- Outstanding traditions and customs of Oaxaca
- 1- Gastronomy
- 2- Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe
- 3- Day of the Dead
- 4- Crafts
- 5- Day of the Virgin of Juquila
- 6- Day of San Vicente Ferrer
- 7- Tequio
- 8- Guelaguetza
- 9- The posadas
- 10- Night of Calendas
- References
The traditions and customs of Oaxaca are strongly related to the aboriginal cultures of the state. An example of this is the guelaguetza, a festival celebrated in the month of July (the two Mondays after July 16).
This festival is of pre-Hispanic origin and was previously held to thank the gods for the crops. Today, the practice of the guelaguetza continues in Oaxaca. However, the object has changed: instead of thanking the gods, the indigenous communities thank each other.
Other traditions of Oaxaca demonstrate the influence of the Catholic Church in the customs of the state. Some examples of this are the festivities that are held in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Virgin of Juquila and San Vicente Ferrer.
Similarly, this state has various customs related to Christmas. For example, “las posadas” and “la noche de las calendas”.
Outstanding traditions and customs of Oaxaca
1- Gastronomy
The gastronomy of Oaxaca shows the influence of the aboriginal peoples. In addition, it is characterized by the presence of a great variety of products due to the diversity of geographical areas: coasts, tropical plains and mountainous areas.
The typical dishes of Oaxaca are:
- Cooked. This is a stew that is made with pork, chicken and beef. Added to this are added chickpeas, beans, chayote, pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, coriander and peppermint. This stew is served with rice and chili sauce.
- Mole negro, which is made with turkey meat.
- Totopos, which are grilled tortillas.
- Chiles stuffed with sardines.
The traditional sweets are:
- Alegría, which is made with caramel-covered roasted amaranth seeds.
- Gaznate, which are sweet with egg white meringue.
- Mamón, sweet corn bread with cinnamon.
- Ate, which is a fruit-based sweet. The traditional ones are the mangate and guayabate.
- Capirotada, white bread pudding with cheese, raisins and peanuts.
The best known drinks in Oaxaca are the following:
- Tejata, which is a drink made from roasted cocoa beans.
- Pozol de cacao, a drink that is prepared with corn chicha mixed with cocoa beans.
2- Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe
On December 12, the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is the patron saint of Mexico, is celebrated. In Oaxaca, pilgrimages are made from various parts of the city to the temples.
Calendas are made, which are processions of people holding lit candles. Also, some Oaxacans dress like Indians and carry bouquets of roses in honor of Diego (the man to whom the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared).
3- Day of the Dead
In Oaxaca, the celebration of the Day of the Dead begins on November 1 and ends the next day. In these two days, the inhabitants of the state make altars in their houses to honor their deceased.
These altars include flowers, food, and crafts typical of the Day of the Dead. It is common to find clay skulls with the names of the deceased.
Many people visit their deceased in cemeteries, bring music and food to share with them. The tradition is to bring a bouquet of marigold flowers to decorate the tombstones.
4- Crafts
The Oaxacan artisan works reveal the influence of the Zapotec and Mixtec aboriginal groups. Objects are made in ceramics, wood, metals and fabrics.
5- Day of the Virgin of Juquila
On December 8, the day of the Virgin of Juquila is celebrated. The parishioners go to the Sanctuary of the Virgin so that it grants them a miracle.
6- Day of San Vicente Ferrer
In May, the day of San Vicente Ferrer is celebrated with masses and gastronomic fairs in which fruits are the protagonists of the day.
7- Tequio
Tequio is an Oaxacan custom that consists of people helping each other to complete a task.
8- Guelaguetza
The guelaguetza is a typical festival of Oaxaca, whose roots are pre-Columbian. At first, this celebration was held in order to thank the gods for the crops, for the rains, for the sun, among others.
The festival took place in the month of July, which was the time when the crops were ready to harvest. With the passage of time, the party has lost its goal of worshiping the gods but the attitude of gratitude remains.
Currently, it is a festival in which the aboriginal groups of the state come together to remember their traditions and share.
9- The posadas
"Las posadas" is the name given to a Christmas tradition that is made in the state of Oaxaca and in other areas of Mexico. This celebration begins on December 16 and ends on December 24.
“Las posadas” recreates the biblical story according to which Mary and Joseph toured Bethlehem in search of a place where Mary could give birth.
In Oaxaca, the inhabitants dress up in ancient costumes and go from house to house, singing Christmas carols and carrying lighted candles.
On Christmas Eve, the walkers are received in a house, where they are offered a dinner and Christmas sweets. In some areas, piñatas are broken.
10- Night of Calendas
The night of calendas takes place on December 24. This constitutes the closing of the festival of the posadas. During the good night, the inhabitants of Oaxaca walk with lighted candles to the squares or to the temples.
In addition to the candlelight procession, there are floats that parade through the city. These can be in honor of the patron saint of the city or on biblical stories related to Christmas. These floats are characterized by their color.
In other areas of Oaxaca, two “godparents” are appointed. These will be responsible for taking a figure of the baby Jesus to the church in the city.
In this case, the calendas procession leaves from the godparents' house to the temple. Once in the temple, a mass is celebrated for the birth of Christ.
References
- Oaxaca, Mexico: Celebrations and traditions. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from sunofmexico.com
- Traditions: Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from Exploraingoaxaca.com
- About Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from allaboutoaxaca.com
- Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from history.com
- Traditional Foods of Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from backyardnature.net
- Festivals in Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from traveltips.usatoday.com
- Oaxaca, Mexico: culture. Retrieved on September 1, 2017, from sunofmexico.com.