Immerse yourself in Oaxaca’s incredible culture, nature, and artisan mecca over 8 nights and 8 days. Spending time in the city, mountains, and Valleys of Oaxaca, we’ll learn how to identify and dye with mushrooms and lichens, spend time with artisans creating a range of handmade crafts, and soak up the diversity and richness of Mixtec and Zapotec culture dating back at least 12,000 years.
Our trip will be book-ended in the cultural and foodie mecca of Oaxaca City with most of our time immersed in the mountains and valleys, exploring the diverse edible (and dyeable) landscape with our Zapotec friends, sharing generations of knowledge from nature to traditional cooking, natural dyeing, fiber arts, and more.
Our trip will be book-ended in the cultural and foodie mecca of Oaxaca City with most of our time immersed in the mountains and valleys, exploring the diverse edible (and dyeable) landscape with our Zapotec friends, sharing generations of knowledge from nature to traditional cooking, natural dyeing, fiber arts, and more.
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"Hands down would go again. I loved being able to get off the beaten path and discover authentic Mexican cuisine, history, landscapes and connect with the wonderful people of Mexico.”
–Kaitlen, Minneapolis, MN; 2021 attendee
TRIP OVERVIEW
Our first night will kick off in Oaxaca City with a group welcome dinner to get to know each other and enjoy Oaxaca’s famous cuisine before heading for two full days of foraging in the Mixteca Alta mountains.
Leaving the city, we’ll travel through the Etla Valley, home of San Jose Mogote, the first Zapotec settlement from 3,500 years ago. As we head into the mountainous Mixteca region, we shift to an entirely different culture and civilization that has existed in parallel to the Zapotecs for over 5,000 years.
On our way, we’ll stop at an archaeological site that was a major urban center and trade hubs in ancient times. The Mixteca sits on a wealth of rich history and is well known for its metalworking, jewelry, and decorated vessels.
Leaving the city, we’ll travel through the Etla Valley, home of San Jose Mogote, the first Zapotec settlement from 3,500 years ago. As we head into the mountainous Mixteca region, we shift to an entirely different culture and civilization that has existed in parallel to the Zapotecs for over 5,000 years.
On our way, we’ll stop at an archaeological site that was a major urban center and trade hubs in ancient times. The Mixteca sits on a wealth of rich history and is well known for its metalworking, jewelry, and decorated vessels.
In the misty Sierra Occidental mountains where the Rockies end, we’ll stay for three nights in cozy cabins heated by fire in the night and spend our days in the woods foraging for mushrooms and lichens to dye with in the coming days. Alongside local guides and women from the community, we’ll also collect a range of mushrooms, medicinal plants, and other dyers for an ID and dye testing table back at our mountain abode.
Nestled in nature, we’ll gather the colors offered by the mountains, learn about the food and medicine provided by these forests and enjoy hot chocolate and local dishes prepared by local chefs.
Nestled in nature, we’ll gather the colors offered by the mountains, learn about the food and medicine provided by these forests and enjoy hot chocolate and local dishes prepared by local chefs.
From the mountains, we’ll head back into the Valleys of Oaxaca to the Zapotec weaving and dyeing village of Teotitlan de Valle.
While in Teotitlan, we’ll be immersed in Zapotec daily life and culture. Starting our mornings at the local market for breakfast while streams of women with ribbons braided in their hair bustle through to gather their daily produce and tortillas.
Staying with Dr. Sam and his Zapotec artisan family, we’ll spend three days turning our foraged treasures into a rainbow of colored wool yarn to accent the rugs we’ll make on foot treadle looms to take home with you and remember our adventure together.
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We’ll also be inviting a handful of community members to join in mushroom dyeing as the Zapotec dyers in the village are very interested in learning more about mushroom dyes to incorporate into their weaving process. Last year, Alissa presented to more than 50 community members on the mushroom and lichen colors of Oaxaca and we are excited to build in more time with them this year. |
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We’ll wrap up our time with a night back in Oaxaca City for some last minute market shopping for those looking for gifts and one last celebratory meal to show off our woven and dyed creations from the week.
Of course, you don’t have to leave Oaxaca when the trip ends… in fact, we encourage you to stay and are more than happy to share what we know. |
Our Team
Zack & Kim
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Alissa Allen
Mushroom Dye MasterAlissa is the founder of Mycopigments. She specializes in teaching about regional mushroom and lichen dye palettes to fiber artists and mushroom enthusiasts all over the world. Alissa got her start in the Pacific Northwest and has been sharing her passion for mushrooms for over 15 years.
Alissa uses brilliant colors found in fungal dyes to entice people to take a closer look at mushrooms and lichens and the role they play in our lives. This will be her second season joining us for mycoadventures in Oaxaca. |
Dr. Sam Lazo
Zapotec Weaver & DyerOur host for three nights, Samuel grew up in the Zapotec way of life with a family of weavers in Teotitlan de Valle. In his own journey of self-discovery, Samuel has revisited his people’s written history from an indigenous perspective.
For the better part of the week, you will be immersed in one of the cradles of civilization at the hands of none better to guide you. From the oral stories of the Benizaá people from the last Ice Age, Dr. Sam will help us understand the depth & wisdom of his ancestral people & land. |
