Recent columnist articles
Enrique Flores: Philanthropic Oaxaca artist has the golden touch
Maya Doomsday
I'm sick and tired of hearing disagreements between the U.S.A. and Mexico. First, there's the emigration thing with fences and coyotes and blustering politicians; second is the drug thing where the U.S. blames Mexico for their own addictive population; and now the U.S. is blaming the Maya for a prophesied 2012 doomsday scenario.
read moreMexico's Mariachi Museum needs music
When the honorable and distinguished city leaders of Cocula, Jalisco select me as communications consultant for their mariachi museum, I shall recommend minor enhancements.
The host who greets visitor...
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Traveler's Guide to Camping Mexico's Baja by Mike and Terry Church
Rolling Homes Press, 2008
Available from Amazon Books: Paperback
Available from Amazon Books: Paperback
A while ago, I reviewed for Mexico Connect another useful book by Mike & Terri Church: T...
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Writing about writers: Puerto Vallarta and Jenny McGill
Jenny McGill
Editor's note: After a brief battle with cancer, Jenny McGill passed away peacefully in the early hours of January 2, 2010.
I'm proud of her work on MexConnect. Few foreigners know Mexico as well as she and her husband, and few people come to understand the country and its people as they did.
We're featuring this article by Marvin West once more to honor the memory of an extraordinary person.
read moreThe New World Mexican Women of Tecalpulco, Mexico
New World Women is a native women artisan group in Tecalpulco, Guerrero who decided to form a production cooperative. These skilled artisans are the original designers and producers, creating beautiful...
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Siqueiros: Biography of a Revolutionary Artist by D. Anthony White
Siqueiros: Biography of a Revolutionary Artist is a fascinating read for anyone looking for a great story with fascinating characters. It's also an enlightening read for anyone interested in Mexi...
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Drums in the Hills by Frank O. Dolezal and Kathryn Dolezal Tyler
Frank Dolezal, fighting for Pancho Villa during the Mexican revolution, was captured by some of Venustiano Carranza's troops, taken before a mockery of a trial, and was charged with "Treason against the legitimate government of Mexico." With fifteen other prisoners he was taken to a clearing, offered a final cigarette, and then shot.
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The Huichol: more personal reminiscences
The Fiesta de las Plantas Medicinales is held every year in a different pueblo in Mexico. This three day event features workshops given by curanderos (native healers), herbalists, and other native specialists in various traditional practices and beliefs involving alternative or traditional medicine. I had read in the Fiesta brochure that there was to be a workshop on Traditional Huichol Medicine conducted by a genuine mara'akame (shaman-priest) from the remote sierras.
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Antonia Cruz Rafael: the ceramics of Ocumicho, Michoacan
They crept and crawled, oozed and slithered from the clay, prickly spiders and sneaky snakes and pesky lizards darting from the dark wet dough, turtles swimming to its surface, bug-eyed devils rising from the mud, all brought to life by the magic touch of Antonia Cruz Rafael. Ocumicho is part of a cluster of villages in western Michoacan known for its clay crafts.
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