The Church

Religion has an important role in the community. Their church was built upon the site of a Mesoamerican pyramid, and the ruins form the central square that hosts religious festivities. This marriage of ancient beliefs with Catholicism forms the rhythms of the calendar year.

Doña Isabela

The Loom is the soul of every household in Teotitlán del Valle. The life of the village revolves around it, uniting this colonial apparatus with traditions that extend back over a thousand years. Doña Isabela has made rugs for 75 years, and she rises early in the morning to continue working on a rug that will take her three weeks to complete. Her grandchildren, to whom her knowledge was passed down, also weave. They visit her and ask for some flowers form her garden to make natural dyes, following ancient techniques from the Zapotec tradition. “The work is hard, but someday there will be some time to rest” says Isabela.

Nasaria

Rising at dawn, preparing the corn for the mill, going to the market, making breakfast, feeding the geese and chickens, carding yarn, threading, dyeing, weaving, making lunch, participating in local government, housework, making dinner and receiving guests. The day is full of responsibilities, but during festivities, time is suspended and opens up the opportunity to use rituals as a release, a celebration and a new beginning.

Chocolate

Their laughs can be overheard a few streets away. The three sisters come bearing a dozen pounds of chocolate from the mill. Halting on their way, they smile at me, offering a small chunk of warm chocolate, and the invitation to spend Day of the Dead with them. There isn’t a single household in Teotitlán without chocolate today, and it is very common to meet women who work hard on their own recipes for their dead loved ones and the living guests who come to see them.

The Dance of the Masks

Masks are a ritual symbol that has been used for thousands of years in Mexico. Spiritual leaders would become gods on Earth, and warriors would receive the powers of animals like the jaguar by placing these mystical objects over their faces. They were equally used during burial, leaving this world and preparing for the next. Myth and stories continue to be shared, as they have since the beginning of history, with the aid of masks. Wood, shells, jade, thread, skins, plants, cochineal, indigo: the earth is transformed to serve creativity and culture through rituals that can still be experienced today.

The Picacho

Two important symbols in the traditions of Teotitlán del Valle are united in this photograph: the style of clothing and the Picacho mountain. Doña Inés has been a weaver for most of her life, and has climbed the mountain during the days pilgrimage. During her early life she passed down her profession to the next generations, now she is losing her memory, her sight and hear hearing, but she remains a symbol of strength, knowledge and perseverance to her family.

A Journey into Oaxaca