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oaxacaculture

About me

I am a university administrator, writer and artist who grew up in Los Angeles, lived in San Francisco, Indiana, and Virginia, and then migrated to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. My husband and I have been invited by an indigenous family to live in Teotitlan del Valle, a Zapotec village in Oaxaca, Mexico. I am committed to preserving the arts and cultural traditions of indigenous people who have lived in the Oaxaca Valley for over 8,000 years. Through Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, we facilitate intercultural exchange programs, and offer educational learning experiences, workshops, expeditions and retreats. We also work with local artisans and artists to open opportunities for them to exhibit and sell their work. Our goal is to broaden opportunities for visitors to have authentic, personal experiences in Oaxaca, and to support sustainable entrepreneurship, economic development and independence.


The programs we offer: weaving, natural dyeing, oil painting, documentary photography and filmmaking, mixed media art journal workshops, creative writing, poetry, yoga, and professional development seminars. Our expedition leaders and instructors are experts in their field, have exhibited and published their work, and are accomplished teachers of adult students. We are also open to scheduling individual and customized workshops. The cost is reasonable and a personal workshop can give you dedicated attention and instruction while meeting your individual travel schedule.


About Me: I am the lead development officer in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I have raised over $20 million for scholarships, professorships, and academic programs. I hold the B.A. from California State University at Northridge, the M.S. from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business, and have developed award-winning professional development and continuing education programs for major universities over the past 25 years.

Recent activity

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called Art Classes/Workshops in Oaxaca in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    Oaxaca Cultural Navigator offers art workshops, classes and residencies in painting, photography, art collage and assemblage art, creative...
    7 months ago

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called Traveling to Oaxaca for a month in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    I agree with 2oaxaca! I would add that there is a lovely, small, basic Zapotec-women owned and operated bed and breakfast in Teotitlan del...
    10 months ago

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called Language schools in Oaxaca in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    I did a review of Oaxaca Spanish language schools on my website/blog: www.oaxacaculture.com based on my own experience and recommendations...
    10 months ago

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called where to go - right now in taxco :) in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    I LOVE Puebla. I go out of my way to make a stopover there of at least two days to break up the bus trip between D.F. and Oaxaca. Puebla...
    10 months ago

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called Art classes in city of Guanajuato in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    I am working with silver jewelry designer Brigitte Huet to offer silversmithing classes in Oaxaca, Mexico starting this fall 2011. If you...
    10 months ago

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called Huatulco in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    I'd go up the road to Zipolite or Mazunte. Way beyond the horrors of tourist-packed Huatulco and environs. There, you can get a cabana...
    10 months ago

  • replied to a Thorn Tree thread called transportation from Palengue to Oaxaca in the Americas - Mexico Branch

    I'm reminded of "if it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium." I'm based in Oaxaca, so I'm partial. I recommend the Mexico City/Oaxaca itinerary....
    10 months ago

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  • Full Name Norma Hawthorne
  • Email Address oaxacaculture@me.com
  • Country United States
  • Gender Female
  • Website Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC
  • Languages English, Spanish
  • Favourite Places Oaxaca, Puebla, and Juchitan, Mexico; Adelaide, South Australia; Rome, Venice and Florence, Italy; Jerusalem; Ambergris Cay, Belize; Tikal, Guatemala; Kota Baru, Malaysia
  • Interests Photography, weaving and textiles, creative writing, cultural anthropology, photography,
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