July is the month of the Guelaguetza. It has its origin in pre-Hispanic corn festivals — a time when maíz seeds were (and continue to be) sown in many of the villages in the valley of Oaxaca and people gathered to exchange seeds and celebrate. The annual festival was resurrected in 1951 by the city’s leaders to encourage tourism — and it has worked. Ancillary activities, in the form of fairs, festivals, and cultural presentations have been added over the years to attract and entertain even more domestic and international tourists.
And so, despite the continuing and contentious issues regarding education/labor forms, the show must go on! Calendas (parades) are already occurring on the city’s streets and banners advertising Guelaguetza events are hanging from street lights on the major calles. Below is the official Guelaguetza 2016 program of events and a selection of some of the addition activities happening this month. (Click each poster for a larger and more readable image.)
If you are in Oaxaca, there is no reason to be bored. ¡Disfruta! Enjoy!
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