Acapulco, Mexico, Sep 24 (EFE).- Two people died, a sinkhole opened on a highway and hundreds of trees fell together along with electricity poles, while telephone lines failed following the passage of Hurricane John in southern Mexico, authorities said Tuesday. The victims were a minor and a woman who were killed by a landslide in their home, while a sinkhole disrupted traffic on the Acapulco-Pinotepa Nacional highway due to the Category 3 cyclone that passed through the state of Guerrero. Strong gusts swept hundreds of tin roofs off houses, while at least 100 palm trees collapsed on La Bocana beach, in the municipality of Marquelia, where the hurricane made landfall Monday night. EFE verified that hundreds of electricity poles fell on the federal highway, causing power outages and mobile network disruptions. Many fallen trees lay on the national highway that leads to Oaxaca, where emergency personnel were working to remove them and repair the sinkhole in the municipality of Cuauhtemoc. Meanwhile, people in La Bocana beach said they had never experienced a similar hurricane, with some adding that they were not warned by municipal authorities in time. Jose Luis Hernandez, a fisherman and tourist services provider, lost all his assets in the form of two businesses, a restaurant and a hut. “What I experienced was a surprise, we never expected this storm, this hurricane, the truth is we were a little scared but thank God we are all fine at home, although I stayed up late and nothing happened, fortunately,” he said. “Everything was lost, everything, the roof, the house, everything flew away, we took care of ourselves from the blows and we took care of the children.” Felipa Hernandez, another hurricane victim who lives with eight other people in her house, said they lost everything in a matter of hours, and said Monday night and early Tuesday morning were the worst days. “Last night was very bad, you could hear the wind, the gusts, it was horrible; we thought the sea was rising, the light went out, the poles fell and it was chaos because we couldn’t get out,” she said. She added that at one point she thought there would be a disaster on the beach after the hurricane, since there would be many people dead, especially for vulnerable residents such as elderly people, single mothers, pregnant women. Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said work began on repairing the road after the rains, reinstalling the electricity, as well as a census of affected people. She said there were failed attempted robberies of department stores and self-service stores in Acapulco that were successfully prevented and that there were no serious incidents. The cyclone was a surprise because authorities initially only predicted it would be a tropical storm that would degrade to a depression when it made landfall Wednesday. However, it intensified, accelerated and changed course Monday, when it became a Category 3 hurricane and hit the Costa Chica area of ​​Guerrero. The government deployed more than 18,000 armed forces agents and other agencies in the region. The affected area was hit almost a year ago, on Oct. 25, by Hurricane Otis, which left more than 50 dead and broke the record for the strength of a cyclone in the Mexican Pacific. John is the second cyclone of the Pacific season to make landfall in Mexico, where storm Ileana last week hit the state of Sinaloa, in the northwest of the country and caused minor damage. Three cyclones have hit Mexico from the Atlantic: Hurricane Beryl and Storm Chris, which left no deaths in July, and Storm Alberto in June, which left six dead in Nuevo Leon, a state on Mexico’s northern border. EFE From above, the starting point of the project is defined, where each home responds to the needs of each family, the climate of the region and the topography of the site. The proposal consists of two volumes with gable roofs, each designed to divide the common areas from the private ones. In its facade, small openings were integrated, allowing optimum ventilation of the interior spaces. © Jaime Navarro SotoThe materials used were chosen for their availability and low costs Elements whose construction system and characteristics provide seismic resistance and thermal comfort to the homes were used We chose blocks of prefabricated clay for the walls with a concrete envelope that was painted white with a mixture of lime and sealants to minimize the solar incidence and the filtration of humidity Unlike other projects of social interest without community planning these houses are built on land that is already owned by the users inserted into the existing rural fabric and giving a sense of belonging to the population You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email the Guelaguetza stands out for its deep roots in the Mexican state’s cultural identity The name of this celebration—which takes place every July—traces back to the Zapotec word guendalizaa which refers to the act of making a gift or offering Its origins date to the pre-Hispanic era and the ritual sacrifices made to the Mexica That event almost a century ago was the basis for what would become known around the world as the Guelaguetza de los Lunes del Cerro. “The regions of the state are represented with participants wearing symbolic and representative traditional clothes consisting of elaborate and authentic garments and other items, as those participating in the event bring their gifts and offerings to Oaxaca, the Pearl of the South,” as a member of the festival’s committee described the event. Over the years additional activities have been added to the program for Guelaguetza, including the Feria del Mezcal and multiple culinary events, but the heart and soul of the event continues to be the performances on the stage of the Auditorio Guelaguetza, where audiences gather to see the dances of the eight regions of Oaxaca: Valles Centrales, Sierra Norte, La Cañada, Tuxtepec, La Mixteca, La Costa, Sierra Sur, and Istmo de Tehuantepec. Here are the stories behind the regional outfits that can be seen every year at the Cerro del Fortín, broken down by region. Alitzel Soriano Silva, 26, danced at the Guelaguetza and describes it as “one of the best experiences” of her life. It is possible to hear the pride in her voice as she describes the details of her costume that reflect the stories of the women in her family. “Some relatives were not dancers and so did not pass on the tradition, because they never learned the dances themselves, but they still support you. The costume has many reminders of their solidarity and support.” On top of the blouse she wears a scarf that plays a key role in “the Bull” section of the dance. The woman uses it to demonstrate “her strength, character, and authority to the man courting her,” Soriano explains. The scarf is used much as a matador wields a cape to lure a bull before the climactic moment in the song, which ends with the dancers pretending to kiss. The smiles of the women who dance the Flor de Piña at the Guelaguetza, representing the region of Tuxtepec, enhance the beauty of their towns’ colorful and distinctive huipils. Irasema Martínez Díaz, 21, had the opportunity to dance at the Cerro del Fortín in 2016 and 2018, wearing a huipil made by artisans from Usila on backstrap looms. The huipil also has other symbolic references, including a plumed serpent running across the middle of the design as well as small, pointed peaks that evoke the mountains that dominate the landscapes near Tuxtepec. The Chinas Oaxaqueñas are a striking presence in the festival of the Lunes del Cerro. Guadalupe Estefanía Sumano Benítez, 21, belongs to Doña Genoveva’s delegation of Chinas Oaxaqueñas, a group that has more than 60 years of history performing the Jarabe del Valle. Sumano describes the China Oaxaqueña as “a working woman, typically found in the city’s markets, of upright character and a deep Catholic faith, who honors the Virgin or a particular saint with floral offerings and their dance.” The costume that they wear during the Guelaguetza consists of a blouse covered by a scarf, a skirt, and slippers. The skirt is made of satin in bright colors and the figures of peaks that decorate it are called grecas; each one is made from a pleated ribbon and guipure lace. A starched sash worn underneath the skirt gives it volume, and traditional underwear is worn as well. A final detail related to the faith of the Chinas Oaxaqueñas is a small charm holding a portrait. “We place it close to the heart and it may have the photo of a loved one or the image of a saint or the Virgin,” Sumano explains. She wears one with the Virgen de la Soledad, a patron of Oaxaca.  “When I put on my outfit, I feel beautiful. The braids even change how your face appears,” Simoni Baños Acevedo, 21, says as she recalls her feeling when she was practicing to perform the traditional Chilena de Pinotepa Nacional dance, which portrays the courtship between a rooster (representing a man) and a hen (the woman he is pursuing). Originally from the Oaxacan coast, the chilena is a dance with multicultural roots. The chilena is a seductive and playful dance, and the women who perform it at the Guelaguetza play the part too, dressed in colorful blouses and skirts. Baños wears a poplin blouse that her grandmother also wore when she performed the same dance in 1978. It is embroidered with chaquira beads in the shapes of roses and peacocks that symbolize the elegance of women. Ana Hernández, 30, wears her formal costume representing the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region with the typical bold strength of women from the region. Hernández is an artist and she chooses to dress in the traditional clothing of her region in daily life, as a way of preserving ancient traditions. “Our people have customs and a culture. If we lose our traditional forms of dress, we lose part of our identity and our heritage,” she says. Hernández’s clothes recall celebrations like the Velas de Tehuantepec, local festivals where the women show off opulent costumes of huipils and velvet skirts embroidered with local flowers. That is the same outfit worn during the Guelaguetza, when women from the region dance La Sandunga. The formal outfits of Tehuana women are complicated to make, requiring many hands to finish them. Hernández says that muxes draw the flowers that will later be embroidered by a craftswoman and the skirts have lace frills starched by women known as planchadoras (roughly, women who iron). They dedicate themselves exclusively to this work, a focus that is necessary because of the skills required so that the frills of a Tehuano costume appear absolutely perfect. And then there is the resplandor, a headdress unique to the women of the Tehuantepec Isthmus. It has been worn at festivals and processions since the ‘30s, when it became widely popular. It consists of starched white lace and can be worn two different ways: when it is on the top of a woman’s head, as is common at festivals and the Guelaguetza, its size is emphasized; at religious events, it is positioned so that it frames the face. Finally, the Tehuana costume is completed with a xhigagueta or jicalpestle, a container originally made from a gourd—Hernández carries one. It is decorated with floral designs painted by hand and is used to carry fruits to be handed out as gifts during processions. Or, in the case of the dancers at the Guelaguetza, to be handed out to the public after the end of their performance. “This huipil is of an extraordinary quality," says Remigio Mestas about a traditional Yalalag garment. Mestas is originally from Villa Hidalgo Yalalag, in the Sierra Norte, and he has dedicated himself to textile art for more than three decades, preserving materials, traveling all over the world to spread the work of indigenous artisans, and then, in turn, creating works that are the results of remarkable cultural fusions, using items from other communities. “The garment is a snake in the form of a woman,” Mestas explains. “And on the top of the head of the woman wearing it, there is what is called a tlacoyal, a bun of hair that looks like entwined serpents.” He explains that a number of details of these huipils are related to snakes. The shoulders, for example, imitate the shapes of snakes in relief while, on the edge of the garment, a colorful border is inspired by coral snakes. Huautla de Jiménez is famous for its mountain landscapes that have been the setting of mystical stories, some of them represented in the huipils created by Mazatec weavers. These are garments that are hugely popular in Oaxaca, especially during the Guelaguetza, when barefoot women dance the Son de Flor de Naranjo, wearing traditional outfits with pink ribbons (symbolizing the coffee grown in the region) and blue ones (referring to the sky). These huipils are windows onto the daily life of the community that creates them. Research carried out by the Oaxacan Radio and Television Corporation reveals that the ribbons carry more than one meaning for those who wear them: their horizontal and vertical lines represent the paths that lead to Huautla. They also represent the days of the week, and the huipils of adult women include nine ribbons corresponding to the months of pregnancy. The piece is embroidered on a checkered fabric with motifs based on the birds and flowers of the region, while the collar includes details that allude to the rainbow and the mist that usually covers the mountains of Huautla. Like the Yalaltecan huipil, the Mazatec garment includes a lower part that is woven in a cross-stitch quadrillé. This section of the garment also has embroidery that is related to the important figure of the muleteer. The women of Huautla de Jiménez wear their hair braided with particularly long ribbons and complement their outfits with long necklaces. In their hands they carry a jícara gourd that, during the Son de Flor dance at the Guelaguetza, holds lily petals that dancers throw to the ground to mark the rhythm of their steps. The traditional Soltec hairstyle consists of two braids that are intertwined with silk ribbons and decorated with flowers that represent the wearers’ devotion to the archangel Michael and the Immaculate Conception. “Women wear the braids straight in front, representing virtue and purity,” Huerta explains. In this story: photography and video, Luvia Lazo; creative director and producer, Enrique Torres Meixueiro; hair, Netzahualcóyotl Huerta; production assistant, Tony Girón; location, Casa Armenta. Mexico City – A military helicopter carrying officials assessing damage from a powerful earthquake crashed Friday in southern Mexico The Oaxaca state prosecutor’s office said in a statement that five women four men and three children were killed at the crash site and another person died later at the hospital A state government official who was not authorized to be quoted by name said the chopper crashed into a group of people who had been spending the night outside after a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the area Aftershocks had caused people to flee their homes for fear they would collapse The Defense Department said the Blackhawk helicopter suffered the mishap when it was preparing to land on a vacant lot in the city of Jamiltepec about 19 miles from the area of Pinotepa Nacional The craft was carrying Interior Secretary Alfonso Navarrete and Oaxaca Gov The department said the victims had been waiting for the helicopter The accident was the latest embarrassment in little more than a month since Navarrete took over at the Interior Department which oversees most political and security issues an intelligence agent from an agency overseen by Navarrete’s department was caught tailing an opposition presidential candidate Both Navarrete and the defense department said they regretted the loss of life in Friday’s accident The same city where the accident occurred also saw significant destruction from the earthquake Two people suffered fractures and non-life threatening injuries in Pinotepa Nacional The damage was minimal compared to a massive 8.2 quake that struck in the same general area on Sept which killed 471 people and damaged over 180,000 houses in eight states But the magnitude 5.8 aftershock that struck Friday about an hour after the 7.2-magnitude quake led some residents of Jamiltepec to decide to spend the night outdoors a common practice after strong shakes in the balmy region The military helicopter apparently flipped and fell on top of the townspeople as it attempted to land Navarrete told local media that “as the army helicopter we were travelling in tried to land a local reporter who was aboard the helicopter when it crashed described harrowing moments as the pilot lost control and the helicopter attempted to touch down in a swirl of dust “The moment the helicopter touched down it lost control it slid– like it skidded– and it hit some vehicles that were parked alongside the area that had been defined for the landing,” he told a Mexican television news program nothing else was heard beside the sound that iron makes when it scrapes the earth.” Navarrete and Murat were evaluating reports of damage from the earthquake before the helicopter crashed Geological Survey originally put the magnitude of Friday’s quake at 7.5 but later lowered it to 7.2 It said the epicenter was 33 miles (53 kilometers) northeast of Pinotepa in southern Oaxaca state and had a depth of 15 miles (24 kilometers) Don Habacuc Avendaño was just 15 years old when he first walked eight days across Oaxaca to collect the dye of a renowned purple snail From the remote highlands of Pinotepa de Don Luis Avendaño descended toward Huatulco National Park where he learned the dangerous art of collecting ink from the purpura pansa snails — an integral part of his community’s weaving traditions but not like before,” Avendaño lamented as he recalled the seven decades he’s been a snail dyer Threatened by illegal poaching and environmental concerns all older in age who know how to carefully extract the dye from the endangered purpura snail before returning the creature to the rocks where it continues its life cycle “Humans are destroying the nature around us … our work is a big example of how we can live in harmony with nature without hurting it,” his son Rafael Avendaño said poachers and encroaching tourism have all taken their toll on the snails is a sleepy pueblo in northern Oaxaca whose 6,000 residents are mainly of Mixtec descent the community has respected and worked alongside the snail and passed down these ancient traditions to their children The striking purple color also gives the Tixinda weaving collective — the women of Pinotepa de Don Luis — its recognition Few of the elderly weavers — identified by their striped wrap-around skirts called posahuancos and apron tops — speak Spanish and prefer to speak Mixtec They’re one of the last remaining Mexican groups that grow and hand-spin their own cotton as well as use the sacred dye They also color their thread with other natural sources such as the cochinilla — an insect that lives on the nopal cactus It takes 400 hours of work to create a huipil intricately decorated with symbols that their ancestors revered These symbols and patterns are also unique to each pueblo meaning the Tixinda products are absolutely one of a kind From cleaning and spinning the cotton by hand it is a laborious task to even prepare for weaving to begin What’s more, similar to the work of the dyers of Pinotepa de Don Luis, the ancient weaving techniques face challenges of survival within the coming generations While many girls are encouraged to learn the traditions of their ancestors most are less interested in pursuing this line of work numbers of the endangered snails have rapidly declined — posing a challenge to the future of their Mixtec traditions and weaving Many of the collective fear that within a decade but it’s still happening and there’s no enforcement of the law,” immigration rights lawyer Patrice Perillie explained “Their cultural identity is totally tied to this sacred color Perillie has worked with the Tixinda collective for over 15 years Inspired by the collective’s incredibly intricate artwork Perillie is helping to raise awareness as well as helping the group sell their unique items there was no tourism in Oaxaca due to a teachers’ strike People found out I was an immigration lawyer and asked me if I could help them go to the United States — where they would be cleaning homes and offices.” Perillie’s nonprofit group — which has been coined a reverse migration project — has opened up the Tixinda collective’s market for selling these beautiful garments The group now has a thriving social media page monthly huipil sales in nearby Puerto Escondido and made-to-measure orders coming in from overseas buyers who is now head of the Cooperativo de Tintoreros de Pinotepa Don Luis dyers cooperative have traveled to the United States to talk about their important work Perillie’s efforts have allowed the Tixinda cooperative to gain international recognition environmental and social challenges remain and the future survival of this 3,000-year-old Mixtec art cannot be achieved through one single route “It’s a question of education [and] conservation and we want to pay the dyers to protect the snails Then they’d make a living doing this,” Perillie said the aging weavers and dyers are also optimistic about preserving their art “I remain hopeful that the snails can continue to reproduce These snails don’t have to be killed or eaten,” Rafael Avendaño said “It’s very important for the ecology of marine life … and it’s a part of our lives; it’s part of the knowledge of the Mixtecs.” Tamara Davison is a journalist and documentary filmmaker whose work is focused on Mexico and Central America Tamara’s work forms part of Outlawes Films which recently produced a documentary called Dreamweavers about the work of the Tixinda cooperative ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC The history of Africans in Mexico is largely unknown not only within the country but to the outside world Their history goes back hundreds of years to Mexico’s colonial past A 2015 census in Mexico is now drawing attention to Afro-Mexican communities CCTV America’s Franc Contreras reports.  Follow Franc Contreras on Twitter @FrancMex The presence of Africa here in Oaxaca State is one of the lesser known aspects of life in the region one of the most culturally diverse in all of Latin America the government conducted an interim census asking Mexicans: “Based on your culture meaning Afro-Mexican or Afro-descendant?” Nearly 1.4 million people responded “yes.” Afro-Mexican communities exist here in Oaxaca State’s Costa Chica region An Afro-Mexican leader from Pinotepa Nacional said Mexico is much more than just a mixture of Spanish and Indigenous people But images of African decedents in Mexico rarely appear in public Afro-Mexican communities are almost completely separated from the rest of Mexico And very few outsiders ever come here for a first-hand look even at their most well-known traditions Mexico’s national Constitution is the only one in Latin America that does not specifically mention the existence of citizens of African descent Afro-Mexican authorities said they are planning to take legal action and change the Constitution so that it includes them Constitutional recognition would finally give them access to medical services educational grants and social security benefits To further discuss the issues facing African communities in Latin America CCTV America’s Mike Walter spoke with James Peterson director of Africana Studies and Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English Find out why Oaxaca is one of our Best Trips of 2018 discover the confluence of 1,500 years of history and culture Eric Mindling of Traditions Mexico has been organizing immersive tours and expeditions through Oaxaca since 1997 His skilled guides have access to even the most remote communities Hotel Los Amantes: In an updated colonial-era building in Oaxaca City’s historic center this boutique hotel fills its public spaces and 10 suites with contemporary art for sale Parador de Alcalá: Also in Oaxaca’s historic center this 18th-century former mansion offers 21 luxe rooms and a blue-tiled rooftop pool Hotel Casavegas: Outside Oaxaca City which has big-city conveniences compared with smaller villages such as Pinotepa de Don Luis Rest up at this no-frills hotel before venturing out to the coast Caldo de Piedra: Northeast of Oaxaca City Caldo de Piedra’s house specialty is a traditional soup cooked tableside using fire-heated stones Restaurante Casa Oaxaca : Alejandro Ruiz’s acclaimed kitchen in Oaxaca City celebrates the state’s flavors in sophisticated ways from rabbit leg with yellow mole sauce to Oaxacan chocolate A traditional street celebration known as a calenda happens almost daily in Oaxaca to celebrate special occasions like weddings or baptisms Maria Luisa Mendoza de Cruz brushes wool in preparation for spinning at her home in Casa Cruz A calenda to celebrate a wedding in Oaxaca City unfolds on the street Large calenda figurines made from papier-mâché are stored in a temple A full view of Templo de Santo Domingo can be seen through cacti on the rooftop of Hotel Los Amantes People ride bikes and carry baskets through Tiacolula on \"market day,\" which is Sunday Benches line the interior of Templo de San Jeronimo in Oaxaca Platters of food are carried through a busy market in Oaxaca in the waters near Bahia de San Agustin on the pacific coast of Oaxaca Left: Lush and colorful plants fill the forest surrounding San Jose del Pacifico Right: Fresh fish match the color of the table they rest on at El Chimeco restaurant in Bahia San Agustin is the most important archaeological site in the Valley of Oaxaca A woman strolls through an interior room at Palacio Grupo Columnas which means \"place of the dead\" in Nahuatl A moderate magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit 29 km (18 mi) away from Pinotepa Nacional, Estado de Oaxaca,  Mexico 2024 at 1.46 pm local time (America/Mexico City GMT -6) The quake had a very shallow depth of 29 km (18 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so) A light magnitude 3.1 earthquake hit 39 km (24 mi) away from Pinotepa Nacional, Estado de Oaxaca,  Mexico 2024 at 4.28 am local time (America/Mexico City GMT -6) The quake had a very shallow depth of 35 km (22 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so).