The market of Zaachila spanned larger than Etla, yet was much more focused on the food aspect of markets. Hundreds of tables held any type of food you could want, from fresh vegetables to hot tacos to mango ice cream. Some of the food was still alive, which I found intriguing.
I watched families wander the aisles of the market, finding the perfect turkey to purchase and carry home. I felt out of my comfort zone within the areas of animals, mostly due to the fact that there is nothing that I witnessed in Zaachila that exists in the United States on such a large and normalized scale. To them, it was just an everyday task to put animals on trucks, into bags and placed in crates, but in my own experience, I only felt an emotional tug for these animals.
These people, let us not forget, were here to sell. As I wandered the alleyways of the market, multiple people of varying ages approached me, telling me their birds were the biggest, or their goats were the most well-fed. Yes, the people of Zaachila wanted to make a profit out of their animals, but I found another, deeper level between animal and human. The people of Zaachila truly did care about their animals, as shown above as a woman holds one of her turkeys in her lap. A simple act, yet a sort of love for the animal prevails.
Yet another aspect I wanted to capture was the work ethic in which the people of Zaachila demonstrated. They were workers, and it showed. Their hands rough and rubbed with dirt, their shoes worn, I could only imagine the tiring days that led up to the market day. I felt an immense amount of respect for each and every person there, making a living off of their livestock.
Yet, one idea remains after Zaachila: what is the relationship between person and animal in Oaxaca?