As I previously posted,since the 2006 conflict, there are two Guelaguetzas in Oaxaca.Sebastian's aunts invited me to join them in the Sunday calenda for the Guelaguetza Popular. Saturday evening the goverment sponsored Guelaguetza had their calenda through the city- I saw part of it and it was very polished and a HUGE tourist attraction.
I met the family at 3:30 on Sunday and we walked several miles to Xochimilco, a very old cobble stone neighborhood outside of Oaxaca ,where we would meet up with the calenda.You see, most everything is word of mouth here.Even if there is a "scheduled" time, you can pretty much disregard it.
When we found the calenda, we came upon a group of mostly young boys (there was one young lady in ora
nge skirt)from Zaachila getting their stilts on!These kids were incredible- they walked and danced the entire day on some really varied terrain (cobblestone,pot holed streets) on these amazing handmade stilts that they had tied to their legs.Everywhere, young and old, women and men, native and extranjero (foreigner) could be seen
in various forms of ropa typica (traditional dress).Groups of dancers from various regions along with their bandas de musica were joined by monos and cuetes.Political slogans were everywhere and
chanted as we slowly made our way to the major highway and then to a serpentine route through the city to the zocalo.People lined the streets, cheered, danced,threw confetti and shared meszcal.As we made our way through the city ,more and more people joined in the dancing and chanting.There was quite a crowd by the time we got to the zocalo (about 6:30).
The calenda made it's way round the zocalo along with speeches,dancers, cuetes.It was loud,colorful, joyful and lively!
Everyone was
encouraged to attend the Guelaguetza Popular- free and open to the public as it was meant to be.
2 comments:
You surely had a memorable day -- thanks for sharing it.
Those brillant colors are an eyeful!
--Tim
P.S. How come there are no pictures of YOU on stilts -- not enough meszcal passed around?
As Seb was not with me- he spent the day with his father, I WAS able to dance in the street-that usually sets Seb off in a tailspin.
We did hear later that night that one of the young boys did fall off of his stilts and had to be taken to the hospital.
K
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