Art, Dance, Beauty: Images from Oventic

These three images are all just outside of the main gate at Oventic; The sign above marks your entrance into Territory in Resistance, Zapatista communities. Once inside the gates, the walls come alive.

This schoolhouse wall says 'In autonomous Zapatista schools, they educate the children in the spirit and conception of a collective world. Our philosophy is that the human being is part of the environment.'

You might notice flags with the Food Not Bombs logo or images of support for sex workers (condom flag) painted on this wall representing visitors from other communities.

('We're all heart!')

2007 started out with the big ceremony marking the 13th anniversary of the EZLN's first major offensive, and most of us danced all night. When we awoke, however, the rain started. By midday, the ground started to saturate. By evening, I had already slipped in the mud. By the time it was pretty damn dark, it was also pretty damn wet, and later in the night most of the bases de apoyo (supporting communities that aren't necessarily part of the Rebel Army) packed up their camps and left for their homes. By morning, the downpour had let up, but it rained pretty much all night.

Between San Cristóbal de las Casa and the Zapatista communities in the mountains, the road winds through valleys like this, with cornfields planted wherever they fit and landscapes unique to Chiapas. On clear days the contrast between blue sky and green mountains in incredible, best viewed from the back of a pickup truck.

Only 20 seconds, this video shows part of the cultural presentation given the evening of the first day, a traditional song and dance.

This one is the next day, part of the presentation of Caracol 5 (Roberto Barrios) at the workshop titled: The Other Communication, Art, and Culture. 1 min. 12 sec.