Photo: Eduardo Taboada / Pixabay
The rituals are part of very ancient practices of Mexican culture, some of them are so fascinating that they have not only crossed generations, but also borders . Its symbolism, in addition to showing the richness of Mexican traditions, reveals the mysticism and spirituality with which the daily life of cities is conducted.
Mexican culture is a mixture of pre-Hispanic customs and practices that came to American territory with the Europeans, particularly the Spanish . The result is a unique folklore in the world.
These rites, some of them named by UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity , offer spiritual healing and are part of the identity of Mexicans. Next, we choose the 5 most famous rituals in Mexico that have passed from generation to generation.
1. The Pilgrimage of Zapopan: the ritual of the “carrying of the virgin”
One of the festivals The most famous in Mexico is the one that takes place on 12 of October in the Jalisco municipality of Zapopan. It is known as “the pilgrimage” which consists of a series of cultural activities where they celebrate with a pilgrimage the return of the Virgin to Zapopan . This ritual is performed from of epidemics and infections.
2. Ritual de los Voladores de Papantla
This is one of the pre-Hispanic traditions that has survived until our days. It is representative of the state of Veracruz and consists of the “elevation” of 5 men on a pole of 20 meters high , one of them remains in the heights, and they go around in circles tied only at the waist while descending little by little. This dance is related to fertility and nature.
3. Day of the Dead
It is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Mexican culture and, probably, the best known around the world. It consists of a celebration of the dead where it is believed that on November 1 and 2, the souls of the deceased return to visit the loved ones they have left alive. For this reason, the families prepare an altar of the dead, called an offering , with food, drink and objects that their deceased loved ones most liked.
4. Temazcal
It is a ritual bath for hygienic and religious purposes that is performed in a very small room made of stone. Steam is used and the natives believed that it strengthened divinatory and wise skills. At present, it is an experience that many foreigners like to carry out when visiting Aztec lands.
5. Traditions of the Otomí-Chichimecas
Ancestral peoples of the Querétaro region carry out processions and dances to express their vision of the world. The current objective is to preserve the identity of its people.
It may interest you: What is the birth chart 2021 for Mexico: what will the year hold for the country