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Holidays and Celebrations in Oaxaca

The same annual festivals and celebrations that occur in the City of Oaxaca, also take place all over the state, along with the fiesta of each local patron saint. The celebrations are elaborate in towns like Teotitln del Valle, where the Zapotecs are more prosperous from the wool rug industry, and more modest where the people are poor. Some towns throw big fiestas no matter the state of their economy, making remarkable sacrifices to do so, as in San Andrés Huaxpaltepec on the Pacific Coast for the Day of Jesus the Nazarene, and in San Pedro Amusgos for the day of Saint Peter. Festivals are organized and financed by various historic organizations in the localities, and the responsibilities are a serious civic and religious obligation.

Each festival has special parties, religious and civic activities, foods, and flowers, as well as expanded handicraft production and shopping opportunities. Following the festivals is greatly entertaining and gives a visitor a deeper insight into Oaxacas people, customs and crafts. The religious processions and church ceremonies are accompanied by popular dances, sports events, bullfights, beauty pageants, feasts, elaborate firework displays, and open-air markets. Vendors from far and wide set up their stalls under awnings in the parks and streets. Public spectacles with costumed actors as pre-Hispanic or Christian personages and animals (devils, cows, mules, bulls, goats, and tigers are popular).

The major festivals are impressive productions, but catching a smaller one can be equally satisfying. Almost impossible to know about ahead of time, you find out about them when a brass band comes within earshot or rounds a corner with the marmotas (big round lanterns) and monos (giant papier-máche figures) bobbing up and down, and determined ladies carrying flowers and the image of a santo. This may be in honor of the founding of the organization of flower vendors in the markets of Benito Juárez and the Central de Abastos, for instance (the celebration is devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe and takes place at the Church of Guadalupe in Oaxaca in June). The little parades end up at the churches, and you might even get to attend the feast in the churchyard. That people persist in these sincere devotions is very touching; the cheery music, their innocence and faith are at once brave and sad.

Elaborate processions and ceremonies were an important part of pre-Hispanic life. The Christian dances were an effective sixteenth century audio-visual tool, concocted by the early friars to convert the Indians to the Catholic religion. Favorite personages are the Devil and skeletons, who also appear often in folk art. The friars, considering the ancient Indian gods as Satan, turned them into devils in their festivals: funny but frightening horned, grimacing red creatures with spears and tails. But the innocent Indians loved the charming devils and still do. Death, an important figure in pre-Hispanic religion and ceremony,is a familiar presence today in rural villages. In festivals, Death is always accompanied by the Devil. The life-long battle between good and evil is acted out in the plazas at festival time by these and other costumed, dancing figures. Enjoyment operates on different levels; to most people festivals are now mainly an opportunity to have fun.

Following is a list of the major holidays in the City of Oaxaca of most interest to visitors. The rural festivals are listed elsewhere on the website under the name of each town.

Epiphany, Día de los Reyes Magos (Day of the Three Kings). January 6. End of the Christmas holidays and the day that children are given their gifts. Stores and markets are full of toys and roscas de reyes, a rich, twisted bread with dolls inside. Whoever gets one of the little dolls has to throw a party on February 2nd.

Candlemas, la Candelaria, February 2. Parties are given by finders of the rosca dolls, and families have their images of the Baby Jesus dressed up to be blessed in memory of the Presentation of the Christ Child in the Temple. Stands in the Abastos market sell the little crowns, robes and accessories and clothe the images. Many different models are available, and the array of finery is impressive.

Carnival. The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the last day before the beginning of Lent (flexible date). Celebrated with dances and other festivities; the best traditional Carnival celebration in Oaxaca is probably on the Pacific Coast at Pinotepa de Don Luis.

Lent or Paseos de los Viernes de Cuaresma, early each Friday during Lent, university students at El Llano Park, accompanied by a band, choose beauty queen and give flowers to their favorites.

Holy Week or Semana Santa. Flexible date, starting with Palm Sunday when woven crosses to protect homes and belongings are sold in the markets, plazas and in front of churches. On Holy Thursday visits are made to the seven houses or churches, with altars set up for La Dolorosa, (Our Lady of Sorrows) with "chía" seeds sprouting green out of clay animals (symbolizing the Resurrection) and flowers and leaves of the maguey plant.

On Good Friday the Passion and Crucifixion are acted out with holy images or live actors.

On Easter Sunday the Resurrection is celebrated with masses at midnight Saturday and at six on Sunday morning. At ten on Sunday the church bells ring to celebrate the Misa de Gloria. In villages such as Zimatlán and Huixtepec the churches are filled with hundreds of vases of flowers and life-sized statues of the risen Christ.

Birthday of Benito Juárez, the Zapotec Indian President of Mexico born in Guelatao, a national holiday. March 21.

Day of the Holy Cross, Día de la Santa Cruz or Day of the Masons, Día del Albañil. May 3. University of Oaxaca students dress up and play tricks as they dance through the streets, and generally making merry with harmless tricks such as breaking egg shells filled with flour or confetti on the heads of bystanders. Small crosses are placed on buildings under construction.

Cinco de Mayo. National holiday in memory of Mexican victory over invading French troops in the battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Banks and government offices closed.

Isthmus of Tehuantepec week celebrations, Vela Ismeña (Isthmus Gathering), starting about May 10 (flexible). A week when people from the isthmus of Tehuantepec residing in the city of Oaxaca come together for a series of public and cultural events, ending with a Mass in Santo Domingo church. Dances, parties, processions of Tehuantepec ladies and girls in gala costumes take place in the City of Oaxaca.

Guelaguetza! or Lunes del Cerro, (Monday on the Hill) last 2 Mondays of July, after the birthday of Benito Juárez. Beginning in 1932, when Oaxaca celebrated its 400th anniversary, groups from many regions of the state have performed their wonderful native dances in all their varieties of costume. The original event, of pre-Hispanic origin, enacted reciprocal gift-giving and ceremonies in honor of the Corn Goddess. Reservations for the program must be made months in advance as it is one of the most well-attended events of the year. In 2004, the festival will be on the 19th and the 26th of July.

Independence Day, Día de la Independencia, September 15 & 16. Military parades and reenactment of the Grito or call for independence from Spain in 1810 take place.

Food of the Gods Festival: First week of October (in 2004, the festival will be from October 2 to October 9); celebratingh the traditional cuisines of Oaxaca. Food & Wine¨ magazine says "the choice eating event of the month is the FOOD OF THE GODS Festival in Oaxaca."

Day of the Virgin of the Rosary, Día del Rosario, Oct. 18 Processions, masses.

Day of the Dead Festival, Día de los Muertos, November 1, 2. Nov. 1 is All Saints Day, Nov. 2 is All Souls Day. Altars to honor and receive dead souls which return to earth once a year (deceased adults come for 24 hours, from 4 p.m on the lst to 4 p.m. on the 2nd, and children come the day before). Altars are set up in homes, markets and shops with food and drink, incense and flowers. Pre-Hispanic elements include the burning of copal incense and offerings of food. Graves are decorated with cempoatzuchitl (marigold flowers) and borla (#########), candles, and food, and families keep an all-night vigil in the cemetery. Artisans work overtime for a month beforehand to provide the humorous accompaniments: toy skeletons, breads with skull decorations and sugar skulls with tinsel eyes and personal names on the foreheads.

Guadalupe Day, December 12. An important national holiday dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, who appeared to the Indian Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in the early 16th century and became the beloved saint of the Indians all over Mexico. El Marques del Valle, Hernán Cortés, was especially devoted to her; the Emperor Maximilian built an altar for La Guadalupe in a church in his native Vienna.

Virgin of Solitude, Virgin of la Soledad, Dec. 18. One of the most elaborate religious festivals in Oaxaca, held in celebration of the cult of the patron saint of the city. The church is filled with flowers, banners, candles and worshipers who come from all over the area. It is a glorious spectacle of profound religious sentiment, light and beauty. There are processions, fireworks and a big markets in the Alameda and plaza by the Soledad Church.

The Christmas season begins Dec. 16 and lasts through the Day of the Kings on Jan. 6.
The Posadas begin on Dec.16 and continue to the 24th.
The events on Dec. 23, Night of the Radishes or Noche de los Rábanos, are unique to Oaxaca. Click below for full calendar.
Christmas in Oaxaca

http://www.oaxacainfo.com/calendar.htm