Tlacolula de Matamoros - The City

The City

The city is the commercial and political center of the Tlacolula Valley, which is named after it. This valley is home to over 60,000 people, many of whom are Zapotec speakers. The streets of the city form rectangular grid, which spreads out from the 17th century Church of La Asunción and its adjoining plaza. The main street extends north-south and connects to the Pan American Highway (Federal Highway 190). This main street is lined with permanents shops, which are open on Sundays for the customers that come into town for the weekly market. Two notable stores along this street are the Mezcal Pensamento outlet and Chocolate la Tradición. Tlacolula is a major mezcal producer, and Mezcal Pensamento offers more than twenty varieties, many of which are flavored with fruit, coffee and more. At Chocolate la Tradición, chocolate is ground and mixed with sugar, spices and other ingredients to make chocolate for drinking or to use in the making of moles. Much of the chocolate sold here is for consumption in the more rural areas. Hot chocolate is a widely consumed beverage in the valley, prepared with either milk or water, and usually eaten locally made "pan de yema" or egg yolk bread. Another important commercial location is the permanent municipal market which is located just off the main plaza. This market consists of two fifty by twenty meter semi-enclosed areas, each of which houses scores of vendors, mostly selling basic staples. It is known for its breads, ice cream and traditional cooking utensils such as comals and metates as well as traditional clothing. This market has a large food area that prepares many of the area’s local and regional specialties, such as variousmoles (colorado, amarillo, verde and chichilo) as well as tlayudas and meats in sauces based on tomatoes and beans. Chapulines can be found as well. The local version of barbacoa is with goat meat in a dark red broth. The stew is accompanied by fresh corn tortillas, cabbage, radishes, cilantro and lime. Another traditional meal is to buy your meat and have it grilled on the spot, served with tortillas and condiments.

Tlacolula also has an old train station, which no longer hosts trains but does contain businesses such as a those selling bacon, fireworks and other products. The Casa de Cultura is in the municipal palace and sponsored by the Instituto Oaxaqueño de las Culturas.

The parish church, called the Church of "La Asunción de Nuestra Señora" was founded as a Dominican mission in the mid 16th century. It consists of the main church and the Chapel of the Señor del Tlacolula. The outside and the main church appear similar to other Dominican churches of the same time period in the central valleys of Oaxaca, although there is some fine silverwork on the main altar and the doors have ornate ironwork. The church’s organ was constructed in 1753, and many of its parts are original. What makes this church notable is the Baroque chapel dedicated to a crucifix called the Señor de Tlacolula. This chapel can be accessed directly from the atrium but the main entrance is from the a main nave of the church, which has an ornate iron gate and statues guarding it. The chapel is now meant as the home for the crucifix, which was created in the 18th century, but what makes the chapel notable is its ornate decoration, which covers almost all the wall and ceiling space, as well as the unusual way many of the saints are depicted. Many of the saints are martyrs, who are depicted based on how they died. Upon entering the chapel from the main church, one passes two decapitated martyrs, Saint Andrew, dressed as a bishop with his head on the ground and John the Baptist, depicted with a sheep and holding his own head. On one side, there is a depiction of Calvary, which contains John the Baptist, again headless and on his knees being bathed in the blood coming from Christ’s body. Near this is a scene with Christ in a coffin with Saint James, Saint Andrew and Lawrence of Rome among others. Another striking image is that of Saint Peter of Verona, in his Dominican habit with a knife in his chest and an ax in his head. Not all the depictions are of blood. There is also one of Anthony of Padua taking a child by the hand. He is curiously dressed as a Franciscan monk with tonsure. Another image is of the Trinity in a medieval style. There is also a painting depicting Palm Sunday, with Jesus on a donkey entering Jerusalem. There are side altars dedicated to Jesus the Nazarene and the Virgin of the Assumption. The main altar contains the crucifix, which is guarded by a fence two silver angels which seem to fly holding up two silver censers. In front of the altar is a solid silver fence. Around the paintings and the statues, are wrought ironwork and flowers and other elements raised from the walls and ceiling in plaster.

The chapel was designed this way for evangelization purposes, when it was first built in the 16th century. It was successful enough that it has maintained a strong devoted following since it was built. This devotion prompted Pope Pius VII to issue an indulgence stating that priests officiating at this altar can have the sins of one who has recently died completely forgiven. The chapel is still favored to pray for the souls of the departed, especially those in purgatory. The church is a regional pilgrimage site, as the Señor de Tlacolula has had many miracles ascribed to him.

The city hosts a number of religious and secular festivals during the year. Religious festivals include the feast of the Virgen del Rosario, (which was filmed by researchers from the University of Arizona), Day of the Dead and the feast of the Señor de Tlacolula. For Day of the Dead, the municipality sponsors an "ofrenda" (Day of the Dead altar) for grade school children. The first prize was $5000 MXN . The feast of the Christ of Tlacolula is held on the second Sunday of October, lasting five days, which is celebrated not only with traditional Masses, processions, folk dances and fireworks, but also with the Mixtec version of the Mesoamerican ball game. The "Fiestas de las Cruces" last for two months from May to the early part of July. To promote its principle products, the city hosts the annual Feria de Mezcal, Artesanía y Gastronomía (Mezcal, Crafts and Gastronomy Festival) in October.

Despite its city status, one rural indigenous custom which is still practiced is the "tequio." This is a form of communal work which is unpaid and done by community members for the public benefit. It is most often performed for infrastructure services such as laying water mains. Sometimes the tequio also consists of paying for part of the project. Another tradition which can still be found the is use of a "marriage broker" get families to agree to the event.