El origen de la Guelaguetza

Celebrating Traditions in Oaxaca

Overview of the Celebration

• The largest festival in Oaxaca showcases regional traditions through dance, music, cuisine, and traditional attire.

• The celebration has pre-Hispanic origins linked to the Zapotec people who offered thanks to their gods with dances and sacrifices for bountiful harvests.

Historical Context

• Indigenous practices included offerings to Centéotl, the maize goddess, which were disrupted by Spanish colonization.

• Following colonization, Spaniards built a church dedicated to the Virgin of Carmen Alto but indigenous people continued their celebrations on Cerro del Fortín.

Key Events of the Festival

• The festival occurs annually on two Mondays after July 16th, starting with traditional parades known as "calendas."