S-13. Plants

§1. Below are some words for trees and plants that are common in the Tlacolula Valley of Oaxaca. Many names for flowers or flowering plants start with gyi or gyia, a short form of the word gyia “flower”. Yanuan starts with ya, which is related to gyag “tree”.

be [be’eh] mushroom

dub [dùub] maguey

gyia bugambily [gyìa’ bugambi’lly] bougainvillea

gyia carnad [gyìa’ ca’rnaad] pomegranate tree

gyibtsë [gyibtsëh] organ-pipe cactus

gyibya [gyibyàa] prickly pear cactus

gyiluzh [gyi’lùùu’zh] pepper tree

gyiwi [gyiwii] guava tree

yanuan [yannuuan] chirimoya (custard apple) tree

 

Here are some pictures of some of the trees and plants named above.


dub

 

Maguey, a type of agave from which mezcal is made, is one of the most important cash crops grown in the Tlacolula Valley.


gyibtsë


gyibya


gyiluzh


gyia bugambily

 

Below are some pictures of fruit trees. While some of these fruits are common in California, you may not recognize others. Many types of tropical fruit grow in Oaxaca. If you would like to try them, you may be able to find some in specialty grocery stores!


gyiwi


yanuan

gyia carnad
gyia carnad

§2. Here are words for some fruits and vegetables, some of which grow on the trees named above.

bruiny [brùu’iny] tuna, xoconostle (prickly pear cactus fruit)

btsë [btsëh] tuna (organ-pipe cactus fruit)

btyux [btyùu’ux] tomato

btyux guizh [btyùu’ux gui’ihzh] tomatillo

bya [byàa] nopal (prickly pear cactus pad)

carnad [ca’rnaad] pomegranate

durazn [dura’azn] peach

gyet wez [gyeht wèèe’z] chilacayote (a type of large squash)

gyex [gye’ehx] avocado

gyiny [gyììi’ny] chile

limony [limoony] lime; lemon

mansan [mannsaan] apple

membri [membrii] quince

nuan [nnuuan] chirimoya

wi [wii] guava

zhity [zhi’ihty] onion

Below are pictures of some of the fruits and vegetables given above. Many of these pictures were taken at the weekly market in Tlacolula.

mansan, durazn, cuan membri
mansan, durazn, cuan membri

limony
limony


btyux guizh


zhity


gyiny


gyet wez

 

§3. Finally, here are words for some common flowers. Again, these words start with a short form of gyia “flower”. Flowers have a very special place in Zapotec culture. Many of these flowers are used to decorate altars, both in the church and in people’s homes; others are prized for their sweet smell.

gyia cub [gyìa cu’ub] marigold

gyia daly [gyìa’da’lly] dahlia

gyia gradyol [gyìa gradyoo’ll] gladiola

gyia jerany [gyìa’ jera’anny] geranium

gyia nub [gyìa’ nuub] flor de nubes (type of small white flower)

gyia panumr [gyìa’ pannu’ummr] (type of red flower)

gyia reiny [gyìa’ re’ehiny] poinsettia

gyia rros [gyìa rro’s] rose

gyia rrueg [gyìa’ rrueeg] basil flower

gyia susen [gyìa’ suseen] azucena (type of lily)

Below are pictures of some of the flowers mentioned above.


gyia nub


gyia daly


gyia jerany


gyia gradyol


gyia ros

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Cali Chiu: A Course in Valley Zapotec Copyright © by Pamela Munro; Brook Danielle Lillehaugen; Felipe H. Lopez; Brynn Paul; and Lillian Leibovich is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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