Today is the Fiesta of Cruz Verde. Regardless of the fiesta's religious significance, it is also undoubtedly a traditional a May Day festival of renewal celebrating the mid-point of spring—falling, as it does, midway between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.
From the pueblo of Xalitzintla on the slopes of the volcano Popocatéptl, the people make an annual pilgrimage to a cave on the volcano's slopes in order to ask for rains to provide a good harvest and for protection against the hail that can damage houses and destroy crops. Caves are traditional symbols of fertility and wealth. Tlaloc (god of water) was believed to live in a cave.
As Popocatéptl has become increasingly active, the villagers have modified their petition. To her credit, the reporter allows the people to narrate the event. The original CNN story in Spanish has a series of memorable photographs.
CNN Mexico: Elvia Cruz
PUEBLA - A charro suit [elaborate, traditonal cowboy attire], band music, a pot of turkey meat with mole, bread, fruit and two bottles of tequila are part of the offering brought to the volcano by residents of Santiago Xalitzintla, a village on the slopes of Popocatépetl. The villagers brought the offering to the volcano to "calm" his increasing restiveness since April 13.
They parked the buses and walked for nearly three hours until they arrived at the 'umbilicus' of the volcano, a cave located two kilometers from the Colossus, on the side facing Puebla. About 80 people, mostly adults, participated in the ceremony, according to the count taken by Gregorio Fuentes, mayor of Santiago Xalitzintla.
The people of this community, located in the municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos, in the western part of Puebla state, believe that by bringing him a little food and music, Popo becomes "content".
"All he (Popocatepetl) needs is a little company, so we decided to go. Usually we celebrate his birthday on March 12th—at the fiesta of St. Gregory the Great—and we take advantage of the occasion to ask him for a good rainy season for the crops. But this time we also asked him to calm down, that he not frighten our people, although most everyone is already accustomed to his noise," explained Analco.
The volcano became active again on Wednesday after almost a week of calm, reported the National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED).
The alert remains at Yellow-Phase 3, which means that travel within a 12 kilometer (7.5 miles) radius of the crater is prohibited, and that shelters and evacuation routes and facilities remain ready.
But the villagers of Xalitzintla set aside the recommendation not to approach the colossus and walked to within two kilometers (1.25 miles) of the crater.
"We come because we trust him. I talked to him (volcano) on Tuesday night, a day before our visit, and he told me everything was fine. Look, he just 'exhales' but he doesn't do anything. He will not do anything to us because he knows that we love him, and we will bring his offering that he might be content," said the tiempero.
"[The tiemperos] have been chosen by the volcano and by the water spirits to control the rain and hail; in order to bring rain when needed and move away storms that damage crops and people," explained Analco, who is the tiempero in Santiago Xalitzintla.
Gregorio Fuentes, mayor of the community, said they left a black Charro "bridegroom" suit for Don Goyo, "that he might have a change, we know that he is fussy about his appearance and that he likes to appear well-dressed."
The mayor said that on May 3 they will also visit the Volcano Iztaccíhuatl next to Popocatépetl. This extinct volcano, at an altitude of 5,222 meters [17,132 feet], is also known as Woman Asleep or White Woman. According to Aztec legend, the two volcanoes are lovers.
In addition to this love story, the people of the region believe that another two mountains—located on the same mountain range and visible from outside Xalitzintla—are lovers: the volcanoes La Malinche [indigenous woman given to Hernán Cortés] and Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico [5,636 meters (18,491 feet)].
"She [Iztaccíhuatl] is the bride of Don Goyo, but since she is always asleep, he goes with La Malinche, who also has an affair with the Pico de Orizaba. In ancient times, Pico and Popo threw incandescent stones because of La Malinche, but Izta never realized it, because she was always asleep," related the tiempero. Spanish original
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| Turkey meat with mole to calm Popocatéptl |
Led by Antonio Analco, the tiempero (person able to speak nicely to the volcano known as Don Goyo), community elders left at 5:00 AM on Wednesday from the town square. Riding in two buses they arrived at the Pass of Cortés, which is the main access road to the volcano's slopes.
They parked the buses and walked for nearly three hours until they arrived at the 'umbilicus' of the volcano, a cave located two kilometers from the Colossus, on the side facing Puebla. About 80 people, mostly adults, participated in the ceremony, according to the count taken by Gregorio Fuentes, mayor of Santiago Xalitzintla.
The people of this community, located in the municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos, in the western part of Puebla state, believe that by bringing him a little food and music, Popo becomes "content".
"All he (Popocatepetl) needs is a little company, so we decided to go. Usually we celebrate his birthday on March 12th—at the fiesta of St. Gregory the Great—and we take advantage of the occasion to ask him for a good rainy season for the crops. But this time we also asked him to calm down, that he not frighten our people, although most everyone is already accustomed to his noise," explained Analco.
The volcano became active again on Wednesday after almost a week of calm, reported the National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED).
The alert remains at Yellow-Phase 3, which means that travel within a 12 kilometer (7.5 miles) radius of the crater is prohibited, and that shelters and evacuation routes and facilities remain ready.
But the villagers of Xalitzintla set aside the recommendation not to approach the colossus and walked to within two kilometers (1.25 miles) of the crater.
"We come because we trust him. I talked to him (volcano) on Tuesday night, a day before our visit, and he told me everything was fine. Look, he just 'exhales' but he doesn't do anything. He will not do anything to us because he knows that we love him, and we will bring his offering that he might be content," said the tiempero.
"[The tiemperos] have been chosen by the volcano and by the water spirits to control the rain and hail; in order to bring rain when needed and move away storms that damage crops and people," explained Analco, who is the tiempero in Santiago Xalitzintla.
Gregorio Fuentes, mayor of the community, said they left a black Charro "bridegroom" suit for Don Goyo, "that he might have a change, we know that he is fussy about his appearance and that he likes to appear well-dressed."
The mayor said that on May 3 they will also visit the Volcano Iztaccíhuatl next to Popocatépetl. This extinct volcano, at an altitude of 5,222 meters [17,132 feet], is also known as Woman Asleep or White Woman. According to Aztec legend, the two volcanoes are lovers.
In addition to this love story, the people of the region believe that another two mountains—located on the same mountain range and visible from outside Xalitzintla—are lovers: the volcanoes La Malinche [indigenous woman given to Hernán Cortés] and Pico de Orizaba, the highest peak in Mexico [5,636 meters (18,491 feet)].
"She [Iztaccíhuatl] is the bride of Don Goyo, but since she is always asleep, he goes with La Malinche, who also has an affair with the Pico de Orizaba. In ancient times, Pico and Popo threw incandescent stones because of La Malinche, but Izta never realized it, because she was always asleep," related the tiempero. Spanish original
Still Curious?
Excelsior, another Mexican newspaper, profiled El Tiempero, which I also translated. Once again, the reporter let the people tell their story. The result provides insight into an important segment of Mexican culture: El Tiempero, the one who sees and speaks nicely with Popocatéptl.
Last year we were in Pátzcuaro for the Fiesta of Cruz Verde.
Last year we were in Pátzcuaro for the Fiesta of Cruz Verde.
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