Oaxaca State is located in the south-east portion of Mexico. It is bounded in the north by Veracruz and Puebla, in the east by Chiapas, in the west by Guerrero and in the south by the Pacific Ocean.
The name of Oaxaca comes from the Nahuatl word Huayacac. Its roots are Huaxin (kind of acacia) and Yacalt (peak, edge, top), top of the acacias.
Currently, the city has 244,727 inhabitants and 3,224,270 people are living all over the state.
Its territorial extension of 59,125 miles (95,364 KM) comprises the 4.85% of the entire country. It has more than 3 million of inhabitants.
It is 1,550 meters over the sea level with a yearly average temperature of 29,3°C (maximum) and 12,5°C (minimum).
It has peaks almost 10,000 feet (more than 3,000 metres) high, caverns among the deepest in the world, virgin beaches, hidden jungles, and luminous valleys that house populations where, as a crucible, cultures of all people who once lived in its midst come together. Zapotecs, Mixtecs, and the fourteen other ethnic groups still present in its culture and customs; even the Spaniards. Oaxaca is the most diverse state in Mexico.
During the whole year there is a lot to see and learn in Oaxaca. However has some special and representative holidays in which you can get to see the magic of this place in all its splendour:
SEMANA SANTA
Holy Week and Easter celebrations abound in Oaxaca, because of the deep religious beliefs and Catholic traditions that the people grow up with. The extent of Catholic traditions, manners and customs here are almost impossible for people to ignore.
GUELAGUETZA
This holiday honours a legend that tells the story of Huayxacac, where a teocalli (sacrificial pile) was discovered. The legend tells of a maiden who was to be sacrificed in honour of the goddess Centeotl. Soon after, this Pre-Hispanic holiday was christianised and became "Lunes del Cerro" [Monday of the Hill]. Later on, it came to be known as Guelaguetza, a festivity where natives got together to enjoy themselves dancing and exchanging gifts of products from the previous day’s festivities.
DÍA DE MUERTOS
The celebration takes place on November 1 and 2. All of the graves in city cemeteries are decorated with beautiful bouquets.
Most of the houses have altars with offerings of fruit, flowers, and/or food, as well as other more personal offerings. These may include mezcal, cigarettes, or some other gift for the deceased. It is believed that the spirits of these people will return to visit and enjoy the offerings made to them. On these days, offerings are typical foods, bakery items, and sweets, making it a feast for the recipient.
FIESTA DE LA VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE
These festivities are a national religious gala, commemorating the legendary appearance of Virgin Mary on Tepeyac Mountain. She is the patron saint of Mexico.
Celebrating this event is extremely important in Oaxaca. It begins on December 12, with a rendition of "Mañanitas", a classic Mexican birthday song, sung by a group of local singers or bands.
FIESTA DE LA VIRGEN DE LA SOLEDAD
The legend giving birth to this celebration dates back to December 18, 1617. According to the legend, a muleteer who departed from Veracruz, headed for Guatemala, realised that he had one extra mule in his entourage when he arrived in Oaxaca. As he passed through the hermitage that is now the "Basilica" [Catholic Church], the mule dropped, exhausted from the heavy load it had been carrying. All of the muleteer’s efforts to help the mule where useless, so he decided to notify local authorities in order to avoid any punishment. As soon as he removed the mule’s load, it stood up, only to collapse again and die. The muleteer then proceeded to check the load, finding a semblance of the Virgin Mary, next to an image of Christ and words saying, "The Virgin of the Cros". This event gave rise to the tradition of the Virgin of Solitude being the Patron Saint of Oaxaca.
There is a great gala, where bells toll proudly, and musical events and calends are celebrated. There are liturgical celebrations and a fireworks display. There is a fairground, a lottery, and a great number of food stands offering typical foods, regional sweets, and of course, famous Oaxacan ice cream.
NOCHE DE RÁBANOS
This tradition dates back to colonial times, when missionaries taught natives how to cultivate radishes, which reached extraordinary proportions.
Considered a special verbena with a strong, popular flavour, the event commemorating radishes is held on the evening of December 23, in Oaxaca City’s Main Square.A great exhibition of figures made of radishes is on display, much to the delight of the crowd. Figures of animals, humans, saints, and other characters are made using this vegetable only, and the artists are rewarded for their ingenuity and skill. For some time, contests of this nature have been organised, combining the artwork with other vegetables, such as corn leafs, "totomoxtle" and a vegetable known as "Immortal Flower".
No comments:
Post a Comment