Third weekend in Mexico!

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What a busy weekend! Friday we went to a fiesta at Antonio's house, and I met lots of people, including one guy who is a trained psychologist but can't get work here so he's a hairdresser. I also met someone named Cristian Morales, which is the same name as my cousin in Mexico City! At the gym we met a boy from Tennessee, and a girl from Buffalo, NY. So many coincidences.

The next day we had a field trip to Culapa (sp?), a small pueblo 20 minutes outside Morelia. Nearly all the staff at UNLA are from Culapa, and the pueblo relies almost solely on its claywork. I've been noticing that the claywork is everywhere in Morelia- in the bars, homes, businesses... Alejandro, one of the men who works there, invited us to his home where his whole family works with clay. After they make the artwork, the send it to little stores around the state who sell it from there (like, in Patzcuaro and Santa Clara).

They find or buy the dirt, let it dry in the sun, then grind it up. After its ground, they mix it in a wheelbarrow by hand with water until its a nice muddy paste- to me it looks like almost-dry fudge, or maybe a warm tootsie roll (its all rolled up into that shape, and looks just like chocolate!!). The roll of clay is set aside for a few days, and then chunks are sliced off using a wire. The chunks can be any size, really, but the piece we learned on was a huge sun, the size of a large serving platter. For that, you cut off about three inch x 5 inch thick circle, and roll it around on the counter (dusted with ash to prevent sticking). Next comes a hammer-type tool, that you use to pound the circle into a thin, pizza-like shape. Once its perfectly flat and equal, its placed carefully over the stone mold. You flatten it into the mold, and then cut off excess clay. You wash it off with water, then let it sit for five hours. Then you take it out of the mold, and cut into it designs- eye and mouth holes, diamonds and hearts, whatever- then its back into the mold and into a huge "oven"... not really an oven, its just a large, round pit over a fire. Then it is ready to be painted or sold! We got to do all this on smaller suns- of course none of us could really do it perfectly and Alejandro helped a lot, but it was so fun to try and mimic what he was doing! We'll get them next week after they've been cooked.

Got some tacos de pastor afterwards, which is the main reason I returned to Morelia-- 40 cents for a mini-tortilla, carne pastor, salsa, lime, and guac--- YUM!
T
hat night, after others came back from a soccer game, we went to a karaoke bar, and sang a few Shakira, Queen, and Elton John songs in between the Spanish ones. Pretty fun!
Sunday was Mercado de San Juan, and my very first trip to Wal-Mart! The Mercado is huge, with food, clothes, tools, movies, anything you could want. Its one of the oldest markets in Morelia!
This week should be pretty busy, with lots of things due and articles to read, but I'll try and write once more before my trip to Guanajuato!
-G

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Photos

Culapa
The garden entering Culapa

Culapa
Alejandro stretching the mold

Tacos!
Tacos de Chirozo y Pollo, Yum! 40 cents each!

Comments

[The Dad]

bring it home
Okay, I want both the artwork in our garden, and the food dishes in our kitchen - be prepared to create both upon your return!