nPostednon July 28, 2014
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“Guelaguetza”nmeans “offering” in the Zapotec language, so today is the secondnday of the “Offering Festival.” Another name for this Mexicannfestival is Lunes del Cerro, or “Mondays on the hill.” Itnis held the last two Mondays of July.
“Guelaguetza”nmeans “offering” in the Zapotec language, so today is the secondnday of the “Offering Festival.” Another name for this Mexicannfestival is Lunes del Cerro, or “Mondays on the hill.” Itnis held the last two Mondays of July.n
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nThere are parades and dance shows. And of course food. Lots of yummy food.
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nThisnfestival is sort of a combination of pre-Hispanic celebrations of thencorn goddess Centeotl and the Catholic feast day of Our Lady of MountnCarmel. It is a state-wide festival in which people from all overnOaxaca come together and celebrate the diversity of their traditions.nn
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| When I think of a handicraft from Oaxaca, I always think of this kind of gorgeous barro negro pottery. |
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nYounmay think of Mexican culture being one set thing, but just within thenstate of Oaxaca, there are 16 different ethnic and linguisticn(language) groups. They each have traditional clothing, folk dances,nand specialized products. n
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| These colorful alebrijes are made of wood and are very popular. |
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Getnthis: at the end of a group’s performance of their own regionalndance, the dancers throw items that are particular to their regionnout into the crowd. That’s a nice way of sharing culture with onenanother!
Getnthis: at the end of a group’s performance of their own regionalndance, the dancers throw items that are particular to their regionnout into the crowd. That’s a nice way of sharing culture with onenanother!n
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nInthink that throwing items out into the crowd must be pretty tough,nthough. I read that the dance performances are held in a specialnopen-air auditorium that seats 11,000 people and that is located on anhill overlooking Oaxaca. The auditorium was built so that peoplenlooking down at the stage can also see a gorgeous view of the city ofnOaxaca…. And that means that people throwing items to the crowdnhave to throw UPwards, into a very large crowd!!
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nApparentlynit is sad to many of the indigenous peoples of the area that the newnauditorium means that the once-free, more spontaneous sharing ofncultures of the past is more of a tourist attraction that costsnmoney. There is a lot of controversy about the official celebration,nand I am wondering if some non-official venues are springing up herenand there?
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nAlsonon this date:
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nBuffalonSoldiers Day
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nAnniversarynof the introduction of potatoes to England and Ireland
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nIndependencenDay in Peru
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nAuthorn/ illustrator Beatrix Potter’s birthday
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nEid al Fitr
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nJulyn holidays
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nJulyn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in July
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nAugustn holidays
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nAugustn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in August
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