Carneval in La Venta - Part 1

Carneval - that's the Latin American name of the pre-lent fiesta on or before "fat Tuesday", otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, etc...  These very names conjure up images of parades, costumes, and unbridled fun, if not over-the-top bacchanalian riots.  It's no surprise these various traditions exist in Catholic countries, because these events are nothing more and nothing less than last-gasp parties in anticipation of the Church-imposed 40 days of repentance and self-denial prior to Easter.  "Carneval" or "Mardi Gras" traditions vary significantly from region to region (they're not all New Orleans & Rio style), and here in Mexico, they have a notably unique flavor.  I suspected there was going to be some serious fun to be had, but never could have anticipated the adventure to be that resulted from a casual discovery, by our buddy Sam Hillers, when he spied a flier on the wall of his favorite butcher shop advertising a weekend Carneval Feria (fair) and an accompanying bull fight in the little ranch town of La Venta, about 20km north of San Miguel. 

Four young guys just happened to stroll in as they do...  on horseback.

So with absolutely zero prior-knowledge and what can only be described as a thrilling sense of expectation (an almost too-common feature of our experiences in Mexico, as we just knew this was going to be great fun with plenty of surprises), we packed up our kids, Janan's parents (who were in for a visit), and drove out to this dusty little farming town to check it out. 

We arrived, a bit early, on our own (our friends hadn't gotten there yet), parked the car and walked on in amidst the typically curious but certainly non-threatening stares from the locals (they had to have thought we were just lost - what else could explain a grey-haired gringo with his fair-faced wife and kids stumbling upon this tiny town fiesta?).  All the better - we always know we're in the right place (and feel very comfortable) when you get the "stranger" glances.  Here in the Bajio of Mexico, this is not at all threatening, you get it just because they don't recognize you.  After a half hour, despite the fact that our Spanish is only marginally better than their German, we are welcomed as family, literally (as you'll see in Part 2).  THAT is what I love so much about Mexico...

One of the first stops, of course:  the beverage tent.  Al & Carol and Sam wasted no time...

Now, having been to a few "ferias" before, we are not really surprised nor amazed by some of the little details of a Mexican public party that you'd never, ever see up north, such as...

...the bizarre assortment of out-dated and probably dangerous rides for kids - things deemed unsafe in Europe and the states decades ago and thereby exported to Mexico.  And yet, these things are really, really fun for kids.  A favorite that seems to pop up at every fair is the two-story trampoline house, held together by rusting metal parts and chicken wire, which is listing and creaking with the bounce of each child...

Personal injury attorneys only wish we did this up north.  Fortunately for all of us, they don't exist down here.

Alya's having an absolute blast!

And Will too!

This super-sweet man was operating one of the rides, and seemed to be having as much fun as the kids...

A typical aspect of any semi-serious festival here in the Bajio is the seemingly mandatory appearance of the local drum and dance corps.   Decked out in "traditional" outfits, the participants keep up a steady beat and well-choreographed dance in the dry, dusty parade ground (usually a parking lot or plaza near the main church):

This isn't some sort of put-on nor goofy or playful farce, but as far as I can gather, this is a deeply felt, pride-based participation of primarily the youngsters of the community, continuing the timeless dance and rhythmic traditions of these small and ancient villages...

 

Here you have tradition and technology...

... and the future generation.  

These two handsome youth were happy to pose for me.  

This entire event was, if you remember, not a celebration of some local event or Saint or warrior, nor some regional religious festival, but this was "Carneval".  And that means a spontaneous dance party complete with masks and elaborate costumes.  Well, perhaps not completely spontaneous, since the Mariachi band arrived on time and was dressed to the nines (as Mariachis always do).  Regardless, once the music kicked in, the dancing began.  And this was no ordinary public dance...  This is Carneval!!!

I understood the whole Mardi Gras mask and costume thing, but I'd be lying if I said this part of the festivities didn't leave me bit baffled, only because it was so un-New Orleans or Rio style.  Instead, there was a bit more of the day-after-halloween costume store employee party type appearance.  I still don't know what to make of the outfits...

Shreck?  Judging from her hands, I'm guessing she's in her 70's...

And how about this guy?!?  We were all getting a kick out of him scaring the life out of the little kids in the crowd, and the parents enjoyed it too!  After all, in this kind of community, I'm certain everyone but us knew the identity of the man behind the mask, and the kids he was scaring were all nephews and nieces...

I have no idea what the heck is going on here....  Is it Halloween???

Throughout all the excitement of noise, smells, and eye-candy, it some times requires a bit of stepping-back to realize the significance of the fact that this boisterous and joyful gathering is a highly anticipated, once-a-year communal event put on with great effort and expense by a very simple, rural, and somewhat poor community.  But there is absolutely no lack of pride nor of style amongst the members of this community, as you can see...

You may have forgotten by this point (as we certainly did) that one of the key lures enticing us to join in this event 15 miles out of San Miguel was the promise of a bull fight.  In San Miguel, I've enjoyed a number of high-class, state-of-the-art, serious bull fights (that's not a joke).  So the idea of a bullfight in this community of a few hundred people with only one paved road had me curious, to say the least.  And with all the rickety rides, carny games, and sweet treats to keep the kids entertained for a few hours, there was a sufficient window of opportunity to sneak a peak at this rural man-beats-beast contest for an hour or two.  But alas, it was not to be....  Seems the bullfight was cancelled at the last minute for reasons we were never able to translate.  But, as always, the incredible resourcefulness of the Mexican people would prove to overcome this setback....


First....


We got a bull fight after all, thanks to the crazy, dancing "burrachos"....

Perhaps not as grand nor as serious as the real thing, but certainly more amusing!


Secondly...


... after Al and Ann Hillers bought a round of beers for the entire group of men hanging out at the beer tent, soon we found we could no longer pay for the beer - it was suddenly free.  Then, we got an invitation from one of the locals to dine with him and has family before we would venture off to the cock fights.  And there was absolutely no way to refuse his insistent hospitality.

But this is where I must leave off for Part Two of this adventure.  As can only happen in Mexico, just when one mind-numbing experience seems to be coming to a close, the next one is just beginning....