A Taste of Guelaguetza
FolkWorks - May-June 2006 Page 7
It was our craving for tamales con mole negro that led us to the unique dance spectacle known as Guelaguetza (which you can see on May 21), and to the restaurant that bears its name.
My husband Michael and I had visited Oaxaca for two weeks during Christmas season 2004. Located in the south of Mexico, east of Chiapas State, with a varied geography including valleys, the Sierra range and 360 miles of Pacific coastline, Oaxaca stole our hearts with its strong indigenous heritage and traditional music, dance, costumes, and cuisine. One balmy December day, our person- al guide had driven us to the village of Santo Tomas Jaleza, located in the wide valley region of the state. When we had thoroughly explored the colorful textiles woven on huge old looms by the women of the town, our guide pointed to a group of elderly ladies who were cooking outdoors and selling to an eager crowd of locals. “You have to try their tamales,” he told us. “They are the best you will ever taste.” We decided to see if this was hyperbole. I bought a chicken-filled tamale and Michael tried pork. One mouthful and oh, my, god… Those moist tamales, cradled in banana leaves, their filling steeped and smothered in a sauce of chocolate, ground almonds, and cinnamon known as mole negro, were a taste of heaven.
Flash forward to January, 2005 in Manhattan Beach, California. Suffering from post-vacation Oaxaca withdrawal, Michael and I surf the web, on a quest for a restaurant that serves Oaxacan food. Aqui esta! A restaurant called Guelaguetza, named for the traditional dance festival that takes place in the state capital of Oaxaca City each July.
Not long after, we were feasting on tamales con mole negro that were almost as wonderful as the tamales we ate in Santo Tomas Jaleza. The cheerful, spacious restaurant, located in the Olympic-Normandy area, has a loyal following from the thousands-strong Oaxacan immigrant community as well as other Mexicanos plus Americans who crave dishes from the “land of seven moles.” Yes, at Guelaguetza you not only have your choice of mole negro with tamales or chicken breast but platos tipicos featuring other moles such as the bold-flavored rojo (made from nuts seeds, spices, and oaxacan choco- late) and the milder colorodito. Other typical Oaxacan fare includes the thick hand-made corn tortilla called memela, and clayuda con asiento, a large, thin corn tortilla spread with special pork fat-flavored bean puree and Oaxacan cheese. To accompany the feast, the small stage at Guelaguetza features live folkloric music Wednesday through Sunday — the Trio Mexicante and the six-man ensemble Marimba Tikal.
Another discovery at Guelaguetza Restaurant was El Oaxaqueno, a free twice-monthly publication bringing news from Oaxaca, Mexico and the Los Angeles Oaxacan community. In April, 2005, we found an article describing the annual Guelaguetza festival taking place at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in May. We read about the original festival held in Oaxaca, Mexico in July. The Zapotec word guelaguetza means “to help one another” or “to offer” and the festival celebrates nature’s bounty and honors the indigenous goddess of corn, Diosa Centéotl with dances from the seven geographical regions of Oaxaca. Since the 1930s, the Mexican government has encouraged a patriotic dimension, con- structing in 1974 an 11,000-seat amphitheater on the hill outside Oaxaca City where the dances traditionally took place.
“The Guelaguetza is an expression of the soul of the Oaxacan people,” said Fernando Lopez, coordinator of the Los Angeles-based Guelaguetza festi- val. He also happens to own the restaurant, Guelaguetza, and serves as Presidente Ejecutivo of El Oaxaqueno newspaper. “We want our children to be aware of and appreciate the culture of their family – the dances, the history, the costumes, the special foods. There are other Guelaguetzas in California – in San Diego and San Marcos, for example – but ours is the largest outside of Mexico.”
The festival has grown since Oaxacan emigrants instituted the L.A. tradition 17 years ago. Five years ago, the event moved from Normandy Park to the larger Los Angeles Sports Arena. Graciela Molina, Secretary of Culture for the L.A.-based Federacion Oaxaquena de Communidades y Organizaciones Indigenes de California said,“Now we are reaching out to the non-Mexican community in order to share the beauty of our culture. We gather support for the festival by holding fundraisers throughout the year. We also get some financial help from the Mexican government. Then there are ticket sales and the work of hundreds of volunteers.”
For the second year, the Los Angeles-based Guelaguetza will feature a young lady chosen to embody the Diosa Centéotl as is done in Mexico. Contestants must dress in traditional costume and deliver a speech to the panel of six judges. The girls explain in detail the elements of their costumes and the history and local dances of the town from which their family origi- nates. A year ago 17-year old Sandra Chagoya, now a senior at Venice High School, competed with seven other girls for the Diosa title. Her family helped her research the traditions of their town, Santa Ana del Valle (near Oaxaca City). “I was wearing a full wraparound skirt made out of wool tint- ed red with natural dye from a plant, a white shirt that has a design around the neck. I had a black reboso on my head, a kind of rolled scarf.”
Traditionally, the Guelaguetza begins with a dignified procession around the perimeter of the stage in which the Diosa Centéotl is presented to the people. Then she takes her place of honor beside the leaders of the community to watch the dances. Last May, Sandra was seated by a representative from the State of Oaxaca, Councilman Ed Reyes, and (no surprise) Senor Fernando Lopez. The pride of her family and a dancer in a Oaxacan folkloric group here in L.A., Sandra said, “It’s very important for young people to get involved and know about their culture and let everyone else know. We must never let it die”
On Sunday, May 21, six local dance groups will perform 14 regional dances that contain elements of the 16 ethnic indigenous groups that live in the state as well as Oaxaca’s Hispanic heritage. “For example, the dances from the coastal region are energetic and happy,” said Fernando Lopez, “whereas the dances from the interior valley are more slow and dignified.” Sixteen local Oaxaqueno musical groups will accompany the dances and play selections on their own as well. In all, over 500 performers will take part in the upcoming Los Angeles Guelaguetza.
The festival will also feature Oaxacan cuisine, courtesy of several L.A. restaurants, Senor Lopez’s Guelaguetza among them. In addition to the platos tipicos, you will encounter the exotic ice cream flavors that Michael and I first discovered at an outdoor nieveria (ice cream parlor) in Oaxaca, fla- vors such as leche quemada (burnt milk – fantastico!), tuna (that’s cactus fruit, not fish), and meszcal (no translation needed, I hope). Along with food vendors will be vendors of Oaxacan crafts and clothing.
A ten dollar entry fee gets you into the world of Guelaguetza from 9:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. It will be a Sunday to stimulate the senses and introduce you to the Oaxacan soul. If, after attending this event, you yearn to taste more of Oaxaca in L.A., check out Guelaguetza, the restaurant. You won’t find the ice creams (sigh), but the moles and the music are well worth the visit.
The Guelaguetza Festival takes place on Sunday, May 21 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, 3939 South Figueroa. The original Guelaguetza Restaurant is located at 3337!/2 Eighth Street, Los Angeles 90005. Its sister restaurant is at 3014 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles 90006.
The Guelaguetza Festival will feature dances from seven regions of Oaxaca, an area of Southern Mexico with 16 distinct indigenous ethnic groups.
Audrey Coleman is a writer, audio producer, educator, and passionate explorer of world music and culture.
A Taste of Guelaguetza
FolkWorks - May-June 2006 Page 7