Whoa! Oaxaca!
Oaxaca ~ pronounced Wah-ha-ka, for those of you wondering what the heck I just wrote ~ is located in the Southwestern part of Mexico, bordered by the states of Guerrero to the West, Puebla to the East, Veracruz to the North and Chiapas to the East. It's an enormous state rich in culture, traditions, delicious gastronomy and breathtaking vistas and I was just privy to be able to enjoy just a portion of what the state has to offer.
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| The omnipresent Virgin de Guadalupe |
Oaxaca has been on my radar for a while now mostly because it has been named as the gastronomic capitol of Mexico ~ known for it's moles, mezcal and everything in between and considering that Mexican cuisine is #1 on my top things to devour, of course it was on my radar!
We were escorted through quaint cobblestone streets of Oaxaca city that were flitting with banda music, vendors, people dancing, and in general, a vibrancy that is non-existent in my suburban town. I had to ask our guide if there was some sort of celebration going on because the vibe in the air was similar to that of long awaited Minnesota State Fair ~ one where people seemed to have waited a whole year to attend this feast of the senses. His answer to my question: "No, siempre es asi." ~ translation : Nope, it's always like this. I was astonished ~ shocked ~ blown away. He went on to tell me the different days of the week that offer a variety of "ferias", vendors and general celebrations. Oaxacan people like to celebrate and they do so with music, food, more food and alas, more food. I immediately thought that I could find myself a little piece of real estate here and call this life celebrating community home from here on out.
One of the biggest celebrations in Oaxaca is called, " La Guelaguetza" which takes place the last two weeks in July. Here is a brief outline of what the Guelaguezta is all about.
The word Guelaguetza means "offering" in the Zapotec language, and its meaning goes far beyond the festival. In traditional Oaxacan villages when there is an occasion for celebration such as a baptism, wedding, or the feast day of the village patron saint, the people attending the party will bring items necessary for the celebration: food, alcoholic beverages, etc. Each person's offering, or "guelaguetza" allows the party to take place and becomes part of a reciprocal exchange and is one of the ways social ties are reinforced and maintained through time.
The Guelaguetza festival as it is celebrated today is a combination of prehispanic celebrations of the corn goddess, Centeotl, and the Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which falls on July 16th."
After one night in Oaxaca, I knew that I'd return and most definitely for the Guelaguetza. If you're wanting to experience Oaxacan culture, it's indigenous groups, it's cuisine, it's music in all of it's vibrancy, a trip to Oaxaca in July would feed all of those needs. Couple that with a trek into the Sierra Juarez mountains for a taste of Oaxaca completely mind blowing, you've got yourself a life changing experience.
There is no other experience similar to Oaxaca, Mexico. I am excited to share this treasure with fellow travelers and lovers of everything authentic Mexico. Viva la Vida!
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