During my trip to Mexico last year, a friend from Oaxaca, Blanca Vera, invited me to a local community Fete to take portraits with the Diablos. Blanca is from Santiago Juxtlahuaca, a small town in Oaxaca, and her father, Alejandro Vera, is a master craftsman who creates these masks by hand from dried sabino wood. Blanca grew up immersed in this tradition. One early morning, I was told to be ready at 5 a.m. to be picked up by a minibus carrying the Diablos. I had no idea where we were going or when we’d return, but I embraced the uncertainty. Sharing sleepy moments and a few laughs with the crew at sunrise, I watched the transformation take place. As a photographer, it struck me as ironic to be heading into such a vivid experience without a clear plan—trusting time to reveal itself through the camera’s lens. While I took a few shots of the dances, they were too fast and crowded for the kind of connection I sought. I wanted something more personal, something that captured the individuality of each mask and its wearer. During a quieter moment, I found a spot in the car park with the mountains as a backdrop—an ideal setting to convey the abundant beauty of the region. As the light shifted, I took intentional portraits, focusing on each mask and the person behind it. Weeks later, back in London, I obsessively safeguarded those rolls of film until I could finally see what I had captured. Hours spent in the darkroom brought these images to life, and sharing them with the subjects felt like the completion of a creative journey. Now, I’d like to share them with a wider audience" Carlos CGH is an Indigenous artist in Mexico who aims to conserve his native Triqui language through rap MEXICO CITY — Backstage at a celebration of Indigenous peoples in Mexico City's sprawling central square Carlos CGH traced his fingers across a black and red “gabán,” which is similar to a poncho native to the Triqui people in western Oaxaca is a source of pride for the 24-year-old rapper and reserved for special occasions Its textured surface was decorated with intricate needlepoint patterns of multicolored corn husks As the rapper — whose full name is Carlos Guadalupe Hernández — prepared for his performance Oaxacan muralist Alberto Sebastián Bautista Figueroa brainstormed details He crafted a drawing with the word “RAICES,” or “ROOTS,” in twisting strokes for a mural he planned to create during the performance “We’re always proud,” Guadalupe later said on stage “This goes out to all craftspeople who are here people don’t know all the history and all the resistance behind one garment.” Such details are an important part of his identity as a musician representing his origins as a descendant of the Triqui nation Triqui is one of many Mixtec languages spoken in Oaxaca and has four variants is particular to Guadalupe's hometown of San Juan Copala “To my Triqui brothers – farmworkers doctors and all the women,” Guadalupe rapped in Spanish “We fight every day for a better future.” He held up a shirt that said “Triqui Nation Resists!” while his DJ dropped a series of trap horns have struggled with political and social conflicts going back more than 80 years The area also has become a hot spot for arms trafficking Growing internal disputes for territorial control have led to forced displacement for many in the community Many Triquis have moved to Mexico City but push to return to their homes Guadalupe is originally from the municipality of Santiago Juxtlahuaca He got his start in music at age 12 as a percussionist with a local band surrounded by Oaxaca-Mixteca artists he admired "Like love at first sight,” he recalled after seeing local lyricists perform “It’s a language that is at risk of disappearing Parents and grandparents are no longer teaching it to their kids,” he said “We learned that through rap we can make songs that would interest the new generations to speak it (Triqui) again.” In Oaxaca, the variety of rap is abundant. To mark the 50th anniversary of hip-hop’s birth an independent project to demonstrate the state's musical diversity created a “sonic” map of the region's most influential rappers earlier this year Among Guadalupe's peers are rappers who take pride in rapping in Mixtec But the scene has suffered from the violence in Oaxaca a passionate lyricist in the Zapotec language “When you look up the Triqui community on the internet a lot of things are going to come up regarding some of the problems we have,” Guadalupe said I come to talk about what’s within my community – the celebrations Guadalupe’s vision of Triqui culture comes to life “Where are my people from the Triqui nation?” he shouted A family in the front row raised their hands dedicated to the people of Santiago Juxtlahuaca opened with playful arrangements of traditional Oaxacan banda music The crowd cheered for “El Baile del Diablo,” or “Devil's Dance,” a traditional dance from the Oaxacan coast The muralist Bautista exchanged his cans of spray paint for the traditional garb of the devil wearing a handcrafted wooden mask and stomping across the stage Guadalupe seamlessly wove Spanish verses with Triqui rhymes tradition and language,” he said with pride at the end Will you support our work?All of our content is free And we have hired more Native journalists in the past year than any news organization ─ and with your help we will continue to grow and create career paths for our people Support Indian Country Today for as little as $10 Madera’s Courthouse Park was transformed into an Oaxacan Nu’u Yavi—a vibrant public space celebrating Mexican indigenous heritage A recreation of an Oaxacan plaza or market and a community enjoying delicious food while engaging in conversation The event was one of many activities that are part of the Pan Valley Institute’s (PVI) economic justice goal Cultural organizer Rosa Hernandez coordinated this beautiful event As the featured cooks—seven indigenous women and their families—prepared for the event they worried if their unique dishes would be well received as the homemade Mexican food reminiscent of their homeland was so popular that it sold out before the event’s completion.  Nu’u Yavi’s most significant outcome is the desire it sparked in the participants to continue offering their food which will revitalize neglected public spaces like the Madera Courthouse Park.  PVI will continue supporting this collective effort - Increase and sustain the women’s income generation and economic mobility projects; and Indigenous traditions in food production; and - Promote the environment and land stewardship.    PVI will support this effort for at least one year until the women have the infrastructure to continue it independently.  Mireya Agustín López from Santiago Juxtlahuaca These dishes are among the most traditional in Juxtlahuaca and are never missing on the day of the Nu’u Yavi They are made from natural corn and yellow chili Ciria Arenas Cruz from San Agustín Atenango Kenia Guzmán Paz from Santiago Juxtlahuaca Oaxaca specializes in traditional desserts including ticutas These desserts are characteristic of Juxtlahuaca Kenia started making these delicious desserts in Madera in 2016 to offer flavors of Juxtlahuaca to her compatriots living in Madera Marcelina Bautista López from San Martín Itunyoso specializes in mole tamales with chicken in corn husks The elaboration of tamales and their mole preserve ancestral practices.  Rosa Hernandez from Santiago Juxtlahuaca joined us at the event with aguas frescas made from natural ingredients from chilacayote This mole is made and prepared with the most traditional ingredients of her hometown.  Daisy Mejía says that "cooking ancestral dishes has been a way to connect with my roots and thus preserve my family's traditions Oaxacan gastronomy reflects the cultural diversity of our state the variety of flavors highlights its unique authenticity and emphasis on organic and healthy food Huaxmole (or mole de guaje) is a stew with many regional variants but its typical characteristic is guaje seeds Its origin comes from the indigenous cultures of the Mixtec and Zapotec regions The mole base is prepared with coastal and/or guajillo chili Originally from Santa María Tindu. Maria's culinary specialty is pel Yiqui one of the ancestral dishes of the Mixtec region of Oaxaca This dish's main ingredient is roasted ground corn with chili and avocado leaves The Voice of the Progressive Movement since 1996 the cultural presence of Oaxaca in the San Joaquin Valley has become increasingly evident particularly in Madera and Arvin (Kern County) Thousands of farmworkers have arrived to work in the Valley’s fields from Oaxaca a southern state of Mexico with a large indigenous population there are at least 16 different indigenous communities with their own languages and traditions Oaxacan cuisine is not only delicious but also colorful with a distinctive flavor in part due to the herbs used in it we have seen a surge of Oaxacan cuisine at upper-scale restaurants on both sides of the border and many books and articles dedicated to that one thing is the food you can find in a restaurant and another thing is the food your mom makes And that’s why a group of Oaxacan women in Madera—led by cultural organizer Rosa Hernandez—decided to create a traditional market in the park one of the indigenous languages spoken in Oaxaca “We invited women who we know cook keeping the traditional flavors who like to keep the recipes of their mothers and grandmothers,” said Hernandez “The idea was to offer traditional dishes using the ingredients from our towns—if possible—while maintaining the atmosphere of our kitchens Nu’u Yavi took place on May 3 at the Court Park in downtown Madera About one-third of the city’s 61,000 inhabitants are believed to be of Oaxacan origin Madera also has the first city council member of Mixteco origin to be elected in the United States Seven Oaxacan women—six Mixtecas and one Triqui—cooked their favorite dishes and sold them to the public: tortillas mole rojo and amarillo (red and yellow mole) tamales and huachimole (a dish made with tomatillos guaje—the green pods of a tree—chile and pork meat) The event was sponsored by the Pan Valley Institute of the American Friends Service Committee The food stands were distributed as a semi-circle around the gazebo of the park not only to eat but also to enjoy the conversation while children played around There was soft Oaxacan music in the background [this] was an experience oriented to educate the public about our food and our cooking techniques,” said Daisy Mejia “It’s like chile verde but it’s cooked with guaje seeds and chile costeño I hope our new generations don’t lose these recipes.” How difficult is it to get the original ingredients you can get guaje in some stores; that wasn’t the case a few years back,” explained Mejia “Even guaje trees have been planted in the area.” Immigrants not only bring their working skills and energy but also reproduce their cultures—including So they create a market for new products that end up being planted locally the huachimole is cooked with chile costeño (chile from the coast of Oaxaca) My mom brought them from Oaxaca because it’s not produced here,” said Mejia “What I liked from this event is that several women got together to cook and share our traditional food each one has a special touch they learned from their mothers,” said Mejia the flavors—they transport me to my homeland,” said Mireya Agustin She offered tamales and pozole amarillo (pozole made with yellow chiles) “They are very popular during festivities celebrated at the plaza back home.” These women have something in common when they cook for events like Nu’u Yavi although more Oaxacan ingredients are now produced here She used to sell her food from home and at special events “I like to share my food; people enjoy Oaxacan food and this makes me happy,” she said “This effort—to organize the event—is part of a struggle a struggle to get recognized as a community which is part of the community at large we are not just working hands,” concluded Hernandez She suggested that participants are interested in repeating the experience in July Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. © 2025 Community Alliance | Privacy Policy - Accessibility Statement Territorial disputes in Oaxaca have cost the lives of at least 78 people since 2017 Another 68 people have suffered injuries during heated conflicts over land ownership while the disappearance of 12 people is believed to be connected to the same issue The Secretariat General of the Oaxaca government says there are currently more than 400 unresolved territorial disputes in the state The main reason for the high number is that 81.3% of all land in Oaxaca belongs to ejidos Complicating the issue further is that half of the 394,000 registered ejidatarios told the newspaper El Universal that the figures explain why there is a state of permanent conflict in Oaxaca He said the first step in resolving the disputes is to fix the flaws in the collective land ownership system Solano said that it is often unclear who owns a parcel of land explaining that the disorderly growth of towns has in some cases made historical boundaries difficult to identify The most serious conflicts occur when private property owners clash with ejidatarios the records of state and federal authorities need to be consulted to determine the rightful owners of disputed land Solano also said that more resources need to be allocated to mediating disputes he recommended the establishment of a dedicated government group The Unir chief also said that the presence of foreign companies in parts of Oaxaca especially the Isthmus of Tehuantepec where several wind farms have been developed has also raised the ire of landowners and led to conflicts Solano added that the federal government’s isthmus trade corridor project which includes the modernization of the railway between Salina Cruz and new mining developments could make existing land conflicts worse or create new ones President López Obrador says the trade corridor and other projects such as the Maya Train will bring significant economic and social benefits to the south and southeast the triumph or failure of the president’s social goals will depend on the response he provides to agrarian conflicts.” Source: El Universal (sp)  ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Sinaloa (central Mexico) in the mid-1980s and lived there for almost 10 years before migrating to the US.  The Coixtlahuaca Valley. Map from Elizabeth Hill Boone This migration fueled by economic necessity has been the result of deforestation as well as colonial and capitalist exploitation that have made La Mixteca an almost uninhabitable land policies such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have negatively impacted farming practices and economic growth in La Mixteca and forced the migration of hundreds of Mixtec who have been cut off from resources and denied political and human rights by the government These forced migrations raise not only economic and social issues but also issues of environmental (in)justice since such displacement disrupts the relationship between Mixtec communities and their land The Mixtec burial practice along with the collective effort of sending bodies back home practiced by my community of San Miguel Cuevas Oaxaca demonstrates the living’s last effort to return to their land the Remigio Luna and Ortega Galindo households This is the story of el pueblo de San Miguel Cuevas some of the conditions that encourage migration include “high levels of poverty and marginalization decline in the rural economy affecting more than half the economically active population the lack of well-paying jobs made worse by lack of skills and illiteracy and family and social networks that link community residents with migrants who have already left.” After my Abuelito Eutiquio passed away when my father was seven years old, he had to work alongside my Abuelita Adelaida to cut sugar cane and harvest the milpa he made his first migrant journey out of La Mixteca to the state of Morelos for better job opportunities As my father describes life in La Mixteca: “Tenía menos de 7 años cuando se murio mi papa Cuando tenía la edad para entrar a la escuela ya no pude porque tenía que trabajar” (I was not yet 7 when my father passed away “Quería llegar a ser presidente de la república Mexicana” (I wanted to become president of the Mexican republic)  he jokes although he’s aware education would have made a difference in his life.  My mother’s family was driven out of La Mixteca much earlier they lived in Morelos and Sinaloa before returning to Manzanal in La Mixteca My mother obtained a third-grade education she shares: “Vivimos en un corral de vacas En la esquina había un techo y piso pequeño Mi papá conseguía plástico para tender en el suelo para dormir en la noche.” (We lived in a cattle corral In the corner there was a roof and a small piece of floor My father would find plastic to lay there so we could sleep at night) I first visited La Mixteca in 1997 when I was six years old. We stayed with my Abuelita for several months. The tiny wooden home where my Abuelita lived her whole life is the same home where my father was born and the same home where my Abuelito passed away in 1960. Eventually, my father bought some land and built a tiny wooden home of our own in San Miguel Cuevas. Inside, we folded our petates and laid them against the wall We only set these down when it was time to sleep My most vivid memories during the time I spent in el pueblo are of the beauty of the land visible every morning we stepped out of our tiny home Because we were located on a higher elevation we could see farmers working their land as well as cattle and horses This image is in fact what La Mixteca once was in recent years forced migration has increased as La Mixteca becomes more and more desolate Only the souls of our abuelitos and abuelitas are present possibly longing for their children to return and give life to what was once living and NAFTA made the price of corn so low that it’s not economically possible to plant a crop anymore We come to the US to work because we can’t get a price for our product at home There’s no alternative.” When small Mixtec farmers are no longer able to get a price for their corn they are left with no alternative but to leave their pueblos migrate to northern Mexican states and eventually to the US These forced migrations are part of a global story of environmental injustice which has lasting consequences for families and communities spread across countries and borders as is the case for my community of San Miguel Cuevas.  when referring to folks from San Miguel Cuevas we refer to each other as being “gente del pueblo” or simply “del pueblo” which translates to “people of the village” or most accurately “people from our village.” San Miguel Cuevas has established a comite in Fresno California which is where most of us (del pueblo) reside This established leadership and a collective committee has compiled a list of all San Miguel Cuevas families along with names and birthdates with one goal: providing financial aid to send bodies back to their ancestral homeland after death This community assistance is much like an insurance program one of the goals desired by many Indigenous groups from La Mixteca As Dominguez describes it:  “One idea is an insurance program that can pay the cost of bringing home the remains of someone who dies in the US and Baja California don’t have birth certificates.” For the past four years I have provided a $15 donation upon the death of someone from el pueblo I gave my most recent $15 donation last week men begin to donate when they turn 18 and women when they turn 25 at least one or two people who are part of the San Miguel Cuevas comite die most often adults between the ages of 40-60 we gather a collection of $10,000-$15,000 which is used to safely transport the body back home to el pueblo as well as to carry out burial rites.  She was laid to rest in La Mixteca May 2015 A death is marked by week-long gatherings and rituals used to commemorate the life and death of the individual and ends with the descent of the body into the physical and spiritual land back home Older pueblo generations are set on being buried in el pueblo while the desire of younger folks is less certain Along with the physical distance from the land there is also a cultural divide happening over the years the language of our parents and grandparents and now raising our own children in the US far from the land that gave birth to our ancestors We only come to know of it during brief visits or mostly from stories our parents share whereas my father’s generation was previously returning to La Mixteca Current political tension on the border has resulted in “permanent” migration to the US which means children born and raised in the US are beginning to see the US as their home They are losing (others redefining) their Mixtec identity and see no reason to be buried there the older folks’ primary reason for being buried back home is simple: es nuestra tierra It’s their land where they were born and raised It’s also the land where their ancestors were born and essentially where they were laid to rest While their physical bodies rest on the earth they continue to live and occasionally visit us through nature just like my Abuelito Eutiquio visited us as a butterfly (on more than one occasion) when we visited San Miguel Cuevas in 1997.  Mixtec migration to the US began decades ago. For my family, it began with my Abuelito Eutiquio Remigio who migrated to the US as a Bracero during WWII It continued with my father who migrated to California and Washington following the berry harvest in the late 1970s My Tata Benito Ortega would make this trip as well in the late 1980s but after experiencing hardship and trauma without being able to find work this is the case for many Mixtecs since the hardship of making the migrant journey means once here they choose to stay despite their longing to be back home They work for less than minimum wage in the San Joaquin Valley and throughout the Western states many times with two or three families in one unit Yet the poverty here is still better than the poverty back home so eventually they age and die in a land where they are not wanted.  As many Indigenous folks from La Mixteca have argued Mixtec forced migration needs to be recognized as an issue of environmental (in)justice since physical borders make it difficult for them to return home and faithfully carry out spiritual practices honoring their relationship with La Mixteca These interrupted relationships between humans and nonhumans call for a more expansive view on environmental justice as well as understanding the Mixtec as environmental refugees Returning a human body to the land that gave birth to it is a spiritual act and a significant moment that every human being should have the right to experience today it has become an economic hardship that continues to separate families long after one passes from this earth Many Mixtec migrants are being forced to choose closeness with family over closeness to the land In cases of forced migration and displacement migrants are forced to establish a community away from home grounded instead by family relationships.            only my Abuelita and Abuelito are buried in La Mixteca Mexico where his family has lived for over 40 years This is the same place where my Nana has decided to be laid to rest after she passes from this earth the distance between one’s place of burial and el pueblo grows further and further apart Both my mother and father have decided to be buried in Fresno because they want to be close to their children.  Featured image: San Miguel Cuevas, Juxtlahuaca, Oaxaca. Photo from San Miguel Cuevas-Nuu Yuku Tags: Edge Effects is a digital magazine about environmental issues produced by graduate students at the Center for Culture, History, and Environment (CHE), a research center within the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Contact Us Edge Effects c/o CHE 550 North Park Street, Room 280 Madison, Wisconsin 53706edgeeffects@nelson.wisc.edu Powered by  - Designed with Hueman Pro “El Orgullo de Juxtlahuaca,” 2019 The Art Center Waco serves as the debut venue for Greg Davis’ photographic project Oaxacan Gold: Illuminating Mystical Mexico a contributing photographer to National Geographic sought to transport viewers into the heart of the spiritual and communal events he experienced in Oaxaca When an artist sets out to document communities of which they are not a member they risk evoking a time-worn ethnographic feel One example of this possibility is Davis’ 2018 archival museum rag pigment print Sol de Vega an intimately close view of an older Oaxacan man framed by trees the image calls to mind anthropological portraits in an ethnographic display its age indicated by brown stains and a tear near the collar while a woven straw hat protects his face from the harsh sun The context of the image is difficult to deduce The man’s rumpled collar and what appear to be the bright blue straps of a drawstring sack slung around his shoulder suggest a level of informality that he was engaged in another activity before he stopped to pose for this photograph That the piece’s title refers only to the region in which the photo was captured suggests that an individual can serve as a representative type for a place there is an alternate reading of this portrait The man intensely stares straight into the camera creating a dynamism that moves through the image straight to the viewer Because of this direct connection bypassing the photographer Sola de Vega avoids the passive consumption and lack of agency associated with historical ethnographic images Although individual portraits are sprinkled throughout the exhibition one of the central themes in Oaxacan Gold: Illuminating Mystical Mexico is religious festivals Davis documented celebrations of communities that sustained cultural values through generations following colonization In a black and white image titled El Orgullo de Juxtlahuaca The figures are rendered more intimidating by Davis’ choice to capture the image from a crouched vantage point from in front of the lead figure’s legs as his body extends forward in stride This parade of figures dressed as devils is derived from a Catholic story of triumph over the Moors an occupying power in Spain for more than 700 years “Devil Masks,” Santiago Juxtlahuaca To enhance the experiential quality of the exhibition Davis acquired artisan works during his travels through Oaxaca to complement his photographs The display of art in this manner is not novel in an exhibition focused on documenting communities abroad the artisan works are thoughtfully handled labeled with the name of each artist and a QR code linking to the artisan’s social media page where works can be purchased directly from them a viewer is confronted with devil masks carved by Alejandro Vero Guzmán folk art has been divorced from its original context and its makers have been denied acknowledgement as artists This inclusion of folk artists indicates Davis’ alignment with efforts to decolonize what have long been traditional methods of display While Davis’ project aims to highlight the particularities of Oaxaca his section on the Dance of the Devils beautifully captures the complicated legacy of colonization The continued celebration of this festival refashions Spain’s resistance to colonization as Mexico’s own resistance to Spain illustrating the complexities of post-colonial identification festival’s inclusion of masks illustrates the influence of African heritage in Mexico Spanish cultural traditions were foregrounded while Indigenous and African customs were suppressed and appropriated Efforts are being taken to reclaim the cultural roots of practices like the wearing of masks but there is work to be done in post-colonial communities still grappling with embedded White supremacy This body of work sparks many rich areas of conversation on the legacies of colonialism One tradition that should feel familiar to many in the United States is the Day of the Dead given the Mexican holiday’s inclusion in mainstream popular culture Davis provides striking images of Oaxacan Day of the Dead celebrations however he clearly intends to illuminate other less widely known festivals that bring Oaxacan communities together Los Colores de Oaxaca thrusts viewers into a parade for the Feather Dance Davis capitalizes on the color that makes these festivals so vibrant and the other in a yellow floral dress that captures the energy of the moment as she fans her skirt upward in front of her men in large feathered headdresses move forward in a line clearing the way for the next rows of dancers and musicians that fill the background Warmth emanates from this image as the woman at center soaks in the celebration and flashes a confident smile to parade goers just beyond the camera Davis introduces viewers to traditions and stories that might be new to them a more important issue to consider is how diverse audiences connect with this exhibition Exhibitions can be an effective tool for arts organizations and museums to amplify representation of people of color but shows alone cannot eliminate barriers that have persistently disconnected visitors from these institutions this disconnection can be exacerbated if communities of color see others improperly telling their stories Davis’ exhibition thoughtfully negotiates this delicate balance and balanced compositions compel viewers to engage with those represented in a meaningful way objective gaze that could make a project like this problematic is eliminated Davis invites viewers to immerse themselves in the spectacular events of Oaxaca Oaxacan Gold: Illuminating Mystical Mexico is on view through August 13, 2022 at Art Center Waco and website in this browser for the next time I comment HAA Cultural Events Calendar This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the state of Oaxaca is asking the federal government to extend its state of emergency declaration from four municipalities to nine The request comes after high winds intensified a fire that spread from the rural town of Santiago Juxtlahuaca on April 9 to Santos Reyes Tepillo — an indigenous town of fewer than 1,000 people in the southern Mexico state’s Mixteca region — where nine people lost their lives last week Representatives of the state government met with the families of those who perished to discuss offering them life insurance benefits policies the government has reserved for accidental deaths in cases due to circumstances like the fires The National Forestry Commission (Conafor) reported that the fire was 75% contained The agency said that 138 people from the communities of Santa María Tindú Guadalupe Mesón and Tinuma de Zaragoza were working alongside 35 firefighters from the National Defense Ministry (Sedena) 14 from the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) six from the State Forestry Commission (Coesfo) as well as two helicopters which have made at least 80 water drops in an attempt to put out the fires Oaxaca has seen 95 forest fires across the state that have charred more than 7,166 acres It is nothing new for Oaxaca Last year around this time the state was fighting 172 forest fires that had consumed nearly 23,000 acres 129 separate forest fires burned their way through the Oaxaca countryside destroying a devastating 48,432 acres in total 20 states are currently reporting forest fires that have burned nearly 15,000 acres Source: El Milenio (sp), El Universal (sp)