Learning about the Zapotecs at Hierve el Agua
We saw the gorgeous photos of Hierve el Agua in Oaxaca, Mexico, and naturally wanted to see the petrified waterfall and mineral-green infinity pools for ourselves. We booked a guided tour with Coyote Aventuras that included transportation from Oaxaca city, breakfast and lunch hosted by local families, a 7 kilometer (3.5 mile) guided hike to a “secret spot”, a dip in the Hierve el Agua pools, and a cultural stop in Teotitlan, known for its textiles. It was a day of adventure, but (more importantly) we also learned a ton about Oaxaca’s indigenous communities.
About Hierve el Agua
Hierve el Agua is one of only two petrified waterfalls in the world. The name means “boiling water”, but that’s due to its effervescent appearance; the water isn’t actually hot. The gurgling natural mineral springs bubble up from a massive underground reservoir, forming small pools that drip over the cliff. Over LONG periods of time, deposits of calcium carbonate built up, forming the petrified cascades.
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Hierve el Agua is perched high in the Sierra Mixe mountains, with stunning panoramic views of Oaxaca's arid, rugged landscape. We were excited to relax in the beckoning pools, but to get a better appreciation for the size and formation of the falls, we started with a guided hike.
Oaxaca’s Indigenous Communities
Fresh off the plane and new to Oaxaca, we didn’t really know much about Mexico’s indigenous communities. We recognized the strong Mayan influence during our 10 day Yucatan roadtrip, but never really considered a more extensive indigenous story. It turns out that Oaxaca is home to Mexico’s highest population of ethnically-diverse indigenous people — Zapotecs, Mixtecs, Mazatecs, and more than a dozen other recognized groups — each with its own language and cultural practices. Like the Native American tribal communities in the United States, Mexico’s indigenous communities are autonomously governed, fiercely independent, and admirably determined to preserve their languages, traditional lifestyles and values.
Hierve el Agua, Oaxaca, Mexico
Hierve el Agua is on communal land owned by the Zapotecs, who establish and enforce tourism rules and regulations on their property. They welcome paying visitors to the mineral pools, but anyone who wishes to hike must be accompanied by a paid local Zapotec guide; they don’t let strangers just wander through their grazing lands and crop fields unaccompanied. This is the general rule for any trail that crosses through indigenous property. I remember watching a YouTube video of two American guys bicycling through Mexico; they were sometimes stopped and asked to pay money (for an escort) to proceed. The cycling dudes didn’t speak any Spanish and thought they were being harassed or extorted, not understanding that they were, in fact, trespassing on private property. If you are planning to hike the Sierras in Oaxaca, hire a qualified tour agency that knows regional rules.
Anyways, I digressed. For over 2,500 years, these mineral waters have been important to the Zapotecs. As we descended down a dusty trail to the base of the falls, our guide pointed out traces of an extensive canal engineered by the Zapotecs to channel water into natural and man-made pools. In today’s arid landscape - growing harsher with climate change - Hierve el Agua’s underground reservoir remains crucial to the sustainability and survival of the Zapotec people. Throughout the hike, our Zapotec guide also explained the terrain, pointing out several plant species and answering our questions (with our Coyote Aventures tour leader, Marlene, translating his native Zapotec).
We climbed up the cascades, emerging at the edge of the pool area. Some of the pools are natural; others are man-made. All of them are fed from the mineral-rich springs — and are really deep! The water was over our heads in some spots! Floating through the soft, tranquil waters, watching birds sail on wind currents, was the epitome of relaxation.
When we first dipped our toes into the pools, there were less than a dozen other people. By noon, though, tourists began arriving en masse. This was Marlene’s signal to usher us onward to the “secret spot”. Putting our hiking shoes back on, we hit the trail again, this time for a longer, more extensive hike. We crossed onto land owned by a different indigenous community (the Mixtecs, I think).
We met our new escort near a non-descript clearing near some grazing cattle. He and Marlene exchanged pleasantries, but he was silent for most of the dry, dusty, very hot walk. As we hiked, Marlene explained to us in more detail about the structure and operation of the indigenous communities. We learned that they are self-governed under a system of customary laws, led by a group of elders in each community. Historically, many of the indigenous populations were economically marginalized, forcing them to become self-reliant. Infrastructure projects, such as roads, schools, clinics, and water systems, are built using a system called “tequio”. Community members — even those who have left the rural village for the city — are required to donate a predetermined number of labor hours annually and/or make a monetary contribution to pay for supplies or specialized contractor skills. Decision-making for infrastructure projects is done through a communal assembly. The tequio system fosters a sense of ownership and solidarity, while reducing reliance on the federal government or NGOs for basic services.
The Secret Spot
We walked for approximately 3 miles when we suddenly approached a narrow gorge. We descended a wooden ladder, swapped hiking gear for swimming attire, and waded up a shallow stream in the hidden canyon. Rounding a bend, the canyon widened into a shaded swimming area fed by a cascade of fresh, cold mountain water. What a great place for the local residents to cool off during the afternoon heat!
We splashed around in the canyon for about 90 minutes. Some locals stopped by and offered us each a beer, which we eagerly accepted. Then it was time to change out of wet clothes and hop back into the van.
Teotitlan Textiles
Our next destination was Teotitlan del Valle, another Zapotec community renowned for its textiles. Teotitlan dates back to 1465. Like Oaxaca’s other indigenous communities, it operates on a communal system. Villagers work together to farm, cook, build homes, and produce marketable goods; they share the profits and losses. As Marlene explained to us, there is no concept of individual ownership or inequality within the community. We stopped at one local family’s house for lunch (amazing chicken with mole sauce!).
After lunch, the elderly woman and her daughter explained how villagers work together to raise and shore the sheep, clean the wool, dye it with all-natural, locally-gathered ingredients, and then spin it into colorful yarns. The grandma then demonstrated on the loom how they weave colorful rugs and other textiles. Younger women apprentice with older women to learn the complex weaving patterns. A single rug can take up to six months to create!
While we had booked the tour primarily for the scenic wonder of Hierve el Agua, we ended up gaining a huge appreciation for the Sierra mountain landscape and Oaxaca’s many indigenous communities. Highly recommend Coyote Aventuras to anyone planning to visit Hierve el Agua. They also provide a number of other types of excursions, including rock climbing, mountain biking, and longer forest hikes.
