pilgrims from all over mexico have come to honor la virgen de tepeyac. some have been walking or riding in trucks for several days and others have set off just today and are walking or riding biciycles together. most have a portrait or sculpture of the virgin strapped to their back. Others walk on their knees, some with cactus strapped to their back for extra suffering.
tonight in the zocalo we see some of the 3.5 million pilgrims taking a break en route to the basilica- many rubbing their sore feet and some sipping tequila. occasionally groups of young men pass on their bicycles, whistling to let the cars know they are coming. There is a group of bicitaxis in the zocalo center. some are carrying passengers, some have beautiful mobile shrines.
the following is paraphrased from a couple of articles in El Universal/Miami Herald
She is still known as Tonantzin Guadalupe-Tonantzin meaning Our Lady in nahuatl.
La Tonantzin or Coatlicue was the wife of the god Quetzalcoatl, Ometeol or Huitzilopochtli. She is the mother of all creation- the sky/heaven & the earth. They had a son-Tonacantecutli- the god of our flesh.
Originally Coatlicue's templo was on top of Tepeyac, she had a huge following. Campesino juan diego, saw la virgen while walking in Tepeyac in 1531. He reported his experience to Spanish Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who demanded proof of the miracle. Four days later, on December 12 (now, the day of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe), while in the presence of the Bishop, the image of the virgin as we know her appeared on Juan Diego's cloak.
Many mexicans contiued the ancient tradition of making a pilgrimage to the goddess Tonantzin- it wasn't so important that her name was changed to the virgen of guadelupe. Some say that the indiginous religion merged with the catholicism- or catholicism stomped it out. Juan Diego was sainted a few years ago.
Mexico comes from nahuatl (the language of the aztecs): metxchico, metxli=moon, chicli=bellybutton, co=in;en el ombligo de la luna= in the bellybutton or center of the moon
The name that they gave la Virgen in nahuatl was "Te Coatlaxopeuh" (she who comes flying from the light) or "Tequantlanopeuh" (she who was born in the tips of shame). Also and more probable:"Te" that wants to say stone; "Coa" signifies serpent and "Xopeuh" that wants to smash: she who smashes the stone serpent. pronounced like:"Tecuatlacupe".
Love y besos
Lindsay
posters on Paseo de Reforma Guadalupe: On my body as in my soul
Thursday
metro tacuba
a clown- and i mean a clown in full clown drag- silver lame sports jacket, red & blue baggy pants with silver lame trim, a blue floppy hat and big red clown shoes with fat silver stars- passes me in the corridor. he is clutching a cardboard jesupainting he back is covered in writing. i wonder what it could be. maybe he is going to a clown funeral ?
last week i heard familiar beats coming out of the speakers lining the corridor of the metro tacuba. the volume was low so i kept stopping at each speaker to make out the music:
WAKAL-you have now idea how perfect that is! the song was terraza mantel that uses a vocal sample of "some in xochmilco, hidalgo market"
For non-chilangos, wakal is a dj/sonic collagist (part of the KONFORT collective) that makes song with bits he has recorded on the streets of mexico city. the calls of the street vendors "peptitas 10 pesos" are looped and layered with other electronic sounds. the result and his new album pop/street sound are amazing!
the cover shows a determined bicitaxi driver and the inside says "thanks: to the people of this city who participated anonimously to this cd." the liner notes read " all urban samples are property of mexico city"
last week i heard familiar beats coming out of the speakers lining the corridor of the metro tacuba. the volume was low so i kept stopping at each speaker to make out the music:
WAKAL-you have now idea how perfect that is! the song was terraza mantel that uses a vocal sample of "some in xochmilco, hidalgo market"
For non-chilangos, wakal is a dj/sonic collagist (part of the KONFORT collective) that makes song with bits he has recorded on the streets of mexico city. the calls of the street vendors "peptitas 10 pesos" are looped and layered with other electronic sounds. the result and his new album pop/street sound are amazing!
the cover shows a determined bicitaxi driver and the inside says "thanks: to the people of this city who participated anonimously to this cd." the liner notes read " all urban samples are property of mexico city"
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