After two years of delay, they celebrate the first Regional Pulque Fair in Tilantongo, Oaxaca
Santiago Tilatongo.– More than 10 pulque producers celebrated the first Regional Pulque Fair 2022, this weekend in the municipality of Santiago Tilatongo, in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca .
After being postponed two years in a row, due to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, authorities from Santiago Tilatongo held the festival, where more than 10 pulque producers from different communities belonging to the municipality of Tilatongo gathered.
Elvira Cirina Santiago Vicente, councilor for Tourism, explained to EL UNIVERSAL that this event was held with the purpose of making other communities aware of the diversity of pulque that exists in the communities, in addition to strengthening the local economy, after the arrival of the coronavirus.
“It is the first time that we are doing it, two years ago we canceled the festival eight days after the arrival of the pandemic, until now we have resumed it,” he said.
Although the communities were not as affected by the pandemic as in the cities, the producers were affected, which is why they brought together different pulqueros, to move the local economy a little more, said the councilor for Tourism.
In the municipality, among the communities with the highest production of pulque is Galeana, followed by La Paz, Las Flores, Mendoza and El Carmen; Galeana, being a land with more humidity, is the one that mostly produces pulque, explained Elvira.
The participants explained that in this event they made their drinks known to other regions, because in Tilatongo, pulque is consumed every Sunday, on market days.
The event began around 11 a.m. this Sunday, with the presence of more than 10 pulque producers and dozens of people who came to taste the drinks.
“The consumption of pulque was considered worthy of the Gods and constituted a ritual sign of a political and religious nature. Pulque was rescued from the shadows and marginalization, to give it its value as a traditional Mexican drink. In addition, it is the only one that has preserved an intact method for more than 2,500 years”, they pointed out during the inauguration.
In addition, two producer representatives carried out a ceremony at the foot of a maguey with drinks and a jar of pulque, to request permission and start the celebration.
Later, different local dances were present, who accompanied those present, as well as traditional musicians who played the best sones of the region. Meanwhile, the families went to each of the stalls to savor the drinks of each producer.
To attend the event, Herlinda Martínez Quiroga traveled more than an hour and a half to arrive on time at the Pulque Fair from La Paz.
“We went for the mead from 5 in the morning so that it would give us time to prepare the drink and be here on time. For two years they told us that they would do this event, but due to the disease it was no longer possible, until just, ”he told EL UNIVERSAL.
Herlinda, said that she milks magueyes throughout the year, her husband taught her before he died; she sells pulque every day from tianguis in Santiago Tilatongo.
Juan Gerardo Santiago Senovio is another producer of pulque, as well as a grower of corn, beans, broad beans and wheat in the community of Galeana. He has been producing pulque for about 6 years. And he traveled from Galeana, to witness the event.
The authorities hope that the officials who take office in the following years will support and continue with the pulque fair.
