Did you know Oaxacans speak Spanish with an accent slightly different from people in the rest of Mexico? When I first arrived, someone told me their way of speaking was smoother and more rhythmic than in other states. I began listening for this melody in native Oaxacans to understand their accent.
This melody was echoed by the sounds of crunchy leaves waving with the wind during my hikes. Hikes that introduced me to giant mountains that seem to extend forever toward the sky. Mountains that house untouched fields of green and trees old enough to speak the hundreds of languages that existed on this land before Spanish. I understood this melody to exist in the carved symbols on the side of ancient buildings. Symbols that I imagine had great meaning for the ancient civilizations who created them and took the time to etch them perfectly into stone. Perhaps this melody is sung in the street art murals. The large murals depict people protesting, harvesting, existing and embracing their roots with cultural references. I imagine the rhythm of their everyday language comes from the peace and community that is the result of being constantly painted. The people here not only see each other, but they also find artistic beauty in their everyday lives.
