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 Travel & Outdoors | September 2005 
San Miguel: Fiestas Patrias and Patronales
 Barbara Kastelein - PVNN
| St. Michael whose name comes from the Hebrew "to be like God" is one of the main angels - archangel means ruling angel, and their religious function is to be a messenger of God. His office, or job, according to the Scriptures is to fight against Satan (hence the familiar representation of him crushing a dragon or serpent beneath his feet, seen throughout churches in Mexico and worldwide), to rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death.
According to the New Catholic Dictionary he is the patron against temptations, of ambulance drivers, artists, bakers and bankers as well as of battle.
During the Middle Ages he was the patron of the Church and the orders of knights, as champion of God's people. It is said that after the evangelization of Germany, St. Michael replaced the pagan god Wotan (who rued over mountains).
In Mexico he has a little-known, but highly significant role in the upcoming fiesta of the Dead. According to tradition, as stated by the late Ruth Lechuga, in many indigenous communities he is celebrated for opening the gates of heaven so that the souls are free to wander back to earth and commune with us on the night of Nov. 1. The departed are due back however, by November 30th, when St. Andrew (San Andrés) closes them again.
In San Miguel de Allende you can buy some very colorful souvenirs to remind you of these more mysterious connections in the form of the crazy dancing skeleton shirts of Patrice Wynne designs. The "Muertos Collection" men's shirts keep breaking sales records and come in four fabric styles including a cheery turquoise color. They are also available in smaller women's sizes and are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
(Galeria Independencia, in Colonia Independencia, open every day from 11-2pm or ordered by phone 415-150-0058, sanmigueldesigns.com). |
It is around this time this month that you begin to believe that San Miguel de Allende really could be Mexico's fiesta capital. While many municipalities are gratefully shutting down after the grito, and getting a breath before getting ready for the Muertos holiday at the end of next month, in San Miguel the fiesta has just begun.
The 29th September is the date of the town's patron, San Miguel Arcángel, or St. Michael the Archangel, who is celebrated daily with a fair, and yesterday with a "pamplonada" or running of the bulls - usually about a dozen - in the city's main street.
This somewhat dangerous part of the lengthy fiesta, called the San Miguelada, began in 1973 and takes place the third Saturday of every September, between the celebration of Mexico Independence from Spain and the festival of the patron saint (sanmiguelguide.com/pamplonada.htm).
More than 20,000 tourists come here to join the party, and those who run wear a white shirt and red neck-kerchiefs (paliacates) as do their predecessors from Pamplona, Spain's fiesta of San Fermin (held in April). Many locals celebrate in restaurants where they watch the event live on local TV.
"It's the day when we get most tourists, locally and from around the state of Guanajuato, juniors from DF, and foreigners -- we don't have enough rooms for them all!" says Tourism Director Guillermo González, who adds that the bulls are the smaller novillos, not the more dangerous adult specimens (Tourist Office, tel: 01 - 415 / 152-0900, Plaza Principal).
Next, the big event is the Alborada on Saturday Oct. 1st, meaning literally "the dawning", because it greets the Saint just before dawn with a fancy firework display that goes on from 4 - 5 a.m. The all-night street party includes dancing, music, food and sweets, and ends with everyone singing Las Mañanitas (Happy Birthday) to the archangel who gave his name to the town.
Before 1826, the settlement - founded by Fray Juan de San Miguel in the sixteenth century - was known as San Miguel el Grande with the "de Allende" added when it was granted the status of city. Ignacio José Allende was one of the town's "illustrious men" a General in the Fight for Independence from Spain.
Those who head to San Miguel for the festivities next weekend, and all of the coming week (circus, rural trade show and fair outside town on the highway to Querétaro), will enjoy a spectacular costume parade, with local notables, colorful mojigangas - large carnivalesque figurines carried aloft - wind music, folkloric and indigenous dances.
Today there is theater and music at 7pm in the "jardín" (main square) while Wednesday will see civic acts, Concheros dances (noon) as well as the Xúchiles, traditional dances from the Bajío area at 3pm, the Romería pilgrimage down Canal street at around 4, theater and the "Verbena Popular" with toritos (the horned wooden structure worn on the head that shoots out fireworks) and at midnight a mañanitas for San Miguel.
The Concheros and fireworks are continued Thursday, joined by a violin concert at 8pm, while from about 3am on Saturday you get the lighting of the pólvora (gunpowder), and at 6am another mañanitas. It is not yet confirmed whether the Cavalcade of Horsemen of Saint Martin will participate, as customary, in the 11am mass this morning in the Parroquia de San Miguel. But one of the attractions of the afternoon at around 4pm will be la llegada de las estrellas (the arrival of the stars). Another will be the Voladores de Papantla, a show in the jardín in which four men climb a tall pole and slowly descend by twirling down on ropes (three shows, the first around 1pm).
Traditional dances of the conquista and indigenous dance troupes at around 5pm are not to be missed, while more fireworks will split the air at 9pm. Sunday adds a bullfight at 4pm to the traditions (in the city bullring - one of the oldest in the country - on Recreo) and more dancing and fireworks at night.
Asked whether the appeal of the corrida de toros is diminishing with concerns about cruelty to animals, González said tradition wins over other opinions during fiesta time.
"Foreign tourists tend to like it, and while there are some residents into animal protection, the truth is they also want to enjoy the culture."
The party carries on all the following week, ending after another parade on October 9th.
For more information the following website contains many tips as well as a new recommendation of restaurants and bars (look out for the new The Travelers Restaurant, for Indian, Thai and other international cuisines), see portalsanmiguel.com/restaurants-bars/list.php Some of the more appealing, small lodging houses include casaquetzalhotel.com, livingdoscasas.com and casaorquideasanmiguel.com, or check out: internetsanmiguel.com/bed_and_breakfasts.html. However, if these are filled up consult the city's Asociación de Hoteles y Moteles (otel: 415-152-7829, hotelessanmiguel.com)
This is also a good time of year to enjoy some of the best artworks in San Miguel's galleries, such as the Caracol Collection (Cuadrante 30, corner Jesús, Centro) and the Zoho gallery owned by four women artists (on Zacateros 81-B -- look out especially for Pam Lacayo) and the galleria La aurora on the Calzada de la Aurora (tel: 415/154.8583). For more information on artists and galleries in this city, see: mercadosanmiguel.com
The official website of local government is exemplary, with an impressive emphasis on transparency and access to information (you can even download the municipal tourism plan). In addition to being a "Pueblo Mágico", San Miguel is showing its commitment to sustainable tourism in its involvement with the Agenda 21 program (sanmiguelallende.gob.mx).
Four luxury buses (10:00 hrs, 12:40, 16:40 y 18:20) leave per day from Central del Norte with the line ETN, $250 pesos, journey time approx. 4 hours (tel: 5271-1262). |
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