The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is the narrowest point in Mexico, but its people may have the broadest minds on the entire continent. Recently, I was privileged to speak with the owner of Bidaani, a shop on Calle Palo Verde. Señora Maria de Lourdes Cristóbal Lopez is from Juchitán and she specializes in dresses typical of the region. When I commented that the Tehuana costume is the most elaborate in Mexico, she agreed. “Tehuantepec women are specialists in embroidery and take exceptional pride in their work.” Living in Huatulco, one hears different versions about this matriarchal society two hours south of Huatulco. Lourdes dispelled a few of the myths, painting a softer version compared to the stereotype of strong, overpowering women who control their husbands. Continue reading Interview with a Tehuana→
Juchitán de Zaragoza on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is famous throughout the world for having a matriarchal structure, where women are often the heads of families. (The origin of the word Juchitán is Xihitlán or Ixtaxochiltlán, which means “place of the flowers” in Náhuatl). Far from causing conflict, this structure is respected. The tecas, as the women are called, begin to work and support the household from an early age. Teca is a fitting term, and from the Greek means “place where something is saved.” Continue reading Rogelia González Luis→
Women on the island of Okinawa, in Japan, have learned the secret to longevity. Living longer and healthier lives than any other women on the planet, with many reaching centenarian status, these women have secrets to their longevity that extend beyond a rich diet of plant based foods and an active lifestyle, with many tending to their gardens well into their late 90’s. They have no secret potion or super-enhanced DNA. Their longevity comes from two things that all of us in North America could be tapping into for a longer, healthier and happier life. First is the power of ikigai. Continue reading The Secret to Longevity→
Five years ago I started to get interested in painting. I have always liked the arts, but I had been very focused on music and dance. My main dream was to be a ballet dancer but I could never attend classes, because my parents did not agree that I should follow an artistic path. However, when I became of age I gave myself a year to explore the arts, which is how I found my place in painting. At first, I painted everyday things according to what I felt and saw. Over time my style has evolved and been influenced by the place where I live. Continue reading My World of Color→
For previous recent issues of The Eye, I have written essays outlining why in Oaxaca artisanal mezcal has become extremely important on the world stage, for two significant reasons. First, because as distinct from most other spirits, it is acknowledged, and in fact touted, that no two batches of the Mexican agave-based spirit are the same, resulting in its innumerable nuances; and second, because mezcal production is one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly industries in all Mexico. Continue reading What’s the Big Deal about Mezcal in Oaxaca? Last in a Series→
We’ve been in Huatulco for four weeks now and I haven’t written one word, until now. I am now writing because today someone asked me what I did every day and I have to answer, I don’t know. It’s not because I’m old that I don’t know what I’m doing on a daily basis, it’s because I have never thought about what I’m doing. I get up in the morning and go to bed at night and somehow the day fills in the rest, but I have been challenged and now I have to tell everyone what a day in Huatulco is like. Continue reading A Day of my Life in Huatulco→
I’m really quite simple. I plant flowers and watch them grow… I stay at home and watch the river flow.
George Harrison
Most days I need to pinch myself. When I moved to Mexico over 20 years ago I didn’t have a well-defined plan, I just knew that the options facing me in Canada were not what I was looking for. I wanted things simpler and purer than working for a large company and counting down the days until I could retire. Continue reading Editor’s Letter→
Despite the conflicts of daily life, we readers can always seek consolation in the hours we spend with our favorite authors and books. This year won’t disappoint. Here’s a sneak preview of what’s to come. Continue reading 2018: Books to Brighten the New Year→
We certainly were not spring chickens when we first came to Huatulco. We marveled that people over age sixty-five traveled here from distant places. And we were sure that by the time we were seventy, we would need to find a warm place in the U.S. rather than in Mexico to provide the comforts and care that our aging bodies would need. Continue reading Growing Old in Huatulco – and Loving Life→
By Brooke Gazer
By Julie Etra
By Leigh Morrow
By Stephanie Chirinos
By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
By Vair Clendenning
Most days I need to pinch myself. When I moved to Mexico over 20 years ago I didn’t have a well-defined plan, I just knew that the options facing me in Canada were not what I was looking for. I wanted things simpler and purer than working for a large company and counting down the days until I could retire. 
By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken
You must be logged in to post a comment.