In Tehuantepec, very south of Mexico, there is a toy that is made especially for the New Year: a small clay figure of the goddess Tangu Yuh. She is dressed like Zapotec women living in Tehuantepec carries a wide skirt with pleated ruffles on a white petticoat and brightly embroidered huipil. Her braids entwined with colored ribbons, are assembled on top of her head like a crown. His eyes are black and shiny, her red lips as tomatoes and extending his arms to approach her.
You know why Tangu Yuh is special for the people of Tehuantepec in the New Year's Day? Because once, long ago, she visited on that date. At that time, all the Zapotecs lived together and very happy. They helped with everything from planting to build their houses.
Their land has always been divided into three parts: north, center and south. Today, as then, women in the north weave beautiful fabrics embroidered with silk thread.
The men of that area were famous hunters iguanas, deer and wild boar.
The people of the south were the artists of Tehuantepec. Men and women worked the clay and wood and modeled containers and drums and flutes, they played all afternoon.
In the central region of Tehuantepec were traders. The women ran the markets. And were the men who wore the skins tissues and its neighbors to the highlands of the mountains. There exchanged merchandise containers that glazed and carved gourds green mud they liked much to the Zapotecs.
In general, the Zapotecs lived in peace and mutual cooperation. But there are always problems, even in paradise. The problem was that nobody Zapotec Tehuantepec felt really special. South potters often thought: 'Our vessels are beautiful, but so are the fabrics of our northern brethren.
People in the central region said -¡No understand! Why do we have to travel so far to trade with what our brothers and sisters? Are we perhaps his servants?
But in heaven, the gods were more than satisfied with the harmony and quietness of Tehuantepec. From its heights, they could not see the dark thoughts and feelings of anger in the minds and hearts of people. The gods decided that the Zapotecs should be blessed with a visit from one of them and elected as a representative Tangu Yuh.
Then something amazing happened to the people of Tehuantepec on the eve of New Year. Just as children circled in bed, and their parents, newly raised, is desperezaban to prepare breakfast, a flash of lightning across the sky. But rather than heard the thunder, which usually sounds during storms, a heavenly music came to earth. Suddenly, strange creatures with giant silver feather wings filled the sky, blowing trumpets and rain sticks. A magical voice echoed in the sky and announced that a goddess wanted to visit the happiest people on earth.
Tangu was Yuh! She looked so beautiful, with her wavy dark hair and shiny velvet skirt. Magically beautiful! It was so beautiful that no one could describe it.
The people of the northern region were surprised to see that the goddess wore a dress like the ones they used in their celebrations. But Yuh Tangu shone like gold and their colors were we vivísimos. They surrounded her, studying the design of his suit to burn in his memory. If they could reproduce, they would look spectacular! It was crazy.
The valleys and hills, trumpets announced the center of the region it was his turn. Yuh Tangu flew through the sky of the valley to reach them. They could not believe that the goddess them speak in his own language! What celestial truth could tell about your business? If you listened to the advice of a goddess, the richest people on earth would become! All of the central region, men and women, asking him questions shouted to Tangu Yuh simultaneously. A tremendous uproar rose into the sky. Nobody could hear anything.
Finally, the goddess descended upon the southern region. Its inhabitants ran to gather their instruments to receive the goddess with blaring trumpets and heavenly melodies. They met in the center of town and blew with all his might. Surely Tangu Yuh would realize that the inhabitants of the earth could make music like the gods themselves! Some blew their flutes both ended up fainting. Some beat their drums with such force that the sticks were split in half. They formed a procession and marched towards the center. Everything was a mess.
- Look! Here come the South, playing music -decían the center and north. Why it took so long?
Seeing the confusion and disorder that had caused Yuh Tangu asked: 'And this is the land of harmony and peace I came to praise?
I was very disappointed and upset. He gathered the heavenly beings and flew straight into the clouds.
When the southern region where neighbors came, the goddess had returned to heaven.
Southerners felt very bad. They had barely seen Tangu Yuh before he disappeared and his neighbors riddled with questions: How was it? What were your eyes? And your voice? What did he say?
But the northerners had been so focused on copying the design of his suit had not actually seen either Tangu Yuh. And the center had done so many questions that never knew if he had answered or not.
Discouragement reigned in Tehuantepec. The looms were silent and clay ovens were empty. The Zapotecs, usually laughing and singing, were increasingly sad. They waited and watched the sky for days, hoping Tangu Yuh returned. But he did not, so we all went back to work. Northerners began to spin again, but his paintings were now slightly more beautiful after seeing Tangu Yuh. The continued trading center, but they were a bit more just because they felt blessed by the goddess. And Southerners created a song with a soft, sad melody and taught it to the center and the north:
Goddess of the earth,
What would not have given to see your eyes?
What would not have given to see your eyes?
Goddess of the Earth!
Time passed and people no longer spoke to them of the goddess to her children. It was as if it had been a dream, floating in the night. But every year, on New Year's Eve, everyone gathered and sang the song of Tangu Yuh slowly and sadly.
In heaven, the gods heard the song and watched the people of Tehuantepec. They noted that North spun fabrics for all. They noted that the center trading with all its neighbors. They were not convinced that another visit would be different Tangu Yuh. But yuh did believe Tangu. -Permitamos Keep the hope said.
So once again, in the morning of the New Year, when nobody expected it, the music of the celestial trumpets sounded on all seats and a voice thundered in the center of each village: "Tangu Yuh! Tangu yuh! "He said.
And the echo of that voice reached every corner of the earth and sky. What joy felt Zapotec! Without missing a beat, they began planning a party in his honor, the largest they could imagine.
Since then, the spirit of Tangu Yuh is with them every New Year, when his feast is celebrated. Before the New Year, northerners begin to weave new clothes. Traders bring new food center beyond the mountains. Each year, southerners compose new songs for the choirs of Tangu Yuh. But mostly, the southern potters make new clay figurines of the goddess, and when the parts are removed from the oven, a murmur is heard coming from above. All the inhabitants of Tehuantepec are convinced that when the potters achieved realistically capture Tanguh yuh face, she will visit again.
When I return, I will list their party. There will be a band at the head of a huge procession. The banners will fly on every roof and flowers will overflow in every balcony, every window. There will be chocolate, sweet bread and mezcal, waltzes and dance danzon. Everything and everyone will celebrate a Tangu Yuh. Surely, she will return.
Glossary
Petticoat: clothing for women who used under the skirt.
Huipil: the Nahua huipilli. Kind of blouse or skirt decorated using indigenous women.
Jícara: the Nahua xicalli. Small wooden vessel, usually made from the bark of the fruit of the calabash or earthenware, which is often used to make chocolate and other foods.