Zacatlán Odyssey Part 9: The Dynasty of Time

Time for flowers. Zacatlán's Plaza de Armas contains one of the most unusual clocks I have ever encountered. It has two large clock faces, inclined at low angles to face in opposite directions but meeting at the top, with a single mechanism between them operating both. The faces of the clocks are large flowerbeds. The only non-living parts of the clock faces are the hands and numbers.

Roque Leonel Olvera Charolet (1924-2010) created and donated the floral clocks to Zacatlán. Sr. Olvera died just before we arrived for our visit to Zacatlán. I am very sorry I never had a chance to meet him, as he seems to have been a remarkable and well-loved man. He was the second of three generations involved in his family's clock-making businesses. Sr. Olvera's family is a Zacatlán dynasty that stretches back more than 100 years. For more examples of family's huge floral clocks, click here. Photo by Dick Davis.

Relojes Centenario is located about 2 blocks from the plaza. The original family clock business is called Relojes Centenario (Century Clocks), and is run by Sr. Olvera's brother, José Luis Olvera Charolet. The clock dynasty was founded by Alberto Olvera Hernandez (1892-1980), father of Roque Leonel and José Luis, in 1909. The small tower pictured above contains 4 "monumental" clock faces, a specialty of the company. They have built more than 1500 monumental clocks for public buildings, churches, plazas, etc. throughout Mexico, Colombia, Guatamala, El Salvador, Venezuela, Cuba, and the United States. Notice the line of 7 small balconies on the second floor with french doors behind each. Several times a day, something very unusual happens here.

Dancing dolls appear "like clock-work". Periodically each day, the french doors open, one by one, and full-size human figures move out onto the balconies. Six of the figures are women, one is a man, and all are dressed in colorful regional costumes. Most remarkably of all, they dance, moving their heads and arms to the tune of a famous song from their own region!

The doll from Oaxaca wears a gorgeous costume from the colonial era. We knew nothing of this amazing show until a break during the Flower Festival, when Christopher was almost literally dragged down the street by a group of bystanders who insisted that they wanted to show him "something you have never seen before." We had no idea at the time that the spectacle was part of a store owned by Mary Carmen's family. The regular performance of the dolls, controlled by a clock mechanism in the store, just as regularly draws a crowd of spectators. Christopher came back to find me, and insisted that we had to return later that evening so I could witness the next performance.

Closeup of the Oaxaca muneca (doll). Both Christopher and I remarked upon the resemblance to Mary Carmen. Mexico has 31 states, but only 7 are represented among the munecas: Oaxaca, Puebla, Yucatán, Chiapas, Sinaloa, Veracruz, and Jalisco. Those states were chosen because their traditional clothing is the most colorful in Mexico, and has become internationally recognized.

El Jefe (the boss) makes his appearance. The climax of the performance occurs when the last door opens and a male figure dances out dressed in the charro outfit of a Mexican cowboy. Charros have become a symbol of Mexico and charro associations are found throughout the country, but they originated in Jalisco State, where I live. Quite naturally, this muneca danced to "Guadalajara," one of the most famous of Mexico's traditional songs. Guadalajara is the capital of Jalisco. For more information on charros, click here.

Closeup of El Jefe. The muneca is, of course, modeled on Mary Carmen's father as a young man. Throughout his life, he loved to dress up in his charro outfit and was active in the Zacatlán area's official charro association. The first public exhibition of the dancing dolls was on March 27, 2010, only a few weeks before Roque Leonel died. I imagine that he hugely enjoyed the ingenious performance, and appreciated that people would remember him through it for many years to come.

Interior of the clock store, with some of its beautiful wares. The store sells everything from large tower-clocks to small wrist watches. The clock shown above is faced with beautiful talavera-style tiles painted with floral designs. Talavera tiles originated in Puebla, the capital of the state, about 90 miles south of Zacatlán.

A visit to the clock factory and the Relojes Centenario museum. Just outside the blue entrance door, we encountered a lovely flower bed and some molds with a pre-hispanic design. The molds were going to be used to create a large clock the factory was building.

The 3rd Generation. Jesus Clemente Olvera Trejo, who likes to be called Clemente, stands by one of the many antique clocks in the small Relojes Centenario museum adjoining the clock factory. Mary Carmen's 8o-year-old mother, Maria Julita Trejo VDA. de Olvera, gave birth to Clemente, as well as two other brothers and 8 sisters, including Mary Carmen. Among them, Doña Maria Julita's children have produced 32 grandchildren, and 35 great-grandchildren. Clemente joined the family business in 1990, and now runs Relojes Olvera III Generacion, the second of the family's clock businesses. When Mary Carmen took us for a visit to the factory, Clemente graciously acted as our guide through the fascinating little museum and the adjoining factory. Clemente was born in 1967, and has been making clocks for 20 years. One of his special creations has 12 bronze bells which play the melody of "Peregrina."

Where it all started. In 1874, Mary Carmen's great-grandfather Don Juan Olvera y Manilla bought an old rancho outside of Zacatlán. The rancho itself may date back before 1791, the earliest date in the family records. Mary Carmen's sister and brother-in-law (see Part 3 of this series) still operate the rancho as a B&B called Tonatzin Spa Hostal. In 1892, her grandfather was born and grew up on the rancho. When, as a young man, his mother's clock stopped, he asked her permission to attempt a repair. Growing fascinated with clocks and their intricate mechanisms, he decided in 1909 to try to create one from scratch. His only training was his experience with his mother's clock. His uncle told him that if he succeeded the uncle wanted his first clock. He set to work in April of 1909, and in August, 1912, he finally finished. His uncle was probably as amazed at the achievement as I was when I heard the story. The clock shown above is a replica of the original. Thus Alberto Olvera Hernandez began the family clock dynasty.

Display of some of the tools and mechanisms used in making early clocks. Don Alberto had 11 sons, one of whom was Roque Leonel, whom he took into the business. Together they built Relojes Centenario, and incorporated the business in 1944. Clemente, Roque Leonel's son, has introduced modern elements, such as digital mechanisms and solar power, to the making of his family's clocks.

Trying my hand at clock-making. Several antique metal lathes are on display in the museum. Since they are still perfectly functional, Clemente encouraged me to take a try. I was game, although I hadn't operated a lathe since metal-shop class in junior high school. As I recall, I didn't get a very good grade then, but on Clemente's lathe I at least managed to avoid cutting off any fingers. Photo by C. Jordan English

Clemente shares a laugh with a clock worker. Porfirio Becerra Santiago is one of several highly-skilled workers we met during our tour. I was impressed by the factory, which was clean, well-lit, and very well-organized.

Feliciano González Márquez takes a measurement. Clock-making is delicate work, requiring careful measuring of all the parts. Notice the safety goggles, and the rack in the background with a specific place for each tool. This is a place where everyone takes their work very seriously.

The factory casts many of its own parts. We got to see a bit of the process where parts are placed in a wooden frame, sprinkled with a powder which inhibits sticking, and are then covered with finely-ground silica. The parts are then removed, leaving their impression in the sand and molten metal is poured into the frame. The boxes to the right in the photo contain newly cast parts that are still hardening.

Tamping the sand around the parts. Enrique Sánchez Hernández tamps silica around the parts he placed in the box in the previous photo. To make a good impression for the casting, the tamping has to be firm but very careful so as not to disturb the parts in their places.

La Casa del Tiempo, a good description of this family dynasty. I thought this sign, which means "The House of Time," perfectly exemplifies Mary Carmen's family, a dynasty of time which for more than 100 years has played an important role in their wonderful little city.

As they say in the movie business: "its a wrap!" When I started on this adventure last May, I had little idea of what to expect, and no idea that it would turn into a 9-part series in my blog. While I am ready to move on to other topics (and believe, me I have a backlog) I close out this series with bit of a pang. I enjoyed every part of the visit, the photography, the writing, and the positive feedback I have gotten from so many people. I am happy that many have expressed interest in visiting Zacatlán to see its wonders for themselves. I want to especially thank Dick Davis who originally invited me to participate, Mary Carmen Olvera Trejo who was our splendid guide and hostess, and the countless warm and friendly people she introduced to us during our visit.

As always, I welcome comments, corrections, and general feedback. If you want to leave a comment, please use the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Zacatlán Odyssey Part 8: Magnificent cascades of Tulimán

Las Cascadas de Tulimán plunge through a steep, narrow canyon. The main cascadas (falls) shown above are actually three distinct waterfalls. Taken together, they drop as much as 300 meters (984 feet) in a relatively short horizontal distance. Christopher, Mary Carmen and I visited these dramatic waterfalls toward the end of our 8 day visit to the Zacatlán area. The rising mist creates a lush environment on the canyon's vertical walls and narrow floor.

A view of the Tulimán canyon from high above. The canyon, or barranca, is typical of the many that cut through the landscape around Zacatlán. Las Cascadas de Tulimán are not far from the city, requiring a drive of only about 40 minutes. The eco-tourism park is operated by Ejido Tulimán. An ejido is a piece of property which is owned by the Mexican government but communally operated by low-income farmers who are often indigenous people. At Tulimán, the land is not much use for farming, being far to precipitous, but it has great potential for eco-tourism. The local people are working very hard to develop this aspect of the area for the benefit of their community.

Typical scene on the back roads to Tulimán. A couple of girls from the indigenous community herd their small flock of sheep along a dirt road. More and more, the local women are abandoning the traditional huipil and ankle-length black dress as the influence of modern civilization spreads deeper into the mountain recesses. Mary Carmen helped found the annual Festival of the Crown of Flowers to encourage people not to abandon their ancient culture.

Top of the main falls at Tulimán. Only my telephoto lens could get me close enough to capture this scene. The torrent of water pounded down the rocky precipice with a deafening roar.

The middle falls are even larger. I could have gotten a bit closer here, but the footing was very slippery from the spray, and I wasn't eager to take a tumble into this maelstrom.

The lower falls plunged down into a broad pool. The high, almost perpendicular walls of the canyon were narrowly separated by the foaming water. After swirling around the pool, the torrent roared off down the long canyon.

Fernando Navarro (left) takes a breather with Christopher. Fernando is a partner in the Ejido de Tulimán and the president of the group. When we arrived, the eco-tourist park was closed, but the local people immediately recognized Mary Carmen and soon Fernando joined us as our guide. Normally the entry fee is $20 pesos ($1.57 USD) but Fernando waived the fee when Mary Carmen explained that our visit would help publicize his community's project. Fernando was an excellent guide and showed us a variety of edible plants growing along the trails.

Vertical stone cliffs lined the upper parts of the deep canyon. According to Mary Carmen, the Spanish name for these rock formations is Marmol Negro (black marble). My friend Tom Holeman, who knows a great deal about geology, tells me that the scientific name in English is columnar basalt. Whatever the name, it forms a dramatic vertical drop high over the canyon floor.

The cool green forest rose high above us. Draped over the trees was Tillandsia usneoides, similar to the Spanish Moss found in the deep South of the United States. In the local Nahuatl language, the plant is known as paxtle (pronounced "pasht-lay"). This symbiotic plant is very common throughout the forests surrounding Zacatlán and in other areas of Mexico. Paxtle is used during the Three Kings Festival held each January 6 in Cajititlan near where I live. In a description by a visiting Franciscan missionary in 1586, the people created a "portal to Bethlehem" in front of the church door. The portal was built using poles covered with paxtle, and contained the figures of the Christ Child, Mary and Joseph.

An inviting trail winds along the side of the canyon. Even on a warm day, these trails would be cool, moist, and shady given the deep forest and the mist rising from the torrent below. The trails we hiked were clean and very well maintained for the most part.

A good place to watch your step. Christopher carefully picks his way down the slick, muddy, makeshift stairs which lead up to the triple falls viewpoint. This was the only part of the trail network that I thought could use some serious improvement, especially given the popularity of the viewpoint up above. No doubt Fernando has it on his list.

A group of attractive pine buildings surrounded the main parking lot. This one was built within the last year. Downstairs is an open-air space overlooking the canyon which probably functions as a makeshift restaurant when the park is open. Upstairs are several rooms set up for massage. The eco-tourist park has existed for about 4 years, but I'll bet the area has attracted tourists for far longer than that.

A rustic cabin sits up the hillside from the massage/restaurant. The cabins appear comfortable and are relatively inexpensive, renting for $200 pesos ($15.65 USD) per person. They come with hot water (notice the hot water heater on the right side) two beds, a shower, and a toilet. Lanterns are used instead of electric lights. To reserve a cabin, contact Fernando Navarro at (01152) 797-976-1833.

There are also accommodations for those looking for a shorter visit. These thatched-roof, open-sided structures are called palapas. I could almost smell steaks and burgers cooking on the brick and stone firepit. For those looking to work off all that lunch, there is a long zip-line available in the lower canyon.

Mary Carmen at rest (for once). Stools and tables in the picnic area were rustic and sometimes carved into whimsical shapes. Throughout our visit Mary Carmen was invaluable as a guide and resource. She opened doors that we didn't even know existed. Even today, she continues to energetically ferret out the answers to all the questions that I plague her with as I prepare these blog postings.

Further down the canyon, more cascades. After their dramatic drop at the triple falls, the water continues through long a series of smaller, but still beautiful cascades. This one can be found just before the main stream is joined by a smaller one coming out of a side canyon.

Not all cascades have to be large to be lovely. These mini-falls run just to the side of the larger cascade seen in the previous picture. As a photographer, I am always attracted to tiny vignettes like this.

Looking up the side canyon that joins the main barranca. The junction of the two streams occurs at a point where the canyon widens out considerably, which allows the afternoon sun to light up the area.

Near where the two streams meet, we found dramatic basalt formations. The rushing water has worn away all the soil. Only the bare, dramatically layered rock stands out. This is also columnar basalt, but geologic action has turned it on its side, and the water has used the cracks between the columns to cut down into the rock. This action has created a series of deep pools as the rock chute descends step by step toward the main Tulimán barranca. The junction of the two streams occurs at the waterfall seen on the upper right part of the photo.

Another view of the side canyon's now-horizontal basalt columns. I love clambering over rock formations, and I couldn't resist these. They formed irregular but easily walkable stairs up the hill and down the stream. Mary Carmen's photo caught me in the midst of my enjoyment. Photo by Mary Carmen Olvera Trejo

This completes Part 8 of my Zacatlán series. My last part will come next week when we will take a look at a family dynasty that has run a local clock factory for over 100 years. I call the posting "The House of Time". I hope you liked my posting on Las Cascadas de Tulimán. If you'd like to make a comment, please leave it in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Zacatlán Odyssey Part 7: The young artists of Popotohuilco

Two of Popotohuilco's young artists pose by their work. During our day-long excursion into the mountains overlooking Zacatlán, we stopped at a tiny pueblo named Popotohuilco. There, we met Miguel Diaz Guererro, a young man who is not only a gifted artist in his own right, but has been passing on his skill and knowledge to young people in his little village. The results are remarkable. Above (on left), Maribel Cruz Hernández, stands next to Flor Cruz Méndez (on right) . Maribel is 11 years old, and Flor is 15. Hanging on the tree between them are examples of their work. Although Maribel is one of the youngest of the artists, she shows an unusual sensitivity in her work. Another of Flor's works is shown among the photos which follow.

Popotohuilco can only be reached by a bumpy, winding dirt road. Snaking into canyons and around hairpin turns, the road is at least an improvement over the network of footpaths that have serviced the area for centuries. The tiny specks on the road are local people, trudging along patiently. When we passed them and they saw Mary Carmen, they were always ready with a smile and a greeting. Miguel Diaz Guererro is 28 years old, and was born in Popotohuilco. He began to draw in elementary school, showing his promise as an artist at an early age. In secondary school, he was introduced to oil paints and his gifts truly began to flower.

A steep mountainside provides a perch for Popotohuilco. The few buildings of the pueblo can be seen in the center of the photo. Heavy forest covers most of the hillside, cut occasionally to create milpas (small fields) for corn, beans, and maguey. Miguel was introduced by Mary Carmen to my friend Dick Davis, the person who recruited me to visit Zacatlán. Dick is in turn connected to the Wilmette Arts Guild, based in a suburb of Chicago, Ill. Wilmette seeks to preserve and enhance folk art and culture, and invited Miguel to show his work in Chicago, as well as promoting it on the Wilmette Arts Guild website.

The Casa de Salud (health center) was one a handful of structures of the pueblo. A one-room store, a crumbling old ruin of a church, and a small school were the only other buildings around the tiny dirt plaza. Nothing would distinguish the pueblo of Popotohuilco from thousands of others like it throughout Mexico except for the art school that Miguel created and runs for the aspiring young artists who live here. Through his own art, and by passing on his skills and knowledge to his young students, Miguel is both creating and enabling beautiful work. Even beyond that, through their art he and his students are recording a way of life which may vanish in the not too distant future, as "civilization" advances into these remote mountains.

Iglesia de San Miguel Arcangel sits next to the Casa de Salud. The old church has stood in ruins for some time, but the people of the pueblo are gradually reconstructing it. In the photo above, you can see the new concrete posts going up on the front corners, with rebar protruding from the top. Perhaps their work will be finished in time for to celebrate the fiesta of San Miguel Archangel on September 27.

Iglesia de San Miguel Arcangel, past and future. One of the young artists created a vision of how the church will look when reconstruction is finished. It probably also looked something like this in its heyday, but the artist is far too young to remember. She wonderfully captured the verdant and overflowing vegetation of the mountains, along with the golden light of a high-country afternoon.

Creator of the church painting stands next to another of her works. Maria de Jesús Mendez Hernández is 14 years old. Her painting above is entitled "Ocote Seco." Like her fellow students, she focuses her work on her immediate surroundings: the pueblo, its people, and the natural world of the mountains which surround them. There is an innocent freshness to the students' work, but also a startlingly high level of technique for people so young.

Antonia Ortega López, next to her painting "Neblina sobre Zepoalxochitl". Antonia is 14 years old and her painting shows a local woman in traditional dress, accompanied by her dog, gathering zepoalxochitl. In the background, neblina (fog) rolls over the steep mountainside, an effect we saw every day during our visit to the Zacatlán area, and which she captured perfectly. Zepoalxochitl are yellow flowers that are gathered as offerings for the graves in the local panteon (cemetery).

"24 de Diciembre" is the title of this evocative painting. The artist, Ana Maria Ortega López, 16 years old, was not present because she was working in Mexico City when we visited. However, María Guadalupe Méndez Hernández, shown above, stood in for her. Ana Maria's painting shows part of the traditional celebration of Christmas Eve, with residents of the pueblo gathered around holding candles.

"Cascada-Lavando en El Rio" is another work by Flor Cruz Méndez. A woman in traditional dress kneels by a mountain waterfall to wash clothes on a flat rock. Notice that Flor wears the same handmade outfit as the woman in the painting: a beautifully embroidered blouse called a huipil, with a long black skirt held up by a black and white embroidered belt. Over her arms she carries a lacy shawl, or mantilla (quexquemetl in the local Nahuatl language), which is also worn by the woman in the painting. Behind her head, she wears the same long braids seen in the painting. In my many hikes into the mountain recesses of Mexico, I have often found little grottos with waterfalls very much like the one pictured.

Just in from a day's work in the mountains. Esperanza Hernández Hernández, 84 years old, was one of the many relatives who flocked around as we photographed and interviewed the young artists. Despite her age, she is known as a hard worker, and uses her sharp machete to cut firewood. I asked her if she might also need it to fend off unruly boyfriends. She responded with a hearty laugh, echoed by the crowd which had gathered around to listen in on the interaction. When Christopher stood next to her for a picture, someone suggested that he might be one of the unruly ones, drawing more laughter from the crowd.

Christopher and I joined Miguel, his class, and their relatives for a photo. Hanging on the fence are other examples of their work, including large painted pottery platters. Miguel stands at the extreme right of the photo. He was obviously proud of his students and, like a good teacher, stood a bit to the side during our whole visit so that the students themselves could enjoy the limelight. If you would like more information about Miguel or to view his work, click here. My only regret from this visit is that I could not show all of the young artists who participated along with their beautiful paintings. My apologies to those who are not represented in this posting. Perhaps some of the people viewing this will come and see your work! Photo by Mary Carmen Olvera Trejo.

This completes Part 7 of my series on Zacatlán. Next week, we will visit the gorges and roaring waterfalls of Tulimán. The following week, I will finish the Zacatlán Odyssey series with a visit to a most unusual clock business, and a look at the family dynasty that has operated it for 100 years. If you would like to leave a comment, you can either use the Comments section below, or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim