Oaxaca hosts first festival spotlighting Afro-Mexican culture
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Twelve groups from across Oaxaca, Mexico, presented music and dance traditions at the first Afro Guelaguetza festival in Chacahua Isla on Monday.
The event, called La Rejunjuneada, celebrated the heritage of Afro-Mexican people and aimed to give greater visibility to communities historically overlooked. Oaxaca’s government established October 19 as Afro-Mexican People’s Day in 2013, and this festival marked the occasion with a procession and performances.
Afro-Mexican communities already participate in Oaxaca’s larger Guelaguetza festival, but La Rejunjuneada provided a dedicated space for their specific traditions. Officials, including Oaxaca Gov. Salomón Jara Cruz and Villa de Tututepec Mayor Eder Muñoz Peña, emphasized the importance of recognizing this history and ensuring equal rights and opportunities. Performances included the Fandango de Varitas, the Turtle Dance, and two versions of the Dance of the Devils, a key expression of Afro-Mexican culture.
This year, Enid Azucena Torres Agustiniano became the first Afro-Mexican woman to be named Goddess Centéotl, a cultural ambassador for the main Guelaguetza festival.
