The most important festival in Oaxaca is undoubtedly the annual celebration of La

Guelaguetza. It is a holiday that revolves around dance and brings together eight
regions of Oaxaca on the Cerro del Fortin.
Each year the Guelaguetza is celebrated on the two Mondays following July 16.

La Guelaguetza originated from the Mexica-Aztec conquest of Oaxaca, where

the native Oaxacan worshiped the goddess of tender corn called Xilonen. Now a
day the festival is dedicated to the goddess of corn called Centeotl.

Guelaguetza means to give or share, to gift or offer a service to someone. It

comes from the Zapotec word Guendalezaa, which means offering, gift.
When a person marries, has a christening, a funeral or any kind of celebration, the
people that are invited traditionally gift food, beverages, their work and even cash.

The hosts take note of exactly what and who gifted them in order to “re-pay” the
favor in the future.

This wonderful exchange creates very strong bonds between families and the
community.
Since the Guelaguetza takes place at the top of the Fortin hill in addition to the
wonderful music and dances there is a spectacular view of Oaxaca and its
surroundings, this is why it is also known as Lunes del Cerro, Mondays at the Hill.

The eight regions of Oaxaca that gather to celebrate La

Guelaguetza are Costa, Cañada, Mixteca, Isthmus, Papaloapan Basin,
the Central Valley, Sierra Norte and Sierra Sur.
 Through their music, songs, their dances and traditional attire, each region
presents to the spectator a fabulous testimony of their rich traditions and cultural
heritage.

At the end of the presentations food, handicrafts, sombreros among other things
are given away to the public.

The traditional dances performed by region are:

 Valley Region: Danza de la Pluma and Jarabe del Valle.

 Sierra Juárez: Sones Serranos and Jarabe de la Botella.
 Tuxtepec: Danza Flor de Piña.
 Huautla de Jiménez: Sones Mazatecos.
 Pinotepa: Las Chilenas, La Malagueña y el Pandero.
 Huajuapan de León: Jarabe Mixteco.
 Istmo de Tehuantepec: La Sandunga y La Tortuga.
 Ejutla: Jarabe Chenteño y El Palomo.

Each of these participating regions brings their own musical bands and dancers.

La Guelaguetza, is one of the most important traditional, cultural and artistic

expressions of Oaxaca.
It is no wonder that it is able to bring together people from all over the world that
want to experience one of the most fabulous reflections of its rich cultural
heritage.
 Day of the Dead (known as Día de Muertos in Spanish) is celebrated
in Mexico between October 31st and November 2nd. On this holiday,
Mexicans remember and honor their deceased loved ones. It's not a
gloomy or morbid occasion, rather it is a festive and colorful holiday
celebrating the lives of those who have passed on. Mexicans visit
cemeteries, decorate the graves and spend time there, in the presence of
their deceased friends and family members. They also make elaborately
decorated altars (called ofrendas) in their homes to welcome the spirits.

Because of its importance as a defining aspect of Mexican culture and the

unique aspects of the celebration which have been passed down through
generations, Mexico's indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead was
recognized by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage of
humanity in 2008.

Merging of Cultures

In Pre-Hispanic times, the dead were buried close to family homes (often
in a tomb underneath the central patio of the house) and there was great
emphasis on maintaining ties with deceased ancestors, who were believed
to continue to exist on a different plane. With the arrival of the Spaniards
and Catholicism, All Souls' and All Saints' Day practices were
incorporated into Pre-Hispanic beliefs and customs and the holiday came
to be celebrated as we know it today.

The belief behind Day of the Dead practices is that spirits return to the
world of the living for one day of the year to be with their families. It is
said that the spirits of babies and children who have died
(called angelitos, "little angels") arrive on October 31st at midnight, spend
an entire day with their families and then leave. Adults come the following
day. Learn more about the origins of the holiday.

Offerings for the Spirits

The spirits are greeted with offerings of special foods and things that they
enjoyed when they were alive. These are laid out on an altar in the family
home. It is believed that the spirits consume the essence and the aroma of
the foods that are offered. When the spirits depart, the living consumes
the food and share it with their family, friends, and neighbors.
Other items that are placed on the altar include sugar skulls, often with
the person's name inscribed on the top, pan de Muertos, a special bread
that is made especially for the season, and cempasuchil (marigolds) which
bloom at this time of year and lend a special fragrance to the altar.

See photos of Día de los Muertos altars.

In the Cemeteries

In ancient times, people were buried close to their family homes and there
was no need to have separate grave decorations and home altars, these
were together in one place. Now that the dead are buried away from their
homes, graves are decorated with the idea that the dead return there first.
In some villages, flower petals are laid in paths from the cemetery to the
home so that the spirits will be able to find their way. In some
communities, it is customary to spend the whole night in the cemetery,
and people make a party of it, having a picnic supper, playing music,
talking and drinking through the night.

Day of the Dead and Halloween

Día de los Muertos and Halloween have some common features, but they
are distinct holidays. They both come from early cultures' beliefs about
death that later mixed with Christianity. They are both based on the idea
that the spirits return at that time of year. Customs around Halloween
seem to stem from the idea that the spirits were malevolent (children
were disguised so that they wouldn't be harmed), whereas in Day of the
Dead festivities, the spirits are joyfully welcomed as family members that
one hasn't seen in a year.

Día de los Muertos continues to change, and a mixing of cultures and

customs continues to occur. Halloween festivities are becoming more
prevalent in Mexico: masks and costumes are sold in the markets
alongside sugar skulls and pan de Muertos, costume contests are held
along with altar contests in schools, and some children dress up in
costumes and go trick-or-treating ("pedir Muertos").

Foto por Christian Kober / Collection: Robert Harding World Imagery / Getty Images

Visiting Mexico For Día de Muertos

This holiday is an excellent time to visit Mexico. Not only will you be able
to witness these special celebrations, but you can also enjoy other
advantages of Mexico in the Fall Season. Although families celebrate this
holiday privately, there are many public displays that you can enjoy, and if
you act respectfully, no one will mind your presence in the cemeteries and
other public spaces where Mexicans celebrate and honor their deceased.

Day of the Dead is celebrated in different ways in different locations

throughout Mexico. Festivities tend to be more colorful in the southern
region, particularly in the states of Michoacan, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. In
rural areas, celebrations are mostly solemn whereas in bigger cities they
are sometimes irreverent. There are a few destinations that are well-
known for their Día de los Muertos observances, and there are often
special tours and activities that offer glimpses into local practices such
as Mexico Underground's Day of the Dead Tour in Mexico City or Wayak's
Day of the Dead tour.

See our list of the best Day of the Dead Destinations for ideas about where
to go to have the most memorable experience.

Of course, if you can't make it to Mexico, you can still celebrate the
holiday by making your own altar to honor your loved ones who have
passed on.