Representatives of Indigenous communities from San Miguel de Allende celebrated the arrival of spring with an ancestral ritual held at the Cañada de la Virgen archaeological site. They were guarded by members of the National Guard, as the site remains closed following its expropriation by the federal government.
Members of the Hña Hñu-Chichimeca Brotherhood convened the event, which included a vigil at the foot of the pyramid and the offering of flowers, ceremonial staffs, vows, and relics. Permission was requested from the four winds to carry out the ritual, which continued in the morning with a ceremony in which those present were blessed and plants were distributed to be planted at the site as a symbol of fertility and growth.
Indigenous communities held ceremonies at Cañada de la Virgen under guard, while hundreds attended the equinox concert at El Charco del Ingenio.
The celebration, held for decades by members of the region’s Indigenous communities, returned to the ceremonial center just a couple of years ago, thanks to the persistence of Indigenous authorities with the National Institute of Anthropology and History. However, its realization this year was in doubt due to the conflict in the area following the expropriation of 700 hectares at the end of January.
Throughout the event, attendees were protected by members of the National Guard, who monitored the area to prevent conflicts and ensure that access to the archaeological site was not blocked by the former landowners. The site remains closed to the public.
Equinox Concert Draws Hundreds to Charco del Ingenio
The rocks of the Charco del Ingenio canyon became a stage for the Equinox Concert, which this year delighted more than 350 attendees with a performance by the all-female band “Mujeres del Viento Florido” (Women of the Flowering Wind) from Santa María Tlahuitoltepec, Sierra Mixe, Oaxaca.
A couple of hours before the performance, attendees began arriving at the botanical garden to enjoy an afternoon stroll along the trails and secure the best, impromptu seats in the natural setting.
With perfect weather, as the performance time approached, the small stage set up among the rocks was already surrounded by an audience of all ages, eager to enjoy the Oaxacan music. High above, at the foot of the Obraje Dam, dozens of spectators awaited the musical notes.
The Cañada de la Virgen was the setting for ancestral rituals overseen by authorities, while the Charco del Ingenio resonated with Oaxacan music.
The all-female orchestra made its way along the dusty paths. Twelve women walked with their instruments on their backs, as they do in the mountainous region where they come from. Flutes, clarinets, trumpets, and the ever-present trombone were among the instruments carried by the women, who wore their traditional clothing and accessories.
The artists masterfully performed boleros, cumbias, and even “Vals sobre las olas” (Waltz Over the Waves) by Juventino Rosas from Guanajuato during the nearly hour-and-a-half-long performance.
With the occasional shout of “Viva Oaxaca!” and hundreds of claps and cheers, the audience recognized the talent of the Oaxacan all-female band.
The concert is held annually to welcome spring and raise funds for the operation of the Charco del Ingenio (a natural pool), and it originated in 1998 after a powerful flash flood cleaned the area. The force of the current even flooded the city on that occasion.
Source: periodicocorreo
