chido chico letter of intent by Yonel Watene and Outcome
chido chico
Field Research Project and Exhibition/s
chido chico I: https://www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/12131823 (last-minute travel deal)
ft. BENT and Kane Laing
Mexico City, December 2018
chido chico II: 15°55'42.7"N 96°25'02.6"W 15.928518, -96.417385 (AKA chido chico, AKA what I set out to do)
Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca
ft. BENT and Kane Laing
December 2018 - January 2019
Supported by Wallace Arts Trust
and PAULNACHE Gallery
www.paulnache.com/yonel-watene
yonelwatene@savoiedelacy.com
chido chico
Field Research Project and Exhibition/s
chido chico I: https://www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/12131823 (last-minute travel deal)
ft. BENT and Kane Laing
Mexico City, December 2018
chido chico II: 15°55'42.7"N 96°25'02.6"W 15.928518, -96.417385 (AKA chido chico, AKA what I set out to do)
Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca
ft. BENT and Kane Laing
December 2018 - January 2019
Supported by Wallace Arts Trust
and PAULNACHE Gallery
www.paulnache.com/yonel-watene
yonelwatene@savoiedelacy.com
Before I talk about my intentions, I want to talk about what really went down: two exhibitions, one in an Air BnB in Roma Sur, Mexico City, and another at The Lucy Foundation HQ in Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Mexico. I presented a new series of paintings, titled the Margo Glantz Paintings, unstretched. When I arrived home in late January, I stretched and finished them off, to be presented in Two oceans at once (group), ST PAUL St Gallery, Auckland University of Technology, opening February 14 2019. Thats a start ... future photographic projects, writing and research will be developed and released over time, but it will always comes back to this special project. It's the heart and soul of it. Everything emanates from here. As with any research trip, there's always more to it. I discuss those subtleties in the Letter of Intent that follows - 5 February 2019.
chido chico I: https://www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/12131823 (last-minute travel deal), ft. BENT and Kane Laing, Calle Campeche, Roma Sur, Mexico City, 14 - 18 December 2018
chido chico II, The Lucy Foundation HQ, Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, ft. BENT and Kane Laing, 30 December 2018 - 13 January 2019
Margo Glantz Paintings, to be exhibited in Two oceans at once, ST PAUL St Gallery, Auckland University of Technology, opening February 14 2019
Untitled Margo Glantz Painting (redeye), Silkscreen prints, dye, acrylic, spray paint and oil on treated denim, 200x100cm, 2018-2019.
Untitled Margo Glantz Painting (starz), Silkscreen prints, dye, acrylic and oil on treated denim, 200x100cm, 2018-2019.
Untitled Margo Glantz Painting (starz), Silkscreen prints, dye, acrylic and oil on treated denim, 200x100cm, 2018-2019.
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Untitled Margo Glantz Painting (bluey), Silkscreen prints and oil on treated denim, 200x100cm, 2018-2019.
Untitled Margo Glantz Painting (2wizards), silkscreen prints, dye and oil on treated denim, 200x100cm, 2018-2019.
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chido chico letter of intent by Yonel Watene
I have a special announcement to make. I'm writing this at 11:21PM, Tuesday 11 December 2018, from my Air BnB in Roma Sur, Mexico City, near Campeche Bus Station. I've been here a few days. I saw some great art today, and I went for a skate. I love this city. It fires me up. I started getting jelly about all the cool stuff happening around me, and I wanted to get amongst it. This afternoon I was walking around my Air BnB, and I thought "I could do a show here. I could present the work I was going to show in Pluma here." An exhibition in an Air BnB? Why not. The original plan was to present paintings outdoors in a domestic courtyard in Oaxaca. Two exhibitions in Mexico, in two different homes, in two different states. It's definitely in-tune with chido chico's kaupapa. It feels right, despite being very last-minute (hence the clarification). I originally planned to do one show. I'm now doing two. The kaupapa is the same. Nothing changes, only now I'm doing two shows, and not one. This first show will only be up for a few days, and was planned only a few days in advance. I guess it started right now, and is open by appointment only. It won't be perfect - last minute travel plans rarely are.
chido chico loosely translates to ‘cool boy’. Who is this ‘cool boy’? What is this all about?
chido chico is my sixth field research project in Central America, and my fourth in Mexico.
chido chico will centre around my time in Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Mexico.
This will be my third trip to Pluma and Mexico, and my fourth to Central.
I will be staying at The Lucy Foundation HQ with my partner Roberta Francis (The Lucy Foundation Director), and our friend Romelli. Romelli’s dad is from Peru. She speaks Spanish and will be our translator. The Lucy Foundation is a charity that focuses on empowering people with disabilities and disability inclusion.
Ryan roasting almonds at The Lucy Foundation HQ, Pluma Hidalgo, 2017.
For the last few years, The Lucy Foundation HQ has been home to Field Directors Ryan and Jessica Sanders, and their two kids. We’ve stayed with them a few times over the years. They are great hosts and friends. Jess is the best cook. She’s pregnant, so they have recently moved home to New Zealand. We’ll miss them.
The original plan was to arrive in Pluma mid-December. Due to conflicting schedules, and a desire to stay in Mexico City as long as possible (I love Mexico City), I will likely arrive on New Years Eve. I think we will be spend Christmas in Guanajuato.
I arrived in Mexico City December 10. I stayed at an Air BnB in Roma Sur, Mexico City for about 10 days, and another in Juarez for about 3 days. As mentioned above, I did an exhibition in our Air BnB in Roma Sur. It was pretty impromptu. Only two people made it by - an artist and a curator. I was very happy they came by, because it made it feel like a real show. Without going too far into it, I would like to apologise to the curator, who was locked-in the building complex and was trying to contact me, but my phone notifications wasn't working! He eventually knocked on our door at a guess, and made it to the show. I was very honoured he dropped by, and I felt really bad about the hassle.
We spent Christmas in San Miguel. We left CDMX December 23. It was pretty mellow. We went on a christmas charity tour, which was very enlightening. In one church (can't remember which) the priest thought so highly of his artistic prowess that he decided to commission himself to paint the church, despite no formal training! Talk about nepotism mixed with outsider art. The paintings were very crude and lovely. I wouldn't call traditional painting from that era 'lovely'. Sometimes lovely can only be crude. We later travelled to Guanajuato for a few days on December 26. It's a magical place - like ... something out of a Tim Burton movie. We later flew from Leon to Pluma December 28 - 6 January 2019.
The original plan was to arrive in Pluma mid-December. Due to conflicting schedules, and a desire to stay in Mexico City as long as possible (I love Mexico City), I will likely arrive on New Years Eve. I think we will be spend Christmas in Guanajuato.
I arrived in Mexico City December 10. I stayed at an Air BnB in Roma Sur, Mexico City for about 10 days, and another in Juarez for about 3 days. As mentioned above, I did an exhibition in our Air BnB in Roma Sur. It was pretty impromptu. Only two people made it by - an artist and a curator. I was very happy they came by, because it made it feel like a real show. Without going too far into it, I would like to apologise to the curator, who was locked-in the building complex and was trying to contact me, but my phone notifications wasn't working! He eventually knocked on our door at a guess, and made it to the show. I was very honoured he dropped by, and I felt really bad about the hassle.
We spent Christmas in San Miguel. We left CDMX December 23. It was pretty mellow. We went on a christmas charity tour, which was very enlightening. In one church (can't remember which) the priest thought so highly of his artistic prowess that he decided to commission himself to paint the church, despite no formal training! Talk about nepotism mixed with outsider art. The paintings were very crude and lovely. I wouldn't call traditional painting from that era 'lovely'. Sometimes lovely can only be crude. We later travelled to Guanajuato for a few days on December 26. It's a magical place - like ... something out of a Tim Burton movie. We later flew from Leon to Pluma December 28 - 6 January 2019.
Images of clotheslines in Pluma Hidalgo.
Installations shots from Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, 2018.
chido chico’s primary project is a site-specific exhibition, hosted at The Lucy Foundation HQ. This exhibition, also titled chido chico, will be presented in the HQs courtyard. It will be an outdoor exhibition that will run for a few weeks from either New Years Eve or New Years Day.
I will present new, unstretched denim paintings from my Margo Glantz series. I will finish these paintings in my studio in Auckland and travel with them to Mexico. These paintings will be hung off a clothesline that crisscrosses across the courtyard. This installation is inspired by the Pluma locals and how they dry their clothes. In order to receive maximum sunlight, their clotheslines are usually located on the roof, and are usually visible from the road. In New Zealand, clotheslines are usually located in the the backyard. In Mexico, hanging clothes to dry is a public affair. Back home it’s very private. This interests me. This investigation inspired by installation for my solo show Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, Sydney Australia, August 2018.
We arrived in Pluma December 29. We stayed in Bahias on the coast for a night. We had to wait 3 hours before we could check into our room. Things are crazy on the coast during new years. We went to Santa Cruz for a swim, and got tlayudas for dinner. Barry picked us up the next day, and we drove to Pluma. On the way up, from Santa Maria Hualtulco onwards, I filmed the countryside from the back of Barry's truck. I'm going to use this footage for a video I'll call Immortal Dance. It's about a ritualistic dance that's inspired by a fictional immortalist practice from Tom Robbins Jitterbug Perfume. In the book, two lovers, fleeing their own mortality, seek out an Immortalist group (The Bandaloop Dancers) in the far East, in hope of learning their immortalist practices. The practice includes lots of sex, dancing, breathing exercises and laying in scolding hot water. I did the install as soon as I got settled. It took about 2 hours. It looks the way it looks, and the way I thought it would look.
We spent New Years at Barrys, with a small group of friends. Damien and Danae made a 'man' out of old clothes and nick-nacks from around the home, as is tradition here. Some locals burn their 'man', signifying the departure of the 'old', and welcoming of the 'new'. I really wanted to burn him (Oscar), but it wasn't appropriate. We saw a 'man' outside the school prior to driving to Barrys. The burnt grass and ash indicated that our neighbours burnt their 'man' outside the school, which was fantastic. I'm guessing the burn marks will be there for a few months. We also partook in a tradition where we ate 12 grapes in 12 seconds or so before midnight. Basically you eat a grape and make a wish, eat another, make another wish. I made one wish, which was that we be blessed with one more year with Judy (our rabbit) - 6 January 2019.
I will present new, unstretched denim paintings from my Margo Glantz series. I will finish these paintings in my studio in Auckland and travel with them to Mexico. These paintings will be hung off a clothesline that crisscrosses across the courtyard. This installation is inspired by the Pluma locals and how they dry their clothes. In order to receive maximum sunlight, their clotheslines are usually located on the roof, and are usually visible from the road. In New Zealand, clotheslines are usually located in the the backyard. In Mexico, hanging clothes to dry is a public affair. Back home it’s very private. This interests me. This investigation inspired by installation for my solo show Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, Sydney Australia, August 2018.
We arrived in Pluma December 29. We stayed in Bahias on the coast for a night. We had to wait 3 hours before we could check into our room. Things are crazy on the coast during new years. We went to Santa Cruz for a swim, and got tlayudas for dinner. Barry picked us up the next day, and we drove to Pluma. On the way up, from Santa Maria Hualtulco onwards, I filmed the countryside from the back of Barry's truck. I'm going to use this footage for a video I'll call Immortal Dance. It's about a ritualistic dance that's inspired by a fictional immortalist practice from Tom Robbins Jitterbug Perfume. In the book, two lovers, fleeing their own mortality, seek out an Immortalist group (The Bandaloop Dancers) in the far East, in hope of learning their immortalist practices. The practice includes lots of sex, dancing, breathing exercises and laying in scolding hot water. I did the install as soon as I got settled. It took about 2 hours. It looks the way it looks, and the way I thought it would look.
We spent New Years at Barrys, with a small group of friends. Damien and Danae made a 'man' out of old clothes and nick-nacks from around the home, as is tradition here. Some locals burn their 'man', signifying the departure of the 'old', and welcoming of the 'new'. I really wanted to burn him (Oscar), but it wasn't appropriate. We saw a 'man' outside the school prior to driving to Barrys. The burnt grass and ash indicated that our neighbours burnt their 'man' outside the school, which was fantastic. I'm guessing the burn marks will be there for a few months. We also partook in a tradition where we ate 12 grapes in 12 seconds or so before midnight. Basically you eat a grape and make a wish, eat another, make another wish. I made one wish, which was that we be blessed with one more year with Judy (our rabbit) - 6 January 2019.
Margo Glantz paintings in progress, Akipero Studios, Auckland 2018.
Bents 'All of Us' series.
Alongside these denim works, Bent will present human-sized pigeon paste-ups from his All of Us series. These pigeons will be pasted to the HQ courtyard walls. Artist Kane Laing has given me step-by-step instructions for me to complete a collaborative video work. This video work will centre around bananas. Bent and Kane helped co-found play_station, an ARI based in Wellington, New Zealand. play_station recently collaborated with Biquini Wax EPS, an ARI based in Mexico City. Bent and Kane are two young artists I’m keen to work with and support.
As you have probably already noticed, Bents pidgeons also featured in the Air BnB project. Thought I would mention that - 6 January 2019.
Outside this exhibition, I will focus on my field research projects.
I would summarise my field research projects as being ‘excursions into the field, where I seek cultural capital and experiences that I 1) assimilate and 2) communicate via artistic expression.’ This artistic expression is represented in the form of art and text. I mostly take photographs during these excursions.
As you have probably already noticed, Bents pidgeons also featured in the Air BnB project. Thought I would mention that - 6 January 2019.
Outside this exhibition, I will focus on my field research projects.
I would summarise my field research projects as being ‘excursions into the field, where I seek cultural capital and experiences that I 1) assimilate and 2) communicate via artistic expression.’ This artistic expression is represented in the form of art and text. I mostly take photographs during these excursions.
Photograph taken at Las Margaritas in Pluma, 2017.
During chido chico I will complete my Pluma Hidalgo based photographic series, which is my primary field research project. I’ve taken some of my best shots in Pluma, so I’m keen to wrap up this project and end it on a good note.
I've taken about 4 rolls so far. Last time I was here I photographed a lot of buildings, cars, walls - that kind of stuff. Now I'm photographing flowers, mainly - 6 January 2019.
My second field research project focuses on Margo Glantz.
My first encounter with Margo Glantz occurred during a trip to Oaxaca City in 2016, where I saw a poster that depicted her likeness. I was inspired by the design. I took a photo of the poster, which I later used to create risograph reproductions in 2017. I also wrote a short text about this poster, which featured in my second publication Mackie Boy (2017). This year I created a silkscreen of this poster, which I screen printed onto the denim paintings from the Margo Glantz series (prior to travelling to Mexico). These paintings will be shown in chido chico.
I've taken about 4 rolls so far. Last time I was here I photographed a lot of buildings, cars, walls - that kind of stuff. Now I'm photographing flowers, mainly - 6 January 2019.
My second field research project focuses on Margo Glantz.
My first encounter with Margo Glantz occurred during a trip to Oaxaca City in 2016, where I saw a poster that depicted her likeness. I was inspired by the design. I took a photo of the poster, which I later used to create risograph reproductions in 2017. I also wrote a short text about this poster, which featured in my second publication Mackie Boy (2017). This year I created a silkscreen of this poster, which I screen printed onto the denim paintings from the Margo Glantz series (prior to travelling to Mexico). These paintings will be shown in chido chico.
Margo Glantz poster in Oaxaca City, 2016
This second field research project focuses on learning more about Margo Glantz. From what I understand, Glantz is a Mexican writer. Apart from that, I know very little about her. My research methodology is inspired by Damián Ortega’s Alias project.
In 1979, Damián Ortega was given a copy of "Dialogues with Marcel Duchamp" by Gabriel Orozco, who asked him to read it in English. His English was bad, so he asked his friend to translate it to Spanish. Due to the inconsistencies during this translation process (i.e. the translation was jumbled and the meaning was lost), the translation (and translator) appropriated the original texts meaning and intent, thus transforming this text into a Mexican context.
My goal is to read a Spanish text by Glantz, which I’ll later translate into English i.e. a personal context. My ability to translate Spanish to English is non-existent (my Spanish is horrible) - so this process will decontextualise Glantz’ text i.e. take her out of context. I don’t think this exercise will bring me closer to understanding Glantz, but I think it will bring me closer to her. I’m sure it will also help with my Spanish.
I've searched 1/2 a dozen book stores and haven't found a single Glantz book! I think I'm going to have to resort to ordering one online. It's pretty pathetic - 6 January 2019.
The outcome of this project, and the Margo Glantz paintings, will be brought back to Aotearoa New Zealand. The paintings will be presented in the group show Two Oceans at Once at ST PAUL St Gallery in Auckland, opening Friday 14 February 2019. I will stretch the Margo Glantz paintings for the show.
The photos will likely be exhibited somewhere down the line. Realising photographic projects usually takes some time. My first photographic series took five years to complete, and were shown in Five Years at PAULNACHE (June 2018).
In 1979, Damián Ortega was given a copy of "Dialogues with Marcel Duchamp" by Gabriel Orozco, who asked him to read it in English. His English was bad, so he asked his friend to translate it to Spanish. Due to the inconsistencies during this translation process (i.e. the translation was jumbled and the meaning was lost), the translation (and translator) appropriated the original texts meaning and intent, thus transforming this text into a Mexican context.
My goal is to read a Spanish text by Glantz, which I’ll later translate into English i.e. a personal context. My ability to translate Spanish to English is non-existent (my Spanish is horrible) - so this process will decontextualise Glantz’ text i.e. take her out of context. I don’t think this exercise will bring me closer to understanding Glantz, but I think it will bring me closer to her. I’m sure it will also help with my Spanish.
I've searched 1/2 a dozen book stores and haven't found a single Glantz book! I think I'm going to have to resort to ordering one online. It's pretty pathetic - 6 January 2019.
The outcome of this project, and the Margo Glantz paintings, will be brought back to Aotearoa New Zealand. The paintings will be presented in the group show Two Oceans at Once at ST PAUL St Gallery in Auckland, opening Friday 14 February 2019. I will stretch the Margo Glantz paintings for the show.
The photos will likely be exhibited somewhere down the line. Realising photographic projects usually takes some time. My first photographic series took five years to complete, and were shown in Five Years at PAULNACHE (June 2018).
Five Years, PAULNACHE, Gisborne, Aotearoa New Zealand, June 2018.
Detail of a Wizard painting, Akipero Studios, Auckland, 2018.
I’m going to try get my hands on some of Damián Ortega’s Alias texts, too.
I bought about 8 books from the Alias series when I went to check out the Roni Horn show at Kurimanzutto. It was a class show by the way - my favourite, alongside Germán Venegas at Museo Tamayo. Should be interesting to read, despite me knowing very little Spanish. It'll take time - 6 January 2019.
I also plan on reading a Spanish copy of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. It would be interesting to read that epic story from a Latino perspective. I’m quite familiar with the story, too, so it would be easier to comprehend then a Glantz text. This would be research for another series of mine, titled Wizards, which I’m not quite ready to release yet.
Fortunately, I did get a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in Spanish. I bought a copy at a book market on Reforma. It really stoked me out. I look forward to reading it, which will probably take awhile - 6 January 2019.
I hope all this reading helps with my Spanish.
I'm sure it will - 6 January 2019.
I'll likely write a report discussing everything that actually happens. I don't expect too many surprises.
The italic/bold text is the report (yes, cheap I know) - 6 January 2019.
I bought about 8 books from the Alias series when I went to check out the Roni Horn show at Kurimanzutto. It was a class show by the way - my favourite, alongside Germán Venegas at Museo Tamayo. Should be interesting to read, despite me knowing very little Spanish. It'll take time - 6 January 2019.
I also plan on reading a Spanish copy of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. It would be interesting to read that epic story from a Latino perspective. I’m quite familiar with the story, too, so it would be easier to comprehend then a Glantz text. This would be research for another series of mine, titled Wizards, which I’m not quite ready to release yet.
Fortunately, I did get a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in Spanish. I bought a copy at a book market on Reforma. It really stoked me out. I look forward to reading it, which will probably take awhile - 6 January 2019.
I hope all this reading helps with my Spanish.
I'm sure it will - 6 January 2019.
I'll likely write a report discussing everything that actually happens. I don't expect too many surprises.
The italic/bold text is the report (yes, cheap I know) - 6 January 2019.
Image of my first video work Llaves a Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead Yves (telekinetic Skype). Filmed in Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Mexico, on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) November 1, 2017.
Previous Field Research Projects
Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Mexico (2016 and 2017).
Outcome: Pluma Hidalgo Portfolio (65 photographs; in progress), Las Margaritas Portfolio (8 photographs; in progress); POOL (diptych), Day of the Dead Yves (video; shown in Five Years, PAULNACHE, 2018 and Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, 2018) and its accompanying essay.
Mexico City, Mexico (2016 and 2017).
Outcome: DF Portfolio (20 photographs; in progress), artist resident at Casa Lu in Tlalpan Centro, rugby ball (solo exhibition at Casa Lu), Tlalpan Centro (curated group show at Casa Lu, featuring New Zealand artists) and its accompanying e-publications The Chronicles of T-Pan: A Madman with the Pill (2017).
San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala (2014).
Outcome: San Pedro La Laguna Portfolio (6 photographs; shown in Five Years, PAULNACHE, 2018) and its accompanying essay, San Pedro La La La (6 photographs; shown in Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, 2018).
Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Mexico (2016 and 2017).
Outcome: Pluma Hidalgo Portfolio (65 photographs; in progress), Las Margaritas Portfolio (8 photographs; in progress); POOL (diptych), Day of the Dead Yves (video; shown in Five Years, PAULNACHE, 2018 and Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, 2018) and its accompanying essay.
Mexico City, Mexico (2016 and 2017).
Outcome: DF Portfolio (20 photographs; in progress), artist resident at Casa Lu in Tlalpan Centro, rugby ball (solo exhibition at Casa Lu), Tlalpan Centro (curated group show at Casa Lu, featuring New Zealand artists) and its accompanying e-publications The Chronicles of T-Pan: A Madman with the Pill (2017).
San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala (2014).
Outcome: San Pedro La Laguna Portfolio (6 photographs; shown in Five Years, PAULNACHE, 2018) and its accompanying essay, San Pedro La La La (6 photographs; shown in Watene Ah Um, Firstdraft, 2018).
rugby ball, solo exhibition at Casa Lu, Tlalpan Centro, Mexico City, 2017.
About Pluma Hidalgo and its surroundings
Pluma Hidalgo is a mountainous village in Oaxaca’s Sierra Madre, an expansive mountain range located in the Mexico’s South-West. As of 2005, Pluma Hidalgo’s had a approximate population of 3000. Pluma Hidalgo, often referred to as Pluma for short, lies 1350 meters (approx. 4430 feet) above sea level. Legend says that the municipality was named ‘pluma’, as in ‘feather’, in reference to a cloud that hovers above the village mountains, which looked like a ‘feather’. ‘Hidalgo’ was given in reference to Miguel Hidalgo (8 May 1753 – 30 July 1811), a Mexican Roman Priest and a leader of the Mexican War of Independence (where he overthrew Spanish rule in 1821). Benito Juárez (21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) is the most prominent person figure to hail from the Sierra Madre region. He was the first indigenous/Zapotec Mexican president. Juárez was president during the French Invasion (1862–67), and he overthrew the second European invasion of Mexico in less than a decade. He is considered “a preeminent symbol of Mexican nationalism and resistance to foreign intervention.”
Pluma is about an hour drive from the Oaxacan coast on the Pacific Ocean. It is a part of the Pochutla District, and it’s closest towns are Santa Maria Huatulco and Bahias de Huatulco. Santa Maria is referred to as the ‘new Huatulco’ and Bahias is referred to as the ‘old Huatulco’. Legend says that locals originally lived in Bahias by the coast, where they farmed crops. They were raided relentlessly by pirates, so they moved to the entry-point of the mountains, which then became Santa Maria (two well known raiders were Sir Thomas Cavendish and Sir Francis Drake). Inhabitants of Santa Maria kept their old farms in Bahias, but only returned for harvest. Santa Maria is about 30 minutes drive from Bahias these days. Prior to there being roads or cars, is was about a 6-7 hour walk for pirates and locals alike. The climate and temperature drastically changes between old Huatulco and the mountains (old Huatulco’s average high temperature is around 33°C, whereas Pluma is usually 5-10°C cooler). In the 1980’s a government tourism agency, FONATUR, bought 21,000 acres of land in Bahias for development. Bahias then became a prominent tourist destination with a number of resorts. In Bahias you can find large Western-style malls, banks and grocery stores. Santa Maria, on the other hand, has a very Mexican feel. In comparison to either Huatulco, Pluma is far smaller and more independent from the Western world. Pluma is still largely populated by indigenous people.
Coffee has always been a major export of the region. However, La roya, a type of fungi, together with insects and climate change have had a significant negative impact on coffee production and export. Earthquakes and negligence have also destroyed the main road to Pluma, making the descent more tedious and perilous. Both factors have stymied economic growth. There are a lot of disabled people in Pluma. The Lucy Foundation is helping to empower them through education, training and employment. They are also helping to rehabilitate a few local coffee farms, so that local families can return to living off the land, amongst other projects.
So a few interesting things I've learnt: Apparently Pluma had no roads going in and out of the village as little as 15-20 years ago (I think 18?), so a truck used to leave Pochutla once a day at 4AM to cart stuff up and down the mountain; Barrys neighbour remembers the first car in Pluma, back in the 50's. They carried/dragged it up to parade it around the village! This story is significant once you see how big these mountains are. Wouldn't want to be carting a car up them for sure; There's a disabled guy who walks around town, walking into houses/shops asking for food and water. He's the most thirsty person I've ever met. He doesn't speak, and he used to be homeless. He got so dehydrated he lost consciousness, and a local Israeli doctor found him and helped him recover (gave him food, water, a shower etc.). The municipality also gave him a room, too. I thought that was a nice story; the last president of Pluma, after his office ended, emptied the presidential office of everything - furniture, food, computers, and even the lightbulbs! I thought that was funny - 6 January 2019.
Pluma Hidalgo is a mountainous village in Oaxaca’s Sierra Madre, an expansive mountain range located in the Mexico’s South-West. As of 2005, Pluma Hidalgo’s had a approximate population of 3000. Pluma Hidalgo, often referred to as Pluma for short, lies 1350 meters (approx. 4430 feet) above sea level. Legend says that the municipality was named ‘pluma’, as in ‘feather’, in reference to a cloud that hovers above the village mountains, which looked like a ‘feather’. ‘Hidalgo’ was given in reference to Miguel Hidalgo (8 May 1753 – 30 July 1811), a Mexican Roman Priest and a leader of the Mexican War of Independence (where he overthrew Spanish rule in 1821). Benito Juárez (21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) is the most prominent person figure to hail from the Sierra Madre region. He was the first indigenous/Zapotec Mexican president. Juárez was president during the French Invasion (1862–67), and he overthrew the second European invasion of Mexico in less than a decade. He is considered “a preeminent symbol of Mexican nationalism and resistance to foreign intervention.”
Pluma is about an hour drive from the Oaxacan coast on the Pacific Ocean. It is a part of the Pochutla District, and it’s closest towns are Santa Maria Huatulco and Bahias de Huatulco. Santa Maria is referred to as the ‘new Huatulco’ and Bahias is referred to as the ‘old Huatulco’. Legend says that locals originally lived in Bahias by the coast, where they farmed crops. They were raided relentlessly by pirates, so they moved to the entry-point of the mountains, which then became Santa Maria (two well known raiders were Sir Thomas Cavendish and Sir Francis Drake). Inhabitants of Santa Maria kept their old farms in Bahias, but only returned for harvest. Santa Maria is about 30 minutes drive from Bahias these days. Prior to there being roads or cars, is was about a 6-7 hour walk for pirates and locals alike. The climate and temperature drastically changes between old Huatulco and the mountains (old Huatulco’s average high temperature is around 33°C, whereas Pluma is usually 5-10°C cooler). In the 1980’s a government tourism agency, FONATUR, bought 21,000 acres of land in Bahias for development. Bahias then became a prominent tourist destination with a number of resorts. In Bahias you can find large Western-style malls, banks and grocery stores. Santa Maria, on the other hand, has a very Mexican feel. In comparison to either Huatulco, Pluma is far smaller and more independent from the Western world. Pluma is still largely populated by indigenous people.
Coffee has always been a major export of the region. However, La roya, a type of fungi, together with insects and climate change have had a significant negative impact on coffee production and export. Earthquakes and negligence have also destroyed the main road to Pluma, making the descent more tedious and perilous. Both factors have stymied economic growth. There are a lot of disabled people in Pluma. The Lucy Foundation is helping to empower them through education, training and employment. They are also helping to rehabilitate a few local coffee farms, so that local families can return to living off the land, amongst other projects.
So a few interesting things I've learnt: Apparently Pluma had no roads going in and out of the village as little as 15-20 years ago (I think 18?), so a truck used to leave Pochutla once a day at 4AM to cart stuff up and down the mountain; Barrys neighbour remembers the first car in Pluma, back in the 50's. They carried/dragged it up to parade it around the village! This story is significant once you see how big these mountains are. Wouldn't want to be carting a car up them for sure; There's a disabled guy who walks around town, walking into houses/shops asking for food and water. He's the most thirsty person I've ever met. He doesn't speak, and he used to be homeless. He got so dehydrated he lost consciousness, and a local Israeli doctor found him and helped him recover (gave him food, water, a shower etc.). The municipality also gave him a room, too. I thought that was a nice story; the last president of Pluma, after his office ended, emptied the presidential office of everything - furniture, food, computers, and even the lightbulbs! I thought that was funny - 6 January 2019.
35mm photographs from around Pluma, 2017 and 2018.
