Mexico Fiesta: Corpus Christi

11 June 2009: Last night we went to the Fiesta of "Corpus" in Tzintzuntzan, a nearby pueblo that with Pátzcuaro and Ihuatzio formed the three major centers of the pre-conquest Purépecha empire. We went with a new artist friend who lives in Zirahuen and met a young friend from Minneapolis, who has just graduated from the U. of Minnesota in Multicultural Studies (más o menos -- maybe Cross Cultural Studies; in any event she spent five months in Bangladesh and is as hooked on Mexican culture as we are). Here's my account of the Fiesta.

Feast of Corpus Cristi (Body of Christ): Established in the thirteenth century by Pope Urban IV, Corpus Cristi honors the presence of Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. In Pátzcuaro and surrounding pueblos, this 100-year old local celebration of Corpus rests on an older indigenous festival of thanksgiving for the bounties of the past year while seeking blessing on the new plantings about to begin.

Corpus is a joyous festival aptly described as a “Happening” (“Rejuego”). The eyes of our young friend Rubén sparkled when we told him we were going to Corpus: "Oh, Corpus is my favorite fiesta because it is so happy."

In Tzintzuntzan the Fiesta is held in the Atrio of its two colonial churches. The Atrio -- possibly unique in Mexico -- is a walled, maybe 2-3 acre, park with 400-year old olive trees planted by the first Spanish bishop. The altars are set up along a broad stone path that flows around the perimeter of the Atrio.

Today, Corpus has been expanded to include blessing the work, including folkart, produced by the various pueblos. Each pueblo or each association builds an altar with flowers, candles and some representation of their work. One altar was for the taxistas; another for tortillas; another for pottery, for fishing, etc. There were probably a dozen altars in all.

The fiesta has two parts: religious and indigenous.

Religious: After celebrating Mass in one of the two churches, the priest carries a cross containing the Host (glassed-in wafer placed in the space where horizontal and vertical meet) and leads a Procession of the Faithful along the perimeter path, stopping to give a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing at each altar. A different band (brass, clarinets and drums) announces the priest's arrival at and departure from the altars -- oh, and did I mention the cohetes (rocket firecrackers)? You know you're in Mexico when really big firecrackers are set off -- more or less randomly.

Savor the scene: Imagine a 400-year old park set against colonial churches (one topped by a Moorish dome), women and children dressed in colorful "trajes tradicionales" (indigenous dress),

the priest leading the procession, various bands playing more or less at the same time (giving an entire new meaning to the notion of cacaphony), firecrackers going off randomly -- oh, and I guess I forgot the dancing horses, one cow and various and sundry stray dogs! Folks, we ain't never seen nothin' like this in the good ole U.S. of A. -- not now, not ever! Anyway, moving on....

Indigenous Celebration of Thanksgiving: To give thanks for blessings received in the past year, vendors, many wearing traditional Purépecha dress, toss their wares to bystanders (their customers, la gente). The excitement of giving and receiving leads to quite a bit of good-natured running and jostling -- especially by but not restricted to the preteens. Reed described the scene as "barely controlled chaos." I watched it all from the middle of the Atrio with my back against a huge tree!

Also, we'd noticed huge pots cooking over wood fires, stirred constantly by young men using very long wooden spoons. It turns out they were cooking Atole, a thick drink made from young corn and seasoned with fruit. It was delicious -- and it was served free to everyone!

This reminded me again that Mexican fiestas are communal undertakings -- created by the people of the pueblo, for all the people -- even foreigners. Vendors were selling their wares, including food, outside the walls of the Atrio, but inside everything was free -- part of the celebration of thanksgiving and request for blessing for the work of the coming year.

But that's not all! The final event centered on a greased, 25' tree - it looked like a telephone pole with some branches on top - decorated with more "wares" -- including a metal washtub, fruit and various plastic bowls, pitchers, etc. Adolescent and young men were challenged to climb this pole in order to get the goods anchored above. Much high hilarity.

After an absolutely spectacular sunset that had bathed the entire scene in a golden rose light, Mother Nature called in Thunder and Lightening to signal Day's End for these expats. We left tired and deeply satisfied by sharing this community celebration.

Mexico Fiesta: Ucazanaztacua Day 1

Sunday: Fiesta in Ucazanastacua - Day 1
High Mass, Juego de Basketbol, Castillo, y Baile

Sheer amazement at this ancient pueblo on the lake (population: about 125 souls) carved out of the mountainside. Its tiny (20' x 30'?) church, with its Moorish style dome of blue and white tile, was built around a huge boulder, which forms one wall and juts a bit into the church space.

All the houses are connected rabbit-warren style by means of stone stairs and paths; outhouses; running water is to a big tub on outside of house; Spanish moss on the trees! (See explanation below)

High Mass (priest sang; incense used) was celebrated outdoors in part of the stone plaza in front of the church. The Mass combined Pentecost Sunday and First Communion for about ten young people. The Holy Spirit is the patron saint of Ucas, so this was a celebration of it's patron saint. Don Jorge (here on the left), is a padrino, godfather, of one of the girls taking first communion and therefore sponsored her. (Our friend, Alejandra, is at center. She was taking pictures for Don Jorge.) The total length of the mass: 2 hours, this included a rain shower!

Comida (dinner) was served at 2 pm at the casa of our friend, Don Jorge el padre (to distinguish him from Jorge el joven -young). We enjoyed beef-stew and corundas, which are a corn-based, seasoned cereal-like substance baked in cornstalks -- kind of like the corn-meal part of a tamale pie. We were served at a long table (sat eight on a side). The etiquette is to leave when you have finished the meal, so the next rotation can be seated.

Then we embarked on half-mile walk along the Lake shore to reach the cancha or basketball court where young Jorge and his younger brother, Hugo, our English students, were playing in a basketball tournament.

Don Jorge (ecology specialist), told us that Ucazanastacua benefits from a microclimate such that during the winter months (when the sun is in the South), the pueblo receives the sun's rays in two ways: 1) Direct sunlight; 2) Reflected sunlight: during the winter the lake is often as still as a mirror. Given the sun's winter angle, the sun's rays actually reflect off the lake and hit Ucas -- hence the Spanish Moss.

We saw a Great Blue Heron-like bird; white egrets; ducks -- and we passed by numerous grazing cows. Words almost fail me: how to describe the views along this lake with its ranges of cerros ("hills" that are really mountains). The rains have cleared the air of dust and smoke (wildfires) so these ranges are visible again. We counted five ranges of mountains reaching up toward the Purépecha Meseta (Mesa or High Plain).

Clearly, this footpath is the "main road" to the basketball court (cancha), where we went to see Jorge's sons play. I've always wanted to walk along these foot paths, which crisscross Michoacán near Lake Pátzcuaro -- and I did!
 

Young Jorge was the organizer of the tournament. Unfortunately, Jorge's and Hugo's team didn't win. We left after their game in order to have sunlight to guide us back to the pueblo. The path crossed five or six cercas (stone walls). At each cerca, some stones had been removed to allow walkers to cross -- in effect, a stile.

When we got back to Don Jorge's house, his wife and daughter, Erica, were sitting on their porch chatting and enjoying the lake view. We had a wonderful conversation with Erica, who has just earned her Licenciatura (Bachelor's degree). More on this conversation later. They offered us posole, a delicious corn-based soup with ham bone. Mmmm good!

Everyone else arrived just as we were finishing, so Reed and I vacated the table and went to sit on the terraza (front porch). The sunset colors were remarkable, but Mother Nature was just warming up. Shortly after dark, we began to see sheet lightning in various colors so far in the distance we couldn't hear the thunder. Then the lightning strikes began -- what an incredible light show it was! At various times, we were joined by a variety of small children -- all of whom had something to share and seemed to enjoy just interacting with us. It was great!

THEN at about 11 pm, we went to the little plaza, just outside the church (where Mass was celebrated) for the baile (dance) and Castillo (Castle). The castillo is a constructed frame (this was the biggest I've ever seen, maybe 3-4 stories high) where various fireworks displays (pirotécnica) are arranged. Each display picture is an image elaborated in fireworks; these images, such as a rooster, a man doing something (forget what), etc. These "pictures" are on arms that spin on different planes -- much spinning!

Folks -- you have no idea how close everyone was to the fireworks! Liability? Forget about it!!! I'd say, about ten to twelve feet más o menos. We thought the show was over when young Jorge (our English conversation student), more or less grabbed me and pushed me away from the front of the church. He rescued me just in time, because an entirely new "wheel" began to go off on a spinning picture above the door of the little church!!!!! Much excitement.

We finally left at about 12:30 in the madrugada (between midnight and dawn).

We slept.

Ucazanaztacua Day 2: Jaripéo

Mexico Tradition: Jaripéo

Monday: Fiesta in Ucazanaztacua - Day 2 - Jaripéo


Link to: Sunday: Fiesta in Ucazanastacua - Day 1

Back to Ucazanástacua at about 1 pm for comida (main meal) at the cancha (basketball court) and to watch the Purépecha women dance in procession from the cancha to the "corral" where the bull-riding (jaripéo) was to be held at 4 pm. Jorge el padre was jefe (head) of the organizing comisión (committee) for the jaripéo. He asked Alle (our Spanish teacher, whom he knows) to coordinate decorating el torito, a frame sculpture of a bull that is carried in the dance procession of the Purépecha women. The idea is to cover the frame with crepe paper; we used red, white and green -- the colors of the Mexican flag!

I offered to be the "tape cutter" so Alle, a Purépecha woman and her two preteen Purépecha daughters could be the main decorators. I made them laugh by saying that there was mucha presión (much pressure) in keeping them supplied with tape -- I used all four fingers of my left hand! Toward the end, they showed me how to fold crepe paper in a way that it becomes a chain. I truly enjoyed being able to participate with the women.

Lesson learned: Everyone in the community pitches in to create the Fiesta -- even on the actual day. The experience of community is unforgetable. For the pueblo, a Fiesta is not a "finished good" to be presented as "theater" for an "audience"; instead, everyone gives and everyone receives. Reed and I were deeply touched by the openness of the community to include us. We were the only non-indigenous there.

After decorating the torito, we enjoyed comida on long tables set up the cancha. This time it was kind of a potpurri stew: chicken bits, beef bits, and I think even pork bits with frijoles and corn tortillas.

Then we climbed the long flight of stairs (maybe three stories) up to the paved road and waited for the dance to begin. We waited, and we waited...nothing was happening. At about 4:00 pm, when the jaripéo was scheduled to begin, about half a dozen Federales (federal police) arrived in their pick-up truck for comida. Ucas men took down more tables and chairs to accommodate them...and we waited some more.

Finally, at about 4:35 the dance began. The native Purépecha dress is lovely. It is beautiful on adult women -- young and old; but for some reason, seeing little girls (aged 8-10, or so) in native dress undid me. They are all incredibly graceful, with a timeless dignity.

To our surprise, Jorge el padre was dancing with our Torito! Probably it's because next year he will assume the office of what is -- more or less -- "mayor" of Ucas.

At the corral, I watched maybe 2 or 3 rides before my feet and hips finally gave out. Fortunately, our Purépecha taxista had arrived early so he could see some of the bull riding. Even more fortuitously, he was parked nearby, so he walked me to the taxi and went back to keep Alle and Reed company.

I don't want to write what came next, but it, too, is part of Mexican pueblo life. One rider had a very bad accident, and shortly after Reed and Alle arrived with Ramón back at the car. They had seen enough. Alle said she didn't know how they could continue the jaripéo. Ramón commented, "We enjoy the emotional excitement, but this was too much." We found out the next day from Jorge joven that the jinete's (rider) situation is grave, but he is alive.

A couple of days later, Reed and I had lunch at a taquería [fresh juice and taco stand] in the mercado run by our friend Nicolás. To our surprise, he told us he had been a jinete [bull-rider] until he got a bad goring; then his wife and mother insisted, “¡No más!” We learned a lot from him: 1) The premio [prize] is nothing more than a kiss from a beautiful señorita from the pueblo; 2) When a jinete mounts the bull, he never knows how it will end—win or lose, life or death…or maiming; for that reason, each jinete kneels in the corral to pray before mounting the bull; after crossing himself, he spits and mixes the spittle with earth, which he rubs on his forehead.

It’s difficult for me to communicate the nonchalance toward life and death that characterized Nicolás’ narrative. I’d be tempted to dismiss it as macho (and perhaps feigned), but Jorge-joven exhibited the same “indifference”. It’s hard for me to find an adjective to express simultaneously the respect and ultimate acceptance of que-será-será. It is a nonchalant, indifferent fatalism totally foreign to us, but obviously deep as bone marrow for Mexicans.


We drove home from Ucas along the lake with its heart-stopping vistas of the cerros beyond. Somehow the beauty of the natural world reminded me of the dualism that is the essence of Mexico -- life and death, first and foremost; but good and bad, winning and losing, kindness and cruelty and other dualisms. Every once in awhile, Reed reminds me of the violence of the natural world, that birth requires death...sigh....

Mexico Tradition: Boda (Wedding)

Yesterday we went to a boda (wedding) at Tsentséncuaro. Oh, my word -- it involved the entire pueblo community! Victor, the brother of Alejandra (our Spanish teacher) was a padrino (godfather)- a sponsor supporting the costs of the wedding - so she was going and invited us to come with her.

After the wedding (2 pm), the novios (newlyweds) walked through the streets of the pueblo to a house of one of the padrinos, where we sat down and enjoyed hot chocolate y pan (bread). Then we walked up to the house of the novio (groom), where there was comida (dinner) and hours later cena (supper).

Where was the fiesta at this modest house? Oh, it was easy -- they just closed the stone-paved street and set up tables in front of the house. There must have been settings for 300! We enjoyed pollo (chicken) with mole y arroz (rice) while we waited for the novios to appear -- hours later!

It's not clear to me exactly what they were doing. When I asked Alejandra, she smilingly replied, "They are starting the miel de la luna (honeymoon)." Consummating the marriage? Maybe...anyway, they then walked through the streets of the pueblo accompanied by an all-female banda and by loud, dancing revelers taunting the groom.

When the procession arrived at the house of the novio's parents, I must say, the groom appeared far more relaxed than he had been either at the church or at the house of the padrinos, so who knows what had happened!

The newlyweds sat on a kind of double throne to receive gifts from their guests, who danced up a long aisle before presenting their gifts to the novios. Reed and Alejandra's seven-year old little brother, Antonio, danced up the aisle and presented Ale's gift to the novios. For those who've never seen Reed dance, let me put it this way: American Blacks have told him, "You're the only white man we know who dances like a black man!" Needless to say, they got a hearty round of applause. It was a riot!

Then there was a traditional dance where the newlyweds sit in the ubiquitous plastic chairs and are lifted -- women lift the novio; men lift the novia (bride) – with high hilarity! Then they served cena (supper) -- this time a kind of pot roast with rice, chicken wings and more rice. This meal set the stage for much dancing and just plain merriment -- plus cerveza y tequila. The Mexicans certainly know how to party!

The only sanitorio (restroom) was down a set of very steep, very rough stairs -- not for me. After 5 hours, I met our Monarca taxi to go back to our house to use the facilities and feed the cats. When I got back, the Baile de los Regalos (Dance of the Gifts) was underway, so I stood for awhile and just watched. I didn't see Reed and Antonio in line, but at one point I caught the groom's eye and (rather formally) dipped my head in greeting and respect. He responded in kind, and we shared a smile. Priceless.

The celebration continued with a dance by the older women carrying full platters of cooked chicken with mole and rice, clearly, a tradition that the women enjoyed continuing.

My Spanish combined with Reed's dancing and photo-taking appear to be 'magical' for opening doors. I had an absolutely delightful chat with a nurse and primary teacher from Morelia (friends of friends of the bride); when they left, the nurse gave me her phone number so we can meet when we're in Morelia -- priceless! Reed enjoyed dancing with a woman from the pueblo; when we were about to leave, she asked Alejandra if she could invite us to her house: "Of course," she replied! Priceless! At the end, the announcer greeted everyone -- from the pueblo, the Purépecha community and "our friends from the United States." Once again, priceless!

Were off today to Ucazanástacua for comida at the house of Jorge Cira, who runs the ecology program at CELEP, our Spanish school. We engage in English conversation at our house with his young-adult sons, Jorge and Hugo. Comida is to be followed by a basketball game to be followed by another dance and fireworks! Tomorrow we go back to Ucas for a jaripeo (Brahma bull riding), a tradition introduced by the Spaniards when they brought bulls to Mexico.

It continues to impress me how many roads there are by which to enter Mexican life and culture. We're thoroughly enjoying the process of discovering our "vía."