Carnival of Huejotzingo
carnival huejotzingo one mexico carnival take place huejotzingo municipality state puebla noted unique tradition center reenactment story related municipality history well use ton gunpowder used handcarved musket mock battle event carnival involves participation resident costume dressed outfit related element army fought battle puebla mock battle related event reenacted well romeo juliet story first catholic wedding baptism mexico carnival huejotzingo carnival kind one important mexico festivity start morning saturday ash wednesday end evening shrove tuesday important day monday tuesday people municipality participate costume carry hand carved musket gunpowder set activity carnival focus number reenactment although element “huehue” meaning old person dancer also exists festivity daytime beginning morning break main meal mid afternoon continuing nightfall pre hispanic element carnival including mock battle compared “flower wars” aztec carnival coincides time pre hispanic inhabitant huejotzingo petitioned god fertility land abundant rainfall carnival led “general en jefe de la fuerzas ejercicios carnavalesco” charge leading four day festivity selected meeting occurs end current year carnival participant prepare six month advance garment still locally made participant local craftspeople child also part festivity costume small musket carnival attracts spectator mexico abroad bringing ten million peso municipality carnival also beginning tianguis turístico tourism market carnival unique mexico revolves around three major historicallegendary event region battle puebla abduction daughter corregidor first catholic wedding mexico reenactment repeated three day end nightfall third day important involve mock battle among different “battalions” “soldiers” loosely based historic battle puebla occurred may occur various time day continue represent french imperial army loses battle result enough gun smoke powder used participants’ musket cover town fighting soldier either parade often music live band parade battalion start circling main square twice battalion followed live band traditional tune include la marcha de zacatecas juana gallo ¡que chula e puebla played soldier dance constantly set musket second reenactment legend similar romeo juliet story come end th beginning th century main protagonist bandit name agustín lorenzo corregidor daughter lorenzo bandit operated state michoacán state mexico guerrero morelos puebla fell madly love corregidor public official daughter forbidden marry social class however daughter attracted agreed run away event people participate many soldier battle puebla reenactment young people play couple chosen year action take place front municipal palace stand corregidor home one general play role corregidor daughter receives three message bandit bandit enters scene music firework musket fire daughter wait balcony already dressed white bandit climb balcony subdues soldier guarding take horse however toss large amount play money crowd yelling “viva la plata” long live money lit silver couple escape horse one group soldier pursue rest soldier fire pursuer three pm priest marries lorenzo daughter however story happy ending four pm “quema del jacal” burning shack burning small shack made palm frond one end plaza represents house bandit couple inside legend interpreted hope equality among mexico social class independence daughter elite bandit poor shack also interpreted various war mexico “flower wars” mesoamerican era much th century simultaneous enactment corregidor daughter story side plaza another reenactment huejotzingo named one four region receive evangelizing first legend stating first wedding baptism catholic rite mexico occurred first wedding first baptism indigenous reenacted year costumed participant belong one seventeen battalion represent municipality major community well original four neighborhood town huejotzingo battalion people carry hand carved musket leather mask battalion live band several general first woman general elevated rosa maría castillo zacapoaxtlas adriana arroyo zapadores maría de los angeles mendez maria lomeli indios fatima bernaba turcos musket mock battle celebrating used set real gunpowder bullet black gunpowder used powerful easy ignite mask handmade include beard said hair beard used real human hair often donated female family member soldier participant spend four day mock battle representing mexican side invading french army fighting visit graf former battalion member morning hold mass parade midday petition home business main meal mid afternoon last tradition harkens back payment tribute pre hispanic era costume soldier vary valuing anywhere peso depending material complexity seventeen battalion divided five type soldierparticipants based costume style called zacapoaxtlas indios zapadores zuavos turk french imperial army consists zuavos turcos zapadores mexican army mostly represented indios serranos zacapoaxtlas zacapoaxtlas stand elaborate costly costume dress charros suit heavily decorated sequin wig color mexican flag black cape representing troop general zaragoza battle puebla wear green white red paper streamer hang back hat suit elaborated embroidered sequined hand done outfit valued sometimes high peso main group called “indios serranos” mountain indian “inditos” little indian represent huejotzingos indigenous past costume fusion indigenous european influence hat traditionally made palm frond although many made kind plastic strip image virgin guadalupe patroness mexico also carry animal skin preferably cacomixtle honor indigenous goddess camaxtli patron region unlike group mask colored ochre tint “franceses” french “zuavos” represent group elite french troop battle puebla noted cruelty wear blue cap decorated stone gold ribbon sequined belt leather mask dark glass royal blue cape carry wooden box back underneath flag france mexico box soldiers’ provision french bread although many today put commercial sandwich bread place “zapadores” represent elite class mexican society dressed imperial guard maximilian personal guard mexico first emperor agustín de iturbide outfit mix national color mexico france wear spanish colonial style helmet made black leather crest agustín de iturbide remembrance mexico independence similar reason also wear ribbon green white red mexico current flag soldier protect corregidor daughter reenactment abduction “turcos” turk reference muslim evangelist preached heavily early colonial period although muslim spain moor rather turk still considered “enemy” mexico popular imagination carnival also considered represent mercenary egypt brought napoleon iii dressed turban tall hat silk clothing scimitar crescent moon peacock feather used decorative element also silk cape embroidered image mexican hero turkish battalion mostly consist people live four original neighborhood huejotzingo addition major soldier type kind participant carnival festivity negritos little black red bandana face painted black distinguish represent mexican african descent brought mexico participate mock battle participate french side “apaches” wear costume reminiscent aztec warrior represent origin carnival huejotzingo fight mexican side another small group “diablos” devil represent community since disappeared said resident practiced witchcraft carnival began year battle puebla oldest running carnival country festival made famous painter diego rivera desiderio hernández xochitiotzin fernando ramírez osorio painted scene carnival heavy use volatile gunpowder led injury even death among participant spectator version using five ton gunpowder one hundred injured sixty five seriously mostly burn gunpowder despite record number injury organizer say possible ban alcohol gunpowder considered essential event °′″n °′″w