The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Sunday, December 18, 2011

La Virgin de La Soledad

 Today, December 18, is a very special day for oaxaqueños as they celebrate la Virgen de la Soledad. 
She is the patron of Oaxaca and usually she is inside the church behind the altar, but today she is carried out into the sunlight surrounded by thousands of people.  I have a hard time keeping all the saints and virgins straight but here is her story.
In the 17th century, devotion to Our Lady of Solitude increased when an unattended, heavily-laden pack donkey staggered into Oaxaca, Mexico and died.  No one knew where it had come from, who owned it, or what it carried.  When the people examined his pack, they found a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Solitude.  She wore a crown of diamonds with a huge drop pearl in the middle, and a black velvet robe.  The people decided that as the donkey had died at that spot, they would build a church there to house the little statue.  Since then devotion to Our Lady of Solitude has grown,  especially in Latin America. 
It was quite an event, but not the only thing happening today.  More in a bit.

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