By: Marcia Abramson
Oaxaca is true to its roots with the largest Indian population in Mexico, made up of descendants or the original Zapotec and Mixtec tribes. In fact on a recent visit I saw quite a few Zapotec women in their colorful indigenous attire, walking on the side streets leading to the zocalo or main square. Their dresses are ankle length and brightly colored in reds and yellow with baskets of straw covering their heads.I was fortunate in having the knowledgeable Martha Valera of Mexican Government Tourism take me to the huge public market just off the zocalo in downtown Oaxaca, which caters to the locals during the week, but the weekends bring in people from neighboring cities to buy the products brought in by Indians who reside in nearby small villages. She introduced me to mole which was described by Kent Black in the New York Times this week, "as much a part of Oaxacan culture as the architecture of the pre-Columbia hilltop city of Monte Alban. Ms. Valera pointed out friezes showing people preparing and eating mole which is the centerpiece of many a feast. She also told me that Oaxaca has seven different kinds of mole (pronounced molay) all made from the chili plant. I saw people buying all varieties of mole, from the rich chocolate negro, the sweet and sour manchamantel. The spicy coloradito, the very hot amarillo, the smokey chichilo, to the fresh verde herb mole.The Zapotec women were also out in force selling their delicacy of roasted grasshoppers from the straw baskets on their heads. I chose not to partake, but I was told that they are very crunchy and tasty. There were many other handmade crafts for sale, like wool shawls, (not Pashmina) for about $2, the famous Oaxacan black pottery, hand-carved animals, wool rugs, masks, leather belts, hammocks, hand-loomed fabrics and the beautiful designed tin framed mirrors at wonderful prices, partially due to the value of the U.S. dollar in relation to the peso.I found the downtown area marvelous for promenading the shaded sections, with benches, arts and craft arcades, and no vehicular traffic. I was able to snack on all kinds of Mexican delicacies while enjoying the free concert and just joining in on the usual people watching and greeting. Stopping in at the Camino Real was also a treat. This luxury hotel was actually a convent with the old cooking facilities on display, as well as a delightful swimming, which I'm sure came to be after the sisters left.Martha Valera also advised me to take the tour to the Mitla ruin, to see ancient palace walls adorned with fabulous stone motifs. On the way we visited another large village market in Zaachila where another more potent form of Tequila, Mezcal was offered for tasting in varied fruit juices. Mezcal is distilled from the blue agave plant native to the fields around Oaxaca, and is the drink of choice of heavy drinkers. Mezcal is often bottled with worms, twigs sort of the alcoholic version of old petrified amber.You should also make it a point to visit the ruins of Monte Alban to see some fantastic old stone carvings and artifacts from Tomb Seven at Monte Alban. I also saw a skull which some anthropologists claim a hole which indicates that a crude form of neuro surgery was performed by the Zapotec and Mixtec Indians in a highly advanced civilization around 500 B.C. They were skilled in metallurgy, art, medicine, architecture, and engineering. This is exemplified by the heights surrounding Monte Alban that has been acclaimed by modern day experts for its outstanding engineering skills. They were skilled in such crafts as pottery, weaving, silver smithing and gold plating. Their civilization brought them into conflict with the warrior Aztec tribes. They resisted the invasion of Cortes and his Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century, but eventually lost out to superior forces. However the conquistadores chose to make this a magnificent colonial city with the best Spanish architects to utilize the Indian skills as well as their own. A magnificent example of their joint effort is the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Oaxaca is the best example of colonial architecture and Indian arts and crafts with a climate of eternal spring. I guess that is why I can't get enough of Oaxaca.
© Copyright by Marcia Abramson
