sobre oaxaca
about oaxaca / society verde’s popular retreats promote thoughtful connection to communities and cultures around the world. our first travel immersion since the start of the pandemic was in january 2022. fifteen of us gathered to experience the rich heritage of oaxaca, mexico.
we were welcomed to a destination that fully engaged us: full of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and information and wisdom to be silently gathered through each soft footstep upon pre-hispanic trails and centuries-old cobblestone streets.
here are a few things local guides and travel friends shared with us during our week in oaxaca. we encourage anyone interested in connecting more with this vibrant region to plan a trip, or even better– join us when we return in february 2023 for another itinerary that directly supports oaxacan community.
la gente de oaxaca
the state of oaxaca, widely indigenous, is situated on the southern edge of mexico, and also near the bottom in the country’s wealth rankings, with a large wage gap. how you spend your dollars as a traveler can have a big impact on the livelihood of locals, especially the indigenous communities most affected by socioeconomic imbalances. seek to support locally-owned independent hotels or home shares + restaurants and food carts that put money directly into the pockets of residents. there is no shortage of local craft in the region, and indigenous families generously share the talent of their bloodlines, carried forth through generations. look for educational tours and open workshops, and purchase wares directly from these makers.
there are sixteen groups indigenous to oaxaca, though they can be further divided into hundreds of subgroups. two cultures, the zapotecas and mixtecas, are the largest communities of native peoples of oaxaca. varying accounts of history will claim one tribe with superior rights to the land, though both banded together to fight the aztecas when they invaded from the mexico city region. the victorious aztecs would later be vanquished by the spaniards, while the surviving indigenous groups would spread through villages in the surrounding mountains and valley.
today, the indigenous populations within the city + surrounding lands share their stories and carry on the traditions of their ancestors. our group experienced zapotec heritage through temazcal rituals and a weaving lecture (in 2023, we’ll even get our hands dirty dyeing our own textiles!), and the group villa we shared for our week is owned by lila downs, a local artist of mixtec descent well-known and well-respected for highlighting and elevating mexico’s indigenous cultures through music and philanthropic projects.
when we return for another small group experience in 2023, our itinerary will again support these oaxacans…in addition to a few new friends.
you’re invited to join us – leave a comment or send me a message if you’re interested!
and be sure to check out the curated album of moments from our week in oaxaca, with special thanks to our staff photographer for this trip, jennifer mangino photography!