Noche de Rabanos
In the past, there have been many wonderful and unusual festivals, but few are so strange and unique as Mexico's Noche de Rabanos, or, as litteraly translated, Night of the Raddishes. Celebrated every year on the 23rd of December, it is, in a way, the kick off to the holliday season.
When the Spanish Conqistadors came in the 16th century, they brought with them many strange things, including an odd red vegetable called rabanos. They taught the Mexica (now generally known as the Aztecs) how to cultivate them, and encouraged them to use the practice, as they grew large in the humid land. However, they were generally disfigured as a result of the rocky soil. It was a Christian monk who first suggested they begin to carve them into crative shapes and scenes that would make them more appetizing. These carved vegtables were sold in the Christmas Vigil market on December 23rd. The same was done with dried flowers (flor inmortal) and corn husks (totomoxtle).
The rabanos can be carved into anything, though many choose Christian themes or scenes from the Aztec's ancient and nearly forgotten mythology.
The festival is a lot less bloody than the original winter festival of the Mexica people, which was to honour the great mother goddess, Ilmatecuhtli. This was done by cutting out a woman's heart and carrying her severed head through a prossession.
Of course, the tradition is a most anticipated festival, and contests are held for the most unique and detailed scenes. The first prize winner is awarded with a large sum of money, and all participants are given 400 pesos. In the year of 2004 we will be celebrating the 107th of these festivals.
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