Exploring the Zapotec Village

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Exploring the Zapotec Village

This morning, I found myself in a quaint kitchen nestled in the Zapotec village of the Sierra Norte mountains in Mexico. A mother from the indigenous Oaxaca community was busy making tortillas from corn grown in the surrounding fields. Violetta kneaded the dough with a traditional rhythm, her hands telling a story that connects generations of women who have crafted this staple dish.

Today marks the second day of our five-day hiking adventure with Intrepid, designed for those eager to explore the indigenous highlands of Oaxaca. Our small group moves from village to village, immersing ourselves in the lives of the local community. The earthen floor creaked beneath our feet, and the scent of earth and wood smoke filled the air. The light from a hanging lamp illuminated her hands as she worked. This humble one-room home may seem simple, but in the mountains of Mexico, true wealth isn't measured by possessions, but by what is preserved – skills, sustenance, and connections.

The Strength of Interdependence

Our adventure is guided by Jonatan, a Zapotec guide who shares local stories and wisdom with every step we take. Rather than just walking through the landscape, we walk with it, learning about medicinal plants, the foods the Zapotec people eat, and their agricultural practices. “We share work, happiness, and sorrow. We share everything,” Jonatan tells us over our morning coffee before we continue our trek.

The communities operate as a unified whole. They not only have a cooperative relationship with the land but also with one another. Simply put, their motto is “I help you, you help me.” While collectivism might be a simple concept, for me, coming from an individualistic country like the U.S., it feels profound.

The Culture and Spirit of the Mountains

When travelers come to this part of Mexico, they often stay in the city of Oaxaca. It's easy to stick to the guidebooks. However, few tell the stories of the remote villages hidden among the forests. We arrived at these communities as part of an ecological tourism project: Pueblos Mancomunados. This term doesn’t have a direct English translation, but it means “Community Villages,” encompassing eight remote villages united under a common project.

These communities have evolved together for over 400 years, but it wasn’t until 1998 that they began welcoming tourists along these paths, inviting the world to witness how and why they live the way they do.

Community as Wealth

In some parts of the world, wealth is often measured by accumulation – more money, more possessions, more efficiency. But here in these mountains, wealth lies not in ownership but in relationships. The spirit of this place is rooted in exchange and community. As we walk through pine forests, across fields, and beside towering agave plants, gaining insight into the roles each plays in the lives of the Zapotec people, I gradually recognize the importance of these connections.

The mushrooms Jonatan forages, the power of various plants, and the healing properties of trees… The land is not just something to take from; it’s something to learn from. “In the city, your land ends here,” Jonatan says, gesturing to an imaginary border. “My land extends as far as the eye can see,” he continues, spreading his arms wide as we turn to gaze at the fields and forests sprawling across the distant hillside.

The Wealth of Time

As rain pattered on Eli’s roof, we remained dry, content, and warm, gathered together enjoying elote tea made from corn husks. The smile on Eli’s face shone as he urged us to take our time, not to rush. I listened to the rain echoing off the house, breathed in the fresh air wafting through the open door, and watched the family sitting comfortably on the sofa, brewing tea on the stove. Time flows differently here.

Back home, we are always bound by time – trapped by clocks, schedules, and the relentless pace of life. We plan vacations to escape the whirlwind of our existence. Here, the Zapotec people embrace time. They possess a freedom that we seem to spend our lives seeking. It’s not the freedom to consume endlessly, but the freedom to live purposefully. I realized that freedom is simply having what you need and enough time to plant, to share, to live.

Connecting Through Guelaguetza Culture

Jonatan’s story resonates in every home we enter – a life not centered around speed or accumulation, but around care. Each person’s work is interwoven, with every hand, every harvest, and every meal forming part of a shared rhythm. As we climbed a hill to reach a village, Jonatan spoke to us about guelaguetza: the Zapotec principle of mutual aid. On the first morning, when we felt frustrated at not finding an open café, Jonatan chuckled at our annoyance.

On the way, he turned back to tell us he had a surprise. Looking over the expansive land dotted with homes and fields, we couldn’t imagine what it could be. “Another five kilometers?” one of us joked. In a stroke of magic, he unexpectedly brought us coffee – not from a café, but from a home. Smoke curled from the chimney, and the aroma of freshly baked bread and sweet coffee wafted through the air. We stepped through a small door into a bustling stone house: Jonatan’s family home. His uncle, Nelson, had been baking all morning, as he does every Friday, in an oven built by his grandfather. Jonatan’s aunt poured coffee – water, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cane sugar – and we shared bread together. When you need something here, someone provides, and when they need something, you respond.

This way of life becomes vividly clear when you see it in action – this is how we should live.

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