Arts & crafts for migrant and indigenous children

Oaxaca is a place of rhythms, songs, and textures. Belonging to this territory is a daily reminder for children of how zapotec culture is a way of living and a reason for preserving our traditional arts, and knowledge. 

Before sharing with you the last news I want to make a flashback, and tell you that since the beginning of UMPO existence, children have been one of our greatest motivations for initiating the Community center of traditional trades and health. A good friend of ours, who was a local talented musician, started the first group of guitar and zapoteco singing. Today some of this first generation continue practicing to play guitar. Many things have changed, many kids have been part of this dream and we are very proud to be able of being witnesses of how childhood can transform society.  

Last month, the traditional guitar group was invited to the graduation ceremony of a 2016-2022 primary school in our community. This was such an important happening for us because we realized that this year the guitar group will have its 5-year anniversary, since the earthquake in 2017 when the workshop started for the first time.   

Maybe this event might not be so important, but we want to remember to you that this program wants children to don't migrate to other cities, and invite them to look inside their communities, and find opportunities in life or ways of personal growth. And also, to have memories of why they want to stay in their territory, and motives to return to their homes if they leave someday. 

Once, someone asked Zahir, one of the kids,  what is UMPO for him and he answered “UMPO is culture, our culture” and we cried silently :`) 

Thank you for believing that working with childhood changes the world, if we love our territory we will stay in it and we will take care of it.

Links:

• Concert at primary school Margarita Maza