Oct. 31 is not Halloween in Ajijic, is the Fiesta of the Virgin del Rosario

[ezpz]

This is my favorite fiesta of the year, complete with a big procession through town with lots of danzantes which ends at the San Andres church with lots of exuberant fanfare as you will see.  There used to be a big outdoor Mass around sunset, but some things have changed.  Then the fiesta starts later in the Plaza with danzantes danzing, mariachis play in the small chapel as the Statue of the Virgin of the Rosary is ceremoniously brought back to her regular home there.  Later a banda will play for dancing and there will be fireworks - pyrotechnics and cohetes.  

This fiesta is a long held tradition here and has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween.  Dia de los Muertos is Saturday, that is how Mexicans celebrate this time of year.  Here is a video of some of my favorite footage from the past:

 

Here is a procession video.  This is the Real Mexico, folks, check it out.  Most of the gringos miss so much here!  Check out my UTube page for many more fiesta videos as well as my travel videos in various places in Mexico.

 

[bmh]

Thi is the"real Mexico " only for the Catholics , there are plenty of Mexicans who are Evangelists and do not celebrate any saints days so no need to be preachy about the rea Mexico, one Mexico is not more real than another and if foreigners want to celebrate Halloween let it be.. We have Moslem indigenous Mexcans in Chiapas and they do not clebrate any of it and yet they were here way before any mestizo or foreigner.

[Bandol]

I don’t know anything about Moslem indigenous Mexicans in Chiapas present before mestizos or foreigners.  Please tell me.

 

[dichosalocura]

There is a small group of indigenous Mexicans in Chiapas who have recently converted to Islam.  They haven't been Moslems for long and neither have the evangelicals nor any of the many other new groups coming to Mexico looking for new converts.  And of course México can be anything you want it to be and Mexicans can also be anything they want to be.  But I think Ezpz was referring to the well established fact that México has historically and traditionally been a Catholic country for nearly the past 500 years and they have developed many beautiful and treasured local traditions interwoven between Catholicism and more ancient indigenous traditions.  These are highly cherished among the majority of Mexicans and should be respected.  But on a side not Halloween is becoming rather popular in Chapala where hundreds of children will dress up and go door to door trick-or-treating.  But also we don't do La Virgen del Rosario procession in Chapala either, which could be seen as unwanted competition on traditions.

[geeser]

Here is a link to National Geographic article "See the Small Mexican Town Embracing Islam" read more

[slainte39]

1 hour ago, bmh said:

Thi is the"real Mexico " only for the Catholics , there are plenty of Mexicans who are Evangelists and do not celebrate any saints days so no need to be preachy about the rea Mexico, one Mexico is not more real than another and if foreigners want to celebrate Halloween let it be.. We have Moslem indigenous Mexcans in Chiapas and they do not clebrate any of it and yet they were here way before any mestizo or foreigner.

Real Mexico. I love it-------LOL

I have 6 grand daughters of all ages living in GDL and there are Halloween parties going on all over the city.  I wonder what the "real" US of A is, or the "real" Canada?

Some people just take what they like and call it "real".

 

 

 

 

2

[lcscats]

No need to be so preachy. Room for both and we will do both.

[bmh]

Islam came to San Cristobal in 1996 followng the 94 rebellion. The zapatistas did not convert but some of the Chamulans did and they moved to San Cristobal as no other religion was tolerated in Chamula n those days.

 There are now 4 different communities and at least 2 mosques and 2 prayer centers. One is a full blown mosue about 5 minutes fom where we live on the preriferico norte. The 4 communities are part of San Cristobal. There are lots of  Chiapaneco converts in the US. There is an association Islamiste in Minesota of Moslem Chiapanecos who sends money to Chiapas . They have actually sent money to finish the Musart in Tuxtla. I was nvited at the inauguration and one of the guest of honor was a Moslem leader ,,

As far as Evangelists they are very strong in Chiapas.They first arrive at the end of the 19th century from the north, Tabasco and Guatemala.They were Presbytarian Evangelists and to this day the Presbyterians down there are evangelists, do not drink do not dance etc... . Most of the new towns are formed of evangelist christians who were kicked out of their communities and they were something like 45 000 refugies in Aan Cristobal 20 years ago.. now the population has greatly increase.. Som town like Amatenango are 50% protestant  50 % catholic.. some towns like Betania are 100% protestant...

There is a new  breed of Catholics down there are well.. They call themselves Cristian Caholics: they listen to Christian music  read the Bible, do not drink do not dance , but honor the virgin and the saints. There are a small growing minirity amongst the Catholics.

 

The statistics say that 14% of the population in Chiapas is protestant but in the highland the number is way higher than that .

Halloween is not big down ther are many people are very superstitious and do not want to have anythng to do with witches.. To each its own...

 

[slainte39]

What the OP described is a "PART" of Mexico, not necessarily the "REAL" Mexico.  As bmh says, there are many parts, and Halloween is a part in some areas.   A lot of Halloween paraphernalia gets sold among the millions in GDL and along the northern border,......and last I heard, they were considered "real" Mexicans.

Slavery of Africans was a 300 year old tradition in the US but it didn´t make it the "real America", it was part of America.

[RVGRINGO]

Nah,  The USA isn't that old.

[bmh]

1619 to 1865....close enough

[slainte39]

8 hours ago, RVGRINGO said:

Nah,  The USA isn't that old.

I was liberally counting the "Colonial Period" before Independence.  Mexico was a "colony" for 400 years, so it is not that old either……..in those terms.

[slainte39]

7 hours ago, bmh said:

1619 to 1865....close enough

And then another 100 years of de facto slavery…………………………………………...