Photographer captures stunning culture Inside Oaxaca, Mexico.
It is the differences in culture, traditions and way of life that make us at THISWORLDEXISTS want to continue to explore every corner of our fascinating globe.
Heritage and the uniquities of people all over the world simply fascinates us and each trip feeds our hunger for knowledge and understanding. With knowledge comes acceptance and it helps build tolerance of others.
Diego Huerta, a Mexican photography has dedicated the last 4 years to capturing the rich indigenous culture in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca through these breathtaking portraits.
The 30 year old Mexican photographer began working on his project, titled “Inside Oaxaca,” after traveling to Oaxaca and inadvertently witnessing the Guelaguetza, its biggest annual celebration and parade that features traditional dances and customs from the States’ eight different regions.
In awe of the colours and the faces of various delegations, he wanted to discover where they all came from and learn more about their traditions and customs.
About 15 percent of the Mexican population identifies as indigenous, according to the United Nations Human Rights Council. That number jumps to 56 percent in Oaxaca, where there are 16 different indigenous groups.
Oaxaca is an interesting mix of modern and the traditional. The indigenous people and the mestizo people, fight to conserve that indigenous part that they inherited.
As part of his project, Huerta travels to remote parts of the State and has photographed women and men from the Zapotec, Mixtecos, Mixes and Chontales communities. His project in Oaxaca will feed into a larger photo endeavor he has planned called “Native Nation,” which consists of documenting Mexico’s more than 50 indigenous groups.
See more of David Huerta's photography on his Instagram account.
Huerta hopes that his photo projects create an empathy for indigenous people, and that that empathy be a trigger to respect them and value them.
Check out some of Huerta’s photos from “Inside Oaxaca” below, and more on his Instagram account.
