Santa María Tonameca: Festivals and Local Culture

Religious celebrations, dance, music, and food offer different insights into the culture of Santa María Tonameca. The topics range from the May festival in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption to the preparation of Pan de Muerto for All Saints’ Day in November. If you are planning a trip around a particular festival, check the dates and program for your travel year.

Festival Culture in May

A municipal description from 2008–2010 identifies May 11 as Santa María Tonameca’s most important festival, in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption. At the 2023 celebration, novenas and Masses began on May 2 and continued through May 10. These dates refer to different time periods: May 11 is recorded as the main festival day in an older description, while the schedule of novenas and Masses refers to the 2023 celebration. The specific program may vary from year to year.

At the 2023 celebration, a Calenda and a Fandango Ribereño were among the activities held in honor of the “Miraculous Virgin of the Assumption”; locals and visitors enjoyed them. A traditional Calenda started at CBTIS 264 in Llano Grande and ended at the covered sports court of the municipal palace of Santa María Tonameca. These locations illustrate the extent of that route at the time; they are not presented as a current route or today’s festival program.

Music, Dance, and Exhibitions

The Chilena is considered a characteristic dance of the people of Santa María Tonameca on the coast of Oaxaca. For the period 2008–2010, two brass bands were also mentioned: one in Santa María Tonameca and another in San Francisco Cozoaltepec. During this period, there was a music school in the town center where children and young people interested in music received lessons; the municipality paid the teacher. Dance, brass music, and instruction thus represent different aspects of local musical life.

Handicrafts and textiles were exhibited at the 2023 festival. Historical traditional clothing from Tonameca was also on display. This exhibition complemented the music and dance themes with textile and craftwork. Together, the celebration and its exhibitions offer concrete points of reference for travelers interested in cultural events and local forms of expression; the offerings may vary.

Festive Foods

A municipal description from 2008–2010 recorded that many households prepared Pan de Muerto for Día de Todos los Santos on November 1 and 2. Traditional Oaxacan dishes, including mole, were presented at the festival’s 2023 food exhibition. The two examples come from different contexts: Pan de Muerto as a household custom on specific days, and mole as one of the dishes at a festival exhibition.

If you would like to experience a festival, check the dates against the program for the relevant year; the specific events mentioned here refer to 2023, while other cultural descriptions date from 2008–2010.

Discover more destinations: San Miguel del Puerto, Tlalixtac De Cabrera, San Antonio De La Cal, San Juan Bautista Valle Nacional, San Pedro Mixtepec Distrito 26, Teotitlan del Valle, Tlachicon, Santa Catarina Lachatao.

For the broader travel overview: Oaxaca.