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The Guelaguetza is a commitment to sharing and the practice of contributing for the betterment of the community - though it is done between individuals. The mason may build a brick oven for the baker with the understanding that the baker will provide cakes for the weddings of the mason’s three daughters (though at the time of the building they may be ages 8, 10 and 14). The town upholsterer might re-do the undertaker’s furniture, thereby guaranteeing that his funeral will be take care of. The community might also come together to see that people in unfortunate circumstances are looked after. Guelaguetza is still practiced in the villages around Oaxaca and is celebrated once a year, usually on the last two Mondays in July (in 2002 it is on the 22nd and the 29th). Locally it is sometimes referred to as Lunes de Cerro (Monday on the Hill). The fiesta is held at Cerro del Fortín, an amphitheater which offers magnificent views of the city. Oaxaca is always crowded at this time because of the popularity of this fiesta.
Most visitors are from Mexico’s larger cities and from Europe, though it is becoming more and more popular with North Americans. The fiesta is also in honor of Centéotl, the goddess of corn. Even missionaries incorporated it into the celebration of the Virgin of El Carmen in the middle of July.
Since 1932 groups from the seven regions of the valley of Oaxaca have presented carefully chosen dances with local characteristics and regional dress at this annual festival. During the dances, to symbolize the commitment to sharing, local gifts are tossed to the crowd.
This year, the Escuela Cultural de las Americas “César Chávez, “Brigada 21 de Marzo, Centro de la Calle tercera, Recursos para Familias y Comunidades, Reporteros de la onda Bajita:KPFA radio, and Calpulli Huitzilopochtli, will be bringing this celebration in a one day event on
July 20, 2003
The event will take place at the Mexican Heritage Plaza
1700 Alum Rock Ave.
San Jose, CA 95116
We would like to invite you to participate in a one time donation in which you will be recognized as the event’s Padrino or Madrina
Please see attached form with a list of donation possibilities.
More Information:
P.O.Box 21143 San José, CA 95151-1143
Phone: 408/836-0970 or 408/347-8520 fax: 408/347-8208
e-mail: tinkihuasi@aol.com or b21m@msbx.net.