"Carnaval" is the Latin American equivalent of Mardi Gras, a time of merry making prior to the beginning of Lent. In Mexico there are a number of cities that are known for their "Carnaval" celebrations, most notably the Gulf coast city of Veracruz. In Mexico City, the celebration is largely confined to several districts where traditional customs still hold sway. Recently UNESCO declared those neighborhood "Carnavales" to be a part of the world's patrimony.
To celebrate that honor, last Sunday Mexico City held its first "Carnaval" parade downtown, even though it was more than a week before the beginning of Lent. Groups from ten of Mexico City's "alcaldías" or boroughs where Carnaval is observed were invited to take part. News reports prior to the event said that there would be 3,000 participants, but I think that there were even more than that. The parade lasted at least an hour.
The parade route was relatively short... from the Plaza Tlaxcoaque at the southern edge of the Historic Center, up 20 de Noviembre Avenue to the Zócalo. It was supposed to begin at 11:00 A.M.
Alejandro and I took the Metrobus and the subway to arrive at the Zócalo around 10:30. We headed down 20 de Noviembre, and were surprised to find nobody lining the street. We were wondering if there was going to be a parade at all. As we continued to within a few blocks of Plaza Tlaxcoaque, we could see the participants gathered on the plaza, and there were metal barricades along the curb of the street. People started gathering to see the parade, but the crowd was not large. We had no trouble finding a "front row" position along the avenue.
In true Mexican fashion, the parade did not begin at 11. It was 11:30 before the groups started heading down the street. There were groups from ten of Mexico City's "alcaldías", in costume and dancing to the music of local bands. It was a festive, colorful, although disorganized event. It probably would have been banned in Florida given the number of men in drag.
No comments:
Post a Comment