A visitor to Oaxaca recently commented that in the wake of the 2006 conflict between Section 22 of the national teachers’ union and the state government of Oaxaca, there were now free People's Guelaguetzas. The Guelaguetza is Oaxaca's annual folkloric festival, which is a celebration of the multiplicity of rich cultural traditions throughout the state. It takes place at a special open-air auditorium usually during the last two Mondays in July, but the second date of the 2011 festival is August 1st.. There are also various smaller permutations of the Guelaguetza that occur throughout the summer.
Unfortunately, this visitor missed the first hour of one of the People's Guelaguetzas because he didn’t realize that it began at 8 a.m. horario natural, the natural hour set by the organizers. Horario natural in Oaxaca means not honoring the bi-annual time change.
The People’s Guelaguetza in Oaxaca – A New Incarnation?
The suggestion of the teacher’s union and the group known as APPO (Popular People’s Assembly of Oaxaca) has been that the Guelaguetza should be free, for the people and by the people. Additionally, residents and visitors should not have to pay the entrance fee to the open-air auditorium because the money goes toward the government and not the people. Of course there are different opinions within their memberships about how government actually manages the event.
Many visitors do not realize that seating in the upper section of the open-air auditorium is free. Similarly they do not know that People’s Guelaguetzas have been occurring in towns and villages of Oaxaca's central valleys for decades. They are promoted in the media and on posters and are embraced by government, townspeople and tourists. They are not a recent incarnation of the teacher's union and APPO.
The main state-sponsored and organized Guelaguetzas in the open-air auditorium are a well-oiled machine. A government-run committee, at work throughout the year, selects the delegations that attend from each region throughout the state.
The Guelaguetzas are a major source of incoming tourist dollars for the state. The proceeds from ticket sales do not go toward the government, as it has been suggested earlier, but toward the people. The delegations arriving from all corners of the state need transportation, food and lodging, and ticket sales help pay for such expenses. In return, the dancers, musicians and other delegation members are provided with an opportunity to visit the state capital. The Guelaguetzas pay for almost all of the advertizing and promotion done domestically and internationally, which bring in healthy crowds that include tourists. Tourists keep the economy alive and it is a major source of revenue coming into Oaxaca.
Horario Natural in Oaxaca
Throughout Oaxaca there are town and municipalities that do not change the clocks twice-a-year. The people are accustomed to how the system works and they function well within it. Not only do some People’s Guelaguetzas operate using horario natural, but the teachers in some schools in the city of Oaxaca have also decided to operate on horario natural. But why do the teachers in some schools dictate that they will teach classes using horario natural? The state pays their salaries. Should not the state dictate their hours, of course within reason? The 24-hour day is a man-made invention dating back to the era of the ancient Egyptians. It, and "fall backward, spring forward," are both societal adaptations.
In the feeder-type schools where the teachers unilaterally decide hours of attendance, parents (who drive or walk their children to school on the way to work) must leave an hour earlier than they normally would. If the teachers want to go back to the natural order of things, why not begin classes at dawn, and conclude at dusk?
What’s a Tourist in Oaxaca to do in Selecting a Guelaguetza and When to Go?
Nothing compares to the Guelaguetza's Lunes del Cerro (Monday on the Hill) held in the open-air auditorium. Each ticket guarantees seating and due to the new roof on the auditorium, you’re also protected from the beating sun and the pelting rain.
Try to also attend one of the People’s Guelaguetzas. They’re scattered throughout the central valleys of Oaxaca in towns such as Etla, Mitla, Zaachila, San Martín Tilcajete and Ocotlán. There are even children’s Guelaguetzas. These alternative Guelaguetzas take place mid-summer and are not restricted to Mondays. Accordingly, one can attend these performances weekdays and weekends that do not interfere with experiencing “the main event" in Oaxaca's special Guelaguetza auditorium. The smaller venues have a more local, rural feel to them, with a different overall ambiance.
Guelaguetza season in Oaxaca is a magical time for a visit, filled with unmatched pageantry. Be sure not to miss this traditional festival of dance, costume and music. When attending one of the People's Guelaguetzas, be sure to arrive an hour early just in case.
Alvin Starkman - Alvin Starkman runs Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. He is a paid contributing writer for Mexico Today (http://www.mexicotoday.org).
