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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 7, 2015 5:26:07 GMT
This thread will be mostly pictures, with very little narrative. That's because I've covered the subject before in greater depth here, for those wanting more background. Since I really love street shooting, to me the preparation for this pageant just begs to be photographed every time, gold mine that it is for the very human, the colorful and the bizarre. Apparently I didn't do a report last year, but you can see my photos of Good Friday 2014. If you go to that link and click on the first little icon on the far right, just below the banner, it will take you to a full screen slideshow of the pictures. I set off a little after four, Good Friday afternoon, cutting through the courtyard of Carmen Alto on my way to the pedestrian street. I got pictures of the preparations last year in Carmen Alto & it did not disappoint this year. Note that the flowers on the litter are made of wax ~      A peek inside the church ~ And a glance at another litter as I leave the courtyard ~ |
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 7, 2015 5:27:22 GMT
But wait -- what's this? I must go see what's inside that archway!  Do feel free to whistle, sing, or hum Vesti la Giubba as you view this group of pictures ~  
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 7, 2015 5:40:22 GMT
And out onto Alcalá, where the procession will form. St. Peter is the only major player to have arrived so far, so I'm going to walk down to to the center of town ~       Inside a restaurant ~   Lots more to show, but I'm off to bed now.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 7, 2015 14:43:39 GMT
Continuing south, there is a wonderful Spring display by the north-facing wall of the cathedral ~     Just a quick look around the cathedral ~   
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Post by htmb on Apr 7, 2015 20:30:08 GMT
Bixa, you never fail to provide us with interesting photos and a look at what is happening in your town of Oaxaca. Looking forward to seeing more great pics!
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Post by anshjain97 on Apr 7, 2015 23:40:02 GMT
Very interesting and looking forward to more.
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Post by breeze on Apr 8, 2015 0:04:03 GMT
What did you say to the vendor that brought on that broad grin?
How light and pretty those purple and white stars are, twirling under the dome.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 8, 2015 3:41:11 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 8, 2015 3:54:01 GMT
Oh look! I recognize these ladies and their Virgin from 2013. They're from San Felipe Neri church and graciously allowed us to watch their preparations in 2013.
I see they're using all black mantillas this year and that the Virgin has a sumptuous new cape.         
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 8, 2015 4:11:53 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 8, 2015 4:48:53 GMT
Time out for a quick ogle ~          
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 8, 2015 5:00:08 GMT
      Even crowds waiting for a solemn religious procession have the same feel as crowds waiting for a parade ~    No procession for me. I turn west off Alcalá to wend my way back home ~   That's it! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2015 10:12:48 GMT
The photos are great, but the celebration commemoration is frankly creepy and I much prefer Muertos. I never knew there were paper cones inside the Klan hats -- I always thought they were just starched to a fare-thee-well.
At least the happy coconut is there to lighten things up.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 9, 2015 17:57:26 GMT
Weighing them both as photo-ops, I love this one because it's more abstractly challenging in terms of getting a good picture. Muertos is so colorful that a certain number of good pictures can be gotten practically by just waving the camera around.
This holiday, vaguely or even very repellent to modern sensibilities regardless of religious belief, makes for interesting photos precisely because of that visceral response by the viewer. The positive and negative geometric shapes formed by the pointy hats, the flickering recognition that those are normal everyday people undertaking an arduous medieval religious task, the realization that someone is looking at you from the hood's eye holes -- I find it all all deeply compelling as photojournalistic homework.
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Post by lola on Apr 12, 2015 1:38:52 GMT
This lifts my heart. I love it that people make an effort, get out in the streets together, show off their artistry. The emotional statues, the colors.
--- The woman in the first photos resembles a lacy candle herself.
--- Mother of Sorrows is stunning
--- I love the vieja con cellphone, the pensive black-hooded man under the whipping post one.
--- you are so good with portraiture in general
--- the feet!
Do you know what those pink flowering trees are called?
Thanks so much for doing this, bixa you treasure.
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Post by bjd on Apr 12, 2015 5:26:52 GMT
Compared to the Good Friday procession I saw in Quito, Ecuador, this Mexican one is much less devoted to suffering. People here look as though they will enjoy themselves a lot more.
How long is the procession?
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Post by lugg on Apr 12, 2015 7:17:15 GMT
Another wonderful photo essay Bixa, your photos are outstanding . I can imagine how much work and time must go into preparation for the event.
I especially like the photo of the handsome young man with the black hood - and not just because of that ! Its the way the little boy is admiringly looking up at him.
What is the ?food in the large basket above the coconut pic please ?
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Post by lola on Apr 12, 2015 21:50:24 GMT
I got to walk in a Good Friday procession long ago in Truchas NM. The penitentes in the mountains around there reportedly whipped each other in those days, secret societies in moradas contructed for the purpose. moradasWith NM having the US widest gap between rich and poor, many nowadays apparently use heroin for self-punishment. |
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 13, 2015 3:52:36 GMT
Thank you all so much for the great feedback!  Lola, I told that young woman the same thing about her dress! The flowers are maybe Tabebuia heptaphylla or maybe T. rosea. Anyway, Tabebuia somethingorother. I treasure your lovely, lovely words -- thank you! Bjd, yesterday I saw some photos of this year's Semana Santa in the state of Guerrero & boy, were they way more into mortifying the flesh than they are here. My impression is that Oaxaca's processions are getting less arduous every year, perhaps as a way of letting more people participate. I had to laugh the other day when a woman I know rather sneered at the procession, saying that the crosses weren't solid wood, just plywood. Personally, I'd find dragging a large cross, even a plywood one, barefoot over many city blocks to be extremely unpleasant. I've only seen the complete procession once. It used to take place @4 or 4:30 in the afternoon. A friend booked a balcony in the crepe restaurant on Alcalá for three of us. (see 7th pic down in #10 -- it was one of those two balconies) It formed in complete silence -- there was none of the milling about you see in my pictures here. Either that, or everyone had been corralled by the time they reached that point. It moved past below our vantage point slowly, silently and I have to say, extremely impressively. Regardless of belief, it was impossible not to be moved and awed by the depth of devotion shown. One part of the observation I've seen more than once, but before I started taking pictures, was of the passion plays that take place in many towns and even neighborhoods around here. I never saw one where the person playing the part of Jesus was actually hurt, -- in one he was play-lashed with a whip made of ribbons -- but I believe some of them might be more distressingly realistic. Lugg, thank you so much! Those snacks in the basket are chicharrines. they're made from deep-fried formed, dried wheat paste that looks like tomato-flavored pasta before being cooked -- something that has fooled many a poor foreigner. Absolutely fascinating information, Lola. I never dreamed something that extreme still existed in the US. Is your comment about heroin ironic, or am I just being dense?  |
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Post by Don Cuevas on Apr 13, 2015 10:05:42 GMT
Bonitas fotos, gente guapa.
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Post by lola on Apr 13, 2015 17:51:33 GMT
Bixa, I think there have always been very rough characters living in the Northern NM mountains. It's difficult to make a living there, after all, and it's a country of extremes. Sorry to have mentioned heroin, but I hear it's a too-popular form of self-medication and self-mortification. Some of my partying friends there liked cocaine, but I never could see that point of that.
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Post by tod2 on May 8, 2015 14:19:19 GMT
I am so sorry I never saw this a month ago! Crikey Bixa, your photos are simply stunning.
Easter down your part of the world is totally totally different to ours. The closest we get to all that pomp and ceremony is a religious group who make a pilgrimage to a place called Morea near Johannesburg. There they celebrate Easter for three days sleeping in buses and our in the open.
As for the rest of us an Easter church service will do, but Easter here is all about Easter eggs and bunny rabbits. As a matter of fact I'm still slowly eating my way through chocolate Easter bunnies!
Please may I ask you the meaning of the white, red, yellow, black, etc. pointed hoods and capes? You showed us what keeps them up but unless I've missed something I would like to know why are those men dressed like that?
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Post by Don Cuevas on May 8, 2015 21:19:06 GMT
They are Penitents. I think this custom goes back to ancient Spain. Something similar takes place in Seville during Holy Week. Images of Penitents. |
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Post by tod2 on May 9, 2015 13:13:26 GMT
Thank you Don. I find them quite creepy along with a lot of other images. Must scare some kids.
A very vivid memory I have from my childhood is when our Sunday school teacher held up a picture in colour, of Christ on the cross with blood dripping everywhere, and at the same time blubbing her eyes out and saying (in Afrikaans) "Look what they've done to my Jesus" - I've never been so glad to get home with eyes as big as saucers. My mother demanded to know immediately what scared the shit of of me.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 9, 2015 18:42:20 GMT
Tod, thank you for the lovely compliment and apologies for never even seeing your question in #21. And thanks to DonC for answering! If you want a more long-winded answer, look at Reply #24 in the 2013 thread. There is also this unreferenced article from Wikipedia which seems quite plausible. And it would seem that the capirote is also the origin of the dunce cap! The picture of the prisoner in the second article bears a disconcerting resemblance to this: <-- click! |
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Post by tod2 on May 10, 2015 13:02:03 GMT
Thank you Bixa - All is clear now and I follow the reasons for this display. Wearing the Dunce cap was still in practice when I was very little. Must have been a really trying ordeal for small children....are they the ones who grew up to be leaders and statesmen or axe-murderers  When my son was in primary school the class teacher wrote something derogatory on a boys forehead in black koki pen. Can't remember if there was a hoo-ha about it or not. |
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Post by nycgirl on Jun 2, 2015 17:05:43 GMT
I especially like the photo of the handsome young man with the black hood. Me too! I also find the Penitents very spooky-looking. I can't help but be reminded of eerie photos from history class of KKK members engaging in all sorts of evil acts. I know the two groups have nothing to do with each other, but that's where my mind instantly goes. This is a wonderful set of images! You not only captured a colorful cultural event but also the beauty of a spring day in Oaxaca. |
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