Oaxaca with Donzetta - En Via (cont.)

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As promised there are more photos of our excursion with En Via to the surrounding pueblos. I did get the name of the first pueblo. It is Tlacochahuaya...no wonder I couldn't remember it. Now I am being taught to say it. I'm not sure how long that will take.

The pictures in this entry are of the pueblo of Teotitlan de Valle, a little bit easier to say and to remember. This pueblo is famous for its weaving of tapetes (rugs), bags and otras cosas. Many of the merchants use natural dyes, like the red from the cochineal bug that grows on cactus, which was a source of fortune for the spanish when they first came to New Spain (Mexico) and particularly to Oaxaxa. Una muy buena historia.

One very interesting fact to know is that many of the older people of the pueblos speak Zapoteca (the indian idioma for the indios of the valley - this area). Some speak only Zapoteca and no spanish. There are 7 geographic regions in the state of Oaxaca and 17 indigenous languages. My intercambio speaks Nauhtl in addition to spanish and english. I wanted to find a map that shows the geographic regions but couldn't...maybe later

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Photos

La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo
This is the church in the other pueblo of Teotitlan. It is called La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo (The Precious Blood of Christ). There is a band on the roof. They play there every saturday.

Las Montanas - Muy Bonitas
This is a view of the mountains from the church courtyard. The view is very beautiful.

Otra Vista de Las Montanas
This is another view of the mountains from the front gate of the church courtyard.

El altar Principio
This is the main altar of the church. In the foreground is a family kneeling and praying over their son.

Las Marmotas
These are the figures that are carried during the Calendas (fiesta parades) and Bodas (weddings)...very interesting.

Las Mujeres
These are women gathered in the inner courtyard of the church. I asked their permission to take the picture. They smiled and laughed very big for me...muy amables.

De Los Indios
This is a portion of the original indian temple that was discovered and has been preserved in the church. Most churches were built over the original indian temples.

Una Familia de Tejitadores
This family works together to make and sell tapetes, purses and other woven good. They use natural dyes made from plants.

Madre con su Hijo
This is another family of weavers. She weaves napkins and large tapetes. Her two teenage sons (one shown here) make smaller tapetes to sell...I bought one of his. They also use natural dyes for staying the yarn.

El Tejidador Mejor
This guy is know as the best weaver in the town of weavers. He has been weaving (with a small loom) since her was six years old. Here he is on a large loom and making a very sophisticated pattern in a tapete.

Una Mujer Muy Bonita
This is one of the older indian women in Teotitlan. She was standing outside of one of the businesses. I asked to take her picture and she agreed if I would be in it. Most of the indian women are very small and I think very beautiful

Finalmente, La Comida!
At the end of our tour we stopped to eat at this restaurant in Teotitlan. It is one of the businesses that received a loan to set up. La comida era muy sabrosa!