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, April 8, 2012

The Procession of Silence - Procesión del Silencio

 Just before sunset, on Good Friday, the 26th Annual Procesión del Silencio, made its way through the streets of Oaxaca.  It is a solemn and beautiful affair, one in which the statues from some of Oaxaca's churches are carried by parishioners over the cobblestoned streets in a large circle.  It begins at the  Templo Sangre de Cristo, goes up Macedonio Alcalá, cut over Xólotl, comes down García Vigil to  Independencia, and then back up Macedonio Alcalá to end where it started at Templo Sangre de Cristo.
 We arrived in late afternoon to watch the various groups assemble.
The crowds were large.   The figures that are carried out of the churches are beautiful and of museum quality.
They are securely placed on platforms often decorated with flowers.
Then led by flute and drum, the procession begins.
They are heavy, a burden willingly carried, often by barefoot supplicants.
One of the most dramatic groups are these hooded men who carry very heavy crosses the entire procession route.
I heard their rasping breathes as they passed by.
It is not just a one day affair.  They carry Christ all year long.
This beautiful woman has been one of the Brides of Christ the last six years.
Really, it is impossible to capture the beauty and ethereal quality of the event.  It a combination of the people, the icons and the silence that makes the whole thing otherworldly.  I will let the images speak for themselves.
More pictures to come.  And video in a couple of days.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow wow wow. Incredible.

Joan

Jan said...

HI, I am a photographer from the US who is living in Oaxaca for the next year. Would love to chat about things happening. All best, Jan
email janATsonnenmairDOTcom