Zocalo is a big “downtown” area with historic buildings, churches, a big square in the center, and in general it’s a tourist stop to walk around and see. This afternoon when we were there, we saw lots of street vendors, selling handcrafted items and different performers. After walking around for a while, we came across these dancers that were dressed in native headgear and indigenous clothing, dancing to tribal drumming. We saw plenty of people taking pictures so we didn’t think anything of it. And walked around to get a better view to take pictures. When one of their girls who was just starting to walk around collecting tips, even after Josue had just dropped in a tip, tells us “no fotos” that we’re not allowed to take photos of them. When he asked why, she just turns and walks away from us.
So we’re thinking, this is a public place, a tourist stop at that, we’re going to keep taking pictures. A little while later, another man from their group comes up to us, again telling us to not take pictures. Not asking us to not take pictures, telling us not to. Again, we ask why? He starts saying stuff about their safety and with the internet now, people will put their pictures up, and that he has to back her up. Josue asks him, how do they expect for people to know this when they’re doing their act in a public place, especially if they don’t have any signs posted or anything backing them up. Basically it came down to that he was insulted by how little we had tipped, that it didn’t make them feel comfortable to let us take their picture. The crap of it, was Josue was reaching in his pocket for more, when she told us no fotos, the first time, and instead of talking to us when we asked why - she walked away. What it’s all about is that for the right price, their “safety” is no longer an issue! What a joke! We talked to the guy, who ended up calling that first girl over to explain her side to us, with complete respect we listened to them, asked our questions, and listened to their response. It was just a bogus reason. We just left because it wasn’t worth arguing. We walked 30 feet over, and encountered another group of tribal dancers, who had no problem with us taking their pictures! To me, I took it for blatant greed. Why put on a show, in a public location, especially a tourist destination, if you’re going to put up a stink if people are taking your picture? If you have concerns for privacy, maybe you should think twice about performing in public! They asked us, how would we like it if people were taking our picture in public, and we didn’t want them to? Josue told them, at best we could ask them not too, but in all fairness, if we’re out in public, they have every right. It’s not like they’re crawling in to our back yards, violating our privacy after all, it’s in public. It was interesting, to say the least!
Anyway - we found our way to where we wanted to go and back home! It was a good trip. The way over there on the metro was real calm, the seats were taken but there was plenty of standing room, it was comfortable. The way back home, we must’ve caught rush hour, because the trains were packed! We were like sardines in there, the standing room was tight, and when we’d get to a stop we got pushed around like if we were in a mosh pit! Not like I would exactly know what that would feel like, but that’s how I imagine it would feel! Just minus the music!
When we got home, the family asked how it went. We told them about our little encounter with the dancers who told us not to take their pictures, and Josue’s cousin said - “well if they don’t want people taking their picture, they should go dance in their house instead of out on the street!” ESTOY DE ACUERDO!! (I agree completely!)
Bellas Artes exit
Zocalo
The dancers before we were told not to take pictures.
The dancers who don't mind pictures!
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