San Antonino Castillo Velasco
Encyclopedia
San Antonino Castillo Velasco is a town and municipality
located south of the city of Oaxaca
, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca
.
It is part of the Ocotlán District
in the south of the Valles Centrales Region
Its population is less than 5,000, but it was the scene of a number of violent confrontations in the 2000s. The town is known for its crafts, especially fine embroidery
and items made with a flower known as flor inmortal ("immortal flower"), so called because it does not lose its color when it is dried. The name San Antonino is in honor of Anthony of Padua
, who is the town's patron saint. “Castillo Velasco” (sometimes “Castillo Velazco”) was added in honor of José María Castillo Velasco, who was born here in 1820 and played important roles in the Reform War
and French Intervention in Mexico
.
Access to water has been a problem for farmers here since the 1960s, when severe restrictions on access were placed, and the sinking of groundwater dried up almost half of the wells. Farmers complain that the government is unfairly restricting access while businesses and housing divisions are given freer access. The Coordinadora de Pueblos Unidos por la Defensa del Agua is based in the town in order to protect farmers’ rights. This group claims that the lack of water is making the farming of flowers and vegetables untenable and forcing farmers to migrate to the United States. The water commission says that many farmers’ use of water is excessive and the restrictions are necessary.
The early years of the 21st century have been a time of conflict and violence for the municipality. The police commander of the municipality was assassinated in 2003. The events of the 2006 Oaxaca protests
have had serious impact on the municipality, as it was listed among the twenty-nine municipalities classified to be in social and political conflict by state electoral authorities. In 2006, the municipal palace was taken by APPO sympathizers who accused the municipal government of serious irregularities and corruption. A general assembly was called and the disavowal of municipal government was approved, replacing it with the “Ayuntamiento Popular de San Antonino Castillo Velasco” (People’s City Council of San Antonino Castillo Velasco) .
This government immediately declared sympathy with APPO and Section 22 of the SNTE teachers’ union. This event divided the residents of the community, but with a majority supporting the new government and APPO. A rock smashed the window of the main door of the house of Gonzalo Alonso García, who was recognized by the PRI as the municipal president in 2006, but most of the violence since 2006 has been blamed on the ousted municipal government of Joel López Sánchez and the PRI political party
which has ruled Oaxaca since 1929. In 2006, a 49-year-old voluntary policeman was killed by gunshots. The event was blamed on PRI sympathizers although no one was arrested. The People’s council continued to govern and occupy the municipal palace, with a number of supporters protecting the building at night. In 2007, there was an attempt to dislodge these supporters during the night with one assault at around midnight and the other at about 5 am. The leader of the People’s City Council, Juan Valentín Aguilar Pérez, stated that the 100 or so PRI supporters were led by the former municipal president personally. The attempt was not successful. The confrontation between the People’s Council and PRI resulted in over 25 injured, including Aguilar Pérez and three members of Radio Calenda. The PRI forces detained about a dozen or so, who were released later after intervention by the federal government. Later, Oaxaca state authorities arrested four PRI sympathizers accused of participating in the 2007 assault on occupiers of the municipal palace and the illegal detainment of several protesters during the event. This situation remained until the municipal elections of 2007, which required extra security.
However, the violence has not completely ended. Radio Calenda (http://www.radiocalenda.com/radio.html) is one of a number of “community radio stations” which operate in rural areas of Mexico, often without a license. However, Calenda has an operating license. Most of the staff at the radio station are volunteers. The station reports local news and also broadcasts in local indigenous languages. The station has operated since 2006, when it was part of the social uprisings. Since that time, it has been a target of pro-PRI forces, especially those loyal to the former municipal president. In November 2008, the radio station was assaulted. Since then a number of the assailants have been arrested but threats continue. The Asociacion Mundial de Radios Comunitarias de Mexico (World Association of Community Radio of Mexico)
or AMARC has issued a plea to federal and state authorities to protect the station and arrest the former municipal president, who they claim is behind the attacks.
Since the early 2000s, there has been a boundary dispute between San Antonino and Ocotlán de Morelos
. At that time, Ocotlán sold an area called “Barratillo de Ocotlán” to San Antonino, but the exact boundaries of the land sold have been in dispute ever since. In 2003, there was a confrontation between the two municipalities over that area, but a more significant one occurred in 2009. The confrontation was sparked by the placement of a sign on Federal Highway 175
by the Secretariat of Communication and Transportation and the municipality of San Antonino to indicate the latter’s existence to travelers. However, Ocotlán claims the land on which the sign was being erected. The confrontation resulted in injuries to both parties and the use of tear gas by the state police to break it up.
The social unrest since 2006 has hurt local craftsmen as tourists and other buyers are scared away by the violence.
is also an important commemoration here with music and offerings laid on the tombs of the dead.
The town of San Antonino participates in the annual Martes de Brujas which takes place in San Bartolo Coyotepec
. Women come to sell tamale
s and atole
, which recalls the origins of the commemoration, when women served these foods to men working on the construction of a church. This event takes place during the period of Lent
.
The town also has a “casa de cultura,” literally “house of culture,” called the Casa De La Cultura El Jardín del Valle. This is a cultural center for residents, which offers classes in theatre, music, sculpture, painting and ceramics. It also hosts exhibits.
There are two market days, Friday and Sunday. On these days, San Antonino’s locally renowned breads are more available although they are often sold out by the afternoon. While craft stores are not common here like in other towns, crafts such as embroidered clothing and items made with dried flowers can be seen on these days. There is one permanent store called Artesanias de Castillo Velasco, which is on the entrance road to the town center from the highway. This store offers embroidered dresses, blouses, napkins and more. However, if visitors ask, locals can lead them to any of the various women known for their work here.
The two main crafts of this town are embroidered clothing and arrangements and decorations with dried flowers. Most of the clothing which is embroidered is for women, but there are embroidered shirts for men as well. The dresses are the most expensive and most coveted and are used mostly by indigenous women of the area. They are often called “Oaxacan wedding dresses” and are marked by their intricate designs with animas and flowers. These dresses sell at a minimum of $100USD. The embroidery style is called “a ver si puedes”(Let’s see if you can) or “hazme si puedes”(Make me if you can). Both names refer to the difficulty of the embroidery due to the large number of very small elements.Most embroiderers learn the craft from their mothers and grandmothers, with larger items such as dresses taking months of work to complete. Pieces of this style are on display at the Textile Museum of Oaxaca. The museum was organized by sisters Reina Cornelio Sánchez and Antonina Cornelio Sánchez. The purpose of the museum is to promote the craft and appreciation of it.
One other craft associated with the town are arrangements made with a flower called the flor inmortal ("immortal flower"). The flower is called this because it does not lose its color when it is dried. These arrangements were originally made for religious purposes and still many objects made with this flower are of the religious type. Many of the orders for crafts made with the flor inmortal are for religious ceremonies, such as festivals for patron saints, such as church decorations. The flower primarily comes in three colors, yellow, red and white. Many of those who produce works in the flower, grow the primary material themselves, which takes about four months to mature. Crops are harvested in the fall, so the flower appears in abundance for Day of the Dead and the annual Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) festival in the city of Oaxaca.
One other craft here is basketry, especially those items made in association with flor inmortal arrangements.
, Ocotlán de Morelos
, Santa Catarina Minas
, San Miguel Tilquiapam
and San Baltazar Chichicapam
.
The municipality is located in a depression in the Sierra Madre del Sur
. The main river is the Atoyac. The climate is classed as (Köepen) (A)(C(wo), moderately hot and semi arid. Average high temperature is 18C and average low is 7C, with a range of 22C to 5C. The rainy season extends from May to October.There is little wild flora or fauna because all the available flat land is used for agriculture or livestock. In more hilly areas there are grasslands and semi arid area plants such as mesquite
and guaje (Leucaena leucocephala ). Fauna include marmosa
, rabbits, squirrels and some snakes and birds.
Agriculture is important here with principle crops being flowers, corn, beans and castor oil plants. There is also widespread production of cattle. This employs about 40% of the population. The soil here consists of a thin layer of decomposed volcanic rock with ten cm or less depth. Two important crops culturally are the “flor inmortal” (lit. immortal flower) and radishes. The flowers are used for decorative purposes, especially in connection with religious festivals, and many of the craftspeople who make the decorations grow the flowers themselves. Radishes are grown for the annual “Noche de Rábanos” (Radish Night) festival, which is held in Oaxaca city each year. During this event, the radishes are carved into sculptures, which are often adorned with flores inmortales and other items, and judged.
Mezcal
and various crafts are made, but this only employs about 12% of the population. A large part of the population (46%) is employed in commerce.
san antonino castillo velasco retiro de iniciacion
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
located south of the city of Oaxaca
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
The city and municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez, or simply Oaxaca, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of the same name . It is located in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the state, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín...
, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
.
It is part of the Ocotlán District
Ocotlán District, Oaxaca
Ocotlán District is located in the south of the Valles Centrales Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Asunción Ocotlán*Magdalena Ocotlán*Ocotlán de Morelos...
in the south of the Valles Centrales Region
Valles Centrales de Oaxaca
The Valles Centrales is a region in the heart of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.It includes the districts of Etla, Centro, Zaachila, Zimatlán, Ocotlán, Tlacolula and Ejutla...
Its population is less than 5,000, but it was the scene of a number of violent confrontations in the 2000s. The town is known for its crafts, especially fine embroidery
Embroidery
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
and items made with a flower known as flor inmortal ("immortal flower"), so called because it does not lose its color when it is dried. The name San Antonino is in honor of Anthony of Padua
Anthony of Padua
Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, O.F.M., was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. Though he died in Padua, Italy, he was born to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, which is where he was raised...
, who is the town's patron saint. “Castillo Velasco” (sometimes “Castillo Velazco”) was added in honor of José María Castillo Velasco, who was born here in 1820 and played important roles in the Reform War
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
and French Intervention in Mexico
French intervention in Mexico
The French intervention in Mexico , also known as The Maximilian Affair, War of the French Intervention, and The Franco-Mexican War, was an invasion of Mexico by an expeditionary force sent by the Second French Empire, supported in the beginning by the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Spain...
.
History
The town was founded in 1649 by Nicolás Hernández, Martín Ángel Toledo and Manuel Salmerón on lands which had been granted to their families earlier in the colonial era. The settlement was officially declared a town in 1889.Access to water has been a problem for farmers here since the 1960s, when severe restrictions on access were placed, and the sinking of groundwater dried up almost half of the wells. Farmers complain that the government is unfairly restricting access while businesses and housing divisions are given freer access. The Coordinadora de Pueblos Unidos por la Defensa del Agua is based in the town in order to protect farmers’ rights. This group claims that the lack of water is making the farming of flowers and vegetables untenable and forcing farmers to migrate to the United States. The water commission says that many farmers’ use of water is excessive and the restrictions are necessary.
The early years of the 21st century have been a time of conflict and violence for the municipality. The police commander of the municipality was assassinated in 2003. The events of the 2006 Oaxaca protests
2006 Oaxaca protests
The Mexican state of Oaxaca was embroiled in a conflict that lasted more than seven months and resulted in at least seventeen deaths and the occupation of the capital city of Oaxaca by the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca . The conflict emerged in May 2006 with the police responding to a...
have had serious impact on the municipality, as it was listed among the twenty-nine municipalities classified to be in social and political conflict by state electoral authorities. In 2006, the municipal palace was taken by APPO sympathizers who accused the municipal government of serious irregularities and corruption. A general assembly was called and the disavowal of municipal government was approved, replacing it with the “Ayuntamiento Popular de San Antonino Castillo Velasco” (People’s City Council of San Antonino Castillo Velasco) .
This government immediately declared sympathy with APPO and Section 22 of the SNTE teachers’ union. This event divided the residents of the community, but with a majority supporting the new government and APPO. A rock smashed the window of the main door of the house of Gonzalo Alonso García, who was recognized by the PRI as the municipal president in 2006, but most of the violence since 2006 has been blamed on the ousted municipal government of Joel López Sánchez and the PRI political party
Institutional Revolutionary Party
The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
which has ruled Oaxaca since 1929. In 2006, a 49-year-old voluntary policeman was killed by gunshots. The event was blamed on PRI sympathizers although no one was arrested. The People’s council continued to govern and occupy the municipal palace, with a number of supporters protecting the building at night. In 2007, there was an attempt to dislodge these supporters during the night with one assault at around midnight and the other at about 5 am. The leader of the People’s City Council, Juan Valentín Aguilar Pérez, stated that the 100 or so PRI supporters were led by the former municipal president personally. The attempt was not successful. The confrontation between the People’s Council and PRI resulted in over 25 injured, including Aguilar Pérez and three members of Radio Calenda. The PRI forces detained about a dozen or so, who were released later after intervention by the federal government. Later, Oaxaca state authorities arrested four PRI sympathizers accused of participating in the 2007 assault on occupiers of the municipal palace and the illegal detainment of several protesters during the event. This situation remained until the municipal elections of 2007, which required extra security.
However, the violence has not completely ended. Radio Calenda (http://www.radiocalenda.com/radio.html) is one of a number of “community radio stations” which operate in rural areas of Mexico, often without a license. However, Calenda has an operating license. Most of the staff at the radio station are volunteers. The station reports local news and also broadcasts in local indigenous languages. The station has operated since 2006, when it was part of the social uprisings. Since that time, it has been a target of pro-PRI forces, especially those loyal to the former municipal president. In November 2008, the radio station was assaulted. Since then a number of the assailants have been arrested but threats continue. The Asociacion Mundial de Radios Comunitarias de Mexico (World Association of Community Radio of Mexico)
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters is the international umbrella organization of community radio broadcasters founded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 members in 110 countries....
or AMARC has issued a plea to federal and state authorities to protect the station and arrest the former municipal president, who they claim is behind the attacks.
Since the early 2000s, there has been a boundary dispute between San Antonino and Ocotlán de Morelos
Ocotlán de Morelos
Ocotlán de Morelos is a town and municipality in the state of Oaxaca, about 35 km south of the center of the city of Oaxaca along Highway 175....
. At that time, Ocotlán sold an area called “Barratillo de Ocotlán” to San Antonino, but the exact boundaries of the land sold have been in dispute ever since. In 2003, there was a confrontation between the two municipalities over that area, but a more significant one occurred in 2009. The confrontation was sparked by the placement of a sign on Federal Highway 175
Mexican Federal Highway 175
Mexican Federal Highway 175 is a Federal Highway of Mexico....
by the Secretariat of Communication and Transportation and the municipality of San Antonino to indicate the latter’s existence to travelers. However, Ocotlán claims the land on which the sign was being erected. The confrontation resulted in injuries to both parties and the use of tear gas by the state police to break it up.
The social unrest since 2006 has hurt local craftsmen as tourists and other buyers are scared away by the violence.
The town and its crafts
San Antonio is a Zapotec community, which is a suburb of Ocotlán de Morelos. The parish church was built in the 17th century and dedicated to Anthony of Padua. This church is the focus of several religious celebrations including the feast of the Señor de la Sacristía on 19 February. The Day of the DeadDay of the Dead
Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality...
is also an important commemoration here with music and offerings laid on the tombs of the dead.
The town of San Antonino participates in the annual Martes de Brujas which takes place in San Bartolo Coyotepec
San Bartolo Coyotepec
San Bartolo Coyotepec is a town and municipality located in the center of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is in the Centro District of the Valles Centrales region about fifteen km south of the capital of Oaxaca....
. Women come to sell tamale
Tamale
A tamale — or more correctly tamal — is a traditional Latin American dish made of masa , which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper. The wrapping is discarded before eating...
s and atole
Atole
Atole is a traditional masa-based Mexican and Central American hot drink. Chocolate atole is known as champurrado or atole...
, which recalls the origins of the commemoration, when women served these foods to men working on the construction of a church. This event takes place during the period of Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
.
The town also has a “casa de cultura,” literally “house of culture,” called the Casa De La Cultura El Jardín del Valle. This is a cultural center for residents, which offers classes in theatre, music, sculpture, painting and ceramics. It also hosts exhibits.
There are two market days, Friday and Sunday. On these days, San Antonino’s locally renowned breads are more available although they are often sold out by the afternoon. While craft stores are not common here like in other towns, crafts such as embroidered clothing and items made with dried flowers can be seen on these days. There is one permanent store called Artesanias de Castillo Velasco, which is on the entrance road to the town center from the highway. This store offers embroidered dresses, blouses, napkins and more. However, if visitors ask, locals can lead them to any of the various women known for their work here.
The two main crafts of this town are embroidered clothing and arrangements and decorations with dried flowers. Most of the clothing which is embroidered is for women, but there are embroidered shirts for men as well. The dresses are the most expensive and most coveted and are used mostly by indigenous women of the area. They are often called “Oaxacan wedding dresses” and are marked by their intricate designs with animas and flowers. These dresses sell at a minimum of $100USD. The embroidery style is called “a ver si puedes”(Let’s see if you can) or “hazme si puedes”(Make me if you can). Both names refer to the difficulty of the embroidery due to the large number of very small elements.Most embroiderers learn the craft from their mothers and grandmothers, with larger items such as dresses taking months of work to complete. Pieces of this style are on display at the Textile Museum of Oaxaca. The museum was organized by sisters Reina Cornelio Sánchez and Antonina Cornelio Sánchez. The purpose of the museum is to promote the craft and appreciation of it.
One other craft associated with the town are arrangements made with a flower called the flor inmortal ("immortal flower"). The flower is called this because it does not lose its color when it is dried. These arrangements were originally made for religious purposes and still many objects made with this flower are of the religious type. Many of the orders for crafts made with the flor inmortal are for religious ceremonies, such as festivals for patron saints, such as church decorations. The flower primarily comes in three colors, yellow, red and white. Many of those who produce works in the flower, grow the primary material themselves, which takes about four months to mature. Crops are harvested in the fall, so the flower appears in abundance for Day of the Dead and the annual Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) festival in the city of Oaxaca.
One other craft here is basketry, especially those items made in association with flor inmortal arrangements.
The municipality
As municipal seat, the town of San Antonino Castillo Velazco is the governing authority over the communities of Lachicuvica, Esquina de la Piedra, La Azucena and El Zompantle, as well as unsettled lands with total an area of 33.17km2. About 95% of the municipality’s population of 4829 (2005) lives in the town proper. 874 people speak an indigenous language. The municipality borders the municipalities of San Juan ChilatecaSan Juan Chilateca
San Juan Chilateca is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 31.9 km².It is part of the Ocotlán District in the south of the Valles Centrales Region...
, Ocotlán de Morelos
Ocotlán de Morelos
Ocotlán de Morelos is a town and municipality in the state of Oaxaca, about 35 km south of the center of the city of Oaxaca along Highway 175....
, Santa Catarina Minas
Santa Catarina Minas
Santa Catarina Minas is a town in the municipality of Ocotlan de Morelos in the state of Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of km².It is part of the Ocotlán District in the south of the Valles Centrales Region...
, San Miguel Tilquiapam
San Miguel Tilquiapam
San Miguel Tilquiapam is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 39.55 km².It is part of the Ocotlán District in the south of the Valles Centrales Region...
and San Baltazar Chichicapam
San Baltazar Chichicapam
San Baltazar Chichicapam is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 100.79 km².It is part of the Ocotlán District in the south of the Valles Centrales Region...
.
The municipality is located in a depression in the Sierra Madre del Sur
Sierra Madre del Sur
The Sierra Madre del Sur is a mountain range in southern Mexico, extending from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the Istmo de Tehuantepec in eastern Oaxaca.-Geography:...
. The main river is the Atoyac. The climate is classed as (Köepen) (A)(C(wo), moderately hot and semi arid. Average high temperature is 18C and average low is 7C, with a range of 22C to 5C. The rainy season extends from May to October.There is little wild flora or fauna because all the available flat land is used for agriculture or livestock. In more hilly areas there are grasslands and semi arid area plants such as mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
and guaje (Leucaena leucocephala ). Fauna include marmosa
Marmosa
The nine species in the genus Marmosa are relatively small Neotropic members of the order Didelphimorphia. This genus is one of four that are known as mouse opossums. The others are Micoureus , Thylamys and Tlacuatzin, the grayish mouse opossum...
, rabbits, squirrels and some snakes and birds.
Agriculture is important here with principle crops being flowers, corn, beans and castor oil plants. There is also widespread production of cattle. This employs about 40% of the population. The soil here consists of a thin layer of decomposed volcanic rock with ten cm or less depth. Two important crops culturally are the “flor inmortal” (lit. immortal flower) and radishes. The flowers are used for decorative purposes, especially in connection with religious festivals, and many of the craftspeople who make the decorations grow the flowers themselves. Radishes are grown for the annual “Noche de Rábanos” (Radish Night) festival, which is held in Oaxaca city each year. During this event, the radishes are carved into sculptures, which are often adorned with flores inmortales and other items, and judged.
Mezcal
Mezcal
Mezcal, or mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant native to Mexico. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl metl and ixcalli which mean 'oven cooked agave.'...
and various crafts are made, but this only employs about 12% of the population. A large part of the population (46%) is employed in commerce.
External links
SAN ANTONINO CASTILLO VELAZCO OAXACA MEXICO, BARATILLO DE GANADOsan antonino castillo velasco retiro de iniciacion