beach, village + urban living in oaxaca september-october ... · beach, village + urban living in...
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The EyeBeach, Village + Urban Living in OaxacaSeptember-October, 2016 Issue 61FREE
Jane
The Eye is a monthly all-English magazine that is distributed throughout the state of
Oaxaca. It can be found for FREE at hotels, restaurants and community hot spots.
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Editor: Jane BauerCopy Editor: Deborah Van Hoewyk
Web Goddess: Erin Vig
Writers: Jane Bauer, Jan Chaiken, Marcia Chaiken, Julie Etra, Brooke Gazer, David Herstle
Jones, Leigh Morrow, Carole Reedy, Alvin Starkman, Deborah Van Hoewyk, Kary Vannice
Cover Photo: Andrey Artykov
Photography/Art: VariousDistribution: Renee Biernacki
Advertising Assistant: Casilda Mendoza LopezLayout: Jane Bauer
Opinions and words are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Eye.
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Visit Us Onlinewww.TheEyeHuatulco.com
wo questions I got today… ‘why do you live
There?’ (I get this often) and ‘are there more earthquakes than usual?’ (this precipitated by the devastation in Italy a few days ago, followed by another earthquake in Myanmar).
According to the USGS (United States Geological Survey) there are about 20000 earthquakes a year worldwide and, the number of large magnitude earthquakes striking the planet doubled in 2014. The USGS is quite certain about the data but it is uncertain about the cause. You can actually track the daily earthquakes at http://earthquaketrack.com/..... Today there were 117 earthquakes. 117!!!
I like a mid-sized earthquake- sometimes you can hear the rumbling before the actual quake. I like the initial feeling of panic that makes you drop everything and for a split second you appreciate all you have; your health, your children, your home. People step out of their houses, smile at their neighbors and say things like ‘wow, that was a big one!’ I like turbulence on a plane for the same reason- everyone looks up and suddenly we’re all connected.
So why do I live here? Pretty much the same reason. Constant and beautiful reminders of how fortunate I am and how spectacular and ephemeral life is. Everyday there are opportunities for connection; children on the street smile, vendors have a certain pride as they work their mom-and-pop businesses, doctors still make house calls and random strangers will stop to help you. I am sure I would be making more money and driving a nicer car if I had chosen to make my life in Canada, but I doubt I would be happier.
There were 117 earthquakes today. You may not have felt them in Alberta or Texas or wherever you happen to be reading this, but they happened. Don’t wait for the turbulence or the shaking to wake you from your slumber to make l i fe choices that feed that connectedness.
So, why do I live here.... ‘Why don’t you?’ See you in November,
“We still carry this old caveman-imprint idea that we're small, nature's big, and it's
everything we can manage to hang on and survive. When big geophysical events happen
- a huge earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption - we're reminded of that.”
James Balog
The Eye 4
In This IssueWhy the U.S. Coast Guard in Huatulco? IsBy Brooke GazerPage 5
Reading OaxacaBy David Herstle Jones Page 6
Olé to Mole – Two Recipes and MoreBy Alvin Starkman Page 8
TravelBy Leigh MorrowPage 10
Rattlesnakes and ScorpionsBy Kary VannicePage 11
Five Weekend Getaways from Mexico CityBy Carole ReedyPage 12
Hunt for the WilderpeopleBy Marcia Chaiken and Jan ChaikenPage 13
Mexico—Amazing Biodiversity. Protection? Not So Much.By Deborah Van HoewykPage 14
Supporting Girls’ EducationBy Jane BauerPage 16
JaguarundiBy Julie EtraPage 17
EDITORIAL PAGE 3
EVENTS CALENDAR PAGE 18In Oaxaca City, The Eye is now available at Amate Books.
The Eye 5
Why Is the U.S. Coast Guard in Huatulco?
By Brooke Gazer
hile visiting the beach in Santa Cruz, you may
Whave seen one of the American Coast Guard cutters that are frequently docked on the cruise ship pier. You might wonder why American military ships are patrolling Mexican
waters. A few of the Coast Guard personnel stayed at our B&B while on shore leave, and they provided me with an entire education as to their mission. Although they are officially part of the U.S. Armed Forces, they operate under the Department of Homeland Security. Two of their primary roles involve maritime law enforcement and search and rescue.
A prime mission of the Coast Guard is to reduce the supply of drugs from the source, by denying smugglers sea access. The Guard patrols six million square miles, including the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and the Pacific. Along the Pacific, their region extends from Alaska in the north to beyond the border of Chile in the south. In meeting the challenge of patrolling this vast area, the Coast Guard coordinates closely with other countries, including Mexico, disrupting and deterring the flow of illegal drugs. Coast Guard drug interdiction accounts for more than half of all U.S. government seizures of cocaine annually. In the two-year period of 2014-15, they seized 165 vessels containing almost 350,000 pounds of cocaine.
The Coast Guard is also responsible for rescuing ships in distress, and many interventions involve human trafficking. Our guests described one such rescue situation. While on patrol, their cutter encountered a craft that was no longer seaworthy. The captain and first mate had already deserted ship, leaving 300 Haitians to fend for themselves somewhere in the vast Caribbean Sea. Without so much as a compass, this pathetic excuse of a boat was relying on an old Budweiser billboard to act as a sail. In spite of being sent back to Haiti, the people on board were relieved just to be alive!
Stationed on the USCG Cutter BERTHOLF, Petty Officer Chaz McGee described a rescue of an entirely different nature which occurred not long before they put in at the harbor of Santa Cruz. On patrol, they are constantly on the lookout for something out of the ordinary. This is how they spot drug runners, something just seems off about a vessel or the way it is behaving.
They were well out to sea, roughly 200 nautical miles from shore, and the crew was involved in a transfer exercise. Personnel from one cutter were being moved to another, while a helicopter was delivering supplies to both ships. Chaz spotted a panga not far off that was “acting strangely”. It is not uncommon for these small boats to throw long lines out into the sea and leave them for several hours, but this was something different. The boatman was tossing line over the bow without baiting the hooks or weighting the line. Although it seemed odd, the crew was occupied and could not pursue the matter immediately. The panga left the scene in a hurry and there was nothing that could be done under the circumstances.
Instinct told Chaz that the boatman had been up to no good, so when the transfer was complete, he asked and received permission to take the cutter over to where the nets had been tossed. He believed that the panga captain may have panicked upon seeing the Coast Guard vessel. One possibility was that the captain tossed his cargo of drugs overboard, using the fish line as a cover. A more innocent explanation could have been that he was fishing without a proper license. Whatever it was Chaz was curious and wanted to investigate.
What they found was appalling. Six sea turtles had been caught up in the line, which had tangled into a nasty web. One of the turtles had several lengths of net wound around its neck; there was no doubt the turtles would have perished left on their own. Receiving permission from his superior officer, Chaz and seven shipmates launched a small boat and painstakingly untangled the turtles. This was a rather unique form of “search and rescue”, one he is unlikely to forget. Curiosity may have killed a cat, but it saved the turtles.
(If you want to take a look, there's a video on the BERTHOLF's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/uscgcbertholf/videos/486471958219016/.)
The US Coast Guard provides a valuable service in the waters of Huatulco, so if you encounter a couple of “Coasties” on shore leave, shake their hands… or better yet, offer to buy them a drink. They are a personable bunch of sailors and are likely to keep you well entertained for your trouble.
Brooke Gazer operates an oceanview Bed & Breakfast
in Huatulco.
www.bbaguaazul.com
Nail SalonHands & Feet
Lawyer Perla Vazquez Moctezuma
Marina Park Plaza Local #9Chahue, Huatulco, OaxacaMobile 958 116 7292 Telcel
Mobile 958 107 3221 Movistar
Contact us for all your legal needs!
Immigration Specialist
www.consultorialegalvm.com
Reading OaxacaBy David Herstle Jones
She was travelling to Oaxaca for a two-year-old’s birthday party, the daughter of her friend. Chocolate cupcakes and a wrapped present were in the carry-on. Her eyes laughed as the words rolled off her tongue. She was from Tamaulipas, lived now in
Mexico City after spending several years working in Monterrey.Oaxaca (pronounced Wah-HA-ka)—a modest city in southern Mexico known for mezcal, mole, and more. “Para todo mal, mezcal; para todo bien, tambien.” (For everything bad, mezcal; for everything good, the same.”)
The plane rose up through the smog and white clouds covering Mexico City, the twin volcanoes visible to the East. She wanted to talk. She was quite beautiful. I didn’t mind.
“In Oaxaca they have these lovely processions of puppets with music and dancers on the streets. We call them calendas. Look for them while you are there.”
“Oh, yes. I read about these parades in John Vaillant’s The Jaguar’s Children.” I had the book with me.
I had a list of short stories, essays, novels, travel journals and more set in Oaxaca all or in part. I was hoping to read as many as I could while in Oaxaca.
“You must be sure to taste the moles. Oaxacan moles are among the most complex sauces in all the world. There are seven moles in total. They each have different chiles for flavor and heat, some have chocolate added. You might like to try the recipes in a book by Susana Trilling, My Search for the Seventh Mole.”
“I once wrote a poem about mole. It sounds impossible to make, for me at least.” I smiled nervously. “You don't have to make it,” she laughed, “Just eat it. I love all the moles and you will too!” Her white teeth sparkled in the sun coming through the window. I looked out. Down below, little towns like inscriptions on the shields of Aztec warriors flashed in the sun. Between the cerros still green from the last of the rains, ordinary lives went on unnoticed.
“Do they really eat grasshoppers in Oaxaca?” She answered as if she expected the question. “Chapulines, fried grasshoppers, yes. They say that if you eat them you will return to Oaxaca. Try them—they're fried, salted, and flavored with lime. Delicious!” I replied, “Peter Kuper 's book, Ruins , ment ions the chapulines. His illustrations of Oaxaca are lovely, but I was concerned by the teacher's strikes. Is it dangerous there?” The corners of her mouth turned down ever so slightly. “Oaxaca has a long history of political strife. They say if there is ever another revolution in Mexico, it will start in Oaxaca. But no, it isn't really dangerous. The strikes are disruptive and sometimes violent, but tourists are usually safe if they don't go to the wrong places.”
“Usually? Should I go to the Basilica de la Soledad to ask her for protection?” “You know about Nuestra Señora de la Soledad?” I reply with another title from my list: “She's in The Jaguar's Children, by John Vaillant.” “You've certainly learned a lot about Oaxaca from your reading.” I respond, “What better way to learn about Mexico than to read the work of great authors?”
MezcalEducational Excursions of Oaxaca TM/MR
While in the state capital, learn about this century's
most coveted spirit by spending a day with recognized
authority Alvin Starkman. Visit rural artisanal
distilleries (palenques) using both ancestral clay pot
and traditional copper stills. For novices and
aficionados alike. Sample throughout your excursion
with no obligation to buy.
Amate Books is located at
Macedonio Alcala 307-2 Centro. Oaxaca de Juárez 68000
The Eye 7
Outside my window the great Valley of Oaxaca opened between sub-ranges of the Sierra Madre del Sur. Thousands of years of history leapt upward, an invisible eruption of echoes from lives lost and forgotten. The ancient ruins of Monte Alban appeared as the plane turned toward the airstrip. She asked, “What do you see when you look at those ruins?” “Thousands of people carrying stones to the top. Some died building a palace for their kings.” “It affects me always,” she replied, “even though I've seen it many times. I think how the people must have been in such awe when it was built.”
Our descent told me we would soon go our separate ways. She was so young, still full of the optimism of those years before the big disappointments begin. I wanted to leave her something to remember our short conversation, but I wasn't sure what. She said, “There is a popular bookstore, Amate, close to the temple of Santo Domingo. I go there when I'm in Oaxaca, and across the street to Café Los Cuiles right by the little park.” I offered my token: “Here's a list of books that all have some connection to Oaxaca. I hope I'll see you again?” “Maybe. I'm only here for a few days. Do you have any funny stories about famous authors who spent time in Oaxaca?”
We were just coming down to the runway. “Well, let me think,” I said. “Malcolm Lowry spent Christmas in jail in Oaxaca and D. H. Lawrence was mistaken for Jesus Christ on the streets there.”“Probably the most bizarre story I've heard is about Clifford Irving, who went to jail for a caper he recounts in The Hoax. He claimed to have a deal for an authorized biography with the eccentric billionaire, Howard Hughes and convinced McGraw-Hill to send a large advance, several hundred thousand dollars, for “the most fantastic project of the decade.” But it was all a scandalous hoax. Instead of meeting with Hughes, Irving spent Valentine's Day in Oaxaca trysting with his mistress, the Danish pop star Nina van Pallandt. It was time to go. She smiled as she said, “I guess some authors live lives as strange as their books! I hope we see each other again, but if not, have a wonderful time in Oaxaca. Be sure to get out in the countryside to see the villages where they make black pottery and carve alebrijes and weave woolen rugs. The Guelaguetza dance festival is happening right now. You're too early for Día de los Muertos and the Noche de los Rábanos but maybe you'll come back?” She was gone in the blink of an eye. I looked at my copy of the list. I went to Amate Books and found almost all of them.
Tel: 958 581 0025www.ecoyspa.com
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1. Oaxaca contains 18 indigenous groups who retain their languages and traditions (Zapotecs and Mixtecs are the most populous). Since the state is very rugged, these cultures survived better than in other states.
2. The name of the state comes from the name of its capital. The name comes from the Nahuatl, “Huaxyacac”, which refers to a tree.
3. Monte Alban, located close to Oaxaca City, is considered the first great city of Mesoamerica. Experts estimate its foundation in 500 BC.
Did you know?
Olé to Mole – Two Recipes and More
By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
Some sauces are synonymous with their countries of origin – béarnaise from France, tomato-y Italian marinara, and intriguing curry of India. In Mexico, it's mole (MOH-le), and Oaxaca is where it has achieved perfection.
thLegend has it that in the late 17 century a nun in Puebla, near Mexico City, wanted to honor the Viceroy for building a new convent, so she set about preparing a sauce for the evening's meat that blended the best, most expensive ingredients she could find. A divine wind gathered and blew many of the spices into the pot she was using, creating the complex combination that characterizes Mexican mole. Today, the savory sauce delights the palates of Mexican food lovers everywhere.
Served over poultry, pork, beef, seafood or vegetables, and often mischaracterized as a chocolate sauce (only one of our reproduced recipes includes chocolate), the wide variety of moles incorporates an endless combination of the region's vegetables, herbs and spices. Some ingredients are native to Mexico, while others were introduced after the arrival of the Spanish. Even though the most famous and widely used mole originated in Puebla (mole poblano), the greatest variety is found in Oaxaca, consisting of coloradito, rojo, mancha manteles, verde, amarillo, chichilo and negro – and innumerable variations of each.
Our two recipes showcase the diversity of this amazing sauce, with a negro and an amarillo, as developed by Oaxacans in the state capital. Most ingredients are available at larger markets in the U.S. and Canada, but some may require a trip to your local Mexican grocer. For the best, most authentic flavor, buy fresh or frozen rather than dried or canned. Chile chilhuacle is the most difficult ingredient to find, so either bring some back from Oaxaca, omit its use, or substitute with other chiles. The recipes of Chef Pilar Cabrera of Casa de los Sabores Cooking School and Nora Valencia of Alma de Mi Tierra cooking school, are now most often served in a contemporary fashion, with mole poured over the meat once plated, and vegetables served alongside.
Give them a try and learn what has earned mole the title of the national dish of Mexico.
Mole Negroby Pilar Cabrera
Pilar Cabrera, executive chef and owner of Restaurante La Olla and La Casa de Los Sabores Cooking School, has
competed internationally at the request of the Government of Mexico.
Ingredients4 chilhuacle chiles� � � � � �2 cinnamon sticks8 mulato chiles�� � � � �⅛ t anise8 pasilla mexicano chiles� � � � �3 cloves4 T lard�� � � � � � ⅛ t cumin¼ C almonds� � � � � � �3 black peppercorns¼ C raisins� � � � � � �2 plantains¼ C pumpkin seeds� � � � � �1 tomato, roasted¼ C pecans� � � � � � �3 tomatillos, roasted¼ C peanuts with skins�� � � � 3 cloves garlic, roasted4 slices of egg bread (semisweet), torn in pieces�� ½ medium onion, roasted¼ C sesame seeds� � � � � �4 C chicken broth1/ t dried thyme� � � � � �8
8 pieces boiled chicken1/ t dried marjoram � � � � � �8
3 T sugar1/ t dried oregano� � � � � �8
½ C Oaxacan chocolate4 avocado leaves� � � � � �Salt to taste
Preparation1. Clean dried chiles with a damp cloth. Open chiles by making a lengthwise slit down one side of each. Remove seeds, veins and stems. Reserve seeds.2. Heat 3 T lard in a saucepan, and then fry chiles. Remove chiles as soon as they begin to change color and become crispy, and place in a bowl lined with paper towel.3. In another pan, heat remaining lard and fry raisins until they puff up and brown a bit. Remove raisins to a second bowl.4. Fry almonds, pecans and peanuts in the raisin pan until dark brown (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan and add to raisin bowl. 5. Fry pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, anise, cloves, cumin and peppercorns in the same pan, until a dark brown. Remove and add to raisin bowl.6. Fry dried bread pieces in the same pan for 2 min; then remove and add to raisin bowl.7. Fry plantains in oil until golden and set aside.8. Blend the contents of the raisin bowl, the tomatoes, 1 fried plantain and 1 C of chicken broth until smooth. Pour into large bowl and set aside.9. Blend fried chiles and 1½ C chicken broth until a smooth paste.10. Pour remaining lard from frying pan used raisins and other ingredients into a deep pot, heat, and then add blended chiles. Cook 3 min; then add spice mixture and cook for 3 more min. Add sugar and chocolate, and stir for 5 min. The sauce is ready when, while being stirred, the fat rises to the top of the mixture.11. Add remaining chicken broth, avocado leaves, and salt to taste and cook for 3 more min over medium heat. Add chicken pieces before serving, garnish with remaining plantain, sliced.
Ingredients
Mole:2 guajillo chiles��2 pulla chiles (similar to but hotter than guajillo) �4 amarillo costeño chiles or de árbol1 t cumin1 t Mexican oregano1 cinnamon stick2 black peppercorns6 garlic cloves3 ripe tomatoes2 T corn oil or lard1 leaf yerba santa1 C masa Salt to taste
Meat:� � � � � � � �Large chicken or 2 lbs. beef rump or boneless chuck� � � �1 medium garlic clove � � � � �1 medium white onion� � � � � �Salt to taste� � � � � � �� � � � � � � �Vegetables:� � � � � � �6 medium red potatoes� � � � �1 medium chayote� � � � � �½ lb green beans� � � � � �� � � � � � � �Vinaigrette:� � � � � � �Sliced onion� � � � � � �Lime juice � � � � � � �Salt to taste
�
Preparation1. Boil meat with onion, garlic and salted water until meat is tender. Remove meat and set aside; strain stock through fine sieve.
2. Cut chayote in slices and boil in the stock with potatoes and green beans until tender.
3. Grill peppers on a comal or heavy skillet over high heat. Rinse in water and remove stems. Remove seeds if medium heat is preferred.
4. Boil tomatoes for 10 min in 1 C stock. In the last minute, add the prepared peppers and cook the extra minute, or until peppers are soft.
5. Blend tomatoes, chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, peppercorns and cinnamon. Strain mixture for a fine purée.
6. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat to fry this purée, then add 6 C stock.
7. Blend the masa with 1 C stock in a bowl and then strain and add this mixture to the pot, stirring constantly.
8. Add cilantro, adjust salt, and lower heat.
9. Add meat and vegetables.
10. Serve with sliced onion vinaigrette and white rice.
Mole Amarilloby Nora Valencia
Nora Valencia, of Alma de mi Tierra Cooking School, says that this mole is modified in dozens of ways throughout Oaxaca and is used to complement everything from beef and chicken, to shrimp, rabbit and even deer.
The Eye 10
ince I was a little girl, travel has always had a hold on
Sme. I would sit in my parent's car, parked in the garage, with my imaginary friend, Lulu Simms, and pretend we were on the road to big-sounding cities like Minneapolis and Cincinnati.
By the time I entered grade nine, I had lived in five different cities, in five different provinces, which only fuelled my wanderlust. By grade 10, I won a trip to Helsinki, a city that mesmerized me with its Marimeko patterns, smoked salmon breakfasts, and saunas. I returned home, officially bitten with the travel bug.
Yet travelling in the 70's, 80's and 90's was much different from today. It was much more free spirited. It was ok to just wander. It was exhilarating to let your intuition be your only guide. Often no one, not even your parents, knew exactly where you were or how to reach you. With no wi-fi, Facebook or WhatsApp, postcards—which took weeks to arrive—were how we communicated. Long distance international telephone calls were prohibitively expensive, and reserved for emergencies only. We were on the road, unfettered and free to roam.
I remember planning trips to what were then considered off the beaten path destinations like Cambodia or Myanmar, when it was still called Burma, long before Google earth could show you exactly where you were headed. We would browse the glossy brochures at travel agent kiosks in the mall, for inspiration. There was no Internet for instantly discovering the best beaches, no blogs from world travellers to mine through for nuggets. There were no websites and online magazines to guide you. The travel books of the day were bland and sterile approaches to adventure, more concerned about which electrical converter was required to keeping your hair dryer running, than where to trek for the best sunset.
Travel secrets and “don't bother” lists, were only known by listening to returning travellers who like Marco Polo had amazing tales to tell of blue burkas and midnight strolls on Temple Road for steaming bowls of hot pots. These trusted travellers would tell you tips like forget the local bus and leave Siem Reap long before dawn on foot, to sit with saffron-robed monks and watch a new day break over Angkor Wat to truly capture the magnitude of this ancient site.
Flights were infrequent and very expensive. We would save all year for a ticket that today costs a fraction of the price. Luggage was different too. There were no fees for your bag, or your seat, and you could bring as much liquid as you could carry. You guarded those paper tickets like gold, often tucking them under your pillow for safe keeping, along with your traveller cheques.
When I was younger, flying meant a trip to the cockpit to meet the captain during the flight and receive my “golden wings” from the “stewardess”, who served you real food to eat with metal cutlery. I watched people smoke, and colored in my free airlines coloring book.
We wore our best outfits, and arrived for the flight just a few minutes before boarding, fresh and excited. The plane ride was such a luxury, you felt the vacation started the moment you stepped on board. The journey, back then, was as important
TravelBy Leigh Morrow
By col lege, we were c a r r y i n g o u r cumbersome copies of Lonely Planet, consulting it daily in cafes or on the curb, during long bus rides and in our hostel bunk beds, as much for the information as to look cool.
We transformed those books into our travel statement, brandishing them with our peace signs and our faded jeans. We made notes in the margins, wrote down new friends’ mailing addresses on the inside back cover, and circled hostels and eateries that hit the mark. When we returned home, those dog-eared copies reminded us as much of our travels as anything else.
There was no GPS, we read maps to find our way, and learned how to refold them. When we got hopelessly lost, we asked complete strangers for directions, and some even invited us home for a meal.
We had cameras. We took pictures, and developed the film as we could afford it. A lot of those pictures were lovingly sorted in photo albums or tucked into Christmas Cards to our friends the next year. Film was precious too. You had 36 shots and you made them count. You spent time looking at the sights, not just shooting them.
Traveling was about leaving all your familiar routines of home, behind. This included becoming completely oblivious to what was happening in the world. Was there a landslide? Did someone call an election? Who became President? If you were really travelling you were blissfully unaware of world politics and all the bad things happening around the world. The only news was the odd English language newspaper being sold on the beach, overpriced, days old, and full of filler articles. I miss that complete detachment that travel could provide. We said real goodbyes at the airport, with lots of tears, and missed our family, instead of taking everyone along with us in our phone.
I miss the surprises too. Travel “back in the day” was full of anticipation, and lots of unknowns. We didn't know what every city and beach looked like, or where to get the best burger, or see a sunrise, because we couldn't Google it. The novelty of the new experience isn't really that new any more, as we have scoped it all out on-line, ahead of time.
Don't get me wrong, I still love to travel, but I try to still do it a bit blindfolded, the old fashioned way, with this great quote in mind.
“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken
for granted.” – Bill Bryson
Leigh Morrow is a Vancouver writer who operates Casa Mihale, a vacation rental in the quaint ocean front community of San Agustinillo, Oaxaca, Mexico. Her
house can be viewed and rented at www.gosanagustinillo.com
Rattlesnakes and ScorpionsBy Kary Vannice
The Eye 11
grew up going to the Community United Methodist
IChurch. Mostly, because my mother made me. In my adulthood, I've chosen to reject most of the dogma of my youth. I no longer consider myself to be a “religious” person, but religion, in all its forms, continues to
fascinate me.
Symbolism is an incredibly powerful part of every religion, with some symbols denoting “evil” and others “good,” or should I say “God”?
One thing that I've always found intriguing is how so many different denominations could spring from the same teachings. It happens in nearly every religion, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, the list goes on. What I've realized is, it all comes down to interpretation. Some interpret the teachings very literally, while others, see them more as “guidelines,” shall we say.
For example, in a small number of Pentecostal churches in the southern part of the United States, snake handling is part of their religious practice. Pastors and parishioners alike prove their purity, and thus, protection from harm. When “moved by the Holy Spirit” they reach into boxes containing venomous snakes, usually rattlesnakes, and hold them up as they dance, sing and pray.
Why such a dangerous practice to prove one's faith? Well, the Holy Bible actually makes reference to poisonous snakes several times. The most frequently cited by those who practice snake handling is Mark 16:17:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;”
Interestingly, those who die from snakebites, and many have, are never condemned for lack of adequate faith, it's simply believed that it was the deceased's time to die.
When it comes to snakes, the Pentecostals are, of course, associating the rattlesnake with evil, but serpents have long been a part of many religions and have represented both good and evil.
Some of them you will easily recognize. Ancient Greeks considered snakes sacred to Asclepius, the god of medicine. Asclepius carried a staff with one or two serpents wrapped around it, and this has become the symbol of modern medicine.
In Ancient Chinese beliefs, the serpent was associated with life-giving rain. Tribes in Australia, India, North America, and Africa have all connected snakes with rainbows, which to them, are often related to fertility and birth.
Here in Mexico, depictions of the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl, show him as a serpent eating a man, while still other drawings from both the Aztec and Mayan cultures have a serpent as their sun-god and the originator of humankind.
To support their belief in snake handling, Pentecostals often quote another passage from the Bible, Luke 10:19:
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Here again, we see the serpent and the scorpion lumped together in the same category of evil. But are scorpions always viewed as evil, in every religion? Of course not!
In ancient Mesopotamia, the scorpion goddess, Ishhara, was the goddess of love and fertility. Texts say sometimes Ishhara acted as a judge in human affairs and although she was firm, she was also considered fair.
In Egyptian mythology, the goddess Serket was the principal divine personification of the scorpion. She was a protector goddess. The Scorpion as a symbol of protection is also found in Greek mythology. And some Hindu religions still to this day pray to the goddess Chelamma for protection.
Closer to home, in Mayan paintings, the god Ek Chuaj, the deity patron of cacao, is often depicted as an old man with a pack of goods upon his back and a scorpion tail. There is no indication as to whether or not he is a symbol of good or evil, but a kindly old man bearing chocolate, lands him solidly in the “good” category in my book.
But, in truth, in most traditions, the scorpion remains a symbol of evil.
Perhaps one of the best known, but of unknown origin, is the fable known as the turtle and the scorpion.
The fable begins with a turtle about to cross a large river. Just as she is about to begin her swim, a scorpion asks for her help to also cross the river, because he cannot swim, as the turtle can. Fearing the scorpion might sting her, she agrees to help him only if he promises not to. The scorpion responds, “…if I sting you, we would both drown.” With that reassurance, the turtle agrees. But when they get to the middle of the river, the scorpion stings the turtle! When the turtle asks why, because now they will both drown, the scorpion responds, "It's my nature."
This fable has been told in various forms in the Indian tradition in the Panchatantra originally written in Sanskrit, and later during the Middle Ages in Asia, and also emerged in the 12th and 13th centuries in the Persian language. It even found its way into the 1955 Orson Welles film Mr. Arkadin. I understand that this fable is meant to teach that one cannot change their true nature. But in looking at the symbolism of both the snake and the scorpion in religion and mythology, where many of our beliefs are founded, I believe it teaches that one's true nature is neither all good, nor all bad, but, rather a matter of interpretation. The truth lies in the eye of the beholder, just as in religion itself.
The Eye 12
Five Weekend Getaways from Mexico City
By Carole Reedy
No matter how much one thrives on the excitement, culture, and energy of the megalopolis, occasionally the mind, body, and soul need some relaxation. Happily, there are several such diversions just a few hours from Mexico City, all
accessible by car or comfortable bus. Residents of the city find these delightful and beautiful locales a welcome respite from their busy daily routine. Here are five breaths of fresh air...in more ways than one.
IXTAPAN DE LA SALNo one tires of this lovely town, less than a two-hour drive or bus ride from Mexico City. The main attraction is the hot baths, both public and private. An easy road from Mexico City leads you to this quaint, tucked-away town. Bathe in the glory of not only the healing waters but also the sun, blue skies, and trees. �This is a favorite of my small band of friends. We periodically take a few days away from the noise of the city to play bridge around the pool at the Marriott Hotel, our personal favorite. This is a newer property, but there's an ample selection of others. The original hotel, Hotel Ixtapan, though not as new and spiffy, has lovely gardens and pools and is very appropriate for families. All hotels here have pools, tennis courts, spa services, and those delicious hot water baths. Don't miss it! CUERNAVACAJust south of the bust l ing metropolis is the famous hideaway paradise of many national and international figures. Malcolm Lowry's lauded novel, Under the Volcano, is set here. Many residents of Mexico City have weekend retreats in Cuernavaca, not only because of the location (just an hour south on a good highway), but because it's known as the city of eternal spring, though for many of us it feels like eternal summer because the temperatures are a bit higher than Mexico City due to Cuernavaca's lower altitude. This brings with it the advantage of easier breathing, and of course there is less smog. Trees and plants bloom year-round, giving the illusion that you're much farther away from the city's cement than you actually are. For many, Cuernavaca is known as the place with the best year-round climate in the world.
The city's historic center is architecturally nothing of great note, and certainly not when compared to the colonial gems of San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. It's the surrounding area and hotels with pools and tennis courts that attract visitors, along with the climate. There are some tourist attractions, such as Cortes' Palace, the Cathedral, and the Robert Brady house, which has been turned into museum that's an artisan's dream come true. Brady collected items from all over Mexico…and all over the world. There are many terrific photos of him with numerous famous visitors. Located just a block from the city bus station, it's a must-see.
Cuernavaca is also a perfect location for studying Spanish. There are several immersion schools, but my friends and acquaintances have had very satisfying experiences at Encuentros, which offers the option of staying with a Mexican family or at a hotel, along with programs to suit varying levels of language experience. The staff is highly qualified and friendly. Many students return each year. You can also study online with them.
The award-winning resort-type hotel, Las Mañanitas Hotel Garden Restaurant and Spa, is located at Ricardo Linares 107, Centro Cuernavaca. Just a warning: during school holidays, there are many families here, which means the pool is filled with children. This, of course, will be true of any resort or hotel with a pool in Mexico.
VALLE DE BRAVOHere's a well-established retreat located in the Toluca area. The air is fresher and in the winter months it's downright chilly. Many wealthy Mexicans celebrate weddings and other special occasions in this picturesque spot. The main attraction here, besides the ambiance, is the lake and quaint town.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE San Miguel has become the playground of the “rich kids” o f Mex i c o C i t y , y oung professionals who need to escape the week's social and work pressures. They drive up to San Miguel in their big SUVs to party, dance, shop, swim, drink, and eat. Their children's strollers don't fit w e l l o n t h e n a r r o w cobblestone streets of SMA, so you need to be as careful of those as of the traffic. My friends know which drivers come from Mexico City because they don't pause for pedestrians, whereas the San Miguel residents reliably do. But don't let that put you off. San Miguel is one of the most beautiful small cities you will ever see, exactingly renovated. It receives a lot of government money and has strict building codes to keep it in pristine colonial-style condition. SMA has been named the best city in the world by Conde Nast and many other travel publications.
The Eye 13
You'll find the highest quality artisans in San Miguel (bring an extra suitcase), as well as many fine restaurants. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere except the small markets and tiendas. Just outside the city are hot spring pools for the ultimate relaxation experience. They are located a short taxi or bus ride from town, with La Gruta being a favorite destination.
Be sure to seek out a delicious Mexican treat just a block off the Jardin Principal (the main meeting area in front of the spectacular Parroquia). Churros y Chocolate serves just that!
Restaurant recommendat ion : Nómada coc ina de interpretación, located in the back of the new Mercado Centro, on the Ancha de San Antonio. On Wednesdays, the chefs offer a degustation, or tasting, of six dishes. On a recent visit, our group was pampered by knowledgeable waiters who served us seviche, salad, beets and eggplant, short ribs, and a tortilla topped with huitlacoche and flor de calabaza, topped off by a scrumptious dessert. The specialty of the house is mushroom risotto, and I have never tasted better.
Hotel recommendation: Acuarela Bed and Breakfast, located in Guadiana (Prolongación Aldama 91, Colonia Caracol), a bit outside centro, is quieter than the hotels right off the Jardin. Another huge advantage is that it offers parking. Each room is color coded. Look online to see which color room fits your needs. Continental breakfast is included, with a full breakfast for just 60 pesos additional. The staff is friendly and helpful.
There are many other hotels closer to centro, but they're also more expensive. Top of the line is the Rosewood, its terrace at sunset a tourist's delight. Expect to pay for it, though. The prices aren't quite as delightful as the view!
San Miguel is three and a half hours from Mexico City, an easy drive or deluxe bus ride on Primera Plus or ETN companies.
TEPOTZLÁN
If you're staying in Cuernavaca, take a day trip over to Tepoztlán or spend an entire weekend there. This is another location, like Cuernavaca, for Chilangos' weekend visits. The most popular attraction for the physically active tourist is a climb up the surrounding hills to a pyramid.
Little shops and restaurants sprinkle the small city, making an easy walking day another option. The town is filled with artists and off-beat proprietors.
Be sure to give yourself plenty of time when planning any Mexico trip. I've never heard a tourist complain that they had too much time anywhere in Mexico. Au contraire!
Hunt for the WilderpeopleBy Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken
Hu n t f o r t h e Wilderpeople is a wonderful activity for an a u t u m n
afternoon or evening. Unl ike a hunt for i ts namesake, the wildebeest, which would lead you on a hot and sweaty chase through the open plains and woodland of the African Serengeti and perhaps leave you with a nasty gore from a tangle with the wildebeest's sharp horn, this hunt will take you only to a cinema and leave you with tears of laughter and a soft spot in your heart.
This 2016 movie is the story of a boy who was bounced from foster home to foster home. It is so heart-touching that the organization NPH (Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos) Our Little Brothers, which provides homes and comprehensive care for orphans in Mexico and other countries, launched the film in an April pre-opening fundraiser. We're sure that after watching the plight, flight and restoration of Ricky Baker, played to perfection by the young actor Julian Dennison, NPH donors opened their pocketbooks and enriched the lives of the many children who are supported by this organization in several states.
Although the characters experience plenty of life's low blows, the film is not in any way discouraging. The antics of Ricky are remarkably funny as he tries to adjust to being literally dropped from his life of petty juvenile delinquency in the city to the realities of New Zealand rural life. Also featured are hilarious interactions between Ricky and his curmudgeon foster uncle, Hec, as they both try to figure out their serendipitous relationship and survive the misfortunes that are dealt them. Hec, played by the incomparable Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, The Piano), begins the film as a two-dimensional grumpy old man and quickly morphs into a complex, multi-layered memorable, empathetic individual. And the rest of the cast brilliantly provides a range of characters from tragic to comedic.
The New Zealand setting provides scenery that is a cinematographer's and audience's dream. Taika Waititi, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, is surely in line for one or two Academy Award nominations. In fact we are going to predict, months before the nominations, that “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” will receive nominations in multiple categories.
When the film arrives at a cinema near you, we suggest seeing it on the big screen and not waiting for it to appear on Netflix. And if you are moved by the dedicated (or perhaps even over-enthusiastic) services provided to the boy in this story, NPH and other youth-serving organizations will appreciate your
Mexico—Amazing Biodiversity. Protection? Not So Much.
Mexico, with its 761,600 square miles, extremely varied climate conditions, and complex topography that provides varied habitats, is in the top dozen of the world's most “megadiverse” countries, with one count putting it sixth and
another third. Mexico is first for herpetofauna (717 reptiles and 290 amphibians); second, third, or fourth for mammal
thspecies (502), depending on who's counting; 15 for bird species (290, 1,150 subspecies), and it has just oodles of fresh- and salt-water fish species, never mind the insects and invertebrates. In all, Mexico is home to about 12% of all animal species on earth.
Sadly, Mexico also has a high world ranking—fifth—for the number of species threatened with extinction to greater or lesser degree (Oaxaca ranks first among the 31 Mexican states). About half of these species exist only in Mexico—if a species endemic to Mexico cannot be “saved” in Mexico, it is forever erased from the face of the earth. There will never be another Mexican grizzly bear—ranchers killed them off to preserve their livestock; there were 30 known alive in 1960, but none has been seen since 1964.
Among Mexico's threatened wildlife are some really fascinating, beautiful, fierce, and/or endearing creatures: the vaquita, the smallest dolphin we know of; the axolotl, or Mexican walking fish (totally weird, utterly cute); the jaguar, essential to pre-Hispanic myth and culture; the volcano rabbit, with its stubby little ears; the black howler monkeys that lend the ruins at Yachilan a measure of shock and awe.
Six Species in Search of Habitat
The comprehensive cause of species loss is destruction of habitat, which almost always occurs because the habitat stands in the way of human needs or desires. Wildlife habitat in Mexico gets destroyed through human practices in agriculture, logging, fishing, whether it's for human survival or commercial purposes. Habitat is also destroyed as a perhaps unintended consequence of development—pollution, water diversion, construct ion, introduction of invasive species—tourism is a frequent villain here. Pronatura, a 35-year-old nonprofit dedicated to conservation of biodiversity, has nominated six species that represent the ways in which environmental destruction throughout Mexico has endangered wildlife.
1. The Vaquita. The “little cow” is the only marine mammal endemic to Mexico, where it lives in the upper Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) and the Colorado River delta. The latest estimate is that only 60 vaquitas remain. The little cows are dying off because they become “by-catch,” the collateral damage caused by gill-net fishing used to harvest the totoaba, a large and commercially valuable food fish that by now is endangered itself. (The totoaba has a large swim bladder that's all the rage in Asia, worth around $10,000 US apiece, and guess what, it makes a great cocaine carrier while en route.)
Although Mexico created a Biosphere Reserve in the Upper Gulf of California in 1983, the Reserve has had little impact on preventing the gill-net fishing that's killing both the totoabas and the vaquitas. Enough attention has been focused on the loss of the vaquita that several conservation organizations, as well as an official U.S./Mexican partnership, have begun working on banning gill-net fishing in the Sea of Cortez, halting the trade in totoaba swim bladders, and getting rid of abandoned fishing gear in vaquita habitat.
2. The Monarch Butterfly. The monarch has been dear to my heart for a long, long time. When color television was in its infancy, you could build yourself a Heathkit color TV in the late 1960s. I arrived at a friend's house for the big test of her just-assembled kit—she turned the dial, we heard a “thunk-click,” and across the screen burst a panoply of flapping, fluttering orange and brown-black monarch butterfly wings. Maybe a little greenish, but still excitingly orange and never forgotten.
So much so, I've been to Point Pelee in Ontario, Montauk Point on Long Island, New York, and Pacific Grove south of San Francisco, searching for monarchs in migration with only so-so success. Soon, that may even be the case in their famous winter breeding destination, the pine and oyamel forests of Michoacan. In the last couple of decades, these forests have been reduced by perhaps 40% through an intractable complex of causes. There is illegal logging to meet the demand for high-quality lumber. There has been an increase in forest fires due to “unnatural causes.” And there is tremendous poverty in the area, which turns the forest into an economic resource for survival. Pronatura estimates that without ameliorating these pressures, the Michoacan forests could be wiped out in another two decades. Pronatura and the Monarch Butterfly Fund, a U.S./Mexican nonprofit, have begun reforestation efforts, and have started to work with at least one local community on sustainable economic development that does not exploit the forest.
3. The Gray Whale. Pronatura has identified the gray whale, a fifty-foot, 36-ton leviathan that turns aggressive when hunted (think Moby Dick), as a relative success story. The gray whales are usually found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, in the cold waters of the Bering and Chukchi seas off Alaska, but they breed 25,000 miles south in the lagoons of Baja California.
It was the 19th century whalers of New England who nearly extinguished the gray whale, leaving a mere handful by the 20th century. In 1946, the International Whaling Commission man-dated protection for the species; in 1972, Mexico chose the San Ignacio Lagoon as a gray whale refuge.
By Deborah Van Hoewyk
The Eye 15
4. The Jaguar. The “American leopard,” the largest big cat of the Western Hemisphere, ranges beyond Mexico, from the southern United States to northern Argentina, but few are the casual sightings anywhere in its territory. In Mexico, you might have a chance to see one in the jungle that covers the uplands of Chiapas and the base of the Yucatan.
The jaguar is a frequent motif in the carvings on ruins throughout Mexico—Ek Balam in the Yucatan is called the City of the Jaguar; the animal plays a critical role as a predator in maintaining the ecological balance of localized environments, keeping populations of everything from coatis to deer down to manageable levels.
But its own localized environment, its habitat, has been disappearing. The forest cover in the Rio Lagartos Biosphere in the Yucatan has been nearly eliminated, by perhaps 80%, as farmers clear land to graze cattle. Yucatan tourism, centered on Cancun, has put additional pressures on habitat. Pronatura asserts that if nothing changes in agricultural or tourism practice, the jaguar may be extinct in the Yucatan by 2050. The same pressures are threatening/endangering other Mexican big cats—the smaller jaguarundi, the ocelot, the tigrillo, the cougar (mountain lion, puma), and Mexican bobcat.
5. Mexican Prairie Dog. If you're in Huatulco around Christmas time, you can treat yourself to the holiday film Alvin y las Ardillas (Alvin and the Chipmunks). One species of ardilla, the Mexican prairie dog, is down to 2% of its habitat as agriculture plows up l and conduc i ve t o d i gg ing burrows, and farmers hunt or poison the prairie dog to eliminate the burrows. Now located in less than 500 square miles straddling the border between the states of San Luis Potosí and Coahuila, the prairie dog has little room to build its “towns”—networked burrows that house families of up to 50 prairie dogs ruled by a male “alpha dog.”
Pronatura is working on establishing a grassland area of 42,000 hectares (about 104,000 acres) in San Luis Potosí, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon. It has negotiated conservation agreements with private land owners and farming collectives (ejidos), and sometime soon, Los Llanos de Tokio (the Plains of Tokyo), may be the location for the next Xmas spectacular with talking (actually, barking and yipping) rodents!
6. Golden Eagle. When you look at the seal of Estados Unidas Mexicanos, you see an águila, the country's national symbol, eating a snake. The Aztecs of the time were nomads, and legend has it that they received a message saying that when they saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake, that was the place to stop and settle. That place was Tenochititlán.
The third largest raptor in North America, after the bald and California greater eagles, the golden eagle may soon be a thing of the past. (Those that are left, however, prey on the prairie dog among other small mammals; they can also do in wild pigs, smaller cranes, and a whole lot of reptiles.) Again, its decline is due mainly to habitat destruction, including the habitat of its prey, but hunting and capture for the exotic animal trade have played a role. Pronatura is working on habitat conservation in the national park at Cumbres de Monterrey (in the mountains just south of Monterrey) and the Cuatro Ciénegas Biosphere Reserve in Coahuila, and on lobbying for legal protection of the species.
The Pronatura list is limited to species endangered primarily by habitat loss—according to the IUCN, compiler of that Red List, agriculture, logging, and land development are the prime offenders. With over 2500 species at risk in Mexico, the country is also losing its black howler monkeys, its Geoffroy's spider monkeys, the San Quintin kangaroo rat, river otters, harpy eagles, American antelopes, river crocodiles, sea cows, black bears and volcano rabbits. And those cutie-pie Mexican walking fish? Axolotls are actually amphibians, salamanders that grow up but never undergo the metamorphosis that gives most salamanders lungs so they can take to the land. Axolotls are a favorite with medical researchers because of their unique ability to regenerate their limbs. They live—or used to live—in lakes, particularly in Lake Xochimilco in Mexico City; there were only 100 per square kilometer in Xochimilco in 2008, and by 2013, a four-month-long search found none, with urbanization and water pollution cited as the causes.
Barriers to Protection
Mexican law explicitly protects thousands of species; Mexico has set up national parks, natural monuments, biospheres, sanctuaries, and other areas where species are protected. But the resources to protect these areas are limited—well-trained, authoritative game wardens are in short supply.
More critically, the will to protect these areas, threatened species of animals and plants, and specific ecosystems, pales in the face of poverty and pressures for development. When people in remote areas depend on agriculture to survive, and the resources to create an alternative sustainable economy are not there, it is nearly impossible to stop deforestation. As for development, the national tourism development agency, FONATUR, has slated a three-beach area in Huatulco (Maguey, currently lined with palapa restaurants; and the unspoiled Playas Organo and Maguey) for development: “The area has excellent views and great beachfront space which will be sold as mega lots with services in order to attract large hotel chains and real estate companies that may be interested in developing villas, condos, a golf course, a club house, boutique hotels, 5-star hotels, beach clubs and shops.” Playa Cacaluta is part of a river course and micro-delta that comprises eight delicately integrated ecosystems.
According to university researchers, a third reason Mexico has difficulty implementing its wildlife protection aspirations is that protection responsibilities are centralized in the federal government, with minimal local authority over environmental issues. The federal government has shifted wildlife management around through different agencies, has failed to provide adequate funding, and has not provided for any mechanisms to work with landowners, prioritize wildlife protection in its handling of land tenure and local politics, or incorporate wildlife protection into poverty alleviation programs.
Federal prioritization of wildlife protection has been given a boost here and there under President Peña Nieto, particularly in the area of binational cooperation. With any luck, maybe some of these issues will be streamlined, and the jaguar will still roam the jungles of the Yucatan.
The Eye 16
ifteen is a magical age - in Mexico it is the time of
Fquinceañeras and celebration as girls teeter on the
brink of womanhood. It is also the age of high teen
pregnancy rates - especially in lower income areas.
A United Nations Population Fund ( ) report, UNFPA
Motherhood in Childhood: Facing the Challenge of Adolescent
Pregnancy (Maternidad en la niñez) revealed that Mexico is the
leading nation in teen pregnancies, with the alarming rate of
64.2 teen pregnancies per thousand births. Generally
speaking, teen pregnancies are associated with poorer living
conditions and girls receiving lower levels of education. Girls
with a higher education level, with a dream for the future and
with a hope of success, are much less likely to get pregnant.
A few years ago I met Johanne Lalonde in one of my cooking
classes. In my classes I talk a great deal about the magic of the
tiny village where I live- just 25 minutes from a world-class
resort area but a world away- with no telephones, internet and
many households still cooking on open fire, growing their own
corn and maintaining an incredible amount of self-sufficient
living. The village has a kindergarten, an elementary school
and a secondary school (grades 7, 8 and 9)- making it possible
for children to be educated within the village until that magical
age of 15.
I started to notice that while some girls continued studying to
high school even though their families now had to cover
transportation costs to attend the high school in a neighboring
village, many did not. Many got pregnant.
While some studies point to the lack of contraceptive education
or acceptance with regards to teen pregnancy. I firmly believe
that education, visualization and hope of a future are much
bigger factors. Young women and girls need to proactively
choose their future.
From this idea, Johanne and I started a program we named
Sigue Estudiando (Keep Studying) with the goal of keeping
girls in school. One girl from each grade in secondary school
would receive a scholarship towards her future educational
needs.
In its work on girls' education and gender equality, the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has concluded that
educated women are less likely to marry early and against their
will; less likely to die in childbirth; more likely to have healthy
babies; and are more likely to send their children to school.
When all children have access to a quality education rooted in
human rights and gender equality, it creates a ripple effect of
opportunity that influences generations to come.'
When we support girls education, we are not only supporting
the individuals but helping communities to break the cycle of
poverty. We are in the second year of the program and
currently have 6 scholarship recipients.
While it is early to track the success of such a program, I have
no doubt that it is having a positive effect. I asked last year's
recipients to write a letter to Johanne and I was very moved
when one of the young women succinctly wrote that the biggest
gift, more so than the money, was the knowledge and
encouragement that came from knowing someone was caring
for their education.
If you are interested in helping or getting involved please
contact me through The Eye.
We are now trying to get laptops for this year’s recipients - if you
would like to donate one or have a gently used one that you
don’t need, please let me know.
Supporting Girls’ EducationBy Jane Bauer
Marina Chahue, Huatulco
Tel. 958 105 1671Cel. 958 100 7339Closed Mondays
www.cafejuanitamexico.com
The Eye 17
he jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a small
Tjaguar that generally ranges from northern Mexico
to southern Argentina. There have been confirmed
sightings from as far north as New Mexico, Texas,
and Arizona, with unconfirmed sightings in
southern Florida (one road-killed kitten carcass). And yes,
they occur along the Oaxacan coast where they are also rare;
our neighbors spotted one in Conejos a few years ago, albeit
briefly, as they are fast and are considered threatened in
Mexico. Although diurnal (active during the day), they are still
difficult to observe or study.
Although I have not seen one, there are readily available photos
and videos; it is indeed a strange-looking small cat, with a
slender body, flattened head and very long tapered tail. It is
larger than a house cat, but smaller than a bobcat, and has
small rounded ears and short legs, resulting in an odd gait
when running, more like an otter than a feline. Its coloration
varies with habitat, phases of development and/or subspecies,
as the taxonomy remains unclear. Consistent, however, is that
although coats are unmarked, e.g. not striped or spotted, their
fur is short and smooth.
The jaguarundi's habitat is varied, although it is typically
found in lowlands from dry forests to grasslands, but always
close to a source of water. Jaguarundis breed year round, with
a gestation period of 70-75 days. They typically give birth to up
to four kittens, in a constructed but well-hidden den.
According to the literature, they are sexually mature after two
years. Their lifespan in the wild is not known, although in
captivity they have lived up to 10 years. As per other cats, they
are excellent predators, with a diet dominated by small rodents
and reptiles, although they have been known to consume
invertebrates and even vegetation. The chief threat to their
survival is loss of habitat.
So please keep your EYE out for this beautiful and rare animal.
Let the local guides know if you have seen one.
JaguarundiBy Julie Etra
www.huatulco-catering.com
Chiles&ChocolateCooking ClassesHuatulco, Oaxaca
Tel. 958 105 1671 Cel. 958 100 7339
There is no better way to get to know a place than through its food.
CalendarOaxaca City Recurring Events:AA Meetings (English)Daily - Monday and Thursday - 7 pm Also Saturday at 1 pm - All 12 step groups welcome.518 Colon
Religious ServicesHoly Trinity Anglican Episcopal Church Sundays 11 am Crespo 211 (between Morelos and Matamoros)Liturgy followed by coffee hour. Information 951-514-3799
Religious Society of Quaker Friends Meeting, Saturdays 10 am FreeAll are welcome. For more information and location, contact [email protected]
Weekly MarketsEtla Market, Every WednesdayTlacolula Market, Every Sunday
BikingOaxaca is More Beautiful on a Bicycle, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday - 9 to 10:30 pm Free, Meet in front of Santo Domingo ChurchRental bicycles available at Mundo Ceiba, Quintana Roo 2011You must bring a passport or Oaxacan credentials. They have tandems, too!
DanzónEvery Wednesday - 6:30 pm FreeAlcalá and ConstituciónA tradition imported from Cuba, the danzón is a stately dance with syncopation. The citizens of Oaxaca gather weekly to dance and watch the dancers.
Ethnobotanical Garden Tours in EnglishWeekly - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - 11 am $100 pesosEntrance Reforma and Constitutión.
BridgeTuesday Bridge Game at eMax Learning Center, Hidalgo 104, Jalatlaco, $20 pesos, no partner necessary, starting at 12 noon.
Baseball: Guerreros de Oaxaca 7pm weekdays; 5pm weekends when in town $50 pesos for men in Centro, $25 pesos for womenVasconcelos StadiumOaxaca's own AAA baseball team always includes a couple of players who had brief moments in the major league. Go for the baseball and/or go for the entertaining crowd. This is real Oaxaca! The season is April to August. Niños Heroes and Vasconcelos
Garden ClubMonthly - 1st Wednesday FreeThe Oaxaca Garden Club is dedicated to: learning, sharing and education about gardening, agriculture and nature, primarily in Oaxaca. It is achieved by regular meetings, field trips, outreach to the community and by parties. To receive the monthly notices of activities, send an email to [email protected]
HikingWeekly - Tuesday & Friday 9 am - November thru March Minimal cost for transportationOaxaca Lending Library- Pino Suárez 519Hoofing It In Oaxaca ( is a program of http://www.hoofingitinoaxaca.com/)weekly hikes for adventurous gringos who hanker to explore this part of Mexico on foot. Individual outings fall into three categories: rambles through the open countryside in the Valles Centrales; visits to archeological sites in the area; and more vigorous hikes in the mountains surrounding Oaxaca City.The Oaxaca Lending Library is the rendezvous point for all of the weekly hikes. All information and a full schedule of hikes is on the Hoofing In Oaxaca website. Reservations required.
Tour to Teotitlán del ValleWeekly - Thursday and Saturday - 9 to 5 pm $750 pesosInstituto Cultural OaxacaTravel, Learn, Fight Poverty. Fundación En Via (http://www.envia.org/) is a non-profit microfinance is a non-profit microfinance organization providing tours to communities around Oaxaca where participants visit women in need of small loans to improve their lives. 100% of the tour fees are given to the entrepreneurs as an interest-free micro loan. Instituto Cultural OaxacaAv. Benito Juárez 909
Full MoonSeptember 16th
Full MoonOctober 16th
Mexican Independence DaySeptember 16th
On the Coast Recurring Events:AA Meetings:English AA Huatulco, 7:30pm Remax Plaza, Every WednesdayEnglish AA 6pm, Puerto Escondido Cafecito Rinconada, Every ThursdayEnglish Al-Anon 4:30pm, Puerto Escondido Cafecito Rinconada, Every Saturday
Weekly MarketsPochutla Market- Every Monday
September
Saturday September 3rdHuatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8am-2pm
Saturday September 17thHuatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8am-2pm
Sunday September 25thEncuentro de Cocineros - Local cooks gather with sample dishes to raise money for local charities. 2pm Santa Cruz 100 pesos
October
Saturday October 1stHuatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8am-2pm
Saturday October 15thHuatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8am-2pm
Sunday October 30thEncuentro de Cocineros - Local cooks gather with sample dishes to raise money for local charities. 2pm Santa Cruz 100 pesos
The Eye 18
Email Usto list your eventon our calendar.It’s [email protected]
