- Outstanding customs and traditions of Ciudad Juárez
- 1. The dance of the Matachines
- 2. Festival of the Sun
- 3. Easter and Rarámuris
- 4. Day of the Dead
- 5. Feast of San Lorenzo
- References
Juárez, also known as Ciudad Juárez, is the largest city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It was known as "El Paso del Norte" until 1888 when it was renamed in honor of President Benito Juárez, who settled there for some years during his fight against the French.
It is connected by bridges with South Texas, United States, and thanks to this proximity to the neighboring country it has become one of the cities with the greatest interest and business investment in Mexico.
Its economy is based on the makeup industry, managed mostly by American companies and the export of merchandise.
Ciudad Juárez was known for attracting workers from all over Mexico in search of better employment opportunities. However, in recent decades a wave of violence was generated where many of its inhabitants had to leave the city.
Today, Juárez is recovering and its economy has notably improved, every day more tourists are interested in visiting the city again for its colors, its traditions and the practices that the locals still carry out.
Outstanding customs and traditions of Ciudad Juárez
1. The dance of the Matachines
The Matachines dance is a tradition that dates back to the Spanish conquest, when they, in their attempt to change indigenous groups to the Catholic religion, used the dances to inspire devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Originally, it was a battle dance, fighting, where the warriors showed their bravery. Then it became a dance where the dancers become warriors and soldiers of the Virgin.
The dancers crouch and hit the floor while constantly shaking a bell. The most representative of the dress consists of a pair of red ribbons that are worn on each shoulder and hang down to the knees, in addition to wearing a crown made of flowers on the head. Dances are normally performed on Catholic holidays.
2. Festival of the Sun
The Festival of the Sun or Spring Entry, is a celebration where different indigenous groups from all over northern Mexico gather to give thanks to the different elements, earth, fire, air and water for the coming sowing period, a time that represents life.
The festival begins in mid-March where dances, rituals and performances are held commemorating the ancestral traditions of each group. In Ciudad Juárez, this celebration is held at the El Chamizal Archeology Museum.
3. Easter and Rarámuris
The inhabitants of the Tarahumara region carry out a celebration that consists of dances and songs a week before Holy Week as a representation of the beliefs and traditions of their ancestors.
The representatives paint white spots on their bodies in gratitude to Jesus Christ. In the event participate men, women and children who share traditional foods of the area such as nopales with beans, tamales, and mashed with pumpkin seeds.
The Saturday of Glory represents the last day of the celebration and they culminate it with the burning of a doll that represents evil.
4. Day of the Dead
On November 2, one of the most representative days in all of Mexico is celebrated, where different activities are carried out to commemorate the dead.
In Ciudad Juárez, bakeries prepare weeks before to sell the famous Pan Dulce de Muerto, the streets are adorned with altars and sugar skulls are sold in the candy stores.
This celebration mixes the Aztec culture with the Catholic religion and for its originality it is quite famous throughout the world.
5. Feast of San Lorenzo
It is a Catholic celebration where homage is paid to San Lorenzo, Patron of Ciudad Juárez. People meet with members of the church in the square that bears the name of the Patron, where crafts and typical food of the region are sold.
It is held every year at the beginning of August and brings together hundreds of faithful who, by tradition, come to the temples to witness the masses and participate in the festival.
References
- JOFFE-BLOCK, J. Preserving Mexican Dance Traditions In Sin City: Fronteras Desk. Recovered from bordersdesk.org
- CHAVEZ, S. (2017). They carry out the Festival of the Sun. Chihuahua: Nortedigital. Recovered from nortedigital.mx
- SOCIETY, N. (2013). Day of the Dead; National Geographic. Recovered from nationalgeographic.org
- GILBERT, S. (2017). 'Juarez is waiting for you': Violent city tries tourism: Aljazeera. Recovered from aljazeera.com
- PATERSON, K. (2013). Defending the History and Culture of Ciudad Juarez: Frontera NorteSur. Recovered from fnsnews.nmsu.edu.