Celebrations | View From Casita Colibrí | Page 37

Feeds:: Posts; Comments

Archive for the ‘Celebrations’ Category

Respect and ritual

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged cargo system, cargosMexico, danzantes, Doña Marina, festivals, fiestas, La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Malinche, Oaxaca, patronal festividad, photographs, photos, soldados, Teotitlán del Valle, travel on July 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The convite (covered in the Uplifting post) is only one of the traditions of the patronal festival of La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo. During the five days of the celebration, the church is filled with floral arrangements and believers stream in and out clutching flowers; the Danza de la Pluma (with Moctezuma, Cortez, Malinche, Doña Marina, danzantes, and soldados) is performed several times; and the cargo holders of the community preside, are honored, and presented with fresh fruits, vegetables, sacred herbs, and beverages.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Sunday was another amazing day in Teotitlán del Valle. And I haven’t even mentioned the tacos and tamales we devoured during our three visits this past week!

Read Full Post »

Uplifting…

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, tagged convite, danzantes, El Picacho, festivals, fiestas, La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Mexico, Oaxaca, parade, patronal festividad, photographs, photos, sacred mountain, soldados, Teotitlán del Valle, travel on July 7, 2012| 10 Comments »

Late yesterday afternoon, we returned to Teotitlán del Valle for the convite (parade) of unmarried young women and girls, a part of the annual patronal festival of La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo. The sun was shining, the rains of two days before were nowhere to be seen, and the sacred mountain, El Picacho, gracefully, but commandingly, presided as the soldados and danzantes entered the church courtyard.

Bands also arrived to take part…

Canastas (baskets) were lined up, ready to be carried…

The young men of the village gathered…

Family and friends awaited…

And then the young unmarried women and girls, the stars of the evening, raised the canastas over their heads…

Balancing the canastas, they processed from the courtyard, down several long and cobblestone blocks, turned left, and headed back up another street to where they had begun, to be greeted by proud family and friends, who had gathered to acknowledge and celebrate the young women and girls of Teotitlán del Valle.

For some inexplicable reason, we never cease to feel moved and uplifted by this ritual.

Read Full Post »

Food for the soul

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged festivals, fiestas, La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Mexico, Oaxaca, patronal festividad, photographs, photos, Teotitlán del Valle, travel on July 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, fellow blogger, Chris, and I drove out to Teotitlán del Valle for their yearly patronal festividad de La Preciosa Sangre de Cristo. The rains came and we didn’t stay long. But, as we almost always find, just being out there provides much appreciated food for the soul.

Read Full Post »

¡Feliz día del padre!

Posted in Celebrations, tagged Día del Padre, Father's Day, fathers and children, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on June 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The fathers of Oaxaca…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Read Full Post »

Let’s hear it for the mothers!

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, tagged Día de la Madre, Liza Bakewell, Madre: Perilous Journeys With a Spanish Noun, Mexico, Mother's Day, mothers, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, women on May 10, 2012| 3 Comments »

Today, May 10, is Día de la Madre in Mexico and it is celebrated in much the same way as in el norte.

The celebration migrated south from the USA in the early 20th century and was embraced and promoted by the Catholic Church AND the anticlerical Revolutionaries. As for their reasons, I will quote from Liza Bakewell’s book, Madre: Perilous Journeys with a Spanish Noun.

… around the 1850s the Liberals… were nervous about women’s growing participation in the public sphere. Establishing motherhood as venerable and the home as sanctified… would give women a sphere of their own where they could be boss. Also, it would keep them off the streets and out of the workplace where they had begun to compete with men for jobs.

Under their watch, everyday motherhood became an exalted madre-hood…. The twentieth-century Revolutionaries who succeeded them took the idea and ran with it, adding in 1922 a ritual, Mother’s Day… [p. 84]

Needless to say, the women of Mexico have not stayed home! As I write, hundreds of women are marching on Mexico City, participating in the March of National Dignity: Mothers Looking for their Sons and Daughters and Searching for Justice. And, as for the workforce, according to a report citing the 2010 census, 33.3% of women work and this doesn’t even include those working in family operated enterprises.

However distasteful the reasons behind the establishment of Mother’s Day in Mexico, it does nothing to diminish the need to honor these beautiful, hardworking, formidable, and loving women.

¡Feliz Día de la Madre mis compañeras!

Read Full Post »

Feliz cumpleaños MACO

Posted in Buildings, Celebrations, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged Contemporary Art Museum of Oaxaca, MACO, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, numbers, Oaxaca, photographs, photos on May 4, 2012| 2 Comments »

A belated Happy 20th Birthday, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca!

As the theme of the birthday celebration on February 28th said, Say ‘Coma’ Twenty Times,

COMA, COMA, CO-MACO, MACO, MACO…

Come say, Feliz Cumpleaños MACO, in person!

Read Full Post »

May Day in Oaxaca

Posted in Celebrations, Economics, Holidays, Labor, Protests, tagged Confederación de Trabajadores de México, CTM, Día de los Trabajadores, Día Internacional de los Trabajadores, demonstrations, holiday, International Workers' Day, labor, May Day, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, workers on May 1, 2012| 4 Comments »

Like 80+ countries in the world, International Workers’ Day is a national holiday in Mexico. Early this morning in Oaxaca, streets were closed as contingents began gathering and then marching toward the city center. And for hours, they poured into the Zócalo and Alameda for speeches, music, and bottle rockets, all of which will, no doubt, continue for hours more.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

FYI: CTM stand for the Confederación de Trabajadores de México, the largest confederation of Mexican labor unions. Think, AFL-CIO in El Norte (though with some significant differences).

¡Feliz Día Internacional de los Trabajadores!

Update: For a more nuanced view of yesterday’s march, see the report by longtime resident, Nancy Davies.

Read Full Post »

Children’s Day

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, tagged children, Children's Day, costumes, Día del Nino, kids, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, traje on April 30, 2012| 2 Comments »

When I was a child and asked, “If there is a Mother’s Day and a Father’s day, why isn’t there a Children’s Day?” My mother’s usual reply was, “Everyday is children’s day!” Hmmm… I never did buy her explanation, until I had kids of my own. However, here in Mexico, there is a day to celebrate children and today is that day — Día del Niño, a day when children are made to feel special.

Schools organize parties with games and treats instead of lessons, parents may give their niños y niñas gifts, and special community activities for kids are organized. Yesterday, here in the city, the Service Workers Union threw an all day party for 5,000 children in the annex of the Eduardo Vasconcelos baseball stadium. There were box lunches, candy (of course), a petty zoo, games, shows, and even a raffle for new bicycles.

So, here’s to the girls and boys of Oaxaca…

To their good humor.

Their pride in celebrating their communities…

Their beauty…

Their amazing patience…

Even when they are shy and tired.

And, especially to the street children, who, despite the challenges of their lives, seem to find ways to “just be kids.”

Read Full Post »

And, then there were fireworks!

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, tagged 480th anniversary, birthday, celebrations, fireworks, fuegos artificiales, Happy Birthday Oaxaca, history, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos on April 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Tonight, instead of candles…

Fuegos artificiales exploded from the Alameda de León…

As Oaxaca celebrated her 480th birthday!

Read Full Post »

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Oaxaca!

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, tagged 480th anniversary, calendas, celebrations, Happy Birthday Oaxaca, history, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos on April 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Today is Oaxaca’s 480th birthday as a colonial city . Of course, among other events, a calenda (parade) marked the date.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In 1532 Spanish settlers (their bloody way paved by Hernán Cortés and his conquistadores) successfully petitioned the Queen of Spain for a land grant of 1 square league. The colonists had already established their own town on the site of Huaxyacac, renamed it Antequera (after an old Roman city in Spain) and received a Royal Charter from King Charles I of Spain.

However, Cortés had successfully gotten the entire Valley of Oaxaca (hundreds of thousands of acres) declared as his own private marquisate and, his greed knowing no bounds, kept trying to evict the colonial townspeople. By obtaining the queen’s charter, this end-run around Cortés insured the rights of the townspeople to the land.

Thus, April 25th continues to be celebrated as Oaxaca’s birthday. ¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

Read Full Post »

My cup runneth over…

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, tagged calenda, Children's Guelaguetza, Costa, costume, culture, Guelaguetza, Infantil Guelaguetza, Istmo, Mexico, Mixteca, Oaxaca, Papaloapan, parade, penachos, photographs, photos, traditional regional dances, traje, Tuxtepec, Valles Centrales de Oaxaca on April 21, 2012| 6 Comments »

Friday was a delightful day… a late morning and early afternoon spent in leisurely conversation with one of my closest friends over desayuno at Cocina Economica Isabel, a stop at the Merced mercado to pick up some pan dulce, and a stroll through the Zócalo, before returning home. I envisioned a late afternoon and evening of visiting with my neighbor before she is heads north for a USA visit, catching up on email, and watching a movie. Perfection, I thought! Who could ask for more?

“More” came via my email inbox; notice of the 10th Guelaguetza Infantil, with a calenda (parade) from Santo Domingo de Guzmán to the Zócalo beginning at 6 PM. This definitely called for a change of plans! And, sure enough, as I got closer to Santo Domingo, there they were; delegations of children representing the regions of Oaxaca.

Istmo de Tehuantepec couple (a young Frida Kahlo, perhaps?) posing for photos.

There were several bands playing and it got a little too loud for this girl from the Istmo.

However this girl, representing the Papaloapan, didn’t seem to mind and was ready to toss candy to the crowd. She wasn’t alone — once the calenda started, candy began flying fast and furious and the pockets of the kids watching on the sidelines began bulging!

Girls from the Costa region received last-minute instructions.

Costa boys were charged with holding up their school banner.

The girls representing the Papaloapan clutched plastic pineapples, ready for the always popular Flor de Piña dance from Tuxtepec.

A little cross cultural comparing of notes (actually, cell phone games) was happening between the Istmo and Papaloapan.

All the while, the dancers from the Mixteca danced their way down the Álcala.

And, the young Danza de la Pluma danzantes, representing the Valles Centrales, carefully balanced their penachos (headdresses).

Tonight at 5 pm, these 300 kids from 52 preschools, will perform traditional regional dances in the auditorium of the Universidad Regional del Sureste, Rosario campus in San Sebastián Tutla.

Read Full Post »

Beyond bunnies and thinking

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Culture, Holidays, Music, Religion, tagged Carmen Alto, castillo, culture, Danza de la Pluma, Easter, fireworks, fuegos artificiales, Mexico, Oaxaca, Pascuas, photo, photographs, Semana Santa, toritos, travel, video on April 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It’s been a week since the end of Semana Santa and I’m still sorting through photos and videos and reflecting on impressions and feelings. However, I’m finding that, with too much thinking, the experience slips through the fingers and the magic vanishes.

Thus, I give you the night of Pascuas (Easter) at Carmen Alto…

And then, the hisses, bangs, and brilliant explosions of a castillo…

brought Semana Santa to a spectacular close.

Read Full Post »

Belief and believers

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, Religion, tagged Bible, Christianity, culture, Good Friday, Jesus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, ritual procession, Viernes Santo, Virgin Mary on April 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The back of the official 26th anniversary t-shirt for the Good Friday, Procesión del Silencio, doesn’t come close to telling the tale.

Images of belief add texture to the ritual procession of mourners grieving the crucifixion and death of Jesus, as related in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

But it’s the eyes of believers…

that gives the narrative a silent voice.

And, grieving mothers everywhere understand.

No matter where one lands on the belief continuum, it’s hard not to be moved.

(ps) For lots more terrific photos, take a look at Chris’s posting, The Procession of Silence.

Read Full Post »

Waiting in the wings…

Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, tagged Christianity, culture, Good Friday, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photographs, Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, Procesión del Silencio, Procession of Silence, religion, Viernes Santo on April 7, 2012| 6 Comments »

In front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo Templo on Viernes Santo (Good Friday), waiting for the Procesión del Silencio (Procession of Silence) to set off up the Álcala, down Garcia Vigil, and back up the Álcala to Sangre de Cristo.

Read Full Post »

Bread of eternal life

Posted in Buildings, Celebrations, Churches, Holidays, tagged Carmen Abajo, Carmen Alto, Cathedral, Christianity, full moon, Holy Week, Jueves Santo, La catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Maundy Thursday, Mexico, Oaxaca, pan bendito, photo, photographs, Preciosa Sangre de Cristo Templo, religion, Santo Domingo, Semana Santa, Templo de la Compañía de Jesus, Templo de San Felipe Neri, Templo de San José on April 6, 2012| 1 Comment »

Yesterday, under a full moon…

and clutching our “pan bendito” (blessed bread), we began our pilgrimage. Jueves Santo (Holy/Maundy Thursday) tradition calls for visiting 7 churches (la visita de las siete casas) in the city with one’s pan bendito, which must be kept to offer to guests, should any grace our doorstep. This all relates back to Jesus’s Last Supper, which this date commemorates.

First stop was the nearby Templo de San José, where palm fronds were also distributed and believers used them to brush up and down the statue of Jesus. Hands also ran down his legs and then were used to touch one’s face.

After emerging from the side door of the jam-packed church, we set off for Templo de San Felipe Neri (whose picturesque dome can be seen (left of center) on my blog banner-head).

Next stop was Carmen Abajo…

followed by the far right side chapel of the La Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. A plaque at the entrance of the chapel read, “El maestro esta aqui y te llama” (The teacher is here and calls you) and the multitude seemed to be heeding the call.

We then strolled across the zócalo to the Jesuit, Templo de la Compañía de Jesus.

We changed direction and headed north up the Álcala. Big mistake! A mosh pit (Chris, this WAS a mosh pit) surrounding a Tuna band that was playing in the middle of the street, causing gridlock and bringing us to an abrupt stop. Eventually, following our blocker (my son, the lineman would be proud), we eventually found light and continued up to Preciosa Sangre de Cristo Templo, where we had earlier spent 1-1/2 hours (and it was still going on when we left!) at a mass where the priest reenacted Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.

Strolling across the Álcala to Santo Domingo was much less challenging. The aisle to Santo Domingo’s main altar was blocked and we were routed to a side chapel. Hurray, we did it — this made seven churches visited!

However, though bleary-eyed (as evidenced by the photo below), we opted for just one more, Carmen Alto.

Home beckoned… and sleep came easily under the watch of the moon, now appropriately encircled by a halo.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »