What is la Guelaguetza?

By Eliana Flores-Barber

Mexico is filled with some of the most well known traditions and festivals. From Día de Los Muertos to Mexican Independence Day, people all over the world flock to Mexico to be part of these celebrations. What makes them so captivating is the energy, color, music, food, and love experienced during each one. 

In the state of Oaxaca, no festival compares to that of La Guelaguetza.

Dating back to pre-Columbian times, La Guelaguetza is a ritual to the gods. 

The Zapotec culture founded this celebration in honor of their corn goddess Xilonen. However, as the Aztec empire grew and later conquered Oaxaca, the goddess worshiped became the Aztec corn goddess Centeotl.

In the Zapotec language the word guelaguetza translates to “offering,” or “to give or share.” The offerings and services spoken of extend past this one celebration. During weddings, baptisms, funerals, essentially any large festivity, guests bring everything to help the hosts, from food, to drinks, to work, and money. 

These festivals build a great sense of community throughout the many ethnic groups in Oaxaca and La Guelaguetza is the festival that celebrates this the most. 

Oaxaca is divided into eight geo-economic regions: Cañada, Costa, Istmo, Mixteca, Papaloapan, Sierra Norte, Sierra Sur and Valles Centrales. Among these regions are 16 ethnic groups with their own languages, customs, and traditions. With so much diversity in one state, to bring everyone together would appear to be challenging but the people of Oaxaca have it down to a science. 

While La Guelaguetza may have started out as a celebration of the corn goddess, this festival has developed into so much more than that. Today, it brings everyone together from different parts of the state and gives each ethnic group a place to express themselves through dance. Ultimately, building a strong sense of community and family.

The Dances

At La Guelaguetza dancing is a serious matter. Months before the festival commences, a select group of dancers are chosen by the Committee of Authenticity to take part in the celebration. 

Dances take place on the last two Mondays of July, also known as Lunes del Cerro. Both morning and afternoon, a group of roughly twenty performers per dance, dance at the top of the hill at Cerro del Fortín. 

Fortin Hill - as referred to in English - is a large hill overlooking Oaxaca de Juarez. Atop of the hill is a statue of Benito Juarez, an observatory, and the guelaguetza auditorium which seats roughly 150,000 spectators. 

In the auditorium is where visitors will be able to watch the various dances performed by the eight regions. While the dances are visually appealing, their importance goes beyond aesthetics. At La Guelaguetza, dances pay homage to the people of Oaxaca and give us a glimpse of the past.

Dances include:  Danza de la Pluma, Jarabe del Valle, Sones Serranos, Jarabe de la Botella, Danza Flor de Piña, Sones Mazatecos, Las Chilenas, La Malagueña, El Pandero, Jarabe Mixteco, La Sandunga, La Tortuga, Jarabe Chenteño, and El Palomo.

In a play-like manner, each dance tells a story. Danza de la Pluma, for example, is one of the most symbolic dances at La Guelaguetza. This performance retells the story of the Spaniards conquest over the Aztec people. While the Jarabe del Valle, danced by women, is a traditional dance showcasing their womanhood and ability to provide and work. Danza Flor de Piña on the other hand was created with the purpose of bringing to life the indigenous roots of the Basin.

Throughout many of these dances, performers will often toss chocolates, fruits, and other traditional items into the crowd as a way of bonding with visitors through gifts. 

As with all performances, the costumes worn are of equal importance. 

Entering the auditorium, visitors are greeted by Chinas Oaxaqueñas—the female dance group in charge of welcoming all guests. 

This group is the easiest to identify based on their outfits. Costume creator Ramsés Mateos Alonso researched extensively the outfits worn by native women in Oaxaca 100 years ago. Through this research, Mateos Alonso along with other costume creators were able to identify fabrics, floral patterns, hair styles, jewelry, and makeup styles to ultimately create the iconic outfits of las Chinas Oaxaqueñas. 

Their outfit details: Blouses are white with stunning embroidery details at the neckline and sleeves. Around their necks they wear long colorful scarves which match their long flowy skirts. Similar to their blouses, the skirts have a white embroidery design on them. Depending on the skirt, the embroidery will drape down from the waistline like flower petals while others are laid out in horizontal patterns. As for the hair, it is split into two braids, each with brightly colored fabrics—which contrast their skirt—weaved through. Of course, no outfit can be complete without eye-catching jewelry. For these dancers, medallions, crosses, chains, and large dangling earrings are a staple of their look.  

Their outfits don’t end here. Part of their iconic image is the baskets they balance on their heads throughout the dances. Inside these baskets are carefully created flower arrangements representing the beginning of the mourning period for the deceased. Additionally these baskets hold gifts and food items that are given to the Chinas Oaxaqueñas. 

The Festival Today

La Guelaguetza occurs the two Mondays immediately following July 16th. However, there is one exception. The festival will be moved a week if the penultimate Monday of July is the 18th, the anniversary of the death of Benito Juarez. 

This year, the celebration took place from July 25th to August 1st as the penultimate day in July was the 18th. Throughout these two weeks Oaxaca comes to life with parades called convites. These parades take place the two weekends before Lunes del Cerro and function as invitations for La Guelaguetza festival. This year's convites landed on July 8th, 9th, 15th, and 16th.    

Tickets went on pre-order for this year's festival in May. Pre-sale prices began at $1,335 pesos or $65 US dollars. Tickets can be bought at the Secretary of Tourism of the State of Oaxaca and online.

It is highly recommended to keep yourself updated throughout the beginning of the year as to when tickets will go on sale. According to Oaxaca Travel Tips, tickets for this year's festival - both presale and regular⁠—sold out within minutes. 

For those who missed the ticket sale and are already in Oaxaca, you are able to wait in line the day of for a chance to get tickets. But be prepared to wait in a very long line, we are talking hours long!