Tag Archives: Lifestyle

March 2024

An Eye on 2024 Olympians

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By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, planned for July 28-August 11, will provide an opportunity to watch and cheer for 32 Mexican women at the top of their games. More than a few have been competing for decades and are determined to medal. They will be competing in 16 sports. Two Mexican teams in particular are worth attention – artistic swimming (with eight women) and gymnastics (also eight). Since Mexico has not taken home any medals in these team sports in past Olympics, a win would be especially meaningful and a cause for national celebration.

Swimmers

Although Mexico has never medaled in Olympic artistic swimming (aka synchronized swimming), the recent performance of the current team has raised high hopes. This is the first time since 1996 that the whole team qualified for the Olympics. The team won the gold medal in the Pan American games in Chile in 2023. And team member Itzamary Gonzalez along with her partner won a silver medal in the 2023 World Championship for their beautiful duet.

Other team members to watch in Paris who have previously medalled, albeit not in the Olympics, are 33-year-old Nuria Diosdado, one of the team captains, who has been performing since her early teens, and her award-winning duet partner Joana Betzabe Jiménez García, who is 30 years old.

Gymnasts

The Mexico Rhythmic Gymnastics Team will be appearing for the first time in the Paris Olympics. Members Julia Gutiérrez, Ana Flores, Kimberly Salazar, Adirem Tejeda, and Dalia Alcocer were overjoyed to win the silver medal at the 2023 Pan American games. Rhythmic Gymnastics (aka ribbon dancing) has been part of the Olympics since the Los Angeles games in 1984. The competition will be fierce, especially from the members of the teams from Eastern Europe – Russian gymnasts have garnered more medals in the sport than those of any other country. A medal for Mexico would not only be a first but miraculous. In the last Olympics, Israeli gymnast Linoy Ashram snatched the gold from the Russians – so it would not be impossible for the Mexican team to do the same.

A Sailor

A medal in sailing would also be a first for Mexican women. Sailor Elena Oetling Ramírez, a 31-year-old Olympian from Chapala, Jalisco, will be racing against the odds in the Laser Radial class, single-handedly piloting a light-weight single-masted dinghy – her specialty. She was named the top sailor in Mexico after competing in the 2020 World Cup regatta in Miami, but her showing in the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo was less than stellar and she wound up in 32nd place. Honing her skills in the following years in the yacht club in Puerto Vallarta, she finished in 6th place in the 2023 Pan American Games. In Paris, she’ll be competing against sailors from Great Britain and Australia who have garnered multiple Olympic medals in this water sport, and against women from China and the Netherlands, both of whom have earned more than one Olympic medal. But stay tuned to watch Ramírez in the Mediterranean waters off Marseille battle to best her own 6th place showing and wind up on the podium.

The rest of the sports in which Mexicanas are competing (archery, athletics [running], cycling, diving, … taekwondo) are events in which Mexico has taken home medals in past Olympics, so expectations are high that the Mexicana Olympians will once again be on the podium.

Archers

The Mexico Women’s Archery Team solidified their place at the Paris games by earning the bronze medal in the World Games in Berlin last August. The team of Aída Román, Alejandra Valencia, and Ángela Ruiz also won the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador in 2023. Based on the number of medals won in past Olympics, Mexico ranks 20th in archery. The “three As” team faces heavy competition, but with the formerly unbeatable South Korean team showing recent signs of weakness, a door may be opening to the podium for these Mexicana archers.

They also have a chance of medaling in the individual competitions. Valencia, age 29, who has already won an Olympic bronze, is likely to be on the podium again. Born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Alejandra was an all-around athlete beginning at an early age. She began learning archery at age 9 and has won numerous medals in competitions all over the world, including three golds at the Pan American games and a silver in the 2023 Berlin games (at which her team took the bronze). She also holds a degree in graphic design from the University of Sonora.

Aida and Angela also should not be underestimated. At age 35, this will be Aida’s 5th appearance at the Summer Games, with one silver medal achieved in London in 2012. Born in Mexico City and married with four children, she brings experience and stability to the team and hopefully greater concentration to her game than in some of her past Olympic competitions. At age 17, Angela is just emerging as an archer to be taken seriously. She too started recurve (a form of bow) archery at age 9, in her case in Saltillo. Her first international competitions were not stellar, but she seems to be improving in every match and may reach the top of her game in Paris.

Athletes – Running

The runner Citlali Cristian Moscote was first Mexican athlete to qualify for the 2024 Olympics. Over a year ago, in February 2023, Moscote completed her qualifying run in the Seville (Spain) Marathon, placing fourth in a time only two previous Mexicanas have bested. At age 28, Moscote has been on track to run in the 2024 Olympics for years, placing 6th in the 2019 Summer FISU (International University
Sports Federation) World University Games half-marathon in Naples, Italy; winning the Mexico City half-marathon in 2021; and placing in the top ten in 2022 in the marathon in Eugene, Oregon, in competition with some of the best runners in the world. In the 2023 Pan American Games, Moscote’s marathon pace took home the gold. Moscote was born in San Juan de Lagos, Jalisco, but was primarily educated in Guadalajara. She matriculated at the University of Guadalajara, where she studied marketing and was recognized as a leading runner in competitions for the University.

Divers

We first introduced readers of The Eye to Mexicana divers in an article in the June 2018 issue. We described Paola Espinosa Sánchez from La Paz, South Baja California, and her bronze-medal-winning performance in 2008 in Beijing for the synchronized platform event. This was the first-ever medal for Mexico’s women’s diving team. We also introduced Alejandra Orozco Lorza, now 26 years old, from Guadalajara, Paola’s partner in London in 2012 and their silver-winning duo in the same event. Alejandra will be in Paris after placing 6th in the 2023 World Championships in the individual 10-meter platform event. Her partner, 23-year-old Gabriela Agundez from La Paz, won an individual silver medal in the Tokyo Games and, with Orozco, a bronze in Tokyo for synchronized diving, so it would not be surprising to see both women on the podium in Paris.

We would be remiss to remind our readers that there are women at the top of their games who were not selected to compete in the Olympics due more to the complicated qualification procedures than their lack of expertise. Another award-winning Mexicana diving duo is Paola Pineda, 23, a student at the University of Texas from Guanajuato, and Arantxa Chávez, 32, also from Guanajuato and a Mexican Army athlete. They proudly received the gold medal for their 3-meter springboard synchronized performance at the 2023 Pan American Games as well as individual medals. At the very top of their game, they are sheer perfection to watch – so they will be missed in Paris. And the Mexicana soccer team also won the gold in the 2023 Games in Chile but, given the Eurocentric rules, did not qualify for Paris in 2023. But stand proud for those wonderful women who did make it through the selection process for Paris. Enjoy the Olympic Games and cheer loud enough to be heard anywhere in Mexico.

March 2024

Navigating Progress: A New Highway to the Coast of Oaxaca

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By Randy Jackson

On February 4, 2024, the inauguration of an essential transportation artery for the Oaxaca Coast, including Huatulco, marked a significant milestone in the development of the coast of Oaxaca. La Autopista Barranca Larga-Ventanilla is a toll highway, linking Oaxaca City to the coastal road near Puerto Escondido, approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Huatulco. This highway is expected to reduce travel time from Huatulco to Oaxaca City by approximately four hours and it will integrate the Oaxaca Coast into Mexico’s toll road system.

The construction of this highway over the course of 20 years has faced many challenges. The project was initiated under President Ernesto Zedillo in 1999. However, construction progress experienced numerous interruptions across subsequent presidential terms, spanning administrations from Vicente Fox to Felipe Calderón and Peña Nieto, before its inauguration by the current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). on February 4th.

The road isn’t quite finished, but it is in use. One taxi driver I spoke to drove the route the day before inauguration, and the trip to Oaxaca City took 5 hours from Huatulco. The highway is very similar to the road between the airport and Huatulco, two lanes with wide shoulders. It is a toll road but the government has announced it would be toll free for the first year. Some of the final work on the highway includes construction of the toll booths and highway connections to communities along its route.

The Use of Roadblocks

Amid the bevy of news reports announcing the inauguration of this highway were reports of two illegal blockades within 24 hours of the highway opening. One was set up by some members of the municipality of San Jerónimo Coatlán demanding an audit of their former administrator and current municipal president. Another blockade was by the municipality of San Pablo Coatlán, demanding payment for their lands and claiming they would charge a toll themselves.

Anyone familiar with driving on Oaxaca highways is aware of the issue of roadblocks. Highway blockades are an effective tool for municipalities in getting the attention of the state or federal authorities. The setting up of roadblocks within a day of the new highway’s inauguration serves as a troubling sign for users of this highway, although it should be noted that most Oaxacan roadblocks are typically short-term, allowing vehicles to pass through after a few hours. Some however, have been in place for much longer.

Roadblocks had been a major source of construction delays for this highway. Notably, one agrarian dispute between two communities which held up progress for over a year. This community dispute has resulted in up to 28 fatalities since 2008, according to Imparcial News. The expropriation of 13 kilometers of land for the new highway through these communities exacerbated tensions. The deployment of blockades to obstruct construction thrust this conflict into the limelight, capturing the attention of authorities and the wider Mexican public.

The Two Disputing Communities

Situated approximately 95 kilometers south of Oaxaca City, the two communities of Villa Sola de Vega (population 12,350) and San Vicente Coatlán (population 3,512) are both municipalities. In Mexico, municipalities represent the third tier of government, positioned below the Federal and State levels. Villa Sola de Vega spans an area of 680 square kilometers and encompasses 138 villages. San Vicente Coatlán covers an area of 105 square kilometers and includes 8 villages within its jurisdiction.

The communities’ dispute over the ownership of 19,600 hectares of land dates back to 1976. In 2006, The Tribunal Unitario Agrario 21 de Oaxaca (Unitary agrarian court of Oaxaca) ruled in favor of the municipality Villa Sola de Vega. San Vicente Coatlán disputed this, citing a presidential decree in 1754 allocating the land to them. This ruling by the agrarian court resulted in numerous acts of violence between the communities over the years, including the wounding of a state policeman in 2017.

Following AMLO’s election in 2018, he unveiled plans to prioritize the completion of the Barranca Larga-Ventanilla highway as part of his infrastructure agenda. In 2021, he personally visited these two communities, pledging to facilitate dialogue to address the conflict and expedite highway construction. However, by September 2022, the municipality of San Vicente Coatlán announced a blockade of the construction, citing perceived lack of progress toward resolution.

In January 2023, AMLO announced that his administration was in consultation with the two communities, and if a resolution could not be found within one month, an alternate highway route would be used avoiding the lands of these two municipalities altogether.

An agreement was made shortly thereafter and the construction of the highway was completed. The two communities each received 50% of the disputed lands and the Municipality of Villa Sola de Vega was to receive a gas station, a tourist inn, a communal property office, and a water and sewage treatment plant. This settlement demonstrates the effectiveness of blockades, and marks progress for these two communities.

The Road Beyond Inauguration

Although potential roadblocks and more construction delays may haunt this new highway for a time, the significance of this transportation infrastructure looks to be a game changer for Huatulco and the Oaxaca Coast. It promises economic benefits from more efficient transport of goods as well as more tourists, likely many more tourists. The increase in tourism is expected to bring more investments and jobs to Huatulco and the Oaxaca Coast.

New investments and jobs can be stymied, however, without further investments in service infrastructure, potable water and expanded sewage handling in particular. These services are at capacity in Huatulco, and exceeding capacities in Puerto Escondido. For nine years Puerto Escondido has been pumping raw sewage into the ocean, and their potable water system, like that of Huatulco, struggles to meet demand.

With the transition of Huatulco from FONATUR to the State of Oaxaca, any new service infrastructure will be the responsibility of the state. This may prove to be a test for the state government in their commitment to the development of the Oaxaca Coast. But for now at least, the road is open and Huatulqueños anxiously await future announcements of new service infrastructure to navigate further progress.

For contact or comment, email: box95jackson@gmail.com.

March 2024

The Impressive Record of a Huatulco Charity

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By Jamie McIntyre

The local non-profit Bacaanda Foundation was started modestly in 2008 by the Jarnryd family in Huatulco. “Bacaanda” is a Zapotec word meaning “dream” and this charity has turned dreams into reality for thousands of children, families and communities.

With registered charity status in USA, Canada and Mexico (where it is also known as El Sueño Zapoteco), the foundation now has the support of a generous and growing donor community. As a registered charity it can now issue a tax receipt in the currencies of all three countries, which allows donors to offset their cash or in-kind donation.

Bacaanda’s goal is to invest in education as the primary tool to pave the way for a better future for children in rural communities. Since 2013 it has invested more than 2.1 million USD to support delivery of quality education in rural communities across the Santa Maria Huatulco and Pochutla regions of Oaxaca. More than 85% of the funds raised have been invested directly into programs, with the remainder covering the costs of its small office in Tangolunda.

The early focus was its “Adopt a School Program”. With the generosity of its “adopters,” consisting of hundreds of donors and volunteers, and the support of CONAFE (Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo, the National Council for Promoting Education), the foundation has completed the new construction or refurbishment of schools and teachers’ quarters in over forty communities. In addition, two teacher training facilities were built in Santa Maria Huatulco and Pochutla, where young teachers receive their initial training and ongoing support.
While there remains a significant need for better schools and infrastructure in these regions, the Foundation recently made a strategic decision to target student achievement as its key measure of success. As a result, it has begun to transition away from a focus on construction and infrastructure projects to one on technology-enabled classroom learning.

With its experience working in isolated rural communities, where attracting and retaining good teachers is very difficult, the Foundation came to understand that technology-based learning is a critical component in achieving better student learning outcomes. Also, since few schools in rural Oaxaca go beyond 8th grade, it was important to find a way to accelerate learning for children enrolled in primary grades. This led to the creation of the Foundation’s “Intelligent Rural Schools Program (IRS).

This program currently includes 643 students in 52 schools – 36 schools connected to the internet and 16 offline schools that use iPads with preloaded interactive educational software. Internet connections are delivered via Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system.

Accelerating student learning in low-income countries

The question of how to meet the educational needs of children in low-income countries has been studied extensively. Perhaps the most interesting perspectives are those of return on investment (ROI) and cost-benefit analysis, which consider societal benefit as a key metric in deciding how to deliver effective education in these countries. A team of economists and policy analysts looked at “Improving Learning in Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries” (Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, 14: 2023).

The authors of the report conclude that it is no longer a significant challenge to get children into primary schools in low-income countries with some countries now reporting virtually 100% enrollment. The problem is that despite increases in spending by as much as 80% to achieve this remarkable enrollment over the past two decades, there has been very little impact on student learning outcomes.

They conclude that the focus going forward must be on student learning and improving the efficiency of the education system and that by deploying just two (of 150 considered), low-cost and focused educational interventions, the system can reap dramatic returns in terms of student achievement as ratio of the costs incurred.

For example, the authors describe how one intervention, described as “teaching students at the right level, with the use of technology” can deliver up to $65.00 USD of social and economic benefit for every $1.00 USD spent.

This approach is at the core of Bacaanda Foundations’ “Intelligent Rural Schools” program. To confirm its efficacy, and with the support of Conafe, the Foundation is now able to compare grade-specific student learning outcomes in the IRS group to those of students who do not have access to the same technologies. Early results of these tests show significantly enhanced learning outcomes for the IRS students.

Cerro Clanes Magdalena – Bacaanda’s newest project

This story is playing out right now in the community of Cerro Clanes Magdalena, a very remote community (a 4-hour, very challenging drive from Huatulco) in the Pochutla region, where Zapotec is the predominant language spoken.

This is the largest Bacaanda Foundation project to date. Six classrooms and a teachers’ residence are being refurbished for 74 children and 5 CONAFE teachers assigned to the community. The classrooms will all be internet-connected by Starlink, and have iPad tablets loaded with learning software. The Foundation has already deployed its training staff to the community to train and coach the teachers on how to use the technology; monitoring and coaching the teachers will be an ongoing component of the program. The Foundation will be working with families and a school committee to ensure the project fits the community’s needs.

In late January, a small group of Foundation staff and donors visited Cerro Clanes to inaugurate the project. The group visited one of the newly refurbished classrooms, where 5th- and 6th-grade students were having their very first experience in a smart classroom. Each student had an internet-connected iPad; a Bacaanda technology trainer was leading their first on-line class, in which the lesson was being fed through the trainer’s iPad connected to a smart TV mounted in the front of the classroom. Parents and community members were crowded in the doorway and around the windows, clearly intrigued by what was happening in the classroom.

Bacaanda Foundation – looking forward

The Foundation’s Board of Directors has carefully considered its strategic direction going forward, which is to leverage the use of technology to improve teaching and student learning and to help build positive social dynamics in the communities that it serves. But the challenge remains daunting. Just in the two CONAFE districts of Santa María and Pochutla, where the Foundation has directed its efforts, there are 320 schools, with a total enrollment of 2,680 students.

Within its current resources, The Foundation has committed to focusing on a limited number of schools and communities, starting with roughly 60 schools in 30 communities – with the goal of achieving greater student learning impact in each community before growing beyond these numbers.

Bacaanda’s success going forward will be driven by the generosity and time of its supporters. The Foundation is looking for volunteers to assist its programs and fundraising efforts. In particular, Bacaanda is looking for volunteers with grant-writing experience in the US and Canada.

Contact us if you are interested in helping the Bacaanda Foundation as a donor, volunteer, or other kind of support. http://www.bacaandafoundation.org
Huatulco office (958-581-0536) bacaandafoundation@hotmail.com

Jamie McIntyre
President
Bacaanda Foundation Canada

February 2024

Editor’s Letter

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By Jane Bauer

“The day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.”
Mahatma Gandhi

What is love? This is something that humans have been asking for years. We seem torn as to whether to hold it up as the highest of emotions or as a frivolous undertaking.

Is ‘love’ what is depicted by grand gestures and romantic films? Or is it something that builds over time by the routine and comfort of a long marriage? If love is everything, why do we hesitate to accept it as a justifiable reason for turning your life upside down?

What if romantic love isn’t ‘the thing’ we are meant to aspire to, and we have gotten it wrong from too much Jane Austen and John Hughes? Romantic love as we know it only began to appear to be named in the 1500s- prior to that, relationships were mainly transactional for survival and to expand one’s wealth.

I recently started following an IG account about a German farmer who cuddles his chickens, goats, cows and sheep to a soundtrack of new age and classical tunes. It is very soothing- I can feel my nervous system relaxing as the animals nuzzle into him. What if love is what you transmit to each being you come into contact with? If that is the case what does your love look like?

Does it spread out freely in smiles to the person helping you in a store or bringing you coffee or cutting you off in traffic? The best advice I have gotten for getting annoyed with strangers has been to move through the world with the assumption that everyone is doing so with good intention. This has saved me countless grumpy moments.

If you are a regular reader you already know about my concern for the migrants that are crossing our paths. This morning there were about a hundred people of all ages and shades of skin. I rode past in the comfort of my car, on my way to a job I love and the very least I could do was allow love to flow out of me, to offer a water, to make eye contact. We often exchange ‘que dios te bendiga’ which I love, even though I don’t consider myself religious. Lately a few have responded with ‘te lo pago’ with their hands in prayer, this means they will pay it forward and my heart swells with gratitude at the love that can spread from acts of kindness.

Maybe love isn’t that complex. Perhaps it is as simple as seeing another and knowing there are no others.

See you next month,

Jane

February 2024

How Puerto Escondido Is Redefining Design Trends: The Evolution of Real Estate

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By Brent May

In recent years, Puerto Escondido has emerged as a rising design destination, captivating investors, architects, art patrons, visitors and design enthusiasts. Nestled on the Oaxaca Coast between the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Escondido is undergoing a remarkable transformation, showcasing innovative and forward-thinking designs that are redefining the local real estate market and beyond. From sustainable building practices to the integration of natural elements, Puerto Escondido is setting a new standard for architectural excellence. In this article, we will explore the evolution of real estate in Puerto Escondido and how it is influencing design trends.

A Fusion of Tradition and Modernity

One of the defining characteristics of recent real estate projects in Puerto Escondido is the seamless fusion of traditional Mexican architecture, contemporary design elements and local materials. Architects and developers are embracing the rich cultural heritage of Oaxaca and integrating it into their projects. Traditional techniques and materials, such as palapa roofs, handcrafted clay bricks, colorful tiles, and artisanal finishes, are combined with modern design aesthetics to create visually stunning yet low impact and minimalist buildings. This blend has nuanced the overall sense of place and authenticity in the real estate developments of Puerto Escondido.

Sustainable Building Practices

Puerto Escondido is at the forefront of sustainable building practices, with a strong emphasis on environmentally friendly design and construction techniques. Architects and developers are incorporating energy-efficient features, utilizing renewable materials, and implementing innovative water management systems. Buildings are designed to maximize natural ventilation and lighting, reducing the reliance on high energy cooling and lighting systems. Furthermore, sustainable landscaping practices are used, promoting native plant species and water-conserving techniques like gray water recycling and recuperation. These sustainable initiatives not only reduce the environmental impact of the real estate developments but also create healthier and more livable spaces for residents and visitors.

Integration of Natural Elements

The natural surroundings of Puerto Escondido serve as a constant source of inspiration for architects and designers. Real estate developments in the area integrate with the coastal landscapes, tropical vegetation, pristine beaches, and stunning ocean views. Open floor plans, expansive windows, and strategically placed outdoor living areas allow residents to “just be” in the natural beauty of the Oaxaca coast.

Infinity pools, rooftop gardens, and terraces provide uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean and create a seamless connection between the built environment and the natural world. The integration of natural elements not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the properties but also creates a sense of tranquility and well-being.

Embracing Minimalism and Contemporary Design

In response to the demand for clean lines and simplicity, contemporary and minimalist design principles have found their place in Puerto Escondido’s real estate landscape. Architects are creating sleek, uncluttered spaces that prioritize functionality and emphasize the use of natural materials. The same minimalist design principles allow for greater airflow. Neutral color palettes, minimalist furnishings, and expansive views contribute to a sense of spaciousness and calmness. This design approach allows residents to focus on the beauty of the surroundings from the comfort of elegant interior spaces.

Living the Mexican Dream

Puerto Escondido is undergoing an important evolution in real estate design, redefining trends and setting new standards for environmental, social and economic sustainability. Through the fusion of tradition and modernity, minimalist and contemporary design, sustainable building practices and the integration of natural elements, this rising design destination is captivating investors, residents and visitors.

February 2024

Marry Me in Mexico

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By Brooke O’Connor

Mexico has an old-world romanticism emanating from every corner. It calls to people’s hearts for destination weddings—particularly people with Hispanic backgrounds or tourists who hold fond memories of sun-laden holidays on azure waters. Yet, like most things in the modern world, the wedding industry has become more industry and less authentic.

What are traditional weddings like, and how would you know your wedding will be authentically Mexican? First, if your wedding is in Mexico, it is a Mexican wedding. The next thing to ask yourself is how traditional you want to go. Prehispanic? Modern traditional? Gringo modern? Let’s examine what those mean.

Prehispanic Weddings

You will never get an “authentic” prehispanic ceremony. When the Spanish invaded, most of the books were burned, and the native population was forced to forgo public ceremonies. What is left of the old ways has been passed down through oral traditions and human memory. If you ever played the telephone game where one person whispers something in the next person’s ear, and then that person whispers into the next person’s ear, you know by the time it gets to the last person, it’s never the same thing. Imagine that, with the whispering lasting hundreds of years. Moreover, there were any number of prehispanic civilizations; a prehispanic ceremony in Oaxaca will most probably draw on Zapotec traditions, while a wedding in Mexico City will incorporate elements from the Mexica, and in the Yucatán and Chiapas it will draw on Mayan customs.

Regardless of origin, what we have left of the prehispanic ceremony is beautiful. In general, it begins by welcoming the four directions, the four elements, the spiritual guardians of the place, and the energy of the sky (or sun) and the earth. Various offerings may be placed on a table, a mat, or an altar. Then permission is requested for the betrothed to be allowed to join their energy in that place.

Zapotec tradition has the groom blindfolded to represent how the two really don’t see each other until they become one. The bride and groom sit with their backs to each other, illustrating how they come from different places and don’t know each other. The elder who officiates walks them through the counsel of how two become one in spirit, the couple faces each other, and the groom is unblindfolded. The couple can say a few words to each other, and then they are tied by the hands with a rope or a cloth, symbolizing their binding as one.

Mayan traditional weddings will be held in the Mayan language. If you want an interpreter, you can have as many as you like, with as many languages as you like. They have similar practices to the Zapotec, emphasizing connecting with the earth and everything around you.

Modern Traditional

This is where Catholicism meets culture. Much like godparents, “sponsors” called padrinos and madrinas help pay for and organize the wedding. These are usually family friends who have known the couple for many years and give advice. There can be multiple sets of padrinos and madrinas, which helps with the financial burden of a festivity that usually lasts two days. The wedding only takes about an hour, and the rest is for the party.

Instead of the ancient tradition of being tied by the hands, many couples will have a lasso tied around their shoulders in a figure eight, representing their union. The lasso will have a crucifix in the middle, and a blessing is spoken over the couple.

After a blessing and the exchange of rings, the groom will present the bride with las arras matrimoniales, which is a collection of 13 coins. This represents his ability to provide for the family and his commitment to the relationship. Then the padrinos will present the couple with a white Bible and rosary, which the officiant will bless.

The more traditional Catholic weddings include a bouquet of flowers for the Virgin Mother Mary and another for Jesus.

In some areas of Mexico, there will be a wedding parade after the ceremony. People take to the streets to cheer on the couple and sing with a mariachi band. It’s typical to start drinking at this point – and then on to the reception!

Gringo Modern

You could get married on the beach, barefoot under an arch of seaweed, or incorporate any of the traditions above. After all, it is your wedding. However, there are some things to think about.

Your passport, immigration status, and marriage permit must be in order. Here is a link to everything you need:

https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/hungria/index.php/en/consular-services/marriage-in-mexico

In addition to the national requirements, there may be local requirements for the area in which you want to be married. Make sure to complete all paperwork and never gloss over steps, as Mexican bureaucracy can be very complicated and frustrating if not followed precisely.

Also, consider your guests. Will they want to trek into the jungle of mosquitoes to live out your dream of an ancient wedding rite? Or would Grandma feel better in a luxury hotel with a waiter bringing her margaritas?

As more people look to return to their roots, and DNA tests from companies like 23andMe are helping people identify their ancestral origin, it’s tempting to want to return to the “old ways.” Rest assured plenty of people are willing to let you pay for that privilege, so make sure you know what you’re asking for and understand all parts of the ceremony you’ll participate in.

Not Every Wedding Ceremony Is for You

Did you know someone has to marry an alligator in Oaxacan Chontal and Huave indigenous communities? Since pre-Hispanic times, there have been weddings between humans and alligators. The marriage between human and beast is a plea for rain, good crops, and enough fish.

As a nod to Catholicism, the female alligator is dressed in pretty white lace, like a virginal bride, and represents Mother Earth in the ceremony. She is wed to a male leader in the community – most recently Victor Hugo Sosa, mayor of San Pedro Huamelula, a bit west of Salina Cruz – and is then carried around town to be adored by all. Yes, the groom is expected to kiss the bride, and the community cheers wildly when that happens. (Photos show that her jaws are tied shut, and the last one was actually a caiman, not quite as fierce as an alligator.)

Though you probably won’t be roped into marrying an alligator, read the fine print of any venue you choose.

Any package wedding destinations will have exclusions and add-ons. Make sure everything is in writing before handing over any money, and be clear on the refund policy for bad weather, pandemics, or other issues.

Divorce

With all the hoops you’ll have to jump through to be married in Mexico, you’ll have plenty of time to make sure you’re making the right life choice. However, things happen.

If the mezcal has worn off after the sunburn fades, and you realize you would rather have married the alligator, take heart. US and Canadian residents can get divorced in their home country even if they were married in Mexico.

Then, you can return to the beautiful beach and live out your favorite Jimmy Buffet song in peace.

February 2024

The Uncertain Future of the Huatulco Golf Course

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By Randy Jackson

In an earlier article in The Eye, “Bahías de Huatulco: Three Important Developments” (December 2023), I wrote about the proposed conversion of the Tangolunda golf course to a national park. Although the federal government’s announcement to convert this to a national park has not been withdrawn, there has yet to be an official decree to make the golf course into a natural area. The uncertainty looming over the fate of this crucial tourist asset for Huatulco stems from the clash of egos between the Mexican president and the billionaire owner. There have been strong reactions against the conversion to a national park, and uncertainty reigns over the future prospects of the golf course in Huatulco.

Background

The golf course in Tangolunda is known as Las Parotas, named after the majestic parota trees that enhance the beauty of the course. Established in 1991 under the administration of the federal agency FONATUR (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo), the golf course sustained operations until 2012, despite accumulating a reported loss of $26 million mxn ($1.5 million USD) over the preceding six years.

In an effort to mitigate economic losses and bolster tourism in Huatulco, FONATUR then opted to lease out the golf course. The objective was to attract third-party investments with the aim of elevating the golf course to a professional championship level. Grupo Salinas’s Producciones Especializada SA de CV, chaired by Ricardo Salinas Pliego, head of TV Azteca and Grupo Elektra, secured a ten-year lease for the golf course on August 21, 2012. To acquire the concession, a payment of $500,000 USD was made to FONATUR, coupled with an ongoing fee amounting to 10% of the golf course’s income. Leasing out the Tangolunda golf course marked a pivotal transition in its operations and future prospects.

The Golf Course during the Ten-Year Lease

After extensive redesign under the famous Mexican golf architect, Agustín Pizá, the course reopened in 2014. The improvements to the greens and fairways were impressive. It has been raised to a first-class professional level, and is the only professional golf course in the state of Oaxaca. The course is a public course, made somewhat exclusive by the high cost to play golf there. The economic viability of the golf course is not publicly available. Anecdotally it seems there are few players, yet social media reviews generally give it high praise citing the beauty and challenge of the course and the high quality of service.

During the tenure of the lease there has been some controversy, focused principally on two issues: (1) water use, and (2) lack of tournaments that would help promote Huatulco.

The water use issue was reported in the Mexican press around August of 2022. The controversy centered around the golf course refusing to use greywater from the sewage treatment plants for irrigation. This was something the golf course had done during the years of FONATUR operation. Also, the greywater use was listed as one of the environmental sustainability practices that helps Huatulco qualify for the Earth Check award (Earth Check is a global evaluation group for sustainable tourism; Huatulco has been awarded Earth Check Certification each year since 2005 up to and including 2023).

The golf course water controversy was compounded by the fact that it now uses potable water for irrigation while Huatulco overall is at or near its potable water capacity. However, not reported in any of the news articles on this issue was the fact that the golf course had drilled its own water wells for irrigation and have not been using the potable water supplied by FONATUR, which is the source of the drinking water for Huatulco. Nevertheless, the golf course is using ground water at a rate of 350,000 liters per day. (Note: As I reported in “Huatulco’s water system: In Survival Mode?” [December 2022], FONATUR produces 15 million liters of potable water per day from nine wells near the Copalita river).

The second issue cited against the operation of the golf course under the ten-year lease is the fact that the company operating the golf course hasn’t properly promoted it, which would aid in the promotion of Huatulco overall; the example cited is the failure of the course to schedule any professional golf tournaments.

Golf Course Fees

The fees to golf at Tangolunda are, to quote social media reviews, “muy caro” (very expensive). The Las Parotas website lists the fees for 18 holes: Mon-Thu, $2,700 mxn ($160 USD); Fri-Sun $4,000 mxn ($235 USD). There is a discount for locals. Although this is an expensive activity, affordable by few, the costs are not out of line for such a golf course.

To provide a comparison, on the website of the top 100 golf courses in Mexico, the Tangolunda golf course is listed as 49th. The top listed golf course on this website is Diamante Dunes in Cabo San Lucas. Its greens fees are listed at $320 USD for 18 holes. For the golf course Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta in Nuevo (Puerto) Vallarta, one up from the Tangolunda golf course on the list of best 100 courses, the cost is $195 USD.

Conversion to a National Park

With the expiry of the golf course lease in 2022, the current President of Mexico, AMLO (Andrés Manuel López Obrador) announced the golf course would be sold for $600 million mxn ($35 million USD), allowing Ricardo Salinas Pliego the first option to purchase it. Then on October 12, 2023, AMLO stated there were no purchase offers from Salinas Pliego or from anyone else and the Tangolunda golf course would be converted to a national park. This surprise announcement needs to be understood within a political context, the personal animosity between left-wing AMLO and conservative Ricardo Salinas Pliego.

According to the news site Infobae, on November 2, 2023, in his normal morning news conference, AMLO took several minutes to blame Ricardo Salinas Pliego for “leading a campaign against him.” AMLO accused Pliego of not paying taxes owed amounting to $25 billion mxn. Furthermore, he claimed that Salinas Pliego’s news organization (TV Azteca) inflated the number of deaths from the Acapulco hurricane for political purposes.

Salinas Pliego responded the same day saying that AMLO was abusing his power because his tax case was before the courts and AMLO was linking victims of the Acapulco hurricane to his (Salinas Pliego’s) organization in order to deflect political pressure on the president. The two have had public spats over private planes and educational textbooks as well.

The Current (Uncertain) State of the Golf Course

The Tangolunda golf course continues to operate normally under the ownership of Salinas Pliego, regardless of the political rhetoric. And the story is not over. There have been official protests against the conversion of the golf course by a number of Huatulco area business organizations. At the Oaxaca state level, the chamber of deputies has approved a motion asking for the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) to refrain from declaring the Tangolunda golf course a Protected Natural Area.

Moreover, when Oaxaca governor Salomón Jara Cruz announced there would be investigations into the legitimacy of some of the real estate transactions in Huatulco carried out by FONATUR during previous administrations, he added that the Tangolunda golf course, despite the announcement to convert it to a national park, was tied up in litigation over the extension of the original ten-year lease. Because of this litigation, no change can be made to the golf course.

Then on January 15, 2024, we learned that Jara Cruz has accused a particular FONATUR executive with corruption by extending the ten-year lease without authorization. Salinas Pliego has responded by saying all regulations have been followed and his company has the lease extended until 2027.

So perhaps when thinking about the future of the Tangolunda golf course, the best advice might be from historic New York Yankees coach Yogi Berra, who famously said “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

For contact or comment, email: box95jackson@gmail.com

February 2024

Love and ¿Marriage?

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By Jan Chaiken and Marcia Chaiken

Love and marriage are eternally linked – or so we are told through truisms and songs. “Every little girl dreams about her wedding” – really? “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage” -we sing it but does anyone in this modern age believe it? The romantic notion that love inevitably leads to marriage and ties marriage contracts to an extremely expensive and ostentatious celebration of love is a relatively modern conceit that has been practiced for decades rather than centuries and, based on our family experience, may be going out of fashion.

Somewhat over 60 years ago, when we informed our parents that we wanted to marry but wanted to skip the big wedding, we were told that we were too young to make that decision. We had the official marriage ceremony and contract signing in front of 250 people followed by all the romantic elements everyone expects – the first dance, the cutting of the cake, the toasts, the shower of rice. Thirty-three years ago our son and daughter-in-law had pretty much the same wedding with minor variations. But last May, our granddaughter called on a Friday to tell us that she and her boyfriend were going to marry on Monday and asked us to attend along with four other people. The ceremony was in a courthouse and performed by a judge–no rings, no personal vows–just official documents. Why the quick marriage? Because although they were already committed to a loving, supportive relationship, when he became her legal spouse he would automatically be enrolled in the health benefits she would be receiving as an OB-GYN resident. Their wedding reflected a return to the primary purpose of marriage for millennia: economic benefits.

Marriage as a socio-economic institution has existed for at least as long as writing. There are documents and laws referring to marriage that are more than 3,000 years old in Mesopotamia (current-day Iraq) and elsewhere in the Middle East. The Hebrew bible has reference to husbands and wives and also describes various events prior to marriages (although not to any details of ceremonies). In only one marriage in the bible is the concept of love between spouses mentioned – Isaac loved Rebecca. Not surprisingly, written mentions of divorce are also available from around the same time period, including in the Hebrew bible. But customs and practices surrounding marriage and divorce developed and were codified gradually over later centuries, with interruptions in early Christianity when divorce was forbidden entirely.

From about the 12th century in Europe – and the emergence of the concept of courtly love – until the middle of the 20th century, practices and ceremonies related to marriage and divorce were so stable that we can read novels and histories from that period and have little doubt about what was going to happen in the chapters following a particular couple’s announcement of intent to marry or a married couple’s becoming estranged.

But then came major changes around the world – in the last 80 years, fewer people became married at all, the average age at marriage increased, more unmarried couples lived together, same-gender marriage became a formal recognition of a behavior that occurred previously less conspicuously and without legal acknowledgement, and parenthood became uncoupled from marriage. The positions of religious organizations on these issues also shifted during this time period and are still in flux.

The extent of these changes has varied greatly among countries, especially where previously unapproved practices have been legalized at different times and to different degrees. For example, same-gender marriage was legalized nationally in Canada in 2005, but it was not possible in Mexico until just one state allowed it beginning in 2015; eventually, state after state approved until in 2022 Mexico achieved national legalization. The first U.S. state to permit same-gender civil unions was Vermont in 2000, followed four years later by Massachusetts’ legalizing same-gender marriage. U.S. national legalization of same-gender marriage occurred in 2015.

But even before same-gender marriages were legally sanctioned, some clergy willingly performed ceremonies with all the elements of marriages of opposite-gender couples. One of the most memorable family weddings we attended in the early 1990’s was one in which both brides wore identical gowns – one in white and one in black. The elements of the marriage ceremony and reception were virtually identical to ours in the early 1960s.

All three countries of North America experienced rapidly declining marriage rates in the last 80 years. In the US, the marriage rate peaked in 1942 with 16.3 marriages per 1,000 people and then plummeted to 5.7 in 2019. Canada peaked in 1972 at 9.2 per 1,000 people and dropped to 4.1 in 2019. Mexico held fairly steady around 5.0 for decades, dropping a bit to 4.0 in 2014. (All countries had sharply lower numbers of marriages in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID pandemic.)

Canada has a definition of common-law marriage for census purposes– this describes a couple living together without marriage for a period of time, or with a child of one or both of them. The number of common-law marriages in Canada has increased five-fold in the last 40 years and substantially explains the decline in real marriages as well as the later age at which people are married. In Canada, common-law marriages now account for about one-quarter of all households with two adults.

The average age at first marriage is now 29 in the U.S., 31 in Canada, and 32 for men, 29 for women in Mexico. Compared to 1950, these figures have risen from age 22 in the US, age 23 in Canada, and age 21 in Mexico, or an increase of about 7 years of age in the U.S. and Canada, 10 years of age in Mexico.

Ending a Marriage

While a severe drop in the number of marriages initiated during the COVID pandemic is easily understood, there was a similar dramatic drop in divorces during those years due to a combination of people’s unwillingness to change their living arrangements and the difficulty of processing paperwork for accomplishing a divorce when attorneys and courts were not readily accessible.

Outside those years, the annual number of divorces has been dropping throughout North America. This is explained mostly by the fact that couples living together without marriage (or, in Canada, in common-law marriages) do not require a divorce to dissolve their relationship. Examining divorce, then, as a percentage of marriages, in the U.S. about 40% of marriages end in divorce. This is higher than in Canada or Mexico, but lower than it was in the 1970s in the US. In Canada, about 33% of marriages dissolve. Experts attribute this lower rate to Canada’s strong social safety-net and family-friendly policies. Mexico traditionally has had the lowest divorce rate in North America – about 15% of marriages end in divorce. This is attributed to Mexico’s patterns of family unity and multi-generational households, influence of the Catholic church, and the sheer difficulty of processing a divorce through Mexico’s legal system. But no one has suggested that the lower divorce rates are due to stronger bonds of love.

Today, although love may lead to long-term cohabitation, few would suggest that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. In fact the trends seems to suggest that marriage may become as obsolete as a horse and carriage. And, as women are becoming increasingly economically independent, marriage as a socio-economic institution may be replaced by other means of sharing companionship, daily housekeeping duties and child-raising responsibilities.

January 2024

Editor’s Letter

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By Jane Bauer

“When our eyes are graced with wonder, the world reveals its wonders to us. There are people who see only dullness in the world and that is because their eyes have already been dulled. So much depends on how we look at things. The quality of our looking determines what we come to see.”
― John O’Donohue, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace

As we have done for the past many years, the theme of our January issue falls in line with the Chinese New Year which this year is The Year of the Dragon. This logic may seem a bit silly but was fine when we had the year of the chicken, the pig and the ox, but dragons? “Dragons are for children’s stories”, I mused to myself, “a gateway animal to the study of dinosaurs and keeping snakes as pets.”

I was intrigued to see how our writers would navigate this theme and I was contemplating this as a majestic gold-colored iguana made its way across the road.

The truth is that fairy tales and mythological creatures are born from something real. The iguana with its golden tail swinging from side to side, the jagged edges of soft spine that run from the head down to the tail, and the long thin toes with protruding claws, is fantastical. If we look at everyday things with new eyes, we realize that our world is as full of wonder and magic as any fairy tale or Harry Potter book. The world we live in is full of many beasts and creatures and happenings that are wondrous.

As we slide into 2024, let us remember to look upon our world with wonderment. Be amazed by the night sky full of stars and the creeping awakening of the morning light. Talk to insects and take a moment to see the way the vultures and pelicans dance through the air. Let your fingers caress the bark of a tree and think about all the tree has been present for in its unmoving stillness. Magic is everywhere. One of the saddest things that happens as we grow up is that we are encouraged to move away from looking at the world in a whimsical way and yet it is looking at it in this way that joy is most readily available to us.

Let go of practical things that are weighing you down and allow yourself to be kissed by the breeze, at least for a little while.

See you next month,

Jane