Apoala - The Mixtec Cradle
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Nestled within the Mixteca Alta Sierra, four hours northeast of the city of Oaxaca, lies the farming community Santiago Apoala—a rugged terrain of reds, greens, pinks, and browns. The village is isolated from the drone of city-life by the stern cliff faces around. A passing car is an event here, and streetlights have not yet arrived to overwhelm the light of the moon at night.
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The Apoala River dominates life. Mixtec farmers have diverted it to irrigate their fields. Most of the trails that lead to sites of interest are reached by following the river as it winds and it figures prominently in the Mixtec creation myth. According to legend, two giant trees growing along the banks of the Apoala fell in love and, to ease their longings, interlaced their branches and roots. The first Mixtec man and woman resulted from this union and the great Mixtec culture was born.
The Mixtec creation myth tells of the intimate ties between its land and people. It is a union that exists to this day. In Apoala, farmers strain with beasts of burden to cultivate squash and maize in the harsh, stoney soil. Donkeys, goats, wildfowl and the inevitable stray dog roam the streets.
Residents decorate the entrances to their homes with sillhouettes of roosters and dogs, shaped from sticks, branches and stones. Townspeople invariably look up from their plough to shout greetings to passersby.
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Apoala has many trails worth exploring, including the Picturas Repuestas (Discovered Pictures), Cueva del Serpiente (Cave of Snakes), and the Cascada Cola de Serpiente (Tail of the Snake Cascade). The Picturas Repuestas, dating back at least 5,000 years, are the oldest Mixtec drawings in existence. The white glyphs that dot the mountain represent elements from nature—earth, wind, rain, sun, and, importantly, maize. Maize pervaded every sector of ancient Mixtec life. It dominated diet, ritual and trade, and was paid as tribute in times of war. Fossilized maize shows its evolution, from tiny wild plants with bite-sized cobs to the domesticated plant familiar today.
Near the campsite area is the Cueva del Serpiente, whose name is derived from another mountain legend (see below). One can hear and catch glimpses of the river from within the cave. A guide and a flashlight are welcome additions when exploring in the darkness; squeezing though crevices, looking at stalagtites, ducking bats as they flap overhead.
The climax of an Apoala visit is the steep trail down to the Cola de Serpiente, where the Apoala tranforms from a humble river into a beautiful waterfall. Along this trail there are several spots to observe the water plummet before its final 300 foot descent into a sea-green pool. After a long day of hiking, the cold water is an inviting reprieve from the heat.
It is worth allotting several days to explore Apoala’s beauty—each day passes quickly and there are nearly a dozen trails listed at the hostel, the only accomodation available in town. Typically, each trail is a spirited two-hour round hike and you are left wishing for more time to explore another trail or recline a little longer on a cool spot by the river.
Tour agencies run trips to Apoala from Oaxaca city center. Also, marked buses to Apoala leave from Nochixtlán market five days a week.
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