Words of Wisdom: The Capulalpam Project

Tecla & Nahum

In spring of 2023 I made a visit to Capulalpam de Méndez to visit my friends Tecla and Nahum to give them a copy of the book. Tecla was one of the participants in my Somos Oaxaca book project and she was very touched to receive it. Both Tecla and her husband, Nahum, are very proud of the work they do in preserving the natural resources of Capulalpam, especially non GMO corn. They are true environmentalists and their lives reflect their values and the traditions of their indigenous community. 

I had told Tecla about an idea I had for a photography project with a working title: "Words of Wisdom: The Elders Speak". The concept is to take a portrait of the elders of the community with their words of wisdom to the youth of today. She liked the idea and offered to help me launch it in Capulalpam.

In February, 2024 I returned to Capulalpam to meet with Tecla to plan out the project. Being an indigenous community, Capulalpam is governed by members of the community in a communal fashion with its own rules and regulations. I needed to have permission to move forward with the project and she had arranged for me to meet the current leaders of the pueblo and explain my project to them. They respectfully listened to my proposal and said they liked he idea and would present it to the governing assembly. When I returned a few weeks later, I was told they accepted the proposal and would support me in my efforts to collect advice from the elders and to take their portraits. They connected me with a woman in charge of cultural affairs for the community that would be my liaison with the community and be my companion during the project.

Una limpia tradicional

My first portrait was of Doña Alicia, a healer and respected member of the traditional medicine circle in Capulalpam. She is my age and still very active in her role as a traditional healer. I went to her for a massage and was amazed at the strength and healing power in her hands. The next day I photographed her giving a limpia (spiritual cleansing) to a young girl from the community. Besides practicing traditional medicine, she regularly works in her garden growing food for her family and medicinal herbs that she uses in her practice.

Doña Adela

 My second portrait was an 80 year old woman, Doña Adela, who had been the pueblo photographer for many years until her sight began to fail her. She was ahead of her time as a woman doing work that was traditionally done by a man. She  is indeed her own woman.
I also photographed Doña Fidela, one of the pueblo's most respected elders. She, like so many others, never left the pueblo. Her life is entwined with the history and social fabric of Capulápam. 

Now that i am back in Oaxaca, I will continue the project, extending the geographic location beyond Capulálpam.

Words of wisdom have no boundaries.

Doña Fidela