Cozumel Carnival

Cozumel's Carnival (Spanish: Carnaval de Cozumel) is one of the top carnivals in Mexico^[1] and with the largest tourist potential, thanks to its location within the Corridor Riviera Maya - Cozumel - Cancun. Because of this it is popularly known with the slogan "Fiesta in Paradise."

With a history of over 140 years, it is one of the oldest in the country. It is with the Carnival of Campeche, the only one that has preserved traditional expressions of historical value in the Yucatan Peninsula and has become an event of heritage for the state of Quintana Roo. It is distinguished by its long history, its cultural aspects, its organization and its family character.^[2]

First historical references.

Both the city chronicler, Prof. Velio Vivas Valdes, as the researcher Ric Hajovsky, agree to quote a small book published in St. Louis Missouri, Powell & Maynard, in 1874, as the first historical reference of Cozumel's Carnival.

The author Claude Luther Goodrich Noble, originally from New York, lived 6 months in 1873 on the island, in 1874 he returned to the United States, publishing his memoirs short period of time he had lived in Cozumel and making mention of the Carnival he lived in 1873:

“All Classes Ages Are Fond of Music, Dancing, Gambling a Little, feast-day sports, the recurrence of which are frequent, the Innocent revelry of the pastories, the parade and pomp of the Carnival. The guitar and violin, bugle and drums are most of the musical instruments, and all these are sadly out of repair ¡No piano or organ has ever yet been taken to the island!”.^[3]

The second oldest historical reference of this celebration is a notice in the journal "Merida", published on March 30 and April 20, 1876 by Mr. Nestor Rubio Alpuche, announcing the beginning of carnival activities on the island. Consequently oral history, it is known that in 1896 the dances in carnival costumes and the "Danza de las cintas" and wooden bull "Huacax-Che" appeared as expressions of carnaval.

Despite the above, it was not until 1908 when the island authorities have registered the first requested permission to hold a formal dance carnival. The applicant for the permit was a person named José Azueta, who divided the dance in two categories, for young ladies, permission for which he paid 4 pesos follows, and Mestizas, license authorizing It had to pay 1 peso and 50 cents.^[4]

References