noviembre: Feria de Pescado

Welcome to the Feria de Pescado (the Fish Fair).

Heidi, Sarah, Jenn and I all hopped into Heidi's "Super-Vocho" (old VW beetle) and made the trek from Cuernavaca to Coateltelco for the indigenous village's Feria de Pescado. Sarah was enthusiastic about the event, with good reason, and she said the women of the community put all typical work on hold for the past few weeks to get ready for the big event.

It is always an interesting experience to leave the concrete and exhaust of Cuernavaca and venture out into (literaly) greener pastures. Just like many pockets of cities in the Midwest, it doesn't take long on the autopista (highway) to leave "City" and move into "Rural" scenery. On our way into Coatetelco, an indigenous village situated on a beautifully peaceful laguna (lagoon), we had to stop the Vocho for a little bit of rush hour traffic - some loose cows and horses walking down the road. We are officially FAR away from the day-to-day chaos of Cuernavaca.



It was hot and the sun was relentless, but the view was beautiful. The fair was set in an open, grassy area that looked out over the Mendota-sized laguna. On all sides were artisan vendors and several different open-air thatched roof palapas with hot and fresh food to satisfy hungry bellies. The food was incredible and I enjoyed the best quesadilla I've ever had - blue corn tortilla with "tinga" (pulled chicken and tomato with sour cream and green salsa). We then watched an indigenous ritual with incense and an offering to the Air. After which, one of Sarah's indigenous village mentors ate every morsel of meat from the cooked head of a chicken. No joke. I watched her tear open the neck and start munching away. I couldn't help but sneak a atonished (and giggling) look at Sarah in the middle of the conversation. Just another moment in which I am completely reminded of how different I am in this culture. Later we tried green mole used for the indigenous ritual (no chicken heads), corn tamales, bean tamales, fish tamales, and then went to another local palapa to eat some fresh fish - Coatetelco's specialty. I hope I can go back when I have more room in my stomach to enjoy a full plate of the delicious seafood!





It was a relaxing day wandering around the Feria. We ate when we had "ganas" (the urge), we shopped when we were drawn to a artisan's table, and we even took a boat ride on the laguna when we wanted to escape the noise of the Feria. The boat ride was fun, a half-an-hour of chatting in the canopied back of a small fishing boat with a hearty Mexican man dangling over the bow with his oar propelling us around the laguna. As a girl who has always lived by water, it was a welcome return to a piece of home. I never thought dipping my fingers in water would feel so good.



Despite the many differences, it was somewhat similar to Midwestern county fairs but Mexican style. For all of our quirky Midwestern cultural norms (brats, Tom Thumb mini doughnuts, rigged carnival games, livestock competitions, at least a few women with 80's hairstyles) the Feria de Pescado had its own quirks (chicken heads and fresh fish, indigenous rituals, and seemingly lost livestock). Once again proving to me that there exists no Right vs Wrong or Better vs Worse way of doing things. There only exists Different. And within those differences, we have to find respect and kindness and humility to try our best to curb judgement and enjoy a beautiful opportunity for all that it has to offer, chicken heads and all.