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Oaxaca, Mexico.
The Guelaguetza is a festival of the sharing of cultures, traditions and communities that takes place in Oaxaca City and other Oaxacan communities in July of every year. In Oaxaca City the Guelaguetza is part of what is known as the Lunes de Cerro (Mondays on the Hill), having as its main focus and venue the hill of Fortin overlooking Oaxaca City. In it the indigenous groups from the seven distinct regions of the mountainous state of Oaxaca participate, each presenting colorful demonstrations of its dance with the brilliant and beautiful costumes of the region, and of its songs and music, with the use and integration of traditional instruments and voice.
It is said that the Guelaguetza dates back to pre-colonial times and is intimately related to the worship and importance of corn in the cultures of the indigenous Oaxacan people, and is also a dedication to the arrival of the rains and the corresponding fertility of the land and the hope of and gratitude for plentiful harvests. With the arrival of the Spanish conquerors and Catholic missionaries, the original festivities were linked into a festival dedicated to the Virgin of Carmen, of the temple of Carmen Alto, set to take place on Sunday July 16 or the Monday following. The indigenous groups of Oaxaca integrated the expressions and offerings of their own unique cultural heritage and celebrations into the Catholic, colonial era imposition, and today the activities still include the choosing of the Diosa Centéotl, the goddess of maize or corn, who is elected from designated contestants from each of the seven regions to preside over the festivities for the year.
La Guelaguetza celebrations embody the qualities of cooperation and the sharing of gifts; the festivities include processions and parades, fireworks, regional food shows and samplings, arts and crafts displays and sales, and various other Oaxacan cultural representations. The festival extends from the first Monday after the 16th of July through the following Monday.
In 2010, the Guelaguetza spectacular will take place on Monday July 19 and 26 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The 2010 festivities feature a Mezcal Fair and an introduction to the 7 moles of Oaxaca (moles are intensely savory pastes made of different combinations of ground chiles, spices, herbs, chocolate, seeds, nuts, etc. that can smother chicken, pork, tortillas and other traditional Mexican dishes).
Sources and further information:
- http://www.oaxaca.com/guelaguetza/history.php
- Guelaguetza- Fiesta de los Lunes del Cerro
- Guelaguetza. (2010, April 23). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:28, July 11, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guelaguetza&oldid=357920256
- Guelaguetza
- Oaxaca Ministry of Tourism
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