Fiesta de San Miguel Arcangel, September 29

A celebration of the patron Saint Michael tied with mythical tradition and the agricultural cycles. The patron saint’s feast day falls on 29 September, coinciding with the end of the mythical battle of conquest of the native groups of each area. It is also a first fruits festival, and in an ancient pre-Hispanic custom for protecting harvests and houses from evil spirits on this day, crosses are hung or placed in a variety of areas. The crosses remain in place throughout the year. In Huixtan, Chiapas, the people wear beautiful costumes indigenous to the area. In Aquilpa, Guerrero, women carry stone idols called chaniques, (pre-Columbian fertility fetishes), in procession. These slides document musicians, dances, costumes, processions, carnival rides, offerings, ephemeral decorations, churches, food, and other traditions associated with this festival as celebrated in these various villages and towns.

These slides are housed in LSF Container BB.

A descriptive narrative of these slides is found on audiocassette #11 side B, which is housed in LSF Container RR.