Markus Martinez Burman

Environmental scientist and Documentary Photographer
  
Bishé
Location: Norwich, UK
Nationality: Swedish and Mexican
Biography: Coming soon...
Public Story
Bishé
Copyright Markus Martinez Burman 2024
Date of Work Feb 2022 - Ongoing
Updated Apr 2023
Topics Spotlight
Summary
In 1987 my grandfather, Juan Martínez López (Dr. Fan, as he calls himself), and his family immigrated to Mexico City, leaving behind their life in Juchitán, Oaxaca. My family preserves its roots and traditions in the house they once lived in and their community. This essay follows my grandmother as she returns to Juchitan after thieves break in to steal the copper pipes of the system. The mango tree and the Juchitan wind guide us through the memories of my grandmother as I try to imagine a Juchitan when my aunts and uncles were children, when my grandfather was still alive.
En 1987 mi abuelo, Juan Martínez López (Dr. Fan, como él se hace llamar), y su familia emigraron a la Ciudad de México, dejando atrás su vida en Juchitán, Oaxaca. A pesar de su migración a la ciudad de México, mi familia conserva sus raíces y tradiciones en su comunidad y la casa que algún día vivieron. Mi abuela regresa a Juchitán cada que puede  para cuidar de su casa y su árbol de mango que ella plantó hace años. Mi abuelo falleció cuando yo tenía 12 años, era médico y escritor y nunca dejó de escribir sobre su hogar en la región de Tehuantepec. Conocí a mi abuelo por medio de sus poemas y cuentos, muchos de ellos en zapoteco con traducciones al español.

Este ensayo sigue a mi abuela en su regreso a Juchitan despues de que ladrones entraran a robar las tuberias de cobre de la sisterna. El arbol de mango y el viento de Juchitan nos guian por los recuerdos de mi abuela mientras trato de imaginar un Juchitan cuando mis tios y tias eran un niñxs, cuando mi abuelo seguia vivo.

(Proyecto de largo aliento en proceso...)
In 1987 my grandfather, Juan Martínez López (Dr. Fan, as he calls himself), and his family immigrated to Mexico City, leaving behind their life in Juchitán, Oaxaca. Despite their migration to Mexico City, my family preserves its roots and traditions in the house they once lived in and their community. My grandmother returns to Juchitán whenever she can to take care of her house and her mango tree that she planted years ago. My grandfather passed away when I was 12 years old, he was a doctor and a writer and he never stopped writing about his home in the Tehuantepec region. I got to know my grandfather through his poems and stories, many of them in Zapotec with translations into Spanish.

This essay follows my grandmother as she returns to Juchitan after thieves break in to steal the copper pipes of the system. The mango tree and the Juchitan wind guide us through the memories of my grandmother as I try to imagine a Juchitan when my aunts and uncles were children, when my grandfather was still alive.

(Long-term project in progress...)
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