Oaxaca's 94th Guelaguetza Festival Opens with Historic Afro-Mexican Ambassador
The 94th edition of Oaxaca's Guelaguetza festival opened Monday to a packed auditorium of more than 11,000 spectators, launching what is widely considered Latin America's largest ethnic celebration with performances from 13 delegations representing communities across the state.
The opening Lunes del Cerro (Monday on the Hill) took place in the Guelaguetza Auditorium, an open-air amphitheater with a capacity of approximately 12,000 spectators built on the slope of Cerro del Fortín above Oaxaca's historic center. Originally constructed in the 1970s and modernized between 2008 and 2010, the venue will host a second Monday on the Hill performance on July 27 as part of the festival's closing stretch.
This year's festival marks a historic milestone with the selection of Enid Azucena Torres Agustiniano as the official ambassador and Goddess Centéotl — the first Afro-Mexican woman to serve in this role. Torres, a nursing student, cyclist and activist for Afro-Mexican rights, hails from Santiago Pinotepa Nacional in the Costa Chica region, a coastal corridor spanning Oaxaca and Guerrero states with one of Mexico's highest concentrations of Afro-Mexican communities.
The Costa Chica has been home to Afro-Mexican communities since the colonial period, when enslaved Africans arrived during the Viceroyalty of New Spain and were primarily engaged in cattle ranching and plantation agriculture. According to the 2020 census, approximately 2.5 million people in Mexico identify as Afro-Mexican or of African descent, representing about 2% of the national population.
"Being Afro-Mexican is not something to hide. It is something to honor and live with dignity."
The festival showcased the traditions and music of Oaxaca's 16 Indigenous peoples and Afro-Mexican communities, with opening day featuring performances from delegations including Ciudad Ixtepec, San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec and Santiago Pinotepa Nacional. Signature moments included a sing-along of "Dios Nunca Muere" and closing dances that drew standing ovations.
From Ancient Ritual to Modern Festival
The Guelaguetza traces its roots to ancient pre-Hispanic times, originating from a Zapotec ritual known as Daninayaaloani, or Hill of the Beautiful View. This ritual, which honored Centéotl, the corn goddess — a deity central to Aztec and earlier Mesoamerican cultures — took place over eight days and involved communal gatherings to share offerings, eat and dance. The tradition predates the Aztec conquest by over 500 years.
In the Zapotec language, "Guelaguetza" refers to reciprocal offerings, embodying a tradition of giving and sharing within the community. The festival was formalized in its modern incarnation in 1932, when it was first organized as "Homenaje Racial" (Racial Homage) to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Oaxaca being elevated to city status.
Oaxaca's extraordinary cultural diversity provides the foundation for the festival's significance. The state has 48% Indigenous population according to the National Commission for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples, making it the state with the highest Indigenous percentage after Yucatán. With five Indigenous linguistic families plus Spanish, Oaxaca possesses linguistic diversity comparable to the entire continent of Europe, which also has five linguistic families.
Tourism and Economic Impact
The festival's international profile received a significant boost in 1987 when the ancient city of Oaxaca and the archaeological site of Monte Albán were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, substantially increasing national and international tourism to the event.
"Oaxaca is a melting pot of our country's cultures. Here, our history, our traditions and the pride of our people come alive."
Officials said the current festivities, running throughout July, include more than 140 events statewide, ranging from fairs and parades to gastronomic and artisanal exhibitions. Tourism officials expect approximately 149,000 visitors, an economic impact exceeding 668 million pesos (US $38.4 million) and average hotel occupancy of 83%.
