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OAXACA, MEXICO

Mixe (Ayuuk)

AYUUK WIKI

Elephant in the Room @ Oaxaca Pochimilco 10.2011

FLICKR ALBUM: Ayuuk Store

The Mixe (Ayuuk) people live in the mountains northeast of the Central Valleys, near the border of Veracruz. They are famous for their music and their knowledge of traditional medicine.

The Selva Mixe can be divided in three geographical regions. The Zona Alta (above 1,500 meters) is home to the sacred Zempoaltépetl mountain. The Zona Media ranges in height from 800 to 1,500 meters and has a temperate climate and dense forest. The Zona Baja is located below 800 meters and has a warm, tropical climate.

Santa María Tlahuitoltepec is located near the Cempoaltepetl Mountain, 123 kilometers from Oaxaca City. Town fiestas take place on August 15th and December 12th.

CRAFTS

Traditional crafts include clay pottery and embroidered textiles. Near Oaxaca City, a fine selection of products is available at the Ayuuk store east of the plaza in Santa María del Tule.

MUSIC

The region stands out for its music.

The Center for Musical Training and Development of the Mixe Culture (CECAM) is located in Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, Oaxaca, an indigenous community to the northeast of the state capital and home to around 8,000 members of the Ayuuk people, one of the nearly 60 ethnic groups in Mexico.