Although there is a daily market in the town of Teotitlán, it becomes extra vibrant on January 15 each year as community members prepare to visit their compadres on this date. At the market we will find coffee and lima trees, nochebuenas (poinsettas), and necklaces made out of flor de cacao which are traditional gifts given on this day. The Cristo negro de Esquipulas is a statue of Jesus from a church in Esquipulas, Guetemala. There are many stories of how the statue turned black-either it was burnt in a fire and miraculous survived but remained charred or it was hidden in a mine for safe keeping during a time of political struggle and recovered many years later covered in soot. Many people from Teotitlán have made a pilgramage to visit the church in Guatemala and on this day the miracle of the statue is revered throughout the community.

Cost per person: $185 USD/3,475 MXN (Open Outing 2-6 participants)

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca city (40 minutes each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Visit to regional market

• Breakfast at the market of local delicacies like chotolate atole, tamales, memelas, and tepache

• Talk with our hosts about the traditions lived on this special date

• Cooking class of regional dishes with a cocinera tradicional utilizing 4 types heirloom corn grown on site and traditional tools such as the comal and metate

• Enjoying the lunch that we cook accompanied by our selection of traditional mezcal

• Rug weaving and natural dye demonstration

• Option to visit a beeswax candle maker´s workshop or Tule tree

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project