1 00:00:01,101 --> 00:00:04,504 Today Oaxaca is famous for its delicious food 2 00:00:04,537 --> 00:00:07,540 and local craftsmanship. 3 00:00:07,574 --> 00:00:09,175 And rightly so. 4 00:00:09,209 --> 00:00:11,444 But did you know that these traditions 5 00:00:11,478 --> 00:00:13,780 are thousands of years old and have their origin 6 00:00:13,780 --> 00:00:18,051 in ancient Zapotecan culture? 7 00:00:20,220 --> 00:00:27,193 Join us as we eat our way through Oaxaca, Mexico. 8 00:00:30,163 --> 00:00:33,066 Major funding for The Desert       Speaks was provided by 9 00:00:33,099 --> 00:00:36,403 The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation. 10 00:00:36,436 --> 00:00:40,140 Additional funding was provided by Desert Program Partners. 11 00:00:40,173 --> 00:00:42,776 And by Arizona State Parks. 12 00:00:58,224 --> 00:01:16,176 music 13 00:01:16,209 --> 00:01:18,611 Corn feeds hundreds of millions of people 14 00:01:18,645 --> 00:01:21,815 in countries all over the world. 15 00:01:21,848 --> 00:01:26,319 It started out as a plant that some people would call a weed. 16 00:01:26,352 --> 00:01:30,156 It was natives of very dry regions of southern Mexico, 17 00:01:30,190 --> 00:01:32,926 near the modern city of Oaxaca, 18 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,863 who discovered its true value as a food. 19 00:01:36,863 --> 00:01:38,731 Corn has become the most important gift 20 00:01:38,765 --> 00:01:41,835 ever to come out of the desert. 21 00:01:48,408 --> 00:01:50,510 The city of Oaxaca is located in the semi-arid highlands 22 00:01:50,510 --> 00:01:52,946 of southern Mexico. 23 00:01:52,979 --> 00:01:55,115 For many hundreds of years it's been the crossroads 24 00:01:55,148 --> 00:01:57,650 of middle America, with a great parade 25 00:01:57,684 --> 00:02:00,753 of indigenous groups passing through. 26 00:02:00,787 --> 00:02:06,793 It is still the Indian capital of Mexico, especially Zapotecs. 27 00:02:07,961 --> 00:02:10,263 Today's Zapotecs depend on corn 28 00:02:10,296 --> 00:02:16,336 as their civilization has done for thousands of years. 29 00:02:16,369 --> 00:02:18,972 5,000 years ago corn was domesticated 30 00:02:19,005 --> 00:02:22,242 very close to the city of Oaxaca near Puebla 31 00:02:22,275 --> 00:02:25,512 in the Tehuacán Valley. 32 00:02:25,545 --> 00:02:28,581 And that allowed the development of very powerful cultures. 33 00:02:28,615 --> 00:02:31,851 Corn was the basis of the Mexican diet 34 00:02:31,885 --> 00:02:35,989 and is still the basis of the Mexican diet. 35 00:02:39,893 --> 00:02:42,629 From this corn, these small ears like this, 36 00:02:42,662 --> 00:02:44,631 from these valleys, came the basis of the diet of 37 00:02:44,664 --> 00:02:46,666 Mexican civilization. 38 00:02:46,699 --> 00:02:52,705 And it came basically from here. 39 00:02:52,739 --> 00:02:56,743 Yes. Look, these two varieties, how far apart, came from here. 40 00:02:56,776 --> 00:03:00,647 Well, corn has many, many different varieties. 41 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,150 Some are extremely primitive, some are highly developed. 42 00:03:04,184 --> 00:03:08,855 And from this corn, from where we get our daily tortillas 43 00:03:08,888 --> 00:03:12,959 and most of the products, many products through the world. 44 00:03:12,959 --> 00:03:15,795 Same corn, the same basis for our civilizations 45 00:03:15,828 --> 00:03:17,864 in central Mexico, our civilizations in 46 00:03:17,897 --> 00:03:20,233 southwestern United States, our civilizations 47 00:03:20,266 --> 00:03:22,035 in northwest Mexico. 48 00:03:22,068 --> 00:03:25,405 All of it, corn inherited. 49 00:03:25,438 --> 00:03:31,277 Yes. We are just at the cradle where corn was created. 50 00:03:34,814 --> 00:03:38,618 Dr. Burquez is an ecologist who is also an expert 51 00:03:38,618 --> 00:03:42,455 in the cultures of ancient Mexico. 52 00:03:43,890 --> 00:03:45,592 The use of corn allowed the construction 53 00:03:45,625 --> 00:03:47,827 of extraordinary cities. 54 00:03:47,860 --> 00:03:50,663 One of them is Monte Alban. 55 00:03:50,697 --> 00:03:54,200 Monte Alban is an emblematic city so it's a very large city 56 00:03:54,234 --> 00:03:58,371 that just shows how powerful Mexican history is 57 00:03:58,404 --> 00:04:03,209 and how far back it goes. 58 00:04:05,245 --> 00:04:08,848 The Zapotecs were very powerful warriors. 59 00:04:08,881 --> 00:04:12,785 They conquered the area, they developed a flourishing culture, 60 00:04:12,819 --> 00:04:17,724 they have extraordinary developments in the arts. 61 00:04:17,757 --> 00:04:20,159 But as happened to most cultures, 62 00:04:20,193 --> 00:04:23,730 they eventually declined. 63 00:04:23,763 --> 00:04:27,267 And they declined because people didn't want to work anymore 64 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:32,171 and the nobility was parasitizing the peasantry 65 00:04:32,205 --> 00:04:36,643 so much that everything started to crumble up. 66 00:04:36,676 --> 00:04:39,512 That opened the way to new conquerers that brought 67 00:04:39,545 --> 00:04:42,915 new ways of looking at life, that brought new styles 68 00:04:42,949 --> 00:04:46,886 of construction, and brought new forms of art. 69 00:04:46,919 --> 00:04:51,591 Those were the Mixtecas. 70 00:04:53,226 --> 00:04:55,928 All of the cultural societies needed 71 00:04:55,962 --> 00:04:59,432 a very tight measurement of time. 72 00:04:59,465 --> 00:05:02,268 And the more sophisticated the culture, 73 00:05:02,302 --> 00:05:06,339 the more sophisticated their sky observations. 74 00:05:06,372 --> 00:05:10,777 The Zapotecs were exceedingly good astronomers 75 00:05:10,810 --> 00:05:14,714 and they built these structures as this observatory 76 00:05:14,714 --> 00:05:17,283 to keep track of the seasons, 77 00:05:17,317 --> 00:05:20,053 to keep track of the timing of the year. 78 00:05:20,086 --> 00:05:24,824 That was extremely important to time up the crop seeding, 79 00:05:24,857 --> 00:05:28,227 the crop harvesting, the time in which rain 80 00:05:28,261 --> 00:05:32,198 was suspected to come. 81 00:05:35,101 --> 00:05:38,604 Throughout the history of mankind, brief periods of peace 82 00:05:38,638 --> 00:05:42,542 were followed by lengthy wars. 83 00:05:42,575 --> 00:05:46,379 The Zapotecs were not the exception. 84 00:05:46,412 --> 00:05:49,282 The Zapotecs were engaged in lengthy wars 85 00:05:49,315 --> 00:05:53,886 against their neighbors. 86 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,622 These stones are depictions of warriors 87 00:05:56,656 --> 00:06:00,059 that were ritually mutilated. 88 00:06:00,093 --> 00:06:02,462 These wars were the response to the acquisition 89 00:06:02,495 --> 00:06:06,632 of new resources, resources needed to sustain the growth. 90 00:06:06,666 --> 00:06:11,037 Resources like coral, like pitayas, like corn, 91 00:06:11,070 --> 00:06:15,408 that were the basis of the economy of the Zapotecs 92 00:06:15,441 --> 00:06:21,147 and most Central American and middle American cultures. 93 00:06:33,993 --> 00:06:36,295 Monte Alban is divided in five 94 00:06:36,329 --> 00:06:39,399 different stages by archeologists. 95 00:06:39,432 --> 00:06:42,468 But what did really matter to us is that 96 00:06:42,502 --> 00:06:46,973 Monte Alban is a magnificent city that persisted 97 00:06:47,006 --> 00:06:56,783 for almost 1500 years until it was abandoned 1000 years ago. 98 00:06:56,816 --> 00:07:00,820 Monte Alban is at the very roots of Mexican culture. 99 00:07:00,820 --> 00:07:06,325 And we Mexicans have Monte Alban as one of our emblematic cities 100 00:07:06,359 --> 00:07:12,131 and as part of our past. 101 00:07:16,502 --> 00:07:20,106 The genius of Zapotec craftsmen made the city of Monte Alban 102 00:07:20,139 --> 00:07:23,676 the wonder of ancient Meso-America. 103 00:07:23,709 --> 00:07:26,712 Zapotec brilliance and creativity continue 104 00:07:26,746 --> 00:07:32,819 in the hearts and homes of Oaxacans even today. 105 00:07:39,325 --> 00:07:44,697 All of my town makes these types of sculptures. 106 00:07:44,730 --> 00:07:48,234 The figurines that we create here in San Martin Tilcajete 107 00:07:48,234 --> 00:07:50,503 are Zapotec figures. 108 00:07:50,536 --> 00:07:53,339 It's been done for generations. 109 00:07:53,372 --> 00:07:56,843 For example, we recreate those images that our parents, 110 00:07:56,876 --> 00:08:00,379 grandparents, and great-grandparents created, 111 00:08:00,413 --> 00:08:04,684 following in the same Zapotec tradition. 112 00:08:09,589 --> 00:08:12,592 These are the most difficult pieces I've made. 113 00:08:12,625 --> 00:08:14,961 This is one whole piece that comes from the trunk, 114 00:08:14,994 --> 00:08:19,165 this tree trunk. 115 00:08:19,198 --> 00:08:21,968 It takes a lot of time to carve a piece like this. 116 00:08:22,001 --> 00:08:22,635 You need to be calm when you do this work, 117 00:08:22,668 --> 00:08:27,707 and you must be patient. 118 00:08:31,143 --> 00:08:36,115 You need to give it time to develop and to take on a shape. 119 00:08:36,148 --> 00:08:39,952 After shaping it, you let it dry for almost a month, 120 00:08:39,986 --> 00:08:44,991 then sand it off. 121 00:08:47,593 --> 00:08:52,765 And finally, you paint it. 122 00:09:02,842 --> 00:09:08,314 Making the figurines gives us a better life. 123 00:09:10,449 --> 00:09:13,386 Working in the fields, you know, gives us subsistence 124 00:09:13,419 --> 00:09:18,524 but is not quite enough. 125 00:09:24,430 --> 00:09:26,999 We use the copal wood. 126 00:09:27,033 --> 00:09:32,305 Copal is one of the best types of woods. 127 00:09:32,338 --> 00:09:34,607 It's beautiful. 128 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,510 It's able to give the best features and enables us 129 00:09:37,543 --> 00:09:40,947 to make exotic figures that grab your eye. 130 00:09:40,980 --> 00:09:42,982 Just as an example, look at this. 131 00:09:42,982 --> 00:09:45,585 This is copal. 132 00:09:45,618 --> 00:09:47,753 If you look at this piece, it's a tree branch 133 00:09:47,787 --> 00:09:51,057 that is very twisted. 134 00:09:51,090 --> 00:09:53,826 So we take advantage of it. 135 00:09:53,859 --> 00:09:59,131 From it we create these fantastical wood carvings. 136 00:10:03,803 --> 00:10:08,474 This lizard doesn't really have a tail like this. 137 00:10:08,507 --> 00:10:11,243 One of the pleasing aspects of this he says 138 00:10:11,277 --> 00:10:14,580 is the combination of the reality of the way the lizard 139 00:10:14,614 --> 00:10:18,784 is in real life and the fantasy that he brings to it. 140 00:10:18,818 --> 00:10:21,320 And the tail is a fantastic tail. 141 00:10:21,354 --> 00:10:23,723 It doesn't match the real lizard. 142 00:10:23,756 --> 00:10:26,659 But it brings to it a real Zapotecan reality 143 00:10:26,692 --> 00:10:32,131 that we can't see. 144 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,168 This tree is where the wood comes from. 145 00:10:36,202 --> 00:10:38,537 This is copal. 146 00:10:38,571 --> 00:10:41,240 It's a type of wood that gives us the ability 147 00:10:41,273 --> 00:10:47,279 to create these wood figurines from its branches. 148 00:10:48,848 --> 00:10:52,251 If I were to cut this branch off right here, 149 00:10:52,284 --> 00:10:55,187 you can see the curve and we use our imagination 150 00:10:55,221 --> 00:11:01,127 and then create an armadillo. 151 00:11:03,562 --> 00:11:07,800 For example, the branches here are straight. 152 00:11:07,833 --> 00:11:10,670 We can cut them off to create a singing coyote 153 00:11:10,703 --> 00:11:15,341 with his face turned toward the moon. 154 00:11:19,412 --> 00:11:23,315 If you want a fantasy figurine, we can cut the branches. 155 00:11:23,349 --> 00:11:28,521 We can take a head from here, a hand from here. 156 00:11:28,554 --> 00:11:32,525 But this would be a figure fantastic. 157 00:11:32,558 --> 00:11:37,229 Only in the Zapotecan mind and imagination. 158 00:11:39,665 --> 00:11:43,035 Cutting up here there is a tail of this fantasy animal, 159 00:11:43,069 --> 00:11:45,471 here is the body and the head would go up here. 160 00:11:45,471 --> 00:11:47,440 But it's like nothing that exists in this world. 161 00:11:47,473 --> 00:11:52,478 It's a complete Zapotecan fantasy. 162 00:11:55,014 --> 00:11:58,350 In this town we are all artisans. 163 00:11:58,384 --> 00:12:00,886 We are proud to demonstrate, to create, 164 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:07,026 to make these wood figurines. 165 00:12:07,059 --> 00:12:09,862 It's income to the town. 166 00:12:09,895 --> 00:12:15,634 But we make the fantasy figurines from the heart. 167 00:12:17,570 --> 00:12:23,409 Native desert plants have both artistic and practical uses. 168 00:12:23,442 --> 00:12:27,246 They call this kind the Mexican Fence cactus. 169 00:12:27,279 --> 00:12:29,982 It grows, sometimes it'll grow in the U.S., not very well. 170 00:12:30,015 --> 00:12:32,818 But it doesn't branch so you can make them as tall 171 00:12:32,852 --> 00:12:35,287 as you want, nothing will get through. 172 00:12:35,321 --> 00:12:38,724 I think the reason it's valued is it tends not to branch, 173 00:12:38,758 --> 00:12:41,527 it just sends up these straight stalks. 174 00:12:41,527 --> 00:12:45,030 So it uses very little space, the space that a wall will take. 175 00:12:45,064 --> 00:12:46,599 Oh, my goodness. 176 00:12:46,632 --> 00:12:48,334 What are those? 177 00:12:48,367 --> 00:12:49,602 Pitayo de mayo, isn't it. 178 00:12:49,635 --> 00:12:51,670 It's appropriate. 179 00:12:51,704 --> 00:12:53,305 This is May so it's the pitayo of May. 180 00:12:53,339 --> 00:12:54,774 And they're coming out. 181 00:12:54,807 --> 00:12:57,209 And the fruits are there. 182 00:12:57,243 --> 00:13:01,213 There is a beautiful bursera tree and frankincense tree. 183 00:13:01,247 --> 00:13:02,782 Another franc. 184 00:13:02,815 --> 00:13:06,619 One of the tall ones. 185 00:13:07,953 --> 00:13:10,990 Look how the exfoliation's here, 186 00:13:11,023 --> 00:13:13,058 these little piece of bark rustle in the wind. 187 00:13:13,092 --> 00:13:16,796 It's a charming part of the tree. 188 00:13:16,829 --> 00:13:18,931 I think maybe that's the signal that 189 00:13:18,964 --> 00:13:22,301 the fiesta is about to begin. 190 00:13:22,334 --> 00:13:25,671 That's right. 191 00:13:47,126 --> 00:13:50,162 We are now in San Martin Tilcajete, 192 00:13:50,196 --> 00:13:54,834 a typical Oaxacan town and gets his name because 193 00:13:54,867 --> 00:13:59,138 of the presence of a cajete, that is a hole in the ground. 194 00:13:59,171 --> 00:14:04,810 The cajete was a water source and this old man 195 00:14:04,844 --> 00:14:09,014 was telling us that there was a big flow of water 196 00:14:09,048 --> 00:14:11,684 coming out of the cajete and this place was 197 00:14:11,717 --> 00:14:14,019 an enchanted place that provided all sorts of 198 00:14:14,053 --> 00:14:16,455 good things for the town. 199 00:14:16,488 --> 00:14:20,759 The cajete was guarded by a demon, a good demon. 200 00:14:20,793 --> 00:14:24,496 And as time passed and new generations became 201 00:14:24,530 --> 00:14:31,270 less and less respectful, the water source dried 202 00:14:31,270 --> 00:14:36,075 and now they only have the cajete and a small well 203 00:14:36,108 --> 00:14:41,547 where they still get some water but never as before. 204 00:14:41,580 --> 00:14:45,651 There is a lot of exchange, social exchange, 205 00:14:45,651 --> 00:14:50,122 food exchange, forget all the offenses and so on. 206 00:14:50,155 --> 00:14:53,759 It's a great event for the town. 207 00:14:53,792 --> 00:14:57,329 This is the Dia de la Santa Cruz, the Holy Cross Day. 208 00:14:57,363 --> 00:15:00,065 These tamales are so fresh that they're hot. 209 00:15:00,099 --> 00:15:02,368 Hot enough to burn me. 210 00:15:02,401 --> 00:15:06,705 But ah, inside we see beans, the black beans of Oaxaca, 211 00:15:06,739 --> 00:15:14,480 and a very fragrant herb called epazote. 212 00:15:14,513 --> 00:15:17,483 It's used with beans and to spice a lot of things. 213 00:15:17,516 --> 00:15:19,919 It's a very distinct taste. 214 00:15:19,952 --> 00:15:23,088 It's used all over Mexico but in Oaxaca they use it 215 00:15:23,122 --> 00:15:25,925 in great quantities and it makes for a distinctive flavor. 216 00:15:25,958 --> 00:15:30,829 Very Oaxacan and delicious. 217 00:15:30,863 --> 00:15:33,465 The corn that made those delicious tamales 218 00:15:33,499 --> 00:15:36,302 is often bought at local markets like this one, 219 00:15:36,335 --> 00:15:39,138 in Ocatlán where you can find just about anything 220 00:15:39,171 --> 00:15:40,906 you can imagine. 221 00:15:40,940 --> 00:15:45,477 Including the cactus fruit called pitaya. 222 00:15:45,511 --> 00:15:48,881 I could easily eat 20 of these. 223 00:15:48,914 --> 00:15:53,619 All right, here goes. 224 00:15:54,353 --> 00:15:55,854 Mmmm. 225 00:15:55,888 --> 00:15:58,691 Oh. 226 00:15:58,724 --> 00:16:02,494 On a hot day, when you're really thirsty, 227 00:16:02,528 --> 00:16:04,263 there's nothing better than pitaya than to slake 228 00:16:04,296 --> 00:16:08,200 your thirst, maybe followed by a little mezcal, 229 00:16:08,233 --> 00:16:10,235 of Oaxacan vintage. I'll go for the pitaya. 230 00:16:10,269 --> 00:16:12,137 Yes, I'll go for the pitaya. 231 00:16:12,171 --> 00:16:15,140 The heart of every Mexican town is it's market space 232 00:16:15,174 --> 00:16:19,178 and it's been that way for thousands of years. 233 00:16:19,211 --> 00:16:22,214 More than goods and food are exchanged. 234 00:16:22,247 --> 00:16:28,087 The air is full of gossip, proposals, ideas and politics. 235 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,423 I wonder if there's a demand for hats here. 236 00:16:31,457 --> 00:16:33,592 You don't think I need a new hat do you? 237 00:16:33,625 --> 00:16:37,029 Well, you need a Oaxacan hat. 238 00:16:37,062 --> 00:16:42,201 I've never tried on a donkey stomach hat. 239 00:16:43,669 --> 00:16:45,404 It really is too big, is it not? 240 00:16:45,404 --> 00:16:46,538 It is too big, yes. 241 00:16:46,572 --> 00:16:48,907 It's a shame. 242 00:16:48,941 --> 00:16:50,609 I've always wanted a donkey's belly hat but, 243 00:16:50,642 --> 00:16:52,044 yeah. 244 00:16:52,077 --> 00:16:54,646 I'm going to stick with my own. 245 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,081 You found the perfect excuse, David. 246 00:16:56,115 --> 00:16:57,182 That's right. 247 00:16:57,216 --> 00:16:58,717 It is. 248 00:16:58,751 --> 00:17:01,587 That's a neat hat, though. 249 00:17:04,556 --> 00:17:08,727 I heard that for Ocatlan here, people come from 250 00:17:08,761 --> 00:17:11,530 as much as 50 miles away every week to bring 251 00:17:11,563 --> 00:17:14,566 their stuff to sell. 252 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,301 And there's a gob of it. 253 00:17:16,335 --> 00:17:19,104 They do so and you can see the amazing diversity 254 00:17:19,138 --> 00:17:23,242 of fruits, textiles, different sombreros, 255 00:17:23,275 --> 00:17:26,779 hats, and different products around. 256 00:17:26,812 --> 00:17:29,681 Just these bags of de con ciruelas, 257 00:17:29,715 --> 00:17:32,751 there's nothing like that in the United States. 258 00:17:32,785 --> 00:17:35,154 Here in Oaxaca, there are marketplaces in each town 259 00:17:35,187 --> 00:17:37,289 on a different day of the week. 260 00:17:37,322 --> 00:17:40,092 And so Ocatlán here is on Friday and everybody comes 261 00:17:40,125 --> 00:17:41,493 from miles around to see their friends. 262 00:17:41,527 --> 00:17:42,694 Yes. 263 00:17:42,728 --> 00:17:47,766 Tomorrow is Oaxaca. 264 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,803 D. H. Lawrence wrote about the Oaxaca market and he said 265 00:17:50,836 --> 00:17:54,206 it was the perfect excuse to allow the intermingling 266 00:17:54,239 --> 00:17:59,044 of social classes without any suspicion. 267 00:18:01,180 --> 00:18:03,048 Oh, my. 268 00:18:03,082 --> 00:18:05,751 This is clear, beautiful bread. 269 00:18:05,784 --> 00:18:07,019 Very nicely done. 270 00:18:07,052 --> 00:18:08,420 And very fresh. 271 00:18:08,454 --> 00:18:09,354 I guess they make it every morning. 272 00:18:09,388 --> 00:18:11,390 For sure. 273 00:18:11,423 --> 00:18:13,992 Ah, the bees, the honeybees love the honey on the. 274 00:18:14,026 --> 00:18:15,127 It should be very sweet. 275 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:16,662 Yeah. 276 00:18:16,695 --> 00:18:19,765 I think maybe I'll stay far away. 277 00:18:23,035 --> 00:18:25,804 On special days in larger cities like Oaxaca, 278 00:18:25,838 --> 00:18:28,674 the market spills out onto the sidewalks and even 279 00:18:28,707 --> 00:18:33,045 onto the steps of churches. 280 00:18:43,422 --> 00:18:47,259 Dia de la Santa Cruz, the Holy Cross Day, the third of May 281 00:18:47,292 --> 00:18:50,662 is a major celebration throughout Mexico. 282 00:18:50,696 --> 00:18:53,999 And in major cities like Oaxaca they set up these 283 00:18:54,032 --> 00:18:59,071 wonderful flower markets because people will dress the cross 284 00:18:59,104 --> 00:19:03,642 in their homes honoring the cross, the holy cross. 285 00:19:03,675 --> 00:19:09,848 It's a special day also, it's a major day for the brick masons. 286 00:19:09,882 --> 00:19:15,654 Brick masons have taken as their symbol the holy cross. 287 00:19:15,687 --> 00:19:18,056 This flower just seems to be everywhere 288 00:19:18,090 --> 00:19:21,026 for the Day of the Cross. 289 00:19:21,059 --> 00:19:23,462 I know we call it frangipan, what's it called down here. 290 00:19:23,495 --> 00:19:25,164 Down here it's called cacalosuchi or sucheal. 291 00:19:25,197 --> 00:19:26,565 Cacalosúchil. 292 00:19:26,565 --> 00:19:29,401 Yes. 293 00:19:29,434 --> 00:19:31,770 That's a great name. 294 00:19:35,274 --> 00:19:37,609 There's plenty unusual in Oaxaca but the food is as different 295 00:19:37,643 --> 00:19:40,879 and as far as I can tell is as good as any, 296 00:19:40,913 --> 00:19:42,881 I mean, here's a display of. Amazing. 297 00:19:42,915 --> 00:19:45,050 How many different chiles? 298 00:19:45,083 --> 00:19:47,753 They say that there are about 100 different kinds of chiles. 299 00:19:47,786 --> 00:19:48,787 All a different flavor. 300 00:19:48,820 --> 00:19:50,622 Yes. 301 00:19:50,656 --> 00:19:53,058 And that can be prepared in all sorts of combinations too. 302 00:19:53,091 --> 00:19:55,127 Here's several right here. 303 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,296 Oh, gosh. 304 00:19:57,329 --> 00:19:59,331 Frijol negro, black bean. 305 00:19:59,364 --> 00:20:03,101 Frijoles negros, that's right. 306 00:20:08,373 --> 00:20:11,043 And then they make, what's, mole negro, the black mole. 307 00:20:11,076 --> 00:20:16,048 Yes, there is mole negro. 308 00:20:17,916 --> 00:20:20,852 You know that Itolo Calvino, this famous Italian writer 309 00:20:20,886 --> 00:20:25,090 used to say that Oaxaca culinary expression with 310 00:20:25,123 --> 00:20:30,596 100 different kinds of chile and a lot of time 311 00:20:30,629 --> 00:20:36,368 to explore and roast them and mix them. 312 00:20:36,401 --> 00:20:38,737 And each one has its own little essential flavor, 313 00:20:38,770 --> 00:20:41,173 slightly different from any other. 314 00:20:41,206 --> 00:20:46,111 And Calvino says and that will create fountains of ecstasies. 315 00:20:46,144 --> 00:20:49,047 I agree with that. 316 00:20:53,318 --> 00:20:55,854 That fountain of ecstasy that Alberto mentioned 317 00:20:55,887 --> 00:21:00,659 is exemplified in chocolate. 318 00:21:00,659 --> 00:21:03,262 Judging from the smell, what do you think it is? 319 00:21:03,295 --> 00:21:05,597 Well, it smells like chocolate to me. 320 00:21:05,631 --> 00:21:07,833 I think we're near the chocolate center of the universe. 321 00:21:07,866 --> 00:21:11,370 Let's go in here. 322 00:21:11,403 --> 00:21:14,106 So here we have the product of another native plant of Mexico. 323 00:21:14,139 --> 00:21:15,240 Chocolate. 324 00:21:15,274 --> 00:21:16,041 Cacao. 325 00:21:16,041 --> 00:21:18,176 Cacao. 326 00:21:18,210 --> 00:21:21,480 So this is a box full of money. 327 00:21:21,513 --> 00:21:24,583 Did you know that cacao was used as currency 328 00:21:24,616 --> 00:21:27,452 by the ancient Mexican cultures. 329 00:21:27,486 --> 00:21:28,553 This is as valuable as gold, huh? 330 00:21:28,587 --> 00:21:32,924 That's right. 331 00:21:32,958 --> 00:21:36,061 So this is a piece of cinnamon that's added 332 00:21:36,061 --> 00:21:39,731 and this is the almonds that they grind up 333 00:21:39,765 --> 00:21:44,336 to make what they call the almondrado or the almond flavor. 334 00:21:44,369 --> 00:21:48,173 This first stage in the mill mixes the chocolate 335 00:21:48,206 --> 00:21:51,043 and grinds it with almonds and cinnamon 336 00:21:51,076 --> 00:21:52,611 but not with the sugar. 337 00:21:52,644 --> 00:21:55,981 The original chocolate was not mixed with sugar. 338 00:21:56,014 --> 00:21:58,817 Then it comes out as a semi-liquid and it's mixed 339 00:21:58,850 --> 00:22:01,053 with the sugar and they then process it 340 00:22:01,086 --> 00:22:03,221 through further mills to come with the product 341 00:22:03,255 --> 00:22:06,325 that we see for sale over here on the counter. 342 00:22:06,358 --> 00:22:10,429 And this is the real chocolate as, with sugar in it, 343 00:22:10,462 --> 00:22:15,534 that existed since the time of the Spaniards. 344 00:22:18,570 --> 00:22:19,504 Mmmm. 345 00:22:19,538 --> 00:22:20,839 Delicious, David. 346 00:22:20,872 --> 00:22:24,509 It's food for the gods. 347 00:22:24,543 --> 00:22:28,246 It's amazing. 348 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,583 It's bitter, it has not sugar in it. 349 00:22:31,616 --> 00:22:35,187 But it still has that addicting power of chocolate. 350 00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:39,091 We can't convey the aroma, the smell, 351 00:22:39,124 --> 00:22:42,928 the overpowering smell of chocolate and it affects 352 00:22:42,961 --> 00:22:47,666 some center in my brain and I expect it affects almost 353 00:22:47,699 --> 00:22:50,836 everybody's brain, forms and addiction even without sugar. 354 00:22:50,869 --> 00:22:53,305 Mmmm. 355 00:22:53,338 --> 00:22:57,776 Oh, that, that hurts good. 356 00:23:02,514 --> 00:23:05,584 Mole, a sort of gravy made with chocolate, 357 00:23:05,617 --> 00:23:08,286 is just one of the many delicious native foods 358 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:12,157 found on the sojado, the town plaza. 359 00:23:13,759 --> 00:23:15,894 I know these are all foods that originated 360 00:23:15,927 --> 00:23:17,629 here in Oaxaca and Puebla, beans, 361 00:23:17,662 --> 00:23:22,167 corn, chile, avocado, squash. 362 00:23:22,167 --> 00:23:24,302 But I must tell you, I don't know what that is or that is. 363 00:23:24,336 --> 00:23:28,140 Well, this is flor de calabaza, 364 00:23:28,173 --> 00:23:33,078 is the flower of the squash that is prepared 365 00:23:33,111 --> 00:23:36,481 in several different ways here in this region. 366 00:23:36,515 --> 00:23:37,549 It's delicious. 367 00:23:37,582 --> 00:23:38,917 But what's that. 368 00:23:38,950 --> 00:23:40,852 These are chapulines. 369 00:23:40,886 --> 00:23:43,054 Chapulines are grasshoppers. 370 00:23:43,088 --> 00:23:44,256 I'm supposed to eat grasshoppers. 371 00:23:44,289 --> 00:23:45,123 Oh, they are delicious. 372 00:23:45,157 --> 00:23:47,559 You should try them. 373 00:23:47,592 --> 00:23:50,495 They are eaten in this region and all through central Mexico. 374 00:23:50,529 --> 00:23:53,532 But Oaxaca is the central place for that. 375 00:23:53,565 --> 00:23:56,368 And not only chapulines, you should try gusanos and bagay. 376 00:23:56,401 --> 00:23:58,904 You should try caterpillars from the palo verde or manteco. 377 00:23:58,937 --> 00:24:00,772 Ants. 378 00:24:00,806 --> 00:24:03,408 Many, many different ones are delicious. 379 00:24:03,442 --> 00:24:04,376 Insects are as an important part of the diet 380 00:24:04,409 --> 00:24:06,244 as these other things? 381 00:24:06,278 --> 00:24:08,346 Insects were an essential part of the diet. 382 00:24:08,380 --> 00:24:09,781 All right, I'll try them. 383 00:24:09,815 --> 00:24:12,317 This once. 384 00:24:12,350 --> 00:24:13,084 And they've got chile on them. 385 00:24:13,118 --> 00:24:15,220 A little bit. 386 00:24:15,220 --> 00:24:16,855 Tastes like something strange with chile on it. 387 00:24:16,855 --> 00:24:18,356 And salt. 388 00:24:18,390 --> 00:24:19,858 I love them. 389 00:24:19,858 --> 00:24:21,460 Actually, they're not bad. 390 00:24:21,493 --> 00:24:22,627 I really like them. 391 00:24:22,661 --> 00:24:24,362 Here's a leg. 392 00:24:24,396 --> 00:24:26,164 I haven't had a chance to have a leg yet. 393 00:24:26,198 --> 00:24:30,202 Tastes like chicken. 394 00:24:38,743 --> 00:24:41,213 There are many places in the world to get great food. 395 00:24:41,246 --> 00:24:44,216 But if you want to try food that has founded civilizations 396 00:24:44,249 --> 00:24:47,919 and is still available, you need to come to the valleys 397 00:24:47,953 --> 00:24:52,290 of southern Mexico, especially Puebla and Oaxaca. 398 00:24:52,324 --> 00:24:55,527 This is really very, very good. 399 00:24:58,797 --> 00:25:01,266 Next time on The Desert Speaks , 400 00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:04,369 we're off to the Four Corners region to find markers 401 00:25:04,402 --> 00:25:08,173 from ancient solar calendars. 402 00:25:08,206 --> 00:25:11,643 Seeing these relics on just the right day offers glimpses 403 00:25:11,676 --> 00:25:15,647 of the artistic life of some of the first Americans. 404 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:17,983 The edge of this rock can be aligned 405 00:25:18,016 --> 00:25:20,652 with those standing stones that we've seen. 406 00:25:20,685 --> 00:25:23,522 .like Pueblo Bonito, you look at the rock there. 407 00:25:23,555 --> 00:25:26,958 Of course getting there can be half the fun. 408 00:25:29,194 --> 00:25:31,997 So this is the sunken plaza. 409 00:25:32,030 --> 00:25:36,201 Patio Hundido. 410 00:25:36,234 --> 00:25:39,371 And I guess that this was always where they 411 00:25:39,404 --> 00:25:43,375 carry out some very important ritual. 412 00:25:58,957 --> 00:26:02,227 Major funding for The Desert       Speaks was provided by 413 00:26:02,260 --> 00:26:05,196 The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation. 414 00:26:05,230 --> 00:26:09,167 Additional funding was provided by Desert Program Partners.