Festival Parade in San Miguel de Allende

The Valle del Maiz festival, based in one of the oldest parishes of San Miguel, parades throughout the city on successive weekends in May. Sunday the 28th it paraded through the central Parroquia, where we chanced upon it. The seemingly never-ending sets of dancers were mostly representing indigenous groups in varied costumes, some maize-like, some skeletal, some more typical Indian dress, all dancing to drumbeats. We first notice that the drummers were strangely not-costumed, as if they were randomly recruited at the last minute. The dancers were mostly seriously focused on their synchronized dance – each group had a slight different step-pattern. But we also notice the syncretism between the Church and the local culture, wherein all the banners had a cross and holy phrase – and each group, no matter the costume, paused when it passed in front of the Parroquia church, took off their hats and knelt in homage, most making the sign of the cross as well. Then they stand up, the drumbeat starts again.

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