San Cristóbal Suchixtlahuaca

San Cristóbal Suchixtlahuaca lies in the Mixteca Alta at about 2,080 m, among bare hills and slopes of white stone. The name is read as "on the plain of flowers", and the town predates the Conquest: a royal decree recognised its lands in 1744, and in 1919 Zapatista guerrillas burned it. In 2020 it had 327 residents (299 in 2010 and 226 in 2005), spread between the centre and neighbourhoods such as La Costa, Zatuje, Sosola, the Barrio del Recibimiento and La Caseta; the municipality covers about 53 km².

The church dates from 1698 and was built by the townspeople themselves; it keeps a carved stone that stands for the viceroyalty's coat of arms. Around it you see Cerro de la Virgen, Cerro de León (named for its lion-like outline), Cerro Verde and, to the west, Cerro La Malva at about 2,460 m. Water is scarce: the Río Grande runs to the north and is dangerous in the rains, the Río de la Cruz flows only in season, and the town draws its drinking water from the springs El Jarro and Palo Soto. White-stone quarries supply the material for local houses. The municipality's best-known tree is El Sabino, which the community looks after as a heritage landmark.

The climate is mild and dry: about 16 °C on average and roughly 970 mm of rain a year, with hard winter frosts that have dropped to about 2 °C. Coyotes and skunks live in the hills, and gardens grow roses, calla lilies, dahlias and capulín trees.

The patron-saint fiesta for San Cristóbal falls on the last Sunday of July: it opens with calendas, then come masses, sports tournaments with neighbouring towns, an evening dance and a breakfast hosted by the authorities. Relatives living in Oaxaca, Veracruz and Mexico City come home for it. Everyday and festive food leans on pozole and barbacoa, and a maguey sweet called papalome used to be made here. Palm hats and tenates were once woven, though few people still do it.