Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Returning to the recently renovated San Fernando Cathedral in the heart of San Antonio is a real treat. Founded in 1731 by the 15 families from the Canary Islands enticed to settle here by the king of Spain's offer of land and a patent of nobility, this church is the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the United States. It has survived floods, arrows, a devastating fire in 1828, and bullets. Pews floated out onto the streets along with zoo animals in the great flood of 1921. In 1872 the dome collapsed. The Canary Islanders, whose descendants' association is active today, first held services in the presidio barracks. It has been said the richly glittering (from 15,000 sheets of 24 carat gold foil) main altar is what the Islanders would have built had they had the resources.
Our guide Darlene Regalbuto gave us a wonderful tour. Her faith and love for the sanctuary enhanced the wonderful stories she told.
El Christo Negro Milagroso near the main entrance is cherished by those whose prayers have been answered. Photos and notes paper the wall beneath the figure. Flowers are left in gratitude on the floor under the figure.
The baptismal font, a gift from the king of Spain in 1760, has been moved to the rear of the nave and a larger pool for adult baptisms added. Some people objected to moving the altar table forward so the celebrant is surrounded by worshippers on three sides. A brass marker on the floor in front of the new wooden altar denotes the location of the entrance to the original chapel. The old altar rail has been removed to allow for better use of space.
The paired stained glass windows are alight in glorious color with the new protective shielding. Wooden carvings from 1874 depicting the stations of the cross procede along the sidewalls under the marvelous windows. With the cleansing of the stone and greater light filtering in the sense of age of the cathredal is replaced by breathtaking beauty.
The mighty organ reflects a southwestern simplicity although built by the same German family who made the organ in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
A deranged man destroyed many of the original statues, thinking them objects of idolatry. The new Pieta carved by Agustin Parra of Guadalajara is a moving sculpture, so much so that I could hardly bear to regard the sorrowing mother with a son not much different in age from my own. Parra also carved the new statue of St. Anthony, patron saint of our city whose feast day was the day before the tear gas attack in Oaxaca June 14th.
To the left of the chancel is a large 1770 painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Latin America. She faces an altar with an elaborately dressed statue of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria, patron saint of the Canary Islands, donated by the people of those islands. These two are co-patronesses of the cathedral. Statues of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with their symbols of the fixed signs of the Western zodiac (Leo, Scorpio, Taurus, and Aquarius) stand guard on either side of the golden altar.
The insert about the cathedral's restoration and renovation from the March 28, 2003 "Express-News" kindly brought to us by Karen's friend Maria answered a question I'd had: the cathedral's second tower was added in 1903.
Didn't get much of a chance to examine the museum but Darlene pointed out an irreparable sculpture as it was pieced together after the madman's attack and the map indicating the long, treacherous journey the Canary Island families had to take afoot from Veracruz to San Antonio.
We exited to the left past the old bank building now housing our city council chambers and turned west to pass city hall to reach the Spanish Governor's "Palace". There the curator Mario Garza met, informed, and entertained us with tales of the days when this home was center of goings-on in the Spanish province of Tejas. The story of Spanish colonization of the New World is carved in the entrance doors. Three shells at the top could represent the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The white flag with the red cross is the Spanish flag of Burgundy.
Garza explained the floor had been about a foot and a half lower than it is now. The high ceilings kept one from asphixiating when the rooms needed to be heated. Sadly a young girl in a portrait later drowned in the well. Furnishings such as a gateleg table, four poster bed, brass bound chest, and chamber pot date to the times. Unusually the kitchen was not separated from the rest of the house due to the proximity of the well. Manzanillo was used for common stomach ailments. Cinnamon and sugar cane as well as piloncillo were found there. A large glass carboy sat in a cushioned basket.
Especially interesting to me was a 17th century altar cloth embroidered with hand-dyed wool on cotton and paintings on wood in a display case in the family room and five samplers in another case there.
One could quite picture treaties being hammered out at the long table in the dining room, bracketed by black walnut chairs.
Upon entering the courtyard from the cocinita avocados dangling from a mature tree surprised us. One could almost hear the rumble of arriving stagecoaches and smell the dust. Now the yard is lush with greenery even back to the hanging tree. When used the bells would toll for the "swinger". A thief's palm would be branded. So the open plaza, now paved, was used as a center of justice.
Back to the SAC van pool.
Our guide Darlene Regalbuto gave us a wonderful tour. Her faith and love for the sanctuary enhanced the wonderful stories she told.
El Christo Negro Milagroso near the main entrance is cherished by those whose prayers have been answered. Photos and notes paper the wall beneath the figure. Flowers are left in gratitude on the floor under the figure.
The baptismal font, a gift from the king of Spain in 1760, has been moved to the rear of the nave and a larger pool for adult baptisms added. Some people objected to moving the altar table forward so the celebrant is surrounded by worshippers on three sides. A brass marker on the floor in front of the new wooden altar denotes the location of the entrance to the original chapel. The old altar rail has been removed to allow for better use of space.
The paired stained glass windows are alight in glorious color with the new protective shielding. Wooden carvings from 1874 depicting the stations of the cross procede along the sidewalls under the marvelous windows. With the cleansing of the stone and greater light filtering in the sense of age of the cathredal is replaced by breathtaking beauty.
The mighty organ reflects a southwestern simplicity although built by the same German family who made the organ in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
A deranged man destroyed many of the original statues, thinking them objects of idolatry. The new Pieta carved by Agustin Parra of Guadalajara is a moving sculpture, so much so that I could hardly bear to regard the sorrowing mother with a son not much different in age from my own. Parra also carved the new statue of St. Anthony, patron saint of our city whose feast day was the day before the tear gas attack in Oaxaca June 14th.
To the left of the chancel is a large 1770 painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Latin America. She faces an altar with an elaborately dressed statue of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria, patron saint of the Canary Islands, donated by the people of those islands. These two are co-patronesses of the cathedral. Statues of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with their symbols of the fixed signs of the Western zodiac (Leo, Scorpio, Taurus, and Aquarius) stand guard on either side of the golden altar.
The insert about the cathedral's restoration and renovation from the March 28, 2003 "Express-News" kindly brought to us by Karen's friend Maria answered a question I'd had: the cathedral's second tower was added in 1903.
Didn't get much of a chance to examine the museum but Darlene pointed out an irreparable sculpture as it was pieced together after the madman's attack and the map indicating the long, treacherous journey the Canary Island families had to take afoot from Veracruz to San Antonio.
We exited to the left past the old bank building now housing our city council chambers and turned west to pass city hall to reach the Spanish Governor's "Palace". There the curator Mario Garza met, informed, and entertained us with tales of the days when this home was center of goings-on in the Spanish province of Tejas. The story of Spanish colonization of the New World is carved in the entrance doors. Three shells at the top could represent the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The white flag with the red cross is the Spanish flag of Burgundy.
Garza explained the floor had been about a foot and a half lower than it is now. The high ceilings kept one from asphixiating when the rooms needed to be heated. Sadly a young girl in a portrait later drowned in the well. Furnishings such as a gateleg table, four poster bed, brass bound chest, and chamber pot date to the times. Unusually the kitchen was not separated from the rest of the house due to the proximity of the well. Manzanillo was used for common stomach ailments. Cinnamon and sugar cane as well as piloncillo were found there. A large glass carboy sat in a cushioned basket.
Especially interesting to me was a 17th century altar cloth embroidered with hand-dyed wool on cotton and paintings on wood in a display case in the family room and five samplers in another case there.
One could quite picture treaties being hammered out at the long table in the dining room, bracketed by black walnut chairs.
Upon entering the courtyard from the cocinita avocados dangling from a mature tree surprised us. One could almost hear the rumble of arriving stagecoaches and smell the dust. Now the yard is lush with greenery even back to the hanging tree. When used the bells would toll for the "swinger". A thief's palm would be branded. So the open plaza, now paved, was used as a center of justice.
Back to the SAC van pool.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
We're off to see the missions--not San Antonio's baseball team, but two of the five missions founded by Franciscan brothers here in the 18th century.
We met in the Moody 7th floor hallway, our erstwhile classroom occupied by others. On to the van pool to meet Mary and Liz at Mission Espada, the farthest south of the Spanish missions along the San Antonio River, which isn't much of a river these droughty days. Now Mila and Mel are visiting doctors, so only 6 students are in the van riding along the Camino Coahuiltecan named for the natives being taught Spanish beliefs and ways here.
The grounds are considerably improved since my last visit and we enter from a different direction. There are informative plaques which help give a picture of the active lives once working here. There's even a small shop and museum.
I was surprised to learn Franciscans returned to live here in 1967, so they must have been here during my previous visit. Memory has gaping holes. Vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience guide the lives of some.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada is unique in retaining its three bells. The brickwork on the chapel clearly shows what remained of the ruin in contrast to what has been restored. The brick repairs are appropriate as Espada was the only mission here with a well developed brick making industry. So it has "hornos para fabricar ladrillos". 10,000 bricks were produced here in 1772.
The compound housed a "herreria" for blacksmithing, a bodega (warehouse) for wood, a granary, housing for the indigenous families, and the church, sacristy, friary, and camposanto (cemetary). Whose graves did we walk over? Over a thousand people were baptized here.
A large loom in the museum represents the weaving done at the mission. After all it was a fromtier and they had to be self-sufficient. Over a thousand sheep were pastured at the mission's Rancho de las Cabras near Floresville.
A parochial school was run here into the 1960s. Now there is a Head Start program nearby. The parishoners also distribute food boxes to those in need with items purchased at 15 cents a pound from the SAFoodbank.
On to Mission Concepcion
We met in the Moody 7th floor hallway, our erstwhile classroom occupied by others. On to the van pool to meet Mary and Liz at Mission Espada, the farthest south of the Spanish missions along the San Antonio River, which isn't much of a river these droughty days. Now Mila and Mel are visiting doctors, so only 6 students are in the van riding along the Camino Coahuiltecan named for the natives being taught Spanish beliefs and ways here.
The grounds are considerably improved since my last visit and we enter from a different direction. There are informative plaques which help give a picture of the active lives once working here. There's even a small shop and museum.
I was surprised to learn Franciscans returned to live here in 1967, so they must have been here during my previous visit. Memory has gaping holes. Vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience guide the lives of some.
Mission San Francisco de la Espada is unique in retaining its three bells. The brickwork on the chapel clearly shows what remained of the ruin in contrast to what has been restored. The brick repairs are appropriate as Espada was the only mission here with a well developed brick making industry. So it has "hornos para fabricar ladrillos". 10,000 bricks were produced here in 1772.
The compound housed a "herreria" for blacksmithing, a bodega (warehouse) for wood, a granary, housing for the indigenous families, and the church, sacristy, friary, and camposanto (cemetary). Whose graves did we walk over? Over a thousand people were baptized here.
A large loom in the museum represents the weaving done at the mission. After all it was a fromtier and they had to be self-sufficient. Over a thousand sheep were pastured at the mission's Rancho de las Cabras near Floresville.
A parochial school was run here into the 1960s. Now there is a Head Start program nearby. The parishoners also distribute food boxes to those in need with items purchased at 15 cents a pound from the SAFoodbank.
On to Mission Concepcion
Monday, June 19, 2006
Still wracked from all the emotion following last week's expulsion from Oaxaca. Flying to Oxaca Monday after a sleepless night, returning to San Antonio Thursday after another all-nighter, after the turmoil Wednesday (new experience with tear gas!) leaves one feeling dislocated, up in the air.
Chose air-conditioned car over bicycle this morning to assuage my fragility. Spotted Mel on cell in hallway to SAC computer lab. Hugged Melissa, my rooftop pal. Denise arrived to let us in our room. Jewelette absent due to family affairs. Alex arrived feeling ill, went back home. The team is not complete. Mary brought a Thursday edition of a Oaxaca paper. Want to peruse it more thoroughly. My limited comprehension of Spanish slows me down. I finally got out the dictionary to help me understand more completely and accurately Wednesday's Oaxaca newspaper. Also went to imparcialenlinea, the paper's website. Couldn't help thinking the tons of "trash" collected after Wednesday's debacle consisted of toys, bedding, tents, tarps, and other personal belongings of the teachers ousted from the streets of the city.
Hadn't checked my PALS mail, so Karen's questions came as a surprise. Shame on me. I've been neglecting classwork while trying to research and understand just what has been going on in Oaxaca.
We discussed:
1) How does leisure status advance a civilization?
allows one time to create and specialize
2) What are the common charecteristics of a civilization?
We came up with government, religion, agriculture, means of exchange, language.
Written language distinguished civilization from culture.
The following 9 characteristics define a civilization:
1) written language/literature 2) government/law 3) religion 4) trade 5) agricultural production 6) art and architecture 7) buildings-architecture and engineering 8) metallurgy, one characteristic none of us thought of, and 9) conflict with other groups (conquest) which we didn't come up with either
3. Do you think the Zapotecs and Mixtecs created civilizations? Why or why not?
Natch. Their cultures included all the definitive characteristics of a civilization.
4. How did Hernan Cortez change the history of Mexico?
His arrival marked the entry of an entirely different civilization which impressed a different language, religion, government, and ways of doing things on the multitudinous native cultures who no longer fought for dominance amongst each other.
5. What was the role of missionaries in Mexico?
Their job was to convert the indigenous people to the Spanish Catholic religion so they could become productive citizens of New Spain.
6. How did life change for natives under Spanish rule?
The natives had to learn a new language, convert to a different religion, learn new crafts, and submit themselves to the rules of the invading culture. Their numbers were decimated and decimated again by diseases to which they had no immunity.
7. What is the significance of September 16, 1810?
EL GRITO! When Fr. Hidalgo proclaimed, "Viva Mexico! Viva the
Virgen of Guadalupe! Death to the Gachupines!" in Dolores, Guanajuato, the fight for Mexico's freedom from Spanish rule began.
8. ....activities of Santa Ana other than the Alamo.
military commander of Vera Cruz, "Victor of Tampico" against Spanish force reinvading from Cuba in 1829, "Liberator of the Republic", "Conqueror of the Spaniards", president 11 times, lost war he declared on the USA resulting in the loss of 2/5 of Mexico's territory, "His Serene Highness" sold parts of New Mexico and Arizona with the Gadsden Purchase.
9. What issues began the Mexican Civil War of 1858-1861?
Three reform laws: Ley Juarez abolished "fueros", separate military and church courts; Ley Lerdo outlawed excess corporate (church) landholdings; and Ley Iglesias transferred most church power to the state. These added to the Constitution of 1857 attacked the privilege and power of the clergy, generals, and corporate landlords which led to the three-year long War of the Reforms.
10. What is the significance of Benito Juarez in Oaxacan and Mexican history?
As a pure-blooded Zapotec indian rose to become governor of Oaxaca and President of Mexico. A reform leader known as the "Abraham Lincoln" of Mexico is one of my favorite people in history. He opened hundreds of schools and teachers' academies and almost wiped out the state debt. He continued to perform his presidential duties under French occupation. He got the coffee industry going when cochineal income declined.
11. Is Porfirio Diaz a hero or villain?
I believe he's a flawed hero. When he stood against the entire faculty at the Institute of Arts and Sciences in Oaxaca when they supported Santa Ana, he demonstrated the courage of his conviction. He did follow through on his "No reeleccion" promise at first. He became highhanded, "Matelos en caliente". The "Pax Porfiriana" allowed order and progress to triumph for 34 years. Foreign investment built railroads, and factories, mines and mills, so much of Mexico was modernized. However the poor got poorer and the rich got richer.
Culture does not have to be sacrificed to progress. The inability or unwillingness to change lends the power of inertia in the face of modernity.
12. How did Oaxaca interact with the Big Four?
When rebels pushed Porfirios Diaz' nephew Feliz from the governorship of Oaxaca Villa was attacking towns in Chihuahua, Zapata and company attacked hacendados in Morelos to recover village lands, and Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregon led rebellions in the north. Oaxacans declared themselves a "sovereign republic", but Carranzista battalions invaded Oaxaca. After 3 years the Constitution of 1917 was enacted, basically lasting to the present.
13. How did Pres. Calles deal with Mexico's issues during the 1930s depression?
He united 3 major constituencies: the country poor of CNC, the workers of CTM, and the middle class CNOP into a giant political party, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) which dominated politics in Mexico for 60 years.
The birth of Mexican nationalism is said to have been in the 1930s. There was then a shift toward acceptance of the indigenous people.
14. How did Oaxacan Gov Cano fare in the 1950s?
Merchants resenting new taxes and students resenting his interference in the university got together to occupy the state government palace. Federal troops came to occupy the city and Gov. Edmund Sanchez Cano was forced to resign.
15. What are the major issues facing Mexico since the 1960s?
How to use income from the production of oil to benefit the country, how to provide the legally required education for every child, how to stamp out corruption, how to manage the drug problem, and how to provide jobs for the burgeoning population.
Terms we should know:
metate - grinding stone for corn
cochineal - a bright red dye made from an insect which lives on the nopal cactus
mestizo - mixture of Spanish and indigenous Mexican
criollo - person of pure Spanish ancestry born in the New World
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - the agreement between the US and Mexico after Mexico lost the1846-48 war engineered by Santa Ana in which Mexico lost 2/5 of its territory
UCIRI - Union de Comunidades de la Region del Istmo, an organization of small coffee growers who work together in production, transportation and sales and have come together for cooperative self-education and run a savings bank, a clinic, and cooperative grocery, hardware, and drug stores.
maquiladoras - plants in Mexico near the US border whose products are not subject to duties when exported
COCEO - Coalicion de Obreros, Campesinos, y Estudiantes de Oaxaca who banded together to support the rights of sidewalk vendors, villagers, city workers, and squatters.
Zapatista - member of the Ejercito Zapatista Liberacion Nacional (EZLN) in Chiapas who fought for indigenous rights
Other terms I want to know:
COCEI - Coalicion Obrero, Campesion, y Estudiantil del Istmo which organized strikes, boycotts, marches, and demonstrations in opposition to local caciques and city hall cliques which led to improved working and living conditions for the poor.
latifundista - an owner of huge areas of land purchased as an unintended consequence of the Ley Lerdo promulgated by the reform government of 1857, not so predominant inOaxaca
.
Chose air-conditioned car over bicycle this morning to assuage my fragility. Spotted Mel on cell in hallway to SAC computer lab. Hugged Melissa, my rooftop pal. Denise arrived to let us in our room. Jewelette absent due to family affairs. Alex arrived feeling ill, went back home. The team is not complete. Mary brought a Thursday edition of a Oaxaca paper. Want to peruse it more thoroughly. My limited comprehension of Spanish slows me down. I finally got out the dictionary to help me understand more completely and accurately Wednesday's Oaxaca newspaper. Also went to imparcialenlinea, the paper's website. Couldn't help thinking the tons of "trash" collected after Wednesday's debacle consisted of toys, bedding, tents, tarps, and other personal belongings of the teachers ousted from the streets of the city.
Hadn't checked my PALS mail, so Karen's questions came as a surprise. Shame on me. I've been neglecting classwork while trying to research and understand just what has been going on in Oaxaca.
We discussed:
1) How does leisure status advance a civilization?
allows one time to create and specialize
2) What are the common charecteristics of a civilization?
We came up with government, religion, agriculture, means of exchange, language.
Written language distinguished civilization from culture.
The following 9 characteristics define a civilization:
1) written language/literature 2) government/law 3) religion 4) trade 5) agricultural production 6) art and architecture 7) buildings-architecture and engineering 8) metallurgy, one characteristic none of us thought of, and 9) conflict with other groups (conquest) which we didn't come up with either
3. Do you think the Zapotecs and Mixtecs created civilizations? Why or why not?
Natch. Their cultures included all the definitive characteristics of a civilization.
4. How did Hernan Cortez change the history of Mexico?
His arrival marked the entry of an entirely different civilization which impressed a different language, religion, government, and ways of doing things on the multitudinous native cultures who no longer fought for dominance amongst each other.
5. What was the role of missionaries in Mexico?
Their job was to convert the indigenous people to the Spanish Catholic religion so they could become productive citizens of New Spain.
6. How did life change for natives under Spanish rule?
The natives had to learn a new language, convert to a different religion, learn new crafts, and submit themselves to the rules of the invading culture. Their numbers were decimated and decimated again by diseases to which they had no immunity.
7. What is the significance of September 16, 1810?
EL GRITO! When Fr. Hidalgo proclaimed, "Viva Mexico! Viva the
Virgen of Guadalupe! Death to the Gachupines!" in Dolores, Guanajuato, the fight for Mexico's freedom from Spanish rule began.
8. ....activities of Santa Ana other than the Alamo.
military commander of Vera Cruz, "Victor of Tampico" against Spanish force reinvading from Cuba in 1829, "Liberator of the Republic", "Conqueror of the Spaniards", president 11 times, lost war he declared on the USA resulting in the loss of 2/5 of Mexico's territory, "His Serene Highness" sold parts of New Mexico and Arizona with the Gadsden Purchase.
9. What issues began the Mexican Civil War of 1858-1861?
Three reform laws: Ley Juarez abolished "fueros", separate military and church courts; Ley Lerdo outlawed excess corporate (church) landholdings; and Ley Iglesias transferred most church power to the state. These added to the Constitution of 1857 attacked the privilege and power of the clergy, generals, and corporate landlords which led to the three-year long War of the Reforms.
10. What is the significance of Benito Juarez in Oaxacan and Mexican history?
As a pure-blooded Zapotec indian rose to become governor of Oaxaca and President of Mexico. A reform leader known as the "Abraham Lincoln" of Mexico is one of my favorite people in history. He opened hundreds of schools and teachers' academies and almost wiped out the state debt. He continued to perform his presidential duties under French occupation. He got the coffee industry going when cochineal income declined.
11. Is Porfirio Diaz a hero or villain?
I believe he's a flawed hero. When he stood against the entire faculty at the Institute of Arts and Sciences in Oaxaca when they supported Santa Ana, he demonstrated the courage of his conviction. He did follow through on his "No reeleccion" promise at first. He became highhanded, "Matelos en caliente". The "Pax Porfiriana" allowed order and progress to triumph for 34 years. Foreign investment built railroads, and factories, mines and mills, so much of Mexico was modernized. However the poor got poorer and the rich got richer.
Culture does not have to be sacrificed to progress. The inability or unwillingness to change lends the power of inertia in the face of modernity.
12. How did Oaxaca interact with the Big Four?
When rebels pushed Porfirios Diaz' nephew Feliz from the governorship of Oaxaca Villa was attacking towns in Chihuahua, Zapata and company attacked hacendados in Morelos to recover village lands, and Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregon led rebellions in the north. Oaxacans declared themselves a "sovereign republic", but Carranzista battalions invaded Oaxaca. After 3 years the Constitution of 1917 was enacted, basically lasting to the present.
13. How did Pres. Calles deal with Mexico's issues during the 1930s depression?
He united 3 major constituencies: the country poor of CNC, the workers of CTM, and the middle class CNOP into a giant political party, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) which dominated politics in Mexico for 60 years.
The birth of Mexican nationalism is said to have been in the 1930s. There was then a shift toward acceptance of the indigenous people.
14. How did Oaxacan Gov Cano fare in the 1950s?
Merchants resenting new taxes and students resenting his interference in the university got together to occupy the state government palace. Federal troops came to occupy the city and Gov. Edmund Sanchez Cano was forced to resign.
15. What are the major issues facing Mexico since the 1960s?
How to use income from the production of oil to benefit the country, how to provide the legally required education for every child, how to stamp out corruption, how to manage the drug problem, and how to provide jobs for the burgeoning population.
Terms we should know:
metate - grinding stone for corn
cochineal - a bright red dye made from an insect which lives on the nopal cactus
mestizo - mixture of Spanish and indigenous Mexican
criollo - person of pure Spanish ancestry born in the New World
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - the agreement between the US and Mexico after Mexico lost the1846-48 war engineered by Santa Ana in which Mexico lost 2/5 of its territory
UCIRI - Union de Comunidades de la Region del Istmo, an organization of small coffee growers who work together in production, transportation and sales and have come together for cooperative self-education and run a savings bank, a clinic, and cooperative grocery, hardware, and drug stores.
maquiladoras - plants in Mexico near the US border whose products are not subject to duties when exported
COCEO - Coalicion de Obreros, Campesinos, y Estudiantes de Oaxaca who banded together to support the rights of sidewalk vendors, villagers, city workers, and squatters.
Zapatista - member of the Ejercito Zapatista Liberacion Nacional (EZLN) in Chiapas who fought for indigenous rights
Other terms I want to know:
COCEI - Coalicion Obrero, Campesion, y Estudiantil del Istmo which organized strikes, boycotts, marches, and demonstrations in opposition to local caciques and city hall cliques which led to improved working and living conditions for the poor.
latifundista - an owner of huge areas of land purchased as an unintended consequence of the Ley Lerdo promulgated by the reform government of 1857, not so predominant inOaxaca
.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
!Boom! The explosion of a tear gas canister disturbed my calming yoga routine just before 7 a.m. this morning.
Oaxaca, Mexico Miercoles, 14 junio 2006
My roommate Giselle, dashing out where angels should fear to tread, ran to see what was happening along the Avenida 5 de Mayo. "Tear gas! Oh my God, they're shooting tear gas at those poor people!"
The whirr of helicopter blades punctuated the shouts penetrating our interior courtyard.
Church bells began to toll.
From the rooftop we could see troops facing off against the demonstrators. As the acrid fumes drifted into our rooms and the courtyards of the Hotel de la Tia, we wet towels to protect our noses and throats. Swim goggles proved unexpectedly useful as the vapors irritated my eyes.
Hundreds of Oaxacan state police and a few firemen massed at both ends of our block. The belongings of the formerly peaceful protestors littered the cobbled street. The angry teachers crowded beyond the police lines chanting and shouting. Protestors and police hurled rocks at each other past the orange portapotties. Weren't the dogs suffering from the gas? Few policemen even had masks. The colorful tarps woven across the streets surrounding the zocalo, the town's center, now carpeted the pavement. Black uniformed police with faces hidden behind white cloth resembled photos of revolutionarios.
Police under orders from the despised governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz forced the families of the protesting teachers from their temporary shelters by using tear gas! Que Lastima! No wonder this governor of the state of Oaxaca is so vilified by the common people here. According to a local source, it is believed URO stole the vote from the legitimately elected Gavino Cue Monteagudo. It is thought URO then proceeded to line his pockets, ignoring the vast needs of the populace. My source said after this use of force, the governor's party PRI was finished in the state of Oaxaca. His vote will go to AMLO, Andreas Lopez Obrador.
Oaxaca, Mexico Miercoles, 14 junio 2006
My roommate Giselle, dashing out where angels should fear to tread, ran to see what was happening along the Avenida 5 de Mayo. "Tear gas! Oh my God, they're shooting tear gas at those poor people!"
The whirr of helicopter blades punctuated the shouts penetrating our interior courtyard.
Church bells began to toll.
From the rooftop we could see troops facing off against the demonstrators. As the acrid fumes drifted into our rooms and the courtyards of the Hotel de la Tia, we wet towels to protect our noses and throats. Swim goggles proved unexpectedly useful as the vapors irritated my eyes.
Hundreds of Oaxacan state police and a few firemen massed at both ends of our block. The belongings of the formerly peaceful protestors littered the cobbled street. The angry teachers crowded beyond the police lines chanting and shouting. Protestors and police hurled rocks at each other past the orange portapotties. Weren't the dogs suffering from the gas? Few policemen even had masks. The colorful tarps woven across the streets surrounding the zocalo, the town's center, now carpeted the pavement. Black uniformed police with faces hidden behind white cloth resembled photos of revolutionarios.
Police under orders from the despised governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz forced the families of the protesting teachers from their temporary shelters by using tear gas! Que Lastima! No wonder this governor of the state of Oaxaca is so vilified by the common people here. According to a local source, it is believed URO stole the vote from the legitimately elected Gavino Cue Monteagudo. It is thought URO then proceeded to line his pockets, ignoring the vast needs of the populace. My source said after this use of force, the governor's party PRI was finished in the state of Oaxaca. His vote will go to AMLO, Andreas Lopez Obrador.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Another food day Friday. After discussing leads for our inverted pyramid exercise and receiving packing tips from Karen, we headed for the SAMM shelter just west of downtown. We walked through the clinic area to the dining room maintained by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. We were to help prepare and serve a meal to around 200 individuals. Sylvia oriented us to the mission. Bright yellow aprons distinguished volunteers from blue-aproned staff. The hairnets did wonders for our appearance. My tasks included stacking bread in bins, filling dessert trays, slicing tomatoes, washing dishes, mopping the floor, amd distributing utensils in the lunch line.
When I retreated from the odor of cilantro, Sylvia said they considered it a treat. Later she showed me where I could bring cilantro or other donations at the Medina Street door.
Four hours on my feet was a bit fatiguing, but for novices I think we served well.
I admire the individuals who assist on a regular basis.
I hadn't known that the dining room was separate from the SAMM shelter, although some residents are served meals there. Some days they are severely short-handed. Today two cooks were absent. Sylvia seems to manage it all calmly.
Next time I see my classmates, we'll be meeting at the airport.
When I retreated from the odor of cilantro, Sylvia said they considered it a treat. Later she showed me where I could bring cilantro or other donations at the Medina Street door.
Four hours on my feet was a bit fatiguing, but for novices I think we served well.
I admire the individuals who assist on a regular basis.
I hadn't known that the dining room was separate from the SAMM shelter, although some residents are served meals there. Some days they are severely short-handed. Today two cooks were absent. Sylvia seems to manage it all calmly.
Next time I see my classmates, we'll be meeting at the airport.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Our excursion to the Oakwell Farms home of Stan Morgan, Mexican folk art collector nonpareil, opened our eyes and minds to a colorful assortment intriguing objects, too much to absorb. The phantasmagorical animal figures of painted wood or clay are worthy of a dream or vision. The mask and bright plaques mounted outside the entrance give a visitor a hint that this might be an uncommon dwelling. Three large paintings by a local artist featuring Frieda Kahlo mounted above a sofa greet your entrance. Closer inspection reveals many small objects such as milagros integrated into the works. Phew!
A crouching blue jaguar protects the fireplace. An entire wall panel with varied ceramic crosses in paler colors of green and tan contrasts with the vivid palette of most of the art. Huipiles of various styles have been stuffed as cushions. In the skylighted kitchen, a wooden octopus extends its tentacles toward the kitchen table. Tiles, each panel a different design, cover the walls and surround the counter. One could wander for many hours following eye-catcher to eye-catcher. We recognized objets d'art such as a long-eared rabbit from the powerpoint presentation.
Mr. Morgan was a gracious and informative host with his knowledge of the artisans and restaurants in our Oaxacan destination. He even shared his photos of the Christmastime "Rabano" or radish festival visit. Unusual to say the least.
Karen even provided healthy snacks: pastries and pan dulce with coffee. Well, the orange juice should be good for us anyway.
Mr. Morgan was extraordinarily kind to let our whole gaggle invade his home place.
A crouching blue jaguar protects the fireplace. An entire wall panel with varied ceramic crosses in paler colors of green and tan contrasts with the vivid palette of most of the art. Huipiles of various styles have been stuffed as cushions. In the skylighted kitchen, a wooden octopus extends its tentacles toward the kitchen table. Tiles, each panel a different design, cover the walls and surround the counter. One could wander for many hours following eye-catcher to eye-catcher. We recognized objets d'art such as a long-eared rabbit from the powerpoint presentation.
Mr. Morgan was a gracious and informative host with his knowledge of the artisans and restaurants in our Oaxacan destination. He even shared his photos of the Christmastime "Rabano" or radish festival visit. Unusual to say the least.
Karen even provided healthy snacks: pastries and pan dulce with coffee. Well, the orange juice should be good for us anyway.
Mr. Morgan was extraordinarily kind to let our whole gaggle invade his home place.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
AVANCE! Wednesday we drove through familiar territory to the Avance site near Guadalupe and Brazos in the SAHA properties. Through parent and child education this 33 year-old program is impressively changing lives.
Marisa Chapa, Director of Parenting Education at the center, explained the organization's goals and programs. Eligible adults with children younger than 3 are aggressively recruited by repeatedly knocking on doors. Two huge barriers to accomplishment, lack of transportation and childcare, are eliminated, because this is provided free of charge to the participants. For four and a half hours one day a week students receive lessons on children's growth and development, nutrition, and their importance in the lives of their children. The morning begins with half an hour of play with their children who are supervised in four rooms divided by ages: 4 weeks-3 months, 3-12 months, 12-24 months, and 24-36 months. The children are given a nutritious snack and a lunch. Each session moms learn to make toys from materials found around the house. During the fourth hour community speakers selected by the participants give an idea of possibilities in the wider world. Finally a half hour is spent discussing the child's activities and behavior that day with the parent .
This eight year-old center is cheerful, suffused with light and primary colors. The staff who were cleaning after Monday's graduation ceremony at SAC's McAllister Auditorium exude warmth and positive attitudes.
Through Avance's programs individuals who are isolated by circumstance and choice gain parenting skills, self-esteem, and a desire to better themselves and their families, which often has not been thought of as a possibility. Avance strives to unlock potential by strengthening families in at risk communities. Realizing children need fathers as well, a Fatherhood program was initiated in the evening. Children are taught skills in 4 basic areas: cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.
Graduates of the program complete their GEDs and even go on to college in partnership with the ACCD. In a documentary, a professor noted Avance graduates distinguish themselves from the general student population by a seriousness of purpose and strong desire to learn. Hector Ledesma of KABB was an Avance child.
I left amazed and heartened by what this group, founded by a San Antonio school teacher who not only perceived a need, but proceeded to develop a plan to provide a solution, is able to accomplish. Familiar with the parenting deficiencies apparent in such families I am deeply impressed with the changes the Avance program has been able to effect.
Marisa Chapa, Director of Parenting Education at the center, explained the organization's goals and programs. Eligible adults with children younger than 3 are aggressively recruited by repeatedly knocking on doors. Two huge barriers to accomplishment, lack of transportation and childcare, are eliminated, because this is provided free of charge to the participants. For four and a half hours one day a week students receive lessons on children's growth and development, nutrition, and their importance in the lives of their children. The morning begins with half an hour of play with their children who are supervised in four rooms divided by ages: 4 weeks-3 months, 3-12 months, 12-24 months, and 24-36 months. The children are given a nutritious snack and a lunch. Each session moms learn to make toys from materials found around the house. During the fourth hour community speakers selected by the participants give an idea of possibilities in the wider world. Finally a half hour is spent discussing the child's activities and behavior that day with the parent .
This eight year-old center is cheerful, suffused with light and primary colors. The staff who were cleaning after Monday's graduation ceremony at SAC's McAllister Auditorium exude warmth and positive attitudes.
Through Avance's programs individuals who are isolated by circumstance and choice gain parenting skills, self-esteem, and a desire to better themselves and their families, which often has not been thought of as a possibility. Avance strives to unlock potential by strengthening families in at risk communities. Realizing children need fathers as well, a Fatherhood program was initiated in the evening. Children are taught skills in 4 basic areas: cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.
Graduates of the program complete their GEDs and even go on to college in partnership with the ACCD. In a documentary, a professor noted Avance graduates distinguish themselves from the general student population by a seriousness of purpose and strong desire to learn. Hector Ledesma of KABB was an Avance child.
I left amazed and heartened by what this group, founded by a San Antonio school teacher who not only perceived a need, but proceeded to develop a plan to provide a solution, is able to accomplish. Familiar with the parenting deficiencies apparent in such families I am deeply impressed with the changes the Avance program has been able to effect.
