How the festival started is still unknown, but Night of the Radishes is believed to stem from when the Spanish Conquers introduced the native people to vegetables such as the radish. Radishes were then sold at the Christmas Eve markets and competing vendors began to create radish figures in order to distinguish themselves. Over time, locals were not looking to complement their Christmas dinner, but instead to use the radish designs to decorate for the holiday. The Night of the Radishes is said to have been first held in 1897, under the leadership of the mayor at the time, Francisco Flores Vasconcelos.
People from all over the valley bring their largest radishes, grown for months in preparation, that have been carved into nativity scenes, saints, buildings and any other imaginable design to the Zócalo (the main square in Oaxaca). Thousands of people go to the Zócalo to look at the wooden tables filled with scenes that have been constructed with care.
The sculptures in Noche de Rábano are not simply radishes, but art pieces created in pain staking detail. Prizes are awarded to the best and most creative designs. The awarding takes place at 9pm, but lines to walk the ramps around the tables of radish figures start up to 5 hours before.
The event is a celebration. Street vendors and restaurants sell delicious buñuelos, which are similar to a fried pancake. Children play in the street and even compete in their own radish carving contest.
The next days are marked by Christmas parades, which precede a grand fiesta and the traditional Christmas dinner. On this night many people flock to the zócalo to watch the parades, a fireworks display and to get a close up look at the extravagant floats.
For more information about Oaxaca's history, visit All About Oaxaca.
Have you ever been to Night of the Radishes? If so, please tell us about it!
By: Cara Gourley
1 comments:
It sounds like pumkin carving to me.
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