The traditions and customs of Tabasco , One of the most popular Mexican states worldwide, are marked by the different cultural mixes that the region has experienced.
Tabasco is a product of various pre-Hispanic civilizations such as Olmec and the Maya , In addition to having adopted Spanish and African cultural traits.
All these roots have been reflected mainly in the crafts, gastronomy and traditions of the state of Tabasco, mixing with the four ethnic groups that currently coexist in the territory.
These are the Nahuas, Chontales, Mayas Zoques and Choles, which have combined millennial and modern traditions, giving origin to the richest and most varied Mexican culture.
Located southeast of Mexico has a privileged location after being on the Caribbean coast, on the Yucatan peninsula, bordering on the tourist and oil states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.
Tabasco is visited every year by more than one million people, who go to know their colorful fairs, festivities, carnivals and processions, as well as to enjoy their music, typical dances and exquisite gastronomy.
You may be interested The 10 Most Important Traditional Mexican Festivals .
The most representative traditions and customs of Tabasco
The world's rarest carnival: Tenosique carnival
Taking place in the small town of Tenosique in Tabasco, has been classified as the rarest carnival in the world and one of the most recognized.
It begins on January 20 with a popular tradition that consists of all people being covered with flour, egg and water. Hundreds of people attend to celebrate this custom and at the same time participate in the two main traditions of the carnival.
First, the famous dance of" El Pochó "Which with pre-Hispanic origins is a religious ceremony of cult to the gods.
Three characters are involved: the lame (men), the pochoveras (women) and the tigers, who fight and decide to unite to fight against the god Pochó, who desires the destruction of men.
This dance is an act of purification and symbolizes the struggle between good and evil. After the dance it is customary to remember the incidents of the year and to share tamales, sweets, coffee and brandy.
And, secondly, the typical dance of" The blanquitos "In which twelve dancers wear white trousers at the same time that they cover themselves with mud and are tattooed on the chest a cross pretending to be white slaves while a black foreman uses the whip against them.
This dance symbolizes the rebellion of the slave against his Spanish white master of times of the conquest.
It is considered the rarest carnival since there are no disfraces or typical floats, but only such symbolic dances.
You may be interested The 20 Most Important Mexican Traditions and Customs .
The Tabasco Fair
Held annually from April 27 to May 7 in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco, it is considered one of the largest fairs in the country.
It usually attracts more than two million visitors, becoming not only a parade of allegorical floats, but also a large agricultural, livestock, cultural, commercial, artisan and industrial exhibition that takes place in Tabasco Park, one of the most Modern.
The most important Tabasco tradition during the party is the choice of"La flor de oro". The custom is to celebrate a beauty contest in which 17 young ambassadors representing each of the municipalities of the state participate, being the winner selected the popular"Flower of Gold of Tabasco".
You may be interested What are the Important Dates for October in Mexico?
The Chocolate Festival
Celebrated with eagerness for all the tabasqueños from the 23 to the 27 of November, with the objective of to worship the chocolate precisely because it originated in Mesoamerican lands under the name of"Xocolatl".
It is a cultural and culinary festival that takes place in Villahermosa, attracting more than 80 exhibitors and national and international professionals where they delight exquisite dishes, desserts and drinks based on chocolate. At the same time, the history and process of cocoa production are described.
Tabasco, is famous for being considered one of the main producers of cacao, hence tasting it has become a great tradition.
You may be interested Where Does the Word Come Chocolate?
November, the month of the souls
In Tabasco, the preparation of the altar for the day of the dead is usually quite traditional and rigorous.
It is customary to place an altar of three planes with a kind of roof that means that God is protecting it.
At the same time must have a crucifix, a black cross, palms, religious images and the saint to whom the altar is lifted, photographs of those who make the offering, a rosary and scapular, a container with clean water and elements representing the land and Salt.
Likewise, it should be adorned with purple and white colored papers, and natural yellow, red and orange flowers.
Objects of the deceased should be placed, limbs of basil, nine tallow candles, and a small cushion in front of the altar.
Likewise, the main decoration is usually fruits, vegetables, sweets, dishes and drinks typical of the region.
In Tabasco, throughout the month of November, prayers are given to the altar, and it is also called"Mes de los tamales"because it is traditionally handed over to those who come to visit the altar.
You may be interested What is celebrated in November in Mexico?
Feast of the Holy Cross
Every May 3rd, in Mexico is celebrated with great intensity the day of the Holy Cross. That is why in the locality of Tabasco it is customary to realize altars of adoration to the Holy Cross, at the same time that prayers are given and a small meal is distributed that includes tamales and the famous drink Pozol.
Also, that day is celebrated the day of the mason or builder, so they often put crosses decorated with flowers on top of buildings under construction.
The festivity arose in pre-Hispanic times when it was customary to perform cults and rituals to the"Tlaloc"rain deity at the beginning of May.
He was asked for his help during the harvest time. Later, the tradition joins the Catholic religion after representing the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ sought in ancient times by the Empress Elena.
You may be interested The 30 Major Mayan Gods and Their Significance .
Celebration of Saint John the Baptist
Every June 24 is celebrated the day of San Juan Bautista, patron of the capital of Tabasco, and also day of its foundation.
It is tradition that on that day"Las Mañanitas"are interpreted in the cathedral of the city and at the same time different masses are celebrated in the parishes.
It is customary to perform different cultural activities allusive, the main being the bite of the traditional giant cake 30 meters long in the historic center of Villahermosa.
You may be interested Mexican Culture: 15 Features and Traditions .
Ritual of the fishing of the blind sardine
On March 28, a ritual of an ancient tradition takes place inside the Sierra State Park, in the cave of the blind sardines, 80 km south of the capital of Tabasco.
The goal is to ask the natural deities of fire, rain, water and land, to give a good year to all who perform the ritual.
The barbasco is usually scraped early, a plant that usually numbs the fish, then with music to start a walk towards the entrance of the cave, where a beautiful ritual is done and the gods are asked to enter the cave.
When entering, fishing is done and shared with all people. It is a ritual of request and gratitude.
White Horse Dance
It is a dance that dates from times of the conquest, being practiced from the year 1531 shortly after being Tabasco conquered by the Spaniards.
The dance, of sad and melancholic type, interprets the arrival of the Spaniards to indigenous territory, when they believed that the rider and the steed were one, and the sounds of their arms caused them fear.
The dance consists of one person disguising as a rider of a white steed while another person represents the Indian; During the dance they both enter into a fight while the sound of the machetes is being confronted, until the native dies.
The dance has reached a traditional character of great importance, becoming custom for the tabasqueños.
Popular tapasqueño zapateo
Since the time of the conquest, the Tabasco shoe has become the typical dance of the town of Tabasco.
Performing to the sound of tamborileros, it is custom and tradition to see it in the main fairs, festivals and exhibitions.
In the fair of Tabasco is held the State Encounter of Zapateo Tabasqueño, where the winners receive a prize and at the same time this typical dance is exhibited as the main cultural aspect of the state.
References
- White Horse Dance . Retrieved on August 9 from raicestabasco.blogspot.com.
- Curious facts of the festival of Tenosique in Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
- Ten reasons why Tabasqueños love the fair of Tabasco . Retrieved August 9, 2017 from cityexpress.com.
- Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from britannica.com.
- Chocolate Festival in Tabasco, a tribute to cacao. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
- Guide Mexico unknown. (2001). All Tabasco is art, everything is culture . Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
- Guzmán, J. (2011). The altars of the day of death in Tabasco . Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from zonadelacultura.blogspot.com.
- History of the State of Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from paratodomexico.com.
- The fishing of the sardine . Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
- Origins of Tabasco . Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from mexicodesconocido.com.mx.
- Why May 3, the day of the Holy Cross, is one of the most sacred of Mexico? Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from masdemx.com.
- Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from cultura.gob.mx.
- The Mexican State Tabasco. Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from donquijote.org.
- Geographical Location of Tabasco State . Retrieved on August 9, 2017 from history and geography of the basque.blogspot.com.