Should you find yourself in Llano Park early on a Friday morning during Lent, your senses will be assaulted with the cacophony of multiple bands (playing different tunes at the same time!), twirling marmotas, dancing monos, cheering students, young men loaded down with flowers, and young women dressed to the nines circling the statue of Benito Juárez.
Viernes del Llano (aka, Paseos Florales del Llano) is a fifty year old “only in Oaxaca” tradition held during the first five Fridays of Lent. Apparently, dating back to the 19th century, Oaxaca had a tradition, promoted by the church, of paying homage to women for the important role they play in the support of the family. The ritual died out, but was resurrected in the seventies by the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca (UABJO) to recover “religious and family values.”
The tradition was put on hold during the pandemic, but is back in full force. I was in Teotitlán del Valle for this year’s first paseo but, along with my neighbor, attended the second one on March 3rd featuring Preparatoria 6. It must be a very large school as there were 85 participants.
The winners (photos below) were announced in five different categories — that in English translated (approximately) to: Miss Photogenic, Miss Social Media, Godmother of Flowers, Best Cheerleader, and Godmother of Friday.
While it is very colorful, joyous, fun to observe, and is a lucrative day for flower vendors, this article (in Spanish) raises some obvious questions, including: Is this tradition or sexism? And, is this something educational institutions should be promoting?
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