Mexico City will add four new celebrations to its official calendar. And one of them will be in honor of the so-called “drink of the gods.” Starting in 2026, the capital will celebrate Pulque Day.
This measure further recognizes the cultural importance of pulque in the capital. Just last October 3, 2024, the local government declared the pulque-making process an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico City, with the aim of safeguarding a practice that dates back at least 2,500 years.
According to the decree published in the Official Gazette on January 23, “the first Sunday of February of each year is declared Pulque Day in Mexico City.”
That is to say, in 2026, Pulque Day will be Sunday, February 1.
It is worth noting that the first Sunday of February is also recognized at the federal level as National Pulque Day. However, this decree by the Mexico City government also recognizes the importance of the “drink of the gods” at the local level, for the boroughs of Mexico City and their indigenous communities.
According to one of the transitional articles of the decree published in the Official Gazette of Mexico City, activities for the public recognition, dissemination, commemoration, and appreciation of this beverage must be promoted on Pulque Day.
It also establishes that the Mexico City Government, the borough governments, and autonomous agencies must be responsible for organizing these activities. However, at the moment, there has been no announcement regarding this from the relevant agencies.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, “pulque is an alcoholic beverage of pre-Hispanic origin obtained from the leaves of the maguey plant and is made from the fermentation of the mucilage (an organic substance with a viscous texture, characteristic of some plants), popularly known as aguamiel.”
In Mexican territory, the production and consumption of pulque dates back at least three millennia. It is known as the “drink of the gods” because the Aztecs believed it was a gift from the goddess Mayahuel.
Mexico City is considered one of the main pulque-producing states, along with the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Morelos, and Michoacán.
According to data from the Mexico City government, “pulque is produced in indigenous communities in 9 of the 16 boroughs, including San Bartolo Ameyalco and Santa Rosa Xochiac in Álvaro Obregón, the Sierra de Guadalupe in Gustavo A. Madero, and Peñón Viejo (Tepepolco) in Iztapalapa, among others.”
In addition to the decree establishing the first Sunday of February as Pulque Day, the Mexico City Congress published three other decrees in the Official Gazette establishing celebrations and commemorations:
Starting this year, April 12 will be recognized in Mexico City as “Day of Sentient Beings.”
Meanwhile, the October 12 will be the “Day of the Pluricultural City, Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Resistance, and the Fight Against Racism.”
Finally, February 4 will be “Cleaning Workers’ Day.”
Source: chilango
