Meeting of Popular Cultures and Indigenous Peoples in Querétaro

Every year, the chefs from the indigenous peoples of Querétaro meet to publicize their recipes and their traditions over generations.

By Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

Querétaro Regional Unit—Directorate General for Popular, Indigenous and Urban Cultures

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 11 (2016)Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

Keeping traditions alive

The Encuentro de Culturas Populares del Estado de Querétaro (Meeting of Popular Cultures of the State of Querétaro) originated as an initiative for the visibility of projects of the Programa de Acciones Culturales Multilingües y Comunitarias (Program of Multilingual and Community Cultural Actions) (PACMYC) in public spaces.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 2Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

These allow the population to know which are the most recent work proposals for the preservation, revaluation and promotion of popular culture projects. Over the years, several wills have been added to carry out this event, to the point that in 2021 we will celebrate the 20th edition.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 6Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

Beyond a cultural forum, it became a meeting place. Artisans, creators, musicians and other purveyors of culture gather once a year to share a common space and rediscover stories. Hence, traditional food has come to be part of this celebration of culture, in a primordial way.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 10 (2016)Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

Food is not an add-on to this event, but something that makes the meeting itself more meaningful. It provides a deep meeting space, between the flavors and the participants, between the regions and the ways of understanding food; between yesterday and today.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 5 (2015) by Anastasia Cruz VázquezMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

It is like this year after year, through the Meetings of popular culture, which has contributed to the promotion and dissemination of various manifestations of the intangible cultural heritage of our organization.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 9Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

This space has become an opportunity for the production, preparation and consumption of traditional food in our communities. And the specific tone through which these actions are carried out has been with the participation of purveyors of these traditions and knowledge.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 3Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

We are not talking about a gastronomical fair, it is rather an opportunity to deepen the taste, history and life of the chefs.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 12 (2015)Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

Above all, it is an opportunity to share, where the chefs share with other traditional chefs, and take to the inhabitants of the great cities their knowledge by showing their preparation techniques, wrapped up in their tradition inherited by generations.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 8Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

How do you prepare for a meeting?

Like any dish, a meeting of culture requires the necessary ingredients. 

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 7Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

We need to integrate a schedule that is composed mainly of the purveyors of tradition, and community collectives and groups.

Encuentro de las Culturas Populares y los Pueblos Indígenas en Querétaro 4 (2015)Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico

As far as possible, the basic guest list is intended to arise from the PACMYC projects. In this way, the wealth of the indigenous peoples, their cuisine and, above all, their traditions and knowledge are disseminated in these meetings.

Credits: Story

Photos from the archive of the Querétaro Regional Unit.
Photographs taken in Jardín Guerrero, Querétaro, Qro.  
Querétaro Regional Unit—Directorate General for Popular, Indigenous and Urban Cultures

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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