9 TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF TABASCO (MEXICO) - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The traditions and customs of Tabasco, one of the most popular Mexican states in the world, are marked by the different cultural mixes that the region has experienced.

Tabasco is the product of various pre-Hispanic civilizations such as the Olmec and the Mayan, in addition to having adopted Spanish and African cultural traits. All these roots have been reflected mainly in the crafts, gastronomy and traditions of the Tabasco state, mixing with the four ethnic groups that currently coexist in the territory.

These are the Nahuas, Chontales, Maya Zoques and Choles, who have combined ancient and modern traditions, giving rise to the richest and most varied Mexican culture.

Located in the southeast of Mexico, it has a privileged location after being on the Caribbean coast, on the Yucatan peninsula, bordering the tourist and oil states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Tabasco is visited each year by more than a million people, who go to see its colorful fairs, festivities, carnivals and processions, as well as to enjoy its music, typical dances and exquisite gastronomy.

The most representative traditions and customs of Tabasco

The rarest carnival in the world: carnival of Tenosique

Taking place in the small town of Tenosique, in Tabasco, it has been listed as the rarest carnival in the world and one of the most recognized.

It begins on January 20 with a popular tradition that consists of everyone being covered in flour, egg and water. Hundreds of people attend to celebrate this custom and at the same time participate in the two main carnival traditions.

In the first place, the famous dance of "El Pocho", which with pre-Hispanic origins is a religious ceremony to worship the gods.

Three characters take part in it: the lame (men), the pochoveras (women) and the tigers, who fight and decide to unite to fight against the god Pocho, who wants the destruction of men.

This dance is an act of purification and symbolizes the struggle between good and evil. After the dance it is customary to remember the incidents of the year and to share tamales, sweets, coffee and brandy.

And, secondly, the typical dance of "Los Blanquitos", in which twelve dancers dress in white breeches while covering themselves with mud and tattooing a cross on their chest pretending to be white slaves while a foreman black uses the whip against them.

This dance symbolizes the rebellion of the slave against his white Spanish master at the time of the conquest.

It is considered the rarest carnival since there are no costumes or typical floats, but only those symbolic dances.

The Tabasco Fair

Held annually from April 27 to May 7 in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco, it is considered one of the largest fairs in the entire country.

It usually attracts more than two million attendees, becoming not only a parade of allegorical floats, but also a great agricultural, livestock, cultural, commercial, artisan and industrial exhibition that takes place in Parque Tabasco, one of the most important fairgrounds. modern.

The most important Tabasco tradition during the festival is the choice of "La flor de oro". The custom consists of holding a beauty pageant in which 17 young ambassadors participate representing each of the municipalities of the State, the winner being the popular "Flor de Oro de Tabasco".

The Chocolate Festival

Eagerly celebrated by all Tabasco residents from November 23 to 27, with the aim of worshiping chocolate precisely because it originated in Mesoamerican lands under the name "Xocolatl."

It is a cultural and culinary festival that takes place in Villahermosa, attracting more than 80 exhibitors and national and international professionals where they delight in delicious dishes, desserts and chocolate-based drinks. At the same time, the history and the process of making cocoa are recounted.

Tabasco is famous for being considered one of the main cocoa producers, hence tasting it has become a great tradition.

November, the month of souls

In Tabasco, the preparation of the altar for the Day of the Dead is usually quite traditional and rigorous. It is customary to place a three-plane altar with a kind of roof that means that God is protecting it.

At the same time it must have a crucifix, a black cross, palms, religious images and of the saint to whom the altar is raised, photographs of those who make the offering, a rosary and scapular, a container with clean water and elements that represent the earth and Salt.

Likewise, it should be adorned with purple and white colored papers, and yellow, red and orange natural flowers. Objects of the deceased, basil branches, nine tallow candles and a small cushion should be placed in front of the altar.

Likewise, the main decoration is usually fruits, vegetables, sweets, dishes and typical drinks of the region.

In Tabasco, throughout the month of November prayers are held at the altar, being also called "Mes de los tamales" because it is a tradition to deliver tamales to those who come to visit the altar.

Festivity of the Holy Cross

Every May 3, in Mexico the day of the Holy Cross is celebrated with great intensity. That is why in the town of Tabasco it is customary to make altars of worship to the Holy Cross, while prayers are made and a small meal is distributed that includes tamales and the famous Pozol drink.

Likewise, that day is celebrated on the day of the mason or builder, so crosses decorated with flowers are usually placed on top of the buildings under construction.

The festival arose in pre-Hispanic times when it was customary to perform cults and rituals to the rain deity “Tlaloc” at the beginning of May.

His help was requested during harvest time. Later, the tradition joined the Catholic religion after representing the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ sought in ancient times by Empress Elena.

Celebration of Saint John the Baptist

Every June 24 is celebrated the day of San Juan Bautista, patron of the capital of Tabasco, and also the day of its foundation. It is a tradition that on that day "Las mañanitas" are performed in the city's cathedral and at the same time different masses are celebrated in the parishes.

It is customary to carry out different allusive cultural activities, the main one being the bite of the traditional giant cake 30 meters long in the historic center of Villahermosa.

Ritual of the blind sardine fishing

On March 28, a ritual of millenary tradition takes place in the Sierra State Park, in the cave of blind sardines, 80 km south of the capital of Tabasco.

The objective is to ask the natural deities of fire, rain, water and earth, to give a good year to all who perform the ritual.

Barbasco, a plant that tends to lull the fish, is usually scraped early, and then with music a walk begins towards the entrance of the cave, where a beautiful ritual is performed and the gods are asked to enter the cave.

Upon entering the fishing is done and shared with all people. It is a ritual of request and gratitude.

Dance of the white horse

It is a dance that dates from the times of the conquest, being practiced since 1531 shortly after Tabasco was conquered by the Spanish.

The dance, of a sad and melancholic type, interprets the arrival of the Spaniards to indigenous territory, when they believed that the horseman and the steed were one and the sounds of their weapons caused them fear.

The dance consists of one person disguising himself as the rider of a white steed while another represents the indigenous; During the dance, the two fight while the sound of the machetes confronting each other is heard, until the indigenous person dies.

The dance has reached a traditional character of great importance, becoming a custom for the people of Tabasco.

Popular Tabasco zapateo

Since the time of the conquest, the Tabasco zapateo has become the typical dance of the town of Tabasco.

Performed to the sound of drummers, it is custom and tradition to see it at the main fairs, festivals and exhibitions.

At the Tabasco fair, the State Encounter of Zapateo Tabasqueño is held, where the winners receive a prize and at the same time this typical dance is exhibited as the main cultural aspect of the state.

Themes of interest

The 10 Most Important Traditional Festivities of Mexico.

The 20 Most Important Traditions and Customs of Mexico.

Mexican Culture: 15 Characteristics and Traditions.

References

1. Dance of the white horse. Retrieved on August 9 from raicestabasco.blogspot.com.
2. Fun facts about the Tenosique festival in Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
3. Ten reasons why Tabasco people love the Tabasco fair. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from cityexpress.com.
4. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from britannica.com.
5. Chocolate Festival in Tabasco, a tribute to cocoa. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
6. Unknown Mexico guide. (2001). All Tabasco is art, everything is culture. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
7. Guzmán, J. (2011). The altars of the day of the dead in Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from zonadelacultura.blogspot.com.
8. History of the State of Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from paratodomexico.com.
9. Fishing for sardines. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
10. Origins of Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
11. Why is May 3, the day of the Holy Cross, one of the most sacred in Mexico? Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from masdemx.com.
12. Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from cultura.gob.mx.
13. The Mexican State Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from donquijote.org.
14. Geographic location of the state of Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from historiaygeografiadelestadodetabasco.blogspot.com.