Before I begin ranting about the event I attended last week, there are several things I need my reader to understand because let's face it, y'all will probably get confused, and that is understandable. First off, Oaxaca is a state located in Mexico. Oaxaca is a unique state that is separated into eight regions, some say seven, depending how you want to look at it (I'll go in depth later about that). Although Oaxaca is still part of Mexico, it is slightly different than the other states in Mexico. For one, Oaxaca has not fully assimilated to the rest of Mexico. What I mean by that is most people from Oaxaca still speak different dialects as well as Spanish and some still wear traditional clothing, of course not all, but one thing that still connects all Oaxacans is the festival called the Guelaguetza.
The Guelaguetza is an event that starts at the end of July and ends in the beginning of August. The Guelaguetza- lunes del cerro ( Monday on the hills) is an annual event in which all regions gather in the city of Oaxaca, and they perform. It is also a celebration in which each representative of the region shows the diversity of their food, culture and traditions. I grew up knowing that there are seven regions (Istmo, Costa, Mixteca, Valles Centrales (central valleys) , Cañada, Papaloapan and La Sierra (the highlands), but now La Sierra is split into two, adding the eighth region (SIerra Norte and Sierra Sur, North and South Highlands). Originally, the Guelaguetza was only a festival that occurred in Oaxaca, but through the migration of people, the Guelaguetza has been introduced to L.A., which is where I was born.
My dad was born in Oaxaca, more specifically in the Sierra Norte region (Northern Highlands). As a child, I was privileged, in the sense that my parents were not ashamed of their culture, and they made sure that I grew up knowing the traditions and culture Oaxaca has. In L.A., we would go to these small events, called kermes, but of course, we would attend the ones that were part of my dad's region. Anyway, in the kermeses, they would sell authentic food and have danzas (folk dances) pertaining to the village of that region. These events were always welcoming to Oaxacans because they were organized by Oaxacans. The kermeses and the Guelaguetza were a way to get the community together, and when I moved to UCSC, I missed attending these events I grew up with.
Yet, this year I noticed that Santa Cruz was having a Guelaguetza event, and I decided to attend. It would be an event that would be a home away from home. I was really excited to attend because I could not wait to see Oaxacans gather around, but I was disappointed. When I walked in, I began to notice the rivalry between the food concession stands. Each concession stand was selling the same food, so there was this competition of who would run out faster, or who was the better cook, and not only did I notice that, but I also noticed that this Guelaguetza did not have much danzas. It was more about selling food and clothing, but let me tell you, the typical clothes each region wears was not authentic. The outfits they were selling where made from factories, instead of being hand-made, as they are suppose to be.
Not only was this Guelaguetza more of a profit event, but it was also not a safe environment. The people around me where nervous to speak in dialect because they would whisper as if it was something to be ashamed about, and that made me sad and mad because no one should ever have to feel unwelcome in an event that was designed to promote Oaxacans. All in all, I was a little upset, but at the same time, I was happy to know there are Oaxacans who live around Santa Cruz. I just hope next time it will actually be a safe space, rather than a competition event.
