Horse and Geeses

Although we still do not understand the connection to science, Max spent the last month in his science and geography classes studying traditions of the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca.  Other kids in his class studied the Isthmus region.  The project culminated last week with a cultural fair that celebrated both regions.  

The fair was great, but the process leading to it was not easy.  It seemed that every other night Max had to prepare a report, or a brochure, or a poster, or something else, on his specific topic, which was the Night of the Radishes – a special night in the city of Oaxaca when people construct dioramas out of carved radishes.  He also had to stay after school a few days each week and sometimes on weekends to rehearse the song and dances they performed.  Often we did not learn about the rehearsals until we went to pick Max up from school and found out he would be another hour. 

Rehearsing a song the kids sang in Spanish and in Zapoteca.

Rehearsing the Sandunga dance.

Meanwhile, Natalie attended meetings every few days with the other mothers to plan the event.  Some of the meetings got contentious, mainly because nobody really knew what the teacher or the school director envisioned for the day. As it happened, the teacher and the director had different visions, which the mothers ultimately had to divine and then try to reconcile and implement.

Our own contribution to the fair – we thought – was going to be to hire a radish carver to sit and carve radishes with the kids during the fair while Max and his partner explained about the tradition.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, our tutor, Mercedes, lives across the street from Doña Tayde, a radish carver who agreed to help us out.  About a week before the fair, however, the director decided nobody should spend money on the event, and Max’s teacher decided to let the kids try radish carving in advance of the fair.  That meant they wanted us to lead a radish carving workshop. After Natalie patiently, if desperately, explained to the teacher that we are not from Oaxaca, we have never been to Night of the Radishes, and we have never carved a radish sculpture, the teacher agreed Doña Tayde could lead the event.  She kindly did not ask if we planned to pay her.  (We did.)

In preparation for the workshop, Doña Tayde and I bought 250 of the biggest radishes we could find at the Abastos market, and then we all spent Sunday afternoon learning how to carve them at Mercedes’ house.  A few days later, Doña Tayde did a short demonstration for the kids in Max’s class, and then spent an hour carving with them.  The event was a big success.  People came up with some very creative ideas for their radishes, and everybody had fun.

Doña Tayde adding a toothpick crown to her radish version of the Virgin Mary.

Getting ready for the workshop at school.

The workshop.

Radish elf.

The actual fair, which happened the next day, consisted of the music and dance performances and an exposition.  While it all was impressive, the best part was seeing the kids in the regional costumes.  The girls were striking, and the boys were quite handsome.  Max looked just like a Mexican campesino with his "trajes típicos."  Natalie and I could not put down our cameras.

The exhibition -- No small affair.

Max and his partner used the radishes everyone had carved the day before for their display.

Max and his Spanish teacher, in costumes from the Isthmus.

Waiting to dance the Sandunga.

Two of Max's classmates. 

The Sandunga is a wedding dance, and includes gifts of money to the bride and groom.

It was easier to outfit the boys.

Dressed for the Ejutla, a dance from the Central Valley of Oaxaca.

Dancing the Ejutla. 

During this part of the dance, the boys chase the girls, who shoo them away with their skirts.

Yesterday there was an entirely different event at the school.  Helen’s class put on a pre-Father’s Day show for the dads.  They sang and danced for us, then we danced together and played games.  It was a treat, and the costumes were much simpler than they were for last week's fair.

Jeans, a plain shirt, and matching tennis shoes.  Helen is on the far left.

Kids lead dads in a dance.

The best part of the show.

Another highlight of the show was a song they sang in English to the tune of "Jingle Bells."  Helen practiced it at home, so I got to hear it in advance.  I am pretty sure the line toward the end is supposed to be “hugs and kisses,” but Helen insisted this is how it was taught:

Thank you Dad, Thank you Dad,

Thanks for loving me.

Horse and Geeses, Horse and Geeses

Come to you from me.

Sure enough, that is how they sang it at the show, and that is how I will remember it.


Today Helen needed to bring a picture of the two us to school.  Here is the picture we sent.  Helen did her own makeup.

Decorations for the Father’s Day show included sayings about fathers enlarged and hung around the yard.  Natalie’s pick:  “THE GREATEST THING A FATHER CAN DO TO HIS CHILDREN IS TO RESPECT THEIR MOTHER.”  --Harrison