Up Home » Nahuatl speaking villages of the Rio Balsas region of Guerrero, Mexico » san fransisco cozomatlan Slideshow

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San Francisco Cozomatlan is one of those villages that was on my list for years, after the initial visits to the Rio Balsas in 2004 and 2005 . However the road was not built and it was impossible get back here. We were directed to this couple as the last people in town to wear the traditional costume, more so the man who wear the muslin pants and the woman a traditional skirt and blouse.
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A veiw of the bridge over the Rio Balasas from the new road that finally was built to get to These isolated villages.The road above is the super highway to Acapulco. Most of this work was done after the old political party that had been in power for 70 years was replaced with the left leaning PRD. (photo 2009)
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Fire wood is still a major source of cooking heat in most homes in the area. This region is one of the poorest in the nation and has had little attention until recently.
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A view of the region and San Fransisco in the distance.
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Recently paved street and house made from blocks and one of brick and one of adobe. A major issue for this town is finding wood to carve masks, only a certain type of wood is used because it is light , but no longer exists in the region. If it does exist is protected by the government and the carver are stopped and fined if they cut a tree.
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Little by little some the town is getting paved and more access is now available because of the new road, it is over 50 kilometers ( 30 miles) in from the old highway that runs to Acupulco on the coast called the "Federal"
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Examples of the wood work from San Fransisco.
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wood cherubs with primer on them.
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wood cherubs with primer on them.
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Palm before it is prepared by boiling it , it is them dried and then can be weaved into a braid. The Nahuatl speaking people of the region are paid .30 Mexican cents per meter (39") .
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braids waiting to be sold.
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palm bundel which has been boiled, dried and is ready to be woven.
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Palm weaving , this man is the last to wear the traditional Muslin peasant pants in the town. on the wall you can see the hammock hung up out of the way. Palm is on the floor both woven and ready to weave. These braids are sold to make hats .
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Last man using traditional costume in the town.
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Traditional blouse shown from the back and how the braids of her hair are held together.
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The family in daily clothing.
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What is now about the last traditional style blouse in the villages. There maybe two other women. I first needed permission from the town leader to walk around and take pictures. This type of town is NOT a place to just show up without speaking to an authority.
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This is part of the back yard with more traditional structures.
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Still skeptical but willing, when I returned with the photos the woman ask me why she would want them. I told her to give them to her granddaughter who had work with us to get the pictures.
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Dried tortilla.
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The church, front door was closed so took this shot from above.
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Not much to see , but welcome shade.
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This is a view across the river , which is below, the road on the upper right is the Autopista ( super highway to Acaplulco.
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detail of blouse
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detail of palm weave
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