Cowboys of the Central Valleys is a black and white documentary project that portrays the tradition of jaripeo riders in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The series captures the riders before, during, and after the rodeo, as well as the community and organizers who make the ceremony possible. Of prehispanic origin, jaripeo is a ritual where courage and spirituality converge around the encounter between humans and animals. Despite its commercialization in other regions, in Oaxaca it remains a religious ceremony, celebrated as part of the mayordomías. Through this series, I seek to give visibility to a ritual where faith, memory, and courage are forever marked upon the riders’ skin, embodied in the embroidery and patches, adorned with phrases like “First God, I Will Return”, a testament to a life shaped by tradition, risk, and belonging. This project would begin from March to May of 2026 and it would consist of documenting rodeo's in the American South to complete this series which already includes a Mexican approach. The project would be digital, and in black and white. The money used is used for logging and transportation/travel. Goals: Produce 10+ images that are printable Create an archive of 50+ images Merge and curate Mexican Jaripeo with the American perspective through a dialogue Have a curatorial text that accompanies the work Digital Publication
