the fallen kingdoms of Yagul and Mitla. Hike, explore ruins and see the backcountry. Our hike through the backcountry winds past cliffs, caves, cactus, watering holes and the ancient no-man’s land between two of Oaxaca valleys best know Zapotec archaeological sites. We begin in Yagul, famous for its ball court, temples and well built fortress on the mesa just above the ruins and our walk ends in Mitla, legendary for its fretted stonework and well preserved chambers. En route well visit the little known Mitla fortress, a mile and a half from the heart of the kingdom (a long sprint if under attack) and pass the site of the oldest known remains of domesticated corn. Come see these classic ruins and go beyond, travelling like the inhabitants would have a thousand years ago, one foot at a time, walking between kingdoms. This is a moderately strenuous 8-mile hike with hill climbing (about 1,500 feet elevation change) which is exposed to full sun. There will be some rocky terrain. Please assess that you are physically able to make the hike. Bring sturdy, comfortable shoes, sun protection (broad-brimmed hat with tie or cap and bandana, long-sleeved, synthetic shirt or blouse), water and a day bag. There will be some cactus spines along the way to watch out for (this is Mexico!). You may get damp feet near the beginning. Please contact us (traditionsmexico@yahoo.com) with any questions about the conditions.
 
The Folk Art of Oaxaca City. (folkart)  The wonders right under our noses!  A trip into Oaxaca’s neighborhoods to visit the workshops of weavers, jewelers, tin smiths, traditional toy makers and artisans turning garbage into art. Oaxaca valley is filled with interesting villages and excellent folkart…so much so that the city itself is often overlooked. But there are treasures to be found delving into Oaxaca’s neighborhoods, and that’s just what we’ll do today. We’ll see a mixture of traditional crafts visiting weavers who create cotton bedspread and table cloths on flying shuttle looms, a jeweler using the ancient lost wax casting technique and one of the last old time toy makers from an era when creative and colorful wooden toys with simple moving parts were more than enough of a thrill…to tin smiths who have transitioned from making watering cans and braziers to crafting ornate wall hangings and picture frames and a creative artisans who take one of the cities most abundant resources, garbage, and turn it all variety of creative and fascinating objects. This is a special opportunity to travel beyond the typical sights of the city, exploring new neighborhoods and going into small, family run workshops behind anonymous doorways, meeting some of the people who make Oaxaca thrive.

Paper, Clay, Threads, and Cane (and a bit o Flame) (Folkart)A jaunt through the Zapotec villages of the Tlacolula valley. The art of papel picado, indigenous pottery, wool tapestry weaving, cane basketry, wax art and even traditional fireworks. Traditional and deeply rooted, the villages of the Tlacolula valley are more than worth taking the time to visit. We’ll wander through several, meeting artisans as we go. No fiesta would be complete without papel picado (cut tissue paper) decorations and we’ll go to the handmade source of this colorful art. We’ll stop by the home workshop of an artisan who makes ornately decorated beeswax candles in Teotitlan del Valle that are a must if you want to win the favor your bride-to-be’s family. While there we’ll also see a an award winning weaver who creates superb, natural dyed textiles…and then we’ll head deeper, to the little known rug weaving village of Santa Ana del Valle. We’ll also meet potters creating stone polished pots as they have done for 3,000 years, visit a family that turns cane into baskets and bird cages, and to keep things exciting, we’ll visit a traditional firework maker, the kind that makes those big booms you hear in the skies of Oaxaca and the thundering festival bulls! Lunch of home cooked food and fresh tortillas in an artisan’s house.

Tejate, Tlayudas and Alegrias (Food/Culture) A journey through food into the villages of the Etla valley. A pre-colombian power drink, a uniquely Oaxacan tortilla and the lost grain that once powered empires. Tejate is an ancient drink, filling like a Power Bar with the umpff of Red Bull, hand made by expert tejateras from corn, cacao, a special flower and certain tropical seeds. Tlayudas are mega-tortillas that are the belly filling silverware of rural Oaxaca. Both only appear in the Oaxaca valleys and are as dear to Oaxacans as a breath of air. Alegrias (happinesses) are good sweets made from amaranth, a grain once as important as corn in the people of Mesoamerica. Our travels take us to the village home of a tejatera to learn how it’s done, a town where tlayudas are the trade to get our hands in the dough, and to meet a group that is working to bring back exceptionally nutritious amaranth. Of course we’ll get to taste it all, hear stories about the importance of these foods and explore the seldom visited villages of the Etla valley. 

Teotitlan: A Village Portrait. (Village life/Folkart) We meet a village up close- From morning market to a homemade afternoon lunch, a candle maker, woman’s coop, creating food, ceremonial dancers, weavers,to ancient & wise social traditions & inclusive government. We go deeper, not further, traveling beyond the surface of this extraordinary Zapotec village into what makes it hum. Teotitlan is rightly famous for its weaving- and weavers we shall meet- but there is much more that makes this town thrive, from a very local, very lively daily market, to ceremonial dancers who make a sacred commitment to their village’s well being, a small, woman’s cooperative making big changes, a tradition of communal “barn raising” and reciprocal cooperation, government by the people for the people, as well as spectacular hand-made candles and legendary cooking. We don’t go beyond one village today, yet we will immerse you in another world.

Rooted Past, Growing Future (ecology/social change)  From ancient farming wisdom to inspired modern efforts at living sustainably-  We visit the site of a  pre-Hispanic agricultural town, a traditional farm and a new center for permaculture. Organic farm lunch included. The kingdoms of Oaxaca valley where built on agriculture starting some 3,000 years ago.  Society is fast changing, but farming is still at the roots of what makes Oaxaca. We’ll travel through that history today, learning how the first farmers cultivated the soil and how they forever changed the face of Oaxacan civilization at The Hill of the Organ Cactus or Dainzu, one of Oaxaca’s ancient cities. Then we stop at the homestead of an old time farmer who still carries the roots of those ancient ways. And though he doesn’t use the terminology, he exemplifies clean living and organic agriculture, and the timeless ways of cooperative, local, self-reliance. Then to Tierra del Sol, an inspired new center for permaculture and sustainable living, where we’ll witness a contemporary effort based on traditional human wisdom and nature’s example, presenting a model of what we can do for a healthier future. This tour is guided by one of Southern Mexico's permaculture pioneers and the co-founder of Tierra del Sol.

There’s Silk in the Sierra Madre! (folkart/social  change) We visit a remote village where some of the last inheritors of a 450 year-old silk cultivation and weaving tradition are found and a coop working to rescue the silk way. Note: Long drive, winding mountain roads, big views.   The pine covered peaks that rise high above Oaxaca City are part of the Eastern Sierra Madre. Into them we travel today to visit one of the last surviving silk production areas in Mexico. 450 years ago the silk trade was booming throughout Oaxaca and the wealth it produced fueled the construction of some of the most elegant early churches in Oaxaca. But a century of disease, corruption and competition from the Orient turned that boom into a bust and by 1620 silk had all but disappeared from Mexico. However Oaxaca, remote, hidden and deeply rooted, hasn’t paid much attention to the wider world’s cycles of boom and bust. What you no longer find anywhere else you still find in Oaxaca. Lost in the sierra for centuries was a village where silk never died out. It was on the brink of disappearing in the 1990s, but efforts have been made to bring back this luxurious trade. We’ll meet members of a cooperative who have been on the forefront of that effort and see their beautiful creations of handspun silk woven on backstrap and floor looms and often colored with natural dyes. Please note that the village is remote and this trip requires a drive of about 2 hours in each direction (through gorgeous landscapes and pine forests ending in a small Zapotec mountain village). 

Fiesta! Mitla! (festival/village life) This tour only offered late January. The yearly village party with parades, music, fireworks, food, etc. We immerse ourselves in what it takes to make a festival meeting cooks, musicians, traditional dancers and artisans- and in enjoying the festival itself.

The Original Craftsmen (folkart) Harvest baskets, mortar and pestles, leather sandals, cooking pots and more- a journey into the small, village workshops of old-time trades people whose products have been the cornerstone of village life for centuries. 

January 26 and 27: The Wisdom of Simple 2-DAY (environment/sustainability/hiking) Mountain farmers, a town of potters, a thriving village market-  We explore simple technology, sustainable practices, local self-reliance and wisdom born of deep experience. Moderate hikes.     

Day 1. We travel to the dramatic 9,000 foot high ridges of the Sierra Madre and step into another world. We will visit two subsistence farming families today and understand how they cultivate a living for themselves in the extreme conditions of the Sierra. We’ll learn about the value of understanding a place deeply through observation and experience, ingenuity, the use of simple technology, bio-intensive farming, and a small scale, sustainable approach of adapting to the land that surrounds you versus adapting the land that surrounds you to you.

In the Sierra we’ll travel by foot, hiking about an hour and a half, from one farm to the next, immersing ourselves in the forests and rolling mountain fields to the second farm where we’ll lunch and share stories. It will be a day of meeting traditional, rural people in their homes and learning from how their lives wrap around the seasons and depend entirely on the ground beneath their feet and their understanding of it. In the afternoon we’ll travel back to the Oaxaca valley and spend the night in the adobe rooms of the Tierra Luna ecolodge.

Day 2. We begin our day participating in the daily ritual of trade, gossip and grazing for breakfast in the village market of Teotitlan. Every morning in the center of town the market comes to life for just a few hours as people gather to buy and sell their tomatoes, home made tamales, tortillas, hot chocolate, bread from the baker, etc. etc. It is a simple enough thing- Local people, local goods and an important piece of a locally healthy society and economy.  We’ll also visit a weaver and learn about the trade that makes this village hum.  Then we’ll travel to a village of potters and really learn the meaning of this word sustainable. For some 3,000 years they have been digging clay in the fields beyond the village, cutting their firing wood on the hill above and selling their pots to the surrounding villages. They aren’t mass producing and they aren’t rich, but they have food, homes, resources and work and a trade that is three millennia old and counting. They must be doing something right, and if we stop and observe, like the mountain farmers do so well, we may realize that we have plenty to learn from the simple wisdom and intelligence of these rural masters.
 
We’ll lunch at Tierra del Sol, a center for alternative technology and simple living and learn about how this piece of paradise operates and what its mission is.  In the afternoon we return to Oaxaca.