The 10 Most Important Traditions Of The State Of Veracruz
Mexico is a country with a culture in which, like other places on the American continent, a melting pot of ethnicities is mixed with influences from both the Aztec, Mayan and Inca civilizations as well as what was imported by the Spanish and Portuguese.
The state of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the most interesting places in the Mexican country Both its capital, Xalapa-Enríquez, and its most populated city with which it shares a name, are places where centuries-old traditions and customs are celebrated and carried out, where the intangible wealth of Mexicans can be observed.
Their colors, their dresses, the way they deal with a topic as dark for Europeans as death, in which bright colors cannot be missing, are some of the identity symbols of both the Veracruz region and the country in the one that is found.
Let’s see a sample of this fascinating culture through a review of the most important traditions of Veracruz
These are several Veracruz traditions that characterize the cultural life of this state of Mexico.
1. Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe
This Veracruz celebration It is celebrated on December 12 and commemorates the appearance of the Virgin on the Tepeyac hill
During the festival, a replica of the Virgin made of cardboard and decorated with flowers is carried. Different groups are in charge of carrying the figure to the church, accompanying it during the journey with songs and religious music. Even during the celebration you can see one of the most iconic symbols of Mexico, the mariachis, who sing to the Virgin.
It lasts several days. Is about a time to honor the dead and spend more time with family The deceased are remembered, praying for them so that their souls reach heaven or the world of the dead safely.
Altars are built with offerings to those who are no longer here, placing skulls decorated in very striking ways, flowers for the dead and other decorations. The deceased are also visited in the cemeteries.
The celebration of this holiday stands out for being very different from how tribute is paid to the dead in Europe. This is due to the influence of Aztec culture in the region since the Aztecs celebrated deaths in a more festive and colorful way than on the old continent.
3. Dance of the Flyers of Papantla
Is about a ceremony in which participants dance and attempt to climb a 30-meter-high pole to jump from the highest end with the only safeguard that some ropes to hang from it.
Five people participate, of which four jump and one remains on top dancing, playing the flute and the drum.
4. Peanut chicken
Gastronomy cannot be missing as an identifying element of every culture. Pollo encacahuatado is a traditional dish from Veracruz, and basically consists of a breast of the bird with sauce made of peanuts
Nuts are an ingredient widely used by Veracruz residents to add a touch of creaminess to sauces.
5. Carnival in Veracruz
Carnival is an element that cannot be missing in every Latin American culture and Veracruz is a reference in this celebration.
Known as the happiest Carnival in the world, the one celebrated in this state lasts about 9 days and It has 6 large parades with more than 30 floats , in addition to multiple events such as concerts and social events. The mix between Mesoamerican, European and African is noticeable in the region’s carnival, where its people are dressed in colorful costumes dancing to rhythms reminiscent of Afro-Cuban. Although the Catholic Church, when trying to evangelize the region, disapproved of this pagan festival, it did not prevent it from surviving to this day.
Today, the Veracruz carnival It begins with the “burning of the bad mood” and ends with the burial of “Juan Carnaval”
As time went by, it became a little more elaborate, with dances intended for more select groups, without forgetting the most popular celebrations.
6. Spring Festivals
Normally, it is celebrated in places where there are vestiges of Totonac culture, which was characterized by being very advanced in terms of astronomy. People dance in places like El Tajín, Papantla, to nourish themselves with the energy of the spring sun’s rays
This type of dance is also done in other places in the state, such as Cempoala or Santiago de Tuxla.
7. Festivities of San Mateo de Naolinco
This festival is celebrated in the municipality of Naolinco, and pays tribute to Saint Matthew the Apostle. It begins on September 19, although the most important day is the 21st
Before the 21st arrives, neighbors get together sharing cookies, tamales, sandwiches, coffee and other typical foods of the region. In the morning of that day the procession begins Furthermore, as a European import, the fights between Moors and Christians are represented as a commemoration of the conquest of the Iberian peoples against the Muslims.
8. Candlemas Festival
It is a fairly widespread celebration in the Mexican state, whose origins are not entirely clear and is explained by two legends.
One of the legends says that this festival It is based on the indigenous celebration of their goddess Chalchiuhtlicua , who was the deity of waters, such as rivers, seas and lakes. It is said that with the arrival of the Spanish, the indigenous pantheon was replaced by Christian saints and virgins, with the Virgin of Candelaria being the one who was in charge of supplanting the goddess of waters, given that this virgin is the protector of fishermen. .
The second legend maintains that the origin of this celebration is that this Virgin, of Andalusian origin, protected and cared for the sailors who lived on the island of Tlaxcotialapan.
Whatever has made the people of Veracruz celebrate this festival, there is no doubt about the great influence of Spanish on the ancestral Totonac culture.
9. The branch
La Rama is a Christmas tradition which takes place between December 16 and 24. These are processions in which participants carry leafy branches or poles decorated with paper lanterns and candles, as well as orange peels, colored paper chains and religious figures. They go through the streets stopping at each house to ask for some alms, in the form of sweets, money or some other type of cooperation.
This tradition arises from the mixture of indigenous influences of the region, Afro-Cuban and Spanish The ancient people who settled in what is now Veracruz celebrated a festival in December in which they carried a branch called versúchil that represented the renewal of nature.
10. The lost boy
According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, when he was 12 years old, got lost in Jerusalem during the Passover holidays. They searched for him for three days until they found him in the city’s Temple. This story was used by Fray Junípero de Serra in the 18th century when he went to evangelize the people of the Mexican region becoming over time a well-established tradition in Veracruz.
On December 7 at 7 pm a whistle sounds to announce the start of the festival. The streets remain dark, with the only illumination from the candles that mark the path to the church. The light will serve as guide the baby Jesus so that he can reach the temple safely
