Tlaxcala is filled with color, music, and dance with the arrival of Carnival. A festival that, beyond its recreational and touristic dimension, is a living testament to the resilience and memory of peoples of Indigenous heritage.
In this festive space, tradition is not only maintained but transformed, allowing communities to reaffirm their identity through dance, clothing, and symbols that have endured throughout the centuries.
Studies, such as that of Carro Albarrán (2011), document how the movements, masks, and structure of this dance evoke ancient propitiatory rituals, in which the festival marks the transition between natural cycles.
However, as Santacruz Montealegre (2021) points out, the “touristification” of Carnival occurs, which often dilutes its ritual meaning in favor of a more commercial and spectacular image.
Despite this, Tlaxcalan communities resist and maintain the essence of their celebration, adapting it without losing its profound meaning. In this way, Carnival remains a rite of renewal, not only of the land, but also of the cultural identity of its participants.
The indigenous heritage present in this festival challenges narratives that have attempted to reduce it to a simple spectacle. As Jiménez Lima (2022) documents, carnival festivities go through different stages of regulation and reinterpretation, from the Colonial period to modern Mexico, without losing their connection to the past.
In this sense, the Tlaxcala Carnival must be understood as a bridge between the ancestral and the contemporary. Its festive nature encapsulates a complex web of meanings where memory, fertility, and cultural resistance are intertwined.
Tlaxcala is filled with color, music, and dance, reaffirming that its Carnival is not just a celebration, but a declaration of identity.
Source: lajornadadeoriente
