Bruce Whipperman - Moon Oaxaca

Many of the following words have a socio-historical meaning; others you will not find in the usual EnglishSpanish dictionary.

abarrotes groceries, grocery store

aguardiente Mexican white lightning: cheap distilled liquor made from sugarcane

aguas watch out!

alcalde mayor or municipal judge

alebrije fanciful wooden animal, mostly made in Arrazola and Tilcajete villages

alfarera pottery

andador walkway, or strolling path

antojitos native Mexican snacks, such as tamales, chiles rellenos, tacos, and enchiladas

artesanas handicrafts

artesano, artesana craftsman, craftswoman

asuncin the assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven (as distinguished from the ascenc-in of Jesus into heaven)

atole a popular nonalcoholic drink made from corn juice

audiencia one of the royal executive-judicial panels sent to rule Mexico during the 16th century

autopista expressway

ayuntamiento either the town council or the building where it meets

balneario hot springs; can refer to a natural feature, a recreational spa, or a resort

barrio a town or village district or neighborhood, usually centered around its own local plaza and church

bienes raices literally good roots, but popularly, real estate

bola small crowd of people

boleto ticket, boarding pass

brujo, bruja male or female witch doctor or shaman

caballero literally horseman, but popularly, gentleman

cabaa ecotursticas bungalow lodging for tourists

cabercera head town of a municipal district, or headquarters in general

cabrn literally, a cuckold, but more commonly, bastard, rat, or S.O.B.; sometimes used affectionately

cacique local chief or boss

calenda procession, usually religious, as during a festival

camionera bus station

campesino country person; farm worker

canasta basket, traditionally made of woven reeds, with handle

cantera local volcanic stone, widely used for colonial-era Oaxaca monuments

Carnaval celebration preceding Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the fasting period called Lent. Carnaval is called Mardi Gras in the United States.

casa de huspedes guesthouse, often operated in a family home

cascada waterfall

caudillo dictator or political chief

centro de salud health center/clinic

charro gentleman cowboy

chingar literally, to rape, but also the universal Spanish f word, the equivalent of screw in English

Churrigueresque Spanish baroque architectural style incorporated into many Mexican colonial churches, named after Jos Churriguera (16651725)

cientficos literally, scientists, but applied to President Porfirio Dazs technocratic advisers

coa (estaca) digging stick, used for planting corn

Cocijo Zapotec god of rain, lightning, and thunder

cofradia Catholic fraternal service association, either male or female, mainly in charge of financing and organizing religious festivals

colectivo a shared public taxi or minibus that picks up and deposits passengers along a designated route

colegio preparatory school or junior college

colonia suburban subdivision/satellite of a larger city

comal a flat pottery griddle, for cooking/heating tortillas

comedor restaurant

comida casera home-cooked food

comida corrida economical afternoon set meal, usually with four coursessoup, rice, entre, and dessert

compadrazgo the semi-formal web of village and barrio compadre and padrino relationships that determine a persons lifetime obligations and loyalties

compadre a semi-formalized best friend relationship that usually lasts for life

comunal refers to the traditional indigenous system of joint decision-making and land ownership and use

Conasupo government store that sells basic foods at subsidized prices

correo mail, post, or post office

criollo person of all-European, usually Spanish, descent born in the New World

Cuaresma Lent (the 46 days of pre-Easter fasting, beginning on Ash Wednesday, and ending on the Saturday before Easter Sunday)

cuota toll, as in cuota autopista, toll expressway

curandero, curandera indigenous medicine man or woman

damas ladies, as in ladies room

Domingo de Ramos Palm Sunday

ejido a constitutional, government-sponsored form of community, with shared land ownership and cooperative decision-making

encomienda colonial award of tribute from a designated indigenous district

farmacia pharmacy or drugstore

finca farm

finca cafetelera coffee farm

fonda food stall or small restaurant, often in a traditional market complex

fraccionamiento city sector or subdivision, abbreviated Fracc.

fuero the former right of Mexican clergy and military to be tried in separate ecclesiastical and military courts

gachupn one who wears spurs; a derogatory term for a Spanish-born colonial

gasolinera gasoline station

gente de razn people of reason; whites and mestizos in colonial Mexico

gringo once-derogatory but now commonly used term for North American whites

grito impassioned cry, as in Hidalgos Grito de Dolores

hacienda large landed estate; also the government treasury

hamaca hammock

hechicero a wizard who often leads native propitiatory ceremonies

hidalgo nobleman or noblewoman; called honorifically by Don or Doa

hojalata tinware, a popular craft of Oaxaca

huarache popular dish consisting of a fried masa base with a variety of toppings

huipil traditional emroidered dress

indgena indigenous or aboriginal inhabitant of all-native descent who speaks his or her native tongue; commonly, but incorrectly, an indio (Indian)

jacal native label for thatched, straw, and/or stick country house

jaripeo bull roping and riding

jejenes no-see-um biting gnats, most common around coastal wetlands

judiciales the federal judicial, or investigative police, best known to motorists for their highway checkpoint inspections

jugera stall or small restaurant providing a large array of squeezed vegetable and fruit jugos (juices)

juzgado the hoosegow, or jail

lancha launch (a small motorboat)

larga distancia long-distance telephone service, or the caseta (booth or office) where its provided

licencado academic degree (abbrev. Lic.) approximately equivalent to a bachelors degree in the United States

lonchera small lunch counter, usually serving juices, sandwiches, and antojitos

machismo; macho exaggerated sense of maleness; person who holds such a sense of himself

manaita early-morning mass

mano a hand, or the stone roller used to grind corn on the flat stone metate

mayordomo community leader responsible for staging a local Catholic religious festival

mescal alcoholic beverage distilled from the fermented hearts of maguey (century plant)

mestizo person of mixed native and European descent

metate a slightly concave, horizontal stone basin for grinding corn for tortillas

milagro literally a miracle, but also a small religious wish medal, often pinned to an altar saint by someone requesting divine intervention

milpa a small, family-owned field, traditionally planted in corn, beans, and squash

mirador viewpoint, overlook

molcajete a stone mortar and pestle, used for hand-grinding, especially chilies and seeds

mordida slang for bribe; little bite

olla a pottery jug or pot, used for stewing vegetables, meats, beans, coffee

padrino, padrina godfather or godmother, often the respective compadres of the given childs parents