Events in Los Tuxtlas & Catemaco
1er Viernes de Marzo 2006
(First Friday in March, Brujo Convention)
1er Viernes de Marzo 2006
(First Friday in March, Brujo Convention)
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Related Page:
catemaco.info - Brujo Tourism
catemaco.info - Brujo Tourism
In Catemaco, Veracruz, the first Friday in March occured on a Tuesday.
It takes a government organization to turn a 1 day event into a 4 day
yawn and forget to have a program for the one day, Viernes (Friday),
when hundreds of web pages and newspaper articles have been
publicizing the event for many years.
And to add insult to injury, instead of beautiful downtown Catemaco,
which at this time of year is empty of tourism, the event is held at the
Catemaco Fair Gounds, which a tourist needs to be a magician to find.
In addition, the professional brujos of Catemaco distanced themselves
from the event, possibly because of previous problems with the county
government.
The first day: Tuesday Evening
The Fair Grounds are officially named "pueblo magico" (magic village)
and open at 5pm. According to my spy, a dozen cars and not many
more spectators showed up for the presentations.
The second day: Wednesday
The event perked up somewhat. Brujos and artesania (handicraft)
sellers had their stalls ready, and many photographers and film crews
were disappointed by the promised inauguration of the event by the
Veracruz governor.
Idle brujos and want-to be´s lounged in front of their tents, offering
discounted 100 peso limpias (spiritual cleansings).
Some of the limited Catemaco area handicraft producers also offered
their wares, most notably, an interesting wine made from the chochogo
fruit in Lopez Mateos.
As the sun set, African jungle drums blared through the loud speakers,
and the presence of about a dozen lovely hostesses in beach wear
helped create a festive atmosphere for the fire lit early evening action.
The third day: Thursday
The morning lecture was changed to an afternoon lecture and both
were cancelled, probably because no one, except for me, showed up
to listen.
By sundown the municipal event started to become alive, the postponed
lecturer on the history of Brujo conventions instead delivered a sing
song speech, all the pretty hostesses stood in line, the parking lot filled
and The Ballet Folklorico from Centla started exciting the non-paying
crowd. The imitation volcano almost caught real fire, and the colorful
stage, fire lit surrounding huts, smoke, sky lights and the brilliant
dancers set up a festive mood for the following events scheduled until
1:30 Friday very early morning, (el primer viernes en Marzo)..
One of the local chief Brujos, Pedro Gueixpal, rented one of those
ubiquitous Catemaco advertising mediums, a car with loud speakers,
promising a "misa negra " (black mass) at midnight attended by his
fellow major brujos, which mostly ignored the event so far, and
occurring at his brujo lair, not the Fair Ground.
As for a procession to Cerro Mono Blanco, or the frequent voodoo
party at Nanciyaga, not one word was heard.
I left at 10, Right now it´s 11pm, and my spy tells me a human tree with
3 foot long feet is cluttering the stage and the jarocheros are restless to
perform their music.
So I Ievitated and checked out what´s going on around midnight, aside
from every house in Catemaco apparently burning incense.
Sure, enough Brujo Tito Guexpal is holding a competing black mass,
calling the other event a simulacrum, but also charging 500 pesos for
Limpias.
Other brujos, too, have their doors open.
Meanwhile the band stand at the Fair Ground is jumping with Caribbean
dancers, and the starving vendors are packing up their stalls.
I will not hang around for the Fair Ground´s version of a purification
ceremony at 1:30 am and I am too cheap to pay 500 pesos for a
Gueixpal Limpia, which as a Gringo, one should probably expect to pay
for a "genuine" midnight mass, massacred chicken and all.
The fourth day: Friday, 3rd of March 2006
Aside from re opening of the Fair Ground, to give the vendors and
brujos another chance at some pesos, nothing else is scheduled.
Apparently someone in Catemaco got the idea to have a late party on
the Fair Grounds. My only spy who attended is still asleep.
Nanciyaga saved the day by having its traditional night party.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Any tourist showing up on the third of March in Catemaco, will still have
an opportunity to participate in some brujo events, in Tres Zapotes, an
ancient Olmec capital, about an hour away from Catemaco.
It takes a government organization to turn a 1 day event into a 4 day
yawn and forget to have a program for the one day, Viernes (Friday),
when hundreds of web pages and newspaper articles have been
publicizing the event for many years.
And to add insult to injury, instead of beautiful downtown Catemaco,
which at this time of year is empty of tourism, the event is held at the
Catemaco Fair Gounds, which a tourist needs to be a magician to find.
In addition, the professional brujos of Catemaco distanced themselves
from the event, possibly because of previous problems with the county
government.
The first day: Tuesday Evening
The Fair Grounds are officially named "pueblo magico" (magic village)
and open at 5pm. According to my spy, a dozen cars and not many
more spectators showed up for the presentations.
The second day: Wednesday
The event perked up somewhat. Brujos and artesania (handicraft)
sellers had their stalls ready, and many photographers and film crews
were disappointed by the promised inauguration of the event by the
Veracruz governor.
Idle brujos and want-to be´s lounged in front of their tents, offering
discounted 100 peso limpias (spiritual cleansings).
Some of the limited Catemaco area handicraft producers also offered
their wares, most notably, an interesting wine made from the chochogo
fruit in Lopez Mateos.
As the sun set, African jungle drums blared through the loud speakers,
and the presence of about a dozen lovely hostesses in beach wear
helped create a festive atmosphere for the fire lit early evening action.
The third day: Thursday
The morning lecture was changed to an afternoon lecture and both
were cancelled, probably because no one, except for me, showed up
to listen.
By sundown the municipal event started to become alive, the postponed
lecturer on the history of Brujo conventions instead delivered a sing
song speech, all the pretty hostesses stood in line, the parking lot filled
and The Ballet Folklorico from Centla started exciting the non-paying
crowd. The imitation volcano almost caught real fire, and the colorful
stage, fire lit surrounding huts, smoke, sky lights and the brilliant
dancers set up a festive mood for the following events scheduled until
1:30 Friday very early morning, (el primer viernes en Marzo)..
One of the local chief Brujos, Pedro Gueixpal, rented one of those
ubiquitous Catemaco advertising mediums, a car with loud speakers,
promising a "misa negra " (black mass) at midnight attended by his
fellow major brujos, which mostly ignored the event so far, and
occurring at his brujo lair, not the Fair Ground.
As for a procession to Cerro Mono Blanco, or the frequent voodoo
party at Nanciyaga, not one word was heard.
I left at 10, Right now it´s 11pm, and my spy tells me a human tree with
3 foot long feet is cluttering the stage and the jarocheros are restless to
perform their music.
So I Ievitated and checked out what´s going on around midnight, aside
from every house in Catemaco apparently burning incense.
Sure, enough Brujo Tito Guexpal is holding a competing black mass,
calling the other event a simulacrum, but also charging 500 pesos for
Limpias.
Other brujos, too, have their doors open.
Meanwhile the band stand at the Fair Ground is jumping with Caribbean
dancers, and the starving vendors are packing up their stalls.
I will not hang around for the Fair Ground´s version of a purification
ceremony at 1:30 am and I am too cheap to pay 500 pesos for a
Gueixpal Limpia, which as a Gringo, one should probably expect to pay
for a "genuine" midnight mass, massacred chicken and all.
The fourth day: Friday, 3rd of March 2006
Aside from re opening of the Fair Ground, to give the vendors and
brujos another chance at some pesos, nothing else is scheduled.
Apparently someone in Catemaco got the idea to have a late party on
the Fair Grounds. My only spy who attended is still asleep.
Nanciyaga saved the day by having its traditional night party.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Any tourist showing up on the third of March in Catemaco, will still have
an opportunity to participate in some brujo events, in Tres Zapotes, an
ancient Olmec capital, about an hour away from Catemaco.
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