Letter from the Editor
The following was published on the occasion of the second anniversary of El Sol de la Costa:

I FIRST DISCOVERED Puerto Escondido in the early '70s, a young, anthropology dropout and itinerant freelance journalist intoxicated by the beauty and cultural complexity of México, especially southern Mexico, and Oaxaca in particular.

It was Mexico that first lured me to the New World 30 years ago from damp, rainy, and (to my mind) boring London. And it was to Mexico that I returned when I had the time to amble and enough in my pockets for a bus ticket or a tank of gas, some tacos and an icy Superior.

When the time came to raise a family and pursue my career, it was in San Francisco that I settled, not the country of my birth. But I continued to travel as much as possible within the limitations of my sedentary commitments and I set foot on most of the continents.

I returned to Puerto Escondido in January of 1997. I saw the full moon rise over the mountains through the window of the battered bus as it wheezed through the Sierra Madre del Sur.

I had quit my job as features editor of the daily newspaper in Monterey, Cal., after it had been gobbled up by a huge media conglomerate. Time, I thought, to begin work on my novel.

I expected to be able to stay for three or four months. But here I am still. Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, is my home and I consider myself among the blessed for this.

Why was it here that I returned of all the far-flung, exotic and beautiful places that I experienced? I don't know whether I can answer that question adequately, but the love affair continues.

Each full moon, I am aware of another small anniversary of my time here. I haven't finished my novel, but I have filled my hours with the wonder of my chosen home and the pleasure of writing about it for others.

. . . and therein lies a tale. Back in real time, watch out for more in the upcoming 10th anniversary issue, "the all about me edition."

Next month we will bring you all the details on the 2007 edition of the Fiestas of November in Puerto Escondido. The program is yet to be finalized, but we can tell you the dates of the major events:

First up are the Grand Finals of the Azteca Championship of Motorcross on Nov. 10 and 11.

The PXM International Surf Contest is slated for Nov. 15 to 18 and the 19th annual International Sailfish Sports Fishing Tournament will run Nov. 23 - 25. And this year's Coast Festival of Dance, the 14th edition thereof, expands from its usual two days to four: Nov. 17 - 20.

You read it here first, folks.

ETC. I first had the pleasure of watching the phenomenal Lila Downs in concert during the above mentioned Fiestas, some years back. This was before her leap to fame and (one hopes) fortune. But Lila is still true to the cause. Every year she performs to raise funds for Guadalupe Masalem Scholarship Fund for young indigenous women. It takes place at the handsome Macedonia Alcalá theater in Oaxaca on Oct 27 and 28.
More on info on Lila's website: www.liladowns.com

This Month in Puerto

Friday 12
Columbus Day
Here it's known as "Day of the Race", Día de la Raza, The Discovery of America is seen as an Encuentro, a meeting of two worlds, previously unknown to each other. The arrival of the Spaniards was disastrous for the indigenous peoples and their culture, but it gave birth to a new race - - the mestizo - - and a blending of Old World and New World traditions that changed both worlds forever.

Día de la Raza acknowledges the racial reality here; the majority of Mexico's 90 million people are mestizos. October 12 is a public holiday, government offices and some businesses will be closed.

(For the record, at dawn on Oct. 12, 1492, after 70 days at sea, the crews of the caravels La Pinta, La Niña and La Santa María were alerted by the cry of "¡Tierra, Tierra, Tierra!" by seaman Rodrigo de Triano when he sighted land. And the rest, as they say, is history.)

Friday 12, 19 & 26
Festival of Fandango
Villa Tutútepec
Fandango de Varitas is a musical form unique to the Tutútepec, an ancient settlement that was the center of Mixtec power on the Oaxacan coast from its founding in 357 A.D. until the Spanish Conquest.

The Fandango is danced at all important fiestas in San Pedro Tutútepec or Villa Tutútepec de Melchior Ocampo as it is now known. It traditionally features five or six musicians playing guitar, violin, cajón (a percussion instrument fashioned from a cedar box), charrasca, made from a seed pod and a cántaro (a kind of bass made from a clay pot).

The first Friday of October is a mayordomía fiesta, dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary. The mayordomo is the sponsor of the fiesta, at whose home much of the activities take place. The festival is repeated every Friday leading up to Day of the Dead.

The second mayordomia Fandango Fiesta of the month is dedicated to Tata Chu, a dark-skinned representation of "Father Jesus" much revered by the Mixtecs of the coast. Other Fiestas honor las Santas Ánimas, the "holy souls" of the departed, a prelude to the community's celebration of the Days of the Dead.

The fiesta begins at 8 p.m. and goes on until 7 a.m. on Saturday. Other indigenous communities also participate, performing their traditional dances on the Hill of Birds, for which the town is named.

Villa Tutútepec boasts an interesting museum that documents its rich history. It's a dozen km off the Coast Highway at about km 66, just past Santa Rosa de Lima.

Saturday 20
24th Festival of Chilenas
Santiago Jamiltepec
Chilena music is the sound and the soul of the coast and of its people. Chilenas provide the soundtrack for all important occasions, from baptisms to funerals.

Much of the music heard in the towns and villages is performed by a banda, the local brass band. A major change in Oaxaca's musical style came about with the arrival of military bands at the end of the 18th century. Oaxacans quickly took to the big brass horns, trumpets and such. Songs and marches were adapted, the new instruments adopted and a distinctive Oaxacan banda music emerged.

As with most aspects of the culture in this region, chilenas are a mixture of native Indian, Spanish and African elements. Some experts believe that the predecessor to the chilena was the marinera peruana, a music genre related to the traditional cueca of Peru and Chile and that Chileans introduced the music when they were shipwrecked in Mexico on their way to the California Gold Rush. Some claim that "chilena" comes from the Zapotec chijena, which means "the sound made by instruments".

Chilena dances are part of the rich folkloric heritage of the Mixtec, Amuzgos and Chatino Indians of the state. Couples always dance apart, pañuelo, or handkerchief, held high in the right hand, feet stomping to the rhythm.

Chilena songs are built on an eight-syllable structure, with a chorus that alternates with sections that are purely instrumental. The lyrics speak of every day life, referring to love, women, elements of nature such as crops or animals, and anthems in praise of the hometown. Often there are risque with spoken lyrics about the sexual inadequacies of partners, two-timing husbands and other peccadillos. Chilenas are played by soloists, trios, bandas or any combination of musicians. And that's what you'll see at this 24th Chilena Festival in the charming town of Santiago Jamiltepec, also rich in crafts and folklore.

It's a song contest for original compositions, with prizes ranging from $10,000 pesos for first place to $1000 for fifth.

The Festival begins with an exhibition of artwork by painters from the region and an crafts expo of textile, ceramic and wood crafts. The music begins at 4 p.m. with performances by folkloric groups from indigenous communities from the coast and the Isthmus.

Thursday 25
Thanksgiving Day
If you crave a turkey dinner with all the fixings, make a reservation at La Torre, Tel: 582 1119.

Friday 26
Festival of Fandango
Villa Tutútepec
See Fri. 12

Sunday 28
Daylight Savings Time Ends
SET CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR AT 2 A.M.

Wed 31 - Nov. Fri 2
Days of the Dead
The Day of The Dead festival is one of the most important - and interesting - of the entire Mexican religious calendar. And nowhere is this celebration adopted more enthusiastically than in Oaxaca.

Centered around All Saints and All Souls Days on Nov. 1 and 2, far from being solemn or morbid, the Day of the Dead celebrations are highly festive in tone. They celebrate the continuity of life and strengthen the links to the past.
See more

Saturday, Nov. 3
Miss Puerto Escondido
This contest signals the official start to Puerto's Fiestas of November.
City Hall Plaza

Sunday Nov. 4
Miss Chiquitita Contest
The November Fiestas require not just a Fiesta Queen, but a veritable Royal Family. Apart from the Miss Puerto Escondido pageant and Mrs. Emerald Coast, there's this contest for cute, precocious little girls.

Read This Month's Feature Articles:
Oaxacan BBQ
Day of the Dead
Live Music in Puerto