Definitions

Comparsa

The comparsa is a public theater, in which people dance, laugh about death and about their political representatives, while enjoying the rhythm of music inspired by Mezcal, aguardiente and other alcoholic beverages that open the gates of heaven and allow contact with the gods.

Arbol del Tule

The “Arbol del Tule” is the huge Mexican cypress tree at Santa María del Tule, a pueblo about 14km east of Oaxaca. The Arbol del Tule is dated at over 2,000 years old and measures one hundred sixty-five feet in circumference, and is about 15 stories tall. Some say that El Tule may be the largest tree in all of Latin America.

Guelaguezta

The word “Guelaguetza” means mutual help between Zapotec pueblos, pueblos in which all festivities are supported with the help of the entire community. This celebration has its origin in pre-hispanic times when the Zapotec Indians held ceremonies in honor of the gods of corn and rain. During the Spanish Colonization, these festivities were held in honor of the Virgin del Carmen, whose festival is celebrated on July 16th. In 1932, the year of the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the city of Oaxaca, the celebration acquired the characteristics that can be seen today during our visit to Oaxaca. The celebration takes place in the ex-convent of Santa Catalina, today Camino Real Hotel, found in the city of Oaxaca. Delegations from the 7 regions in which the state of Oaxaca is divided, meet at the Cerro del Fortin to present dances and provide to the public the products most representative of their places of origin. Members of each of the delegations are seen wearing traditional dress, musical groups from each of the delegations play and the traditional dance that results in the open-aired auditorium offers a brilliant performance.

Monte Albán

Monte Alban served as the ancient capital of the Zapotecs between 500B.C. and 800 A.D. At its height, the city was inhabited by more than 40,000 residents. Today visitors can tour the site; points of interest on the Grand Plaza include temples, palaces, bas-reliefs of human figures known as the “danzantes”, a ball court, an observatory, and tombs that once held gold, silver, jade, alabaster and turquoise treasures (now housed at the Centro Cultural de Santo Domingo in Oaxaca City).

Mitla

The site consists of 5 “ruin clusters”; archaeologists speculate that some of the ruins were used for ceremonial and religious purposes while others were palaces for the elite. Unique to Mitla are the greca (fret) decorations found on ruin walls.