Oaxaca freak culture?

August 15, 2009 11:57 AM

Tell me something about the hippie / stoner tourist culture in and around Oaxaca, Mexico for a planned writing project.

I want to make this absolutely clear: I have no intention of engaging in illegal activity in Oaxaca! I am only looking for information to help me have a meaningful cultural experience, which may lead to an interesting short story or journalistic article.

I want to find and hang out with freaks and drug fiends, and would like to know specific areas where they congregate.

As I understand it, many American freaks travel to this place, and like to go where magic mushrooms and marijuana are offered for sale. There might also be particular bars, hostels, or scenic locations where such freaks congregate to do their thing.

If you know where I can find such people or places in Oaxaca, please tell me.

Please do not tell me that I shouldn't buy drugs in Mexico - I do not have any intention of doing that, and I already have a hundred reasons why I should not! Thank you very much. I only want to find other people who are buying drugs.

Please do not tell me I should do some other thing rather than locate and hang out with drug fiends, I know my own interests and this is what I am certain I wish to do.

posted by Meatbomb to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

I knew a prominent local musician who in the 1980's made frequent trips to the ruins at Palanque for the purpose of tripping on mushrooms, but that's a state over in Chiapas. I just thought I'd mention it because it sounded like there was a pretty thriving culture of American tourists who were doing the same thing. You might want to see wheat Mayan ruins there might be in Oaxaca, if any, then see what that yields you.
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:03 PM on August 15

Before you go and while you're there, check out local/indigenous drug culture to see what sorts of reactions local people have had to this particular flavor of tourism.
posted by mdonley at 1:47 PM on August 15

Are you referring to the city or the state?
posted by iamkimiam at 1:48 PM on August 15

City, but state information also useful.
posted by Meatbomb at 2:50 PM on August 15

Zipolite beach, just north of Pierto Angel. It is a beautiful beach and, from what I understood, one of the few naked-person tolerant; and gay-person tolerant. And there is a reputation for easy availability of drugs. I was there almost ten years ago and saw evidence of all of the above. It was also quite rustic and quite non-USian, though there were at least a few.
posted by From Bklyn at 8:39 PM on August 15 [1 favorite has favorites]

"drug fiends"? "freak culture"?


I think you would probably benefit from a little bit of library research, at this point. After that you can grow your beard out, go to Oaxaca, and wander around for a bit. I'm sure you'll figure it out pretty quick.
posted by cmyr at 8:41 PM on August 15

I think you would probably benefit from a little bit of library research, at this point.

I am not certain I follow you, cmyr. I have my beard grown out already, and no access to an English language library. I need stuff like "Go to Blahblah Hostel, the guy with the tattoos who hangs around at the bar knows," and don't think that libraries will provide these sort of specifics.

But thanks for your efforts! :)
posted by Meatbomb at 12:04 AM on August 16

I haven't been to Oaxaca. But from my experience traveling, just take taxis. The shadier the better. A single, male, foreigner riding in a taxi will often be offered all manner of temptations, without asking. If you ask, your chances of success increase.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 1:07 AM on August 16 [1 favorite has favorites]

One of the more interesting drug cultures of Oaxaca, Huautla de Jiménez is a small mountain top village in the Northern part of the state of Osxaca with a "mushroom culture/religion" that pre-dates the Spanish. Maria Sabrina is a fameous curandera or a type of shaman that uses a centuries old lexicon of mushroom/animas overlaying a Catholic/Bible matrix (?) I think you'll find lots of material for an interesting article.. Also other characters in the Hongo saga... Dr. Albert Hofmann, Dr. Gaston Guzman. Some of the best days of my life, 40 yrs past, involved a smoky fire in a remote hut and an abundance of very strong mushrooms.. OH MY
posted by ScotsLament at 3:34 AM on August 16

I came to suggest cab drivers and bartenders. ATG beat me to half of that.
posted by rokusan at 12:31 PM on August 16

Hitting the marina bars in places like Puerto Escondido and talking to the sailboat cruisers will avail of you much useful and specific information. It's not Oaxaca city, but. Seconding From Brklyn about Zipolite and Puerto Angel, as well.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:43 PM on August 16

And bellhops. And guys in alleys who start their sentences with, "pssst."
posted by ActingTheGoat at 8:45 PM on August 16

[The reason I say so is that I spent a year and a half in Mexico, the bulk of it as one of those liveaboard cruisers on the Pacific coast. I'm not pulling shit out of my hat, here. If you get to Barra de Navidad north of Manzanillo, ask around about Mama's Candy Shop (though it might not exist any more, sadly)]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:04 PM on August 16