April Fool's Day does not exist in Mexico. The closest is December 28, Día de los Inocentes (Day of the Innocents), which commemorates Herod's order to kill all new born boys in an attempt to kill the baby Jesus. This is when people play tricks and practical jokes on each other. If you fall for a prank, you're an innocent, right?
Sunday 3
Daylight Savings Begins
It takes effect at 2 a.m. when clocks are to be set forward one hour
(i.e. 2 a.m. becomes 3 a.m.).
Tribute to Alvaro Carrillo
A celebration of the rich musical heritage of Oaxaca's most beloved
composer, on the anniversary of his untimely death.
6 p.m. Municipal Square, Pinotepa Nacional
Saturday 9 - Wed 13
1,648th Anniversary of the Founding of
Villa Tutútepec
At the time of the Spanish conquest, the Oaxacan coastal region had long
been under the control of a Mixtec dynasty based in Tutútepec. The town
was founded by Mixtec invaders in 357 A.C.
Villa Tutútepec de Melchor Ocampo celebrates this long history of
continuous population with special events this week.
For more on Villa Tutútepec, see our story
![[Tutútepec]](images/tutupec.jpeg)
Here's a partial program:
Saturday 9
8 a.m. Women's Football
Sunday 10
8 a.m. Men's Football
5 p.m. Bike Marathon
7 p.m. Cultural event
Monday 11
6 a.m. Track Meet
9 a.m. Community Breakfast
9 a.m. Inauguration of Art and Artesania Expo.
9:30 a.m Inauguration of Book Fair
10 a.m. Inauguration of Environmental, Cattle and Agriculture Expos, Alternative Medicine
Demonstration
1 p.m. Concert featuring bands from Bajos de Chila and Santos Reyes Nopala
2 p.m. Community lunch
5 p.m. Conference on the history of the founding of Tutútepec
7 p.m. Cultural event featuring groups from around the state and beyond
8 p.m. Cockfight Tournament
Tuesday 12
8 a.m. Mass
8 a.m. Installation of regional Food Festival
9 a.m. Civic Act naming Tutútepec the state's capital for the day and
symbolically installing the three branches of state government
9 a.m. Volleyball Tournament
9 a.m. Community Breakfast
9:30 a.m. Private audiences with representatives of the three branches.
2 p.m. Community lunch
2 p.m. Conference on water use and treatment
7 p.m. Cultural event
8 p.m. Cockfights
Wednesday 13
9 a.m. Community Breakfast
10 a.m. Conference on Environmental protection
2 p.m. Community lunch
4 p.m. Rodeo and Dance
Sunday 10
![[zapata]](images/zapata.jpeg)
Anniversary of the Death of Emiliano Zapata
Lured into a treacherous ambush by Col. Jesús M. Guajardo in Chinameca,
Morelos, on April 10, 1919, the hero of the Mexican Revolution died with
ten of his followers.
Time has not diminished the appeal of Zapata, nor the power of his political message. Flags are flown at half mast on public buildings.
Saturday 16
Grand Rodeo & Dance
Los Tucanes de Tijuana
Jaripeo is the very popular bull-riding rodeo. This tournament includes
a performance by one of Mexico's most famous nortena band, los Tucanes
de Tijuana. This group holds the all-time record for most numbers on the
Billboard/Soundscan Hot Latin Tracks chart on a single issue by a
Regional Mexican Act, with a total of 61 in recent years.
Norteña or "northern" music grew out of Tejano music. a blending of musical styles that developed on the Texas frontier. By the late 1800s, informal Tejano bands of violins, pitos, and guitars were almost exclusively playing European salon music for local dances. But taking root in this frontier area, far from its European and Central Mexican source, this music was being thoroughly adapted to the Tejano taste. At the turn of the century these bands were playing polkas and waltzes, Later a different style of música tejana to begin to take form: música norteñ a (music of the north), or conjunto music, as it is often called. (Conjunto literally means "a musical group.") Música norteña embodied traits of Tejano music but also adopted the relatively new instrument that was rapidly becoming popular among Tejanos on the farms and ranchos of South Texas. As a result, in the 1900s música norteña had become identified with the sound of the German diatonic button accordion. This instrument may have been brought and popularized by the Germans and Bohemians settling in Central Texas.
Today much of norteña music is a kind of modern day corrida, recounting
deeds and adventures dealing with gritty border issues such as narco
trafficking and illegal immigration, and embracing a swaggering cowboy
macho esthetic. Los Tigres de Tijuana are no exception, but over the
years they have also turned to romantic songs and cumbias. Also on the
show are the Banda Caliente from Huajuapan
7 p.m. Plaza de Toros "La Costeñita"
Friday 22
Anniversary of the Beginning of the Mexican Conquest
Two years after the discovery of Mexico and 27 years after the discovery
of America, Capt. Hernán Cortés disembarked on Good Friday, 1519, near
what was to become Veracruz, to launch the Spanish Conquest of Mexico.
The expedition was comprised of 11 ships carrying 500 soldiers, two crossbowmen, 13 musketeers, 18 horses, 14 artillery pieces, 109 sailors and 200 Indian guides and bearers. Cortes called the place Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, "Rich Town of the True Cross," and founded the first European town in America.
Saturday 30
Children's Day
A special day devoted to children was established in Mexico in 1924,
shortly after the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of Children was
issued calling on all the nations of the world to protect and cherish
the young.
It has become a mini Christmas with gifts of candy and toys. Puerto Escondido DIF, a family and child welfare agency and the local FM radio station, Radio Esmeralda, host toy drives so that needy kids can also enjoy a day of happiness. And don't forget your favorite neighborhood urchins.
Art
Good news on the cultural front: There are two new spaces in Puerto
where you can enjoy contemporary art.
Gallery Ch'Che
It means "House of the Artist" in Zapotec and its owners hope this
beautiful and elegant gallery on the Adoquín will be a place where
serious local artists can show their work and interact with visiting
painters from around Mexico and abroad. It boasts excellent lighting
and an eclectic selection of works ranging from the photo realism of
Laura Armenta to the highly abstract. Featured artists this month are
Tere Iturbide and Arturo Morín.
Becasurf Arte
The three store fronts adjacent to the Becasurf Language School have
been converted into a permanent gallery space. This month you can enjoy
works by Eva Leammler, Olga Ruiz and Francisco Montiel.
2nd Norte at the corner of 3rd Oriente
Sunday May 1
Labor Day
May Day is a national holiday: banks, some businesses and government
offices will be closed.
Tuesday May 3
Bricklayer's Day
Every trade or profession in México has a day to recognize its
contribution to society. This one's for those involved in construction.
It is not an official holiday, but it might as well be. Not much
concrete will be poured today.
Day of the Holy Cross
As it is also the day of the Holy Cross, crosses are placed at building
sites.
The Holy Cross is a major religious fiesta celebrated in many communities, including the colonia Santa Cruz in San Pedro Mixtepec and Rio Grande and it's especially important in Santa Cruz Huatulco (See the following story) and Santos Reyes Nopala
Thursday May 5
Cinco de Mayo
Although this holiday to celebrate the Mexican victory over the French
at the Battle of Pueblo is a national holiday --- banks, post office,
government offices and some businesses will be closed -- it's not that
big of a deal in México.even though it has become such a huge festival
of Mexican pride in the U.S.