Tag Archives: community

San Miguel de Allende

A Gallery of Her Own

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Galería San Francisco, and a Creative Community Built Around Women Artists

By Susan Santiago—

I opened Galería San Francisco in January 2016, fulfilling a long-held dream of creating a space devoted not only to exhibiting art but to nurturing creativity and community. My first location was in a historic building on Calle San Francisco—charming and full of character. However, as the gallery grew over the next four years, its limitations became increasingly clear. City regulations prohibited exterior signage, which made visibility difficult, and being on the second floor meant many potential visitors simply could not find us. For older adults especially, the stairs were a significant obstacle.

Recognizing that accessibility would be essential to the gallery’s future, I began searching for a more suitable space. When I visited Fábrica La Aurora, I immediately felt it was where we belonged. I was fortunate to secure a lease on two rooms with a patio, and the owner was specifically seeking tenants who offered public classes—perfectly aligned with my vision for Galería San Francisco.

Over the following year, the owner generously approved the conversion of a two-car garage adjacent to the gallery into a classroom. This expansion allowed us to broaden our programming and eventually relocate entirely from Calle San Francisco to Fábrica La Aurora. Today, the gallery functions as both an exhibition space and a creative hub. We offer year-round classes in watercolor, sketching, mixed media, collage, and acrylics, taught by accomplished working artists with many years of teaching experience. Beginners and advanced students alike are welcome, and the atmosphere is intentionally warm and supportive. The mix of local residents, expatriates, and international visitors creates a lively environment where people connect through art and often form lasting friendships.

Over time, Galería San Francisco has become known as a place where art is not only displayed but experienced. Visitors can observe artists at work, participate in classes, or attend workshops and exhibitions throughout the year. We have received awards and glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, where we are frequently described as a “must-visit” destination in San Miguel. What means the most to me, however, is hearing from students who discover creativity they never knew they had, or from travelers who say their time at the gallery became one of the highlights of their visit.

My own journey in the art world has been deeply influenced by my late friend Bob Geno, who owned Orlando Gallery in the Los Angeles area for more than 50 years. Bob gave many artists their first opportunity—including me—and I will always be grateful for his belief in my work. Through his gallery, I met other artists, exchanged ideas, and experienced the camaraderie of a true creative community. He was an avid collector and a true lover of art, and he will always remain close to my heart.

As my retirement from teaching approached, I began to dream about opening my own gallery in San Miguel. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life around creative people who were open-minded and interested in ideas. Transitioning from being an art teacher to running a gallery was a true baptism of fire, but now that Galería San Francisco has been open for almost 11 years I have a lot more confidence in how to run a business, but I also know there is always something new to learn. My vision for the gallery was to showcase artists working in a variety of styles and recently I have committed to representing only the work of women artists. I also wanted to offer a variety of classes to the community and visitors to San Miguel. I believe having experienced educators and practicing artists teaching classes creates a more vibrant learning environment.

Focusing on women artists has become an especially meaningful part of the gallery’s identity. Throughout my years in the art world, I saw how often women’s work was overlooked or undervalued. By dedicating the gallery to their work, I hope to provide a platform where their voices and perspectives can be seen and appreciated. The artists we represent range from emerging talents to established professionals, working across many styles and mediums, yet united by originality and a strong personal vision. The sense of mutual support among them is one of the things that makes the gallery feel less like a business and more like a community.

Education remains at the heart of everything we do. Our classes are not only about technique but about encouraging confidence, curiosity, and personal expression. Many students return year after year, and some eventually go on to exhibit their own work, which is incredibly rewarding to witness.

Looking back, the evolution of Galería San Francisco has taught me the importance of adaptability, resilience, and community. What began as a dream in a hard-to-find upstairs space has grown into a thriving gallery and learning center that contributes to the cultural life of San Miguel. I feel deeply grateful to spend my days surrounded by art, by creative people, and by the knowledge that the gallery continues to inspire others to explore and express their own creativity.

Huatulco

Oaxaca Avanza: How Art, Youth, and Community are Transforming Huatulco

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By Bianca Corona—

In Huatulco, a place known for its natural beauty and strong sense of community, a group of young locals is quietly, but now very visibly, reshaping what collective action and true sense of community can look like in a small town like this. Oaxaca Avanza is a civil association formed by young people from Huatulco with a shared goal: to build alliances, create access to tools and strategies, and actively contribute to making their municipality and Oaxaca state as a whole, a better place for everyone to live in, enjoy, and prosper.

Their official public launch came to life through a project that blended art, urban renewal, and community involvement: the Corredor Mural, a once neglected pedestrian walkway located near a school close to La Crucecita, now reborn as a vibrant, colorful, and meaningful public space.

From a Forgotten Space to a Living Corridor
The inauguration of Oaxaca Avanza and the Corredor Mural was a celebration filled with energy, creativity, and gratitude. Behind that moment, however, were months of planning and a full week of intense community work. Artists, neighbors, musicians, vendors, and volunteers came together to transform a space that had long been associated with neglect, insecurity, and disuse.

What was once a grey, deteriorated corridor is now a place filled with color, intention, and life. It’s now transformed into a space where people feel invited to walk, gather, and connect directly to Huatulco’s culture, through art.

The decision to start with this corridor was deeply intentional. Oaxaca Avanza’s newly opened office is located at one end of the space, and for the team, the daily reality of seeing the area’s challenges became a call to action. The corridor borders a kindergarten, children’s play areas, and residential homes, yet had become a site for trash accumulation, vandalism, and unsafe activity.

Rather than approaching the problem through exclusion or enforcement, the group chose a different path and use artistic expression as a tool for transformation.

Art as a Collective Act
The Corredor Mural was conceived as an inclusive, collaborative project. Led artistically by renowned Oaxacan muralist Irving Cano, the initiative brought together mostly Huatulco-based artists, along with a small number from other parts of Oaxaca. Each artist worked within a shared theme, Huatulco and the Coast, while maintaining complete creative freedom within their assigned space.

The murals collectively tell a story: from marine life and coastal landscapes to human presence and local identity. Each piece reflects a personal vision of Huatulco, shaped by the artist’s own experience of growing up, living, or creating in the region.

Importantly, no artist was paid. Every participant joined voluntarily, contributing their time and talent from the heart. In return, artists were given visibility, a public platform for their work, and the opportunity to exhibit and sell their art during the week-long activation of the corridor.

Seven Days of Community in Motion
For seven consecutive days, the corridor became a living cultural space. Visitors were invited not only to see the finished murals, but to witness the creative process itself. Watching blank walls evolve day by day into powerful and colorful works of art. To encourage participation, Oaxaca Avanza organized daily pop-up markets, live music, and small community gatherings down the walkway. Local musicians performed voluntarily, artisans set up booths without fees, and food vendors rotated throughout the week, creating a dynamic and ever-changing atmosphere. Each day felt different. Some days drew families and children, others brought students, artists, or athletes. What remained constant was the sense of shared ownership and collective pride. That’s what I’d call, “Orgullo Huatulqueño.”

No Logos, No Branding, Just Purpose
One of the most striking aspects of the project is what isn’t visible on the walls… logos. The entire project was funded through personal resources and outsourced support, deliberately avoiding corporate branding or sponsorship recognition on the murals themselves. For Oaxaca Avanza, this decision was essential. The murals belong to the community, not to any brand, institution, or organization…including their own.

Beyond Art: A Broader Vision for Huatulco
While the Corredor Mural is Oaxaca Avanza’s first official public project, it is far from their first community effort. The group has been active for several years, supporting vulnerable individuals, local initiatives, sports teams, and animal protection efforts. Often executing these outreaches informally and without public visibility.

The formalization of the association and the opening of a physical office mark a new chapter. The long-term goal is to become an authorized donation recipient, allowing individuals, businesses, and institutions to support future projects transparently and at a larger scale.

Looking ahead, Oaxaca Avanza envisions initiatives in culture, sports, animal welfare, public space rehabilitation, and community development, always guided by collaboration rather than politics, and inclusion rather than division.

A Space That Invites Participation
The Corredor Mural is not meant to be a static art installation. It is envisioned as a living space in which one can host markets, performances, bicycle tours, community gatherings, and cultural events. By bringing the corridor back to life, the project adds not only beauty, but also a new point of interest for residents and visitors alike.

It also serves as a reminder that improving quality of life is not limited to infrastructure or policy. Beauty, creativity, and shared spaces play a powerful role in how people experience safety, belonging, and pride in where they live.

An Open Door Forward
At its core, Oaxaca Avanza is an invitation. An invitation to participate, to propose ideas, to collaborate, and to contribute. Whether through time, creativity, resources, or simply presence. As Huatulco continues to grow and evolve, initiatives like this demonstrate what is possible when young people take ownership of their community and choose cooperation over division. The Corredor Mural is just the beginning.

Artist Recognition:
1.- Joel Montes
2.- Alejandra Elizabeth Aguilar Aguiar
3.- Lianne Aranza León Sánchez
4.- Edgar Ares Moscosa Bazar
5.- Marina Valdepeña
6.- Judith Martínez Caballero
7.- Janette Santiago Antonio
8.- María Eugenia Valle
9.- Alma Drew
10.- Diego Uriel González
11.- Odette Carolina Cabrera1
12.- Fernanda Butista
13.- José García López
14.- Yuri Enríquez
15.- Grisel Adriana
16.- Alina Sofía Reboredo Damasco
17.- Ariel Núñez Zabaleta
18.- Corina Lucio Olvera
19.- Alma Montero
20.- Fefo Loya Gartol
21.- Betina
22.- Carlo Sérbulo Alducin
23.- Michelle López García
24.- Roberto Hernández
25.- Julio César García Rodríguez
26.- Fernando
27.- Ángel Ernesto Rivera López
28.- Edwin Fierros
29.- Luis Antonio Ortiz Enríquez
30.- Roberto Domínguez
31.- José Martínez Adolfo
32.- Valois Prieto Alvarado
33.- Carlos Mendoza Salina

Huatulco

Editor’s Letter

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By Jane Bauer —

“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last” – Vivienne Westwood, English fashion designer and businesswoman.

Fifteen years ago, the first issue of The Eye rolled off the press. It was nothing more than two sheets of oversized newsprint, and the writers and I sat around a table folding each copy by hand. What pushed us to begin this project? By then, I had already lived in Mexico for more than a decade. I had married a Mexican, my daughter identifies as Mexican, and I’ve always preferred the rhythm of a small, non-touristy village to resort life. I could have continued drifting between two cultures, or I could create something that connected them. I also knew I wasn’t the only one navigating this space.

The Eye became that bridge.

Our mission is simple: to collect and share the stories, history, and layers of Mexico that readers might otherwise miss. We spotlight local businesses and give them a platform to reach new clients. We support organizations doing important work by helping them connect with volunteers and sponsors. At its heart, The Eye is about building community—not a parallel community that sits apart from the Mexican one, but a pathway into it. Learn about this place. Get involved. Participate. That has always been the purpose. And fifteen years later, it still is. We are very excited to announce the launch of The Eye San Miguel de Allende. Be sure to check it out.

This month, our writers explore fashion, a topic that can seem frivolous at first glance but is, in truth, a revealing lens through which to examine human behavior. The choice of what to wear is something each of us makes every day. Our clothes carry meaning, whether cultural, historical, or environmental. What are you wearing right now as you read this? What does your choice of fabric or brand say about you? Like all consumer goods, the items we choose to spend our money on have a rippling effect that, in an increasingly globalized world, can reach as far as the shores of Africa.

As we prepare for the New Year, let each of us take stock of the choices we make and the echoes they create.

Happy New Year, and see you in January.

Jane

Huatulco

El Sueño Zapoteco A.C. / Bacaanda Foundation: Smart Rural Schools That Transform Lives

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By Britt Jarnryd

With nearly 17 years of uninterrupted work, El Sueño Zapoteco A.C. / Bacaanda Foundation works tirelessly to open paths of opportunity in the most vulnerable rural communities along the coast and in the southern Sierra of Oaxaca. Recognized as an authorized nonprofit organization in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, it is committed to a clear purpose: to provide children and young people with a dignified, equitable, and quality education.

Today, that dream has taken shape through the Smart Rural School project—an innovative initiative designed to strengthen learning in Spanish and mathematics by incorporating technology, ongoing teacher training, and educational mentorship as essential pillars. This comprehensive model combines digital tools, pedagogical development, and financial support for rural teachers, dignifying their work and reducing teacher turnover—one of the main challenges in rural areas.

The program’s goals include expanding meaningful learning, encouraging the use of technology in teaching, developing digital and socio-emotional skills, and ensuring that teachers remain in their communities. In addition, systematic evaluations track academic progress, guaranteeing continuous improvement in educational outcomes.

Each classroom is equipped with a smart screen, iPads (one for every two students), educational applications, satellite internet, and digital programs for Spanish and mathematics. Thanks to joint efforts and the commitment of our partners, all of our rural schools are now connected to satellite internet—opening the doors of knowledge to the world.

For the 2025–2026 school year, the program is being implemented in 52 rural schools, benefiting 57 teachers and more than 550 students. The results are evident: improved reading comprehension, stronger logical-mathematical thinking, more motivated teachers, and school communities strengthened by hope.Yet much remains to be done. We invite you to be part of this dream:Sponsor a school and transform the life of a community.

Contribute to the monthly cost of satellite internet that keeps the connection to learning alive.Support teacher training or sponsor a rural teacher, ensuring their development and permanence. Every donation plants the seeds of the future. Join El Sueño Zapoteco A.C. / Bacaanda Foundation and together let’s continue building an Oaxaca where education transforms lives and keeps dreams alive.

 

Huatulco

A Project with Vision

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By Jane Bauer

It was an honor to spend Sunday, October 28th in the communities of Xadani and Zimatan with Melanie Petelle, providing vision tests and distributing over 100 pairs of reading glasses.

The experience was not only rewarding but also eye-opening in more ways than one. Witnessing the gratitude of people receiving their first pair of glasses was a powerful reminder of how something as simple as a pair of reading glasses can significantly impact a person’s quality of life.

I can relate to this experience personally—when I first started needing reading glasses a few years ago, I was surprised by how much they improved my daily life. Today, I carry them with me everywhere.

For so many, clear vision can be a luxury they cannot afford, and the act of giving back, even in small ways, can make a world of difference. According to the World Health Organization, over 2.7 billion people globally suffer from uncorrected poor vision.

For many individuals, basic tasks like reading, driving, or even recognizing loved ones can be a struggle. The good news is that the solution is often simple and inexpensive—just like the vision tests and glasses distributed in Xadani and Zimatan.

By offering such services, we can help reduce the strain caused by poor vision, improving not just the ability to see clearly but also the overall well-being of these communities. This initiative is a beautiful example of how we all have gifts, whether they be professional skills or the ability to contribute our time and resources, that can be shared to help others. It reminds us that small acts of kindness and service can have a profound, lasting impact.

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Editor’s Letter

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By Jane Bauer

The New Year can be magical, depressing or just another day. It’s hard to believe that 22 years ago the world waited with baited breath to see if all our technology would collapse. I was pregnant at the time and already living in a Mexican village without a telephone so I wasn’t too worried about what it would mean for me if all the computers shut down.

Back in 2012 we pondered the Mayan doomsday prophecy that the world would end. I wasn’t too concerned then, either – just wanted to be surrounded by people I love.

Well, technology is still going strong and there are more of us than ever before – even with a pandemic, the world population is 7.9 billion, so I don’t think we will be going on the extinct species list anytime soon.

The go-to man for predictions for the last 500 years or so has been the French physician Michel de Nostredame, most commonly known as Nostradamus. For 2022 Nostradamus has predicted asteroids raining down on the earth, massive world hunger, migrant issues, inflation spiraling out of control, the fall of the European Union, shortage of resources leading to a climate war and a massive earthquake.

And it is the season when the message board threads fill with cringe-worthy questions and comments regarding the cheapest way to get from the airport or warning people about waiters scamming them. The underlying vibe of these queries seems to be that the posters are worried about being overcharged or scammed, which suggests they have the expectation that is the norm here. It is not.

The airport: Like most international airports there is transportation. Average cost, per person, is 180 pesos. There is no need to arrange beforehand. Easy. To return to the airport at the end of your holiday expect to pay about 200 pesos for a standard taxi. The variation in cost between coming and going has to do with airport transportation services paying more for their license etc. This is common practice in many places. Don’t overthink it.

Tipping: Tip a minimum of 15% at restaurants. If the beach waiter adds 10% service (which is often how it is done here) be sure to add some extra to show your gratitude for great service. When someone bags your shopping at the grocery store, pumps your gas, delivers food, massages you, pedicures your dry winter feet – tipping is standard etiquette – not charity. Be generous, be gracious and be grateful and you will find yourself surrounded by a community of hard-working people who will go above and beyond to help you.

My theory is that reality will rise up to meet your expectations. So whether it is what the new year has to offer or what to expect on your holiday, move through the world with positive purpose, be respectful of the unknown, seek out the good in each moment – especially in the difficult moments.

See you next month,

Jane

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Rotary Club of Huatulco

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By Rebeca Anaya Cárdenas

The Rotary Club of Huatulco has been working behind the scenes for most of the pandemic and is gradually re-entering local communities in person to get back to work providing services.

The Park Library, a valuable resource in the community since October 2017, was constructed by our club and generous donors. The Library has been on standby regarding active daily use and continues to coordinate hours of operation based on municipal guidance.

Regardless of the challenges, and thanks to the donations of Rotarians from the US, we have achieved the construction of a second module within the library compound, the Rotary Salon. This beautiful palapa, used for weekly meetings of the Rotary Club, is also available to rent for private meetings through the Park Library. Rental donations are appreciated based on a suggested love offering, and dependent on the requirements for the space.

Liz St. Germaine, current President of Rotary Club Huatulco, invites the public to inquire about the Park Library’s “Pandemic Hours,” which allow private admission to the library via appointment until the time the municipal authorities authorize reopening fully. The Park Library telephone number is (958) 688 5085. Liz can be reached at this number by leaving messages with the librarian, Socorro Lopez Diego. The secretary of Rotary Huatulco, Dra. Reyna Rangel, can also facilitate in providing information about the library and its many benefits to the public, including rentable meeting space, seminars, movie nights, language classes, summer school activities, art classes, puppet shows and stage materials, and competitions.

In August Rotary Huatulco, working with the Rotary Club from Boise, Idaho, via member Mike Jones, provided two oxygen concentrators, which were delivered to the Director of the Red Cross, Liane Factor. These two concentrators are in addition to those donated by Canadian Rotary clubs that are in use in the IMSS and Santa Maria hospitals for COVID patients with oxygen needs.

Since September, Club Rotary Huatulco has entered into an alliance with the Huatulco Food Bank to distribute food staples to those without work due to the pandemic, dispersing items from the Park Library in Sector U2 on a monthly basis. The Food Bank specifies the parameters for those who qualify for the bags of staples; qualifying families can receive three monthly food deliveries. With more donations, that figure could grow.

Should you wish to support this much needed food distribution, please make your donation to Randall Clearwater at the HSBC Bank, debit card no. 4213 1680 5292 5146; you can also contribute by PayPal or e-transfer to email: rlclearwater@gmail.com. Donations in kind are welcome; please communicate with Wilfred Justiano at tel.
229 435 6083.

Rotary International has implemented an effort worldwide of reforestation called Duelo Verde (Green Mourning) in which all clubs are planting trees in memory of those in our communities lost to COVID-19. Rotary Huatulco has joined this initiative in planting memory trees; our goal is based on 55 lives lost to date.

During the week of September 20, Rotary Huatulco participated in another fulfilling alliance, sponsored by the Guelaguetza Rotary Club from Oaxaca City, delivering 200 specialized wheelchairs to individuals with cerebral palsy. The effort involved working cooperatively with ten Rotary Clubs from the state of Oaxaca.

Watch for the Grand Re-Opening of the Park Library at a date soon to be determined!

Interested in Rotary? Please contact President Liz St. Germaine or Secretary Dra. Reyna Rangel for more information.

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Editor’s Letter

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By Jane Bauer

“Migration is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety and a better future. It is part of the social fabric, part of our very make-up as a human family.”
Ban Ki-moon

Race, gender, sexual orientation and religion are things we use to identify and separate us. We can now add vaccinated and non-vaccinated into the mix.

I am back in my village and it is a full year since kids here have had in-person classes. As in many places, group gatherings have been suspended until further notice- the future is in limbo. Unlike other places most households have ten or more people living there and there isn’t any internet or cell service so zoom classes aren’t a thing. Nobody wears masks or social distances in my village. When this whole thing first came down the village put up a barrier at the main entrance to restrict entry. However, few outsiders stop here and arguments about whose turn it was to monitor the gate soon caused the villagers to remove the barrier. School is still on hold.

The little boys who live next to me call out while I am making coffee. They can see through the fence separating our houses that I am there. They point to pieces of Mega blocks that have ended up on my side of the fence. I pick them up and pass them through. One of my dogs follows me and when they see him they call out his name with jubilation.

These kids have missed a year of school. As I move through the village and I see kids hanging around the tienda, chasing chickens for sport and sword-fighting with sticks, I feel defeated. While this quaint throwback scene to simpler times is touching, it will leave a mark on them if things do not get back on track. Home schooling via zoom with parents at home is a luxury. Access to getting a vaccine is a sign of privilege. While we lament how our world has changed in past year- the frustrations and restrictions regarding travel and home offices- most of us will bounce back. Much of the world will not.

This issue our writers explore the theme of Migration and Transition. Migration is a part of nature: the monarchs, the geese and now, driven by climate change, animals moving south from the Arctic. We are all trying to survive and for most people migration is about survival.

I heard on the news this morning about how there are many unaccompanied children are arriving at the US border with the idea that a better life awaits them on the other side. Why do we have children walking to find new homes? Why are there 26 million refugees currently living in host communities? Because we allow the things that identify us to also be the things that separate us. We get comfortable on our side of the fence with a feeling of entitlement that in some way we are more deserving to be in these positions. However, isn’t it all random luck or the situation you happened to be born into?

Until next month,

Jane

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¡HEY COMPADRE!

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By Alvin Starkman M.A., J.D.

It doesn’t matter whether you live in Oaxaca or vacation here on a regular basis. Whether it’s Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, the state capital or elsewhere, if you’ve at all begun to integrate into the local community, eventually you’ll be asked to be a padrino or madrina (godparent) to an ahijado or ahijada (godchild). So you’d better familiarize yourself with compadrazgo, or co-godparenthood. Even if you’ve never been asked, it’s important to learn about compadres, the cornerstone of compadrazgo. You’ll hear the word spoken frequently. Compadres are different from friends, by a long stretch.

Compadrazgo is a web of mutual rights and obligations of monumental importance throughout Mexico (and elsewhere), both in urban centers and rural communities. It permeates virtually all socio-economic strata. It’s more important in Oaxaca than in many other states, in part because of both economics and the strength of interpersonal relationships. One chooses who will be his or her lifetime compadres.

If someone is asked to be a padrino of a child upon baptism, it creates a new bond between two families, solidified by the creation of compadres. The parents and grandparents of the child become compadres to the padrinos. While family members are frequently asked to be padrinos, often friends, neighbors and business acquaintances are selected, as a means of strengthening existing ties. Academic writings, confirmed in my personal experiences here in Oaxaca over the past quarter century, suggest that while as a godparent you have lifelong obligations to your godchild, which may never be called upon, it’s the ties between compadres that can come into play on a regular basis.

Let’s examine occasions aside from baptism when you might find yourself asked to be a godparent, obligations which may fall upon you, and finally how your new status as a compadre manifests itself and keeps on ticking. Why you and not someone else? To understand we must look at the pool of prospective choices from which you may be selected. My perspective may appear cynical, but, using a functionalism model, is fact based and proven.

Godparents are selected for both religious and secular rites of passage, for godchildren ranging from infant to adult. In Oaxaca the most common events where custom dictates godparents be chosen are marriages, school graduations, a girl’s 15th-birthday celebrations (fiesta de quince años), confirmations, first communions and baptisms. Sometimes but not always, there may be a financial commitment involved, where for example as padrinos of a wedding or quiñce anos, a couple may be asked or simply volunteer to contribute to the cost of the affair. But don’t worry, financial obligations may be shared amongst several godparents.

A case in point involved my wife and me. When asked to be godparents at the wedding of the son of then mere acquaintances, our mouths dropped, whereupon after a pregnant pause the request was concluded with “of the rings.” This meant that we were responsible for buying the wedding bands, whereas another couple was being honored with being the primary padrinos of the newlyweds. In fact you can be asked to be godparents of (for purchasing) the cake, liquor, flowers, party favors, and the list goes on, often depending upon the financial ability of the people throwing the function. In the case of individuals with resources, they typically simply want to bestow a special honor to an existing relationship.

You may be asked to make a speech, give a blessing, dance with the bride/groom or quinceañera, almost always being an active participant depending on circumstances. If you’re not Catholic and don’t take communion or kneel, let your soon-to-be compadres know, even if it appears there won’t be a religious component to the proceedings. There will likely be a priest involved. For example, on occasion one finds padrinos chosen within the context of the opening of a new business. As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the man-of-the-cloth may be in attendance to give and direct blessings. Personally, as a Jew, I don’t object to having a little holy water splashed on me by the padre…as long as it’s as a result of inadvertence.

Padrinos are almost always selected from people of the same or a higher socio-economic class. For example, a factory worker may select the supervisor of her department to be her daughter’s padrino at a baptism, but the supervisor would rarely select a worker. A maker of handicrafts in a small Oaxacan village may ask a wealthy patron or shop-owner from Mexico City to be godmother to her daughter and future son-in-law at their wedding, but the opposite would likely be out of the question. And you may be similarly asked, by a Mexican friend/neighbor, a perhaps perceived equal, but for different reasons. Functions regarding the foregoing three examples? Bonds of friendship are acknowledged and strengthened for future utility; a patron-customer relationship is affirmed with comfort in now knowing that it will continue ad infinitum; and there will be the perception that a boss won’t fire a compadre.

Your status as a compadre begins immediately, and you may never again be referred to by your name, but rather compadre. You’ll experience the metamorphosis of your status, and will be treated differently. Otherwise an extranjero, or foreigner, you may feel as though you’ve come of age in your new hometown. Compadres give and receive more invitations to events. Favors may be asked of you more readily, and of a different type. There’s an expectation of compliance, if not the most careful consideration: borrowing your truck, lending money, housing a relative temporarily, providing counsel in trying times. By the end of our first year of permanent residency in Oaxaca, all the foregoing requests had been made of us. But remember, requests for assistance can go the other way as well, so keep that in mind.

In Western society the number of kinship ties you have is relatively finite, and usually beyond your control. In contrast, with compadrazgo, for as many life stages and changes as may arise, one’s immediate family has the opportunity to extend non-relative or “fictive” kinship ties through deliberate selection. One is able to build and nurture through mutual requests and compliance innumerable economic and social alliances.

Here in Mexico no one ever utters the adage “You can pick your friends but not your family.” The strategies and decision-making processes involved in determining who would make appropriate compadres for a family, and why, are absolutely fascinating. I’ve touched upon only some of the dynamics. The internet and traditional anthropological literature are exhaustive, and should be consulted by those interested in or thrust into the system.

A permanent resident of Oaxaca, Alvin Starkman operates Mezcal Educational Excursions of Oaxaca (www.mezcaleducationaltours.com).