Noche de Rábanos - ¡ Una Noche de Maravillas!

Such is the busy-ness of navidad, vacaciones, 3 reyes, such that I'm only now posting fotos of the Noche de Rábanos. Which is a utterly unique and unbelievably amazing fiesta here in Oaxaca de Juárez. There's so many people that come to see it- many extranjeros but also many more Mexican tourists, in addition to all the local folks who come to the centro to experience this most Oaxaqueña festival.

Brief history: tianguis (open air stall type market) on 23 de diciembre were always traditional. Some stalls started carving rábanos (radishes) as a way to decorate their stall/distinguish themselves from other stalls & to attract customers. In the mid/late 1800s, the festival became more codified and a contest was born to select the best carvings/sculptural entries. At some point other modalities were added in addition to the rábanos tradicionales-- libre rábano, flor inmortal, and totomoxtle. Relatively recently the government realized that land around the city of Oaxaca was growing scarce due to population growth and sprawl: this meant there wouldn't be enough land to grow rábanos in...So they created a special reserve just for the cultivation of rábanos for Noche de Rábanos!!! This is where the artesans and their families, friends, assistants harvest the rábananos they will use in their entries.

the official Oaxaca tourism board's advertisement

This is a contest, with judges and all and the cash prizes for each modality/category are quite high,  and various dignitaries, including the governor of Oaxaca and spouse, attend the festival that night. And after the 23rd? It all disappears. After all, the next night is Noche Buena (Christmas), a night that cannot be encroached upon by anything else, never mind that the rábanos wouldn't last much longer anyway.

I'd heard a lot about the Noche de Rábanos, didn't quite know what to expect from it, and knew that I had to get down to the zócalo early to see them, as they were being set up and/or carved & constructed. I managed to get down there at about 10:30 in the morning and there were already plenty of people and then even more when Thalía and Eric got there about an hour later. But still, I was able to take lots of fotos even though many of the entries were not complete by 12:30 By that time, there was  already a line formed to walk the boardwalk that lines the entries-- but nothing like it would be in the evening to night hours when it seems like the whole world is in the centro! It's hard to find enough superlatives to describe Noche de Rábanos. It's magical and other-worldly at the same time as being firmly rooted in tradition and culture oaxaqueña. It's quite beyond anything I've seen before and likely will never see again (unless or until I return again). I quite often had tears in my eyes, all awestruck and rendered rather incoherent by the skill and vision of the artists.


As I mentioned above, there are several modalities in the contest. Each artesan - "autor" chooses their category and adheres to the guidelines of that modality and the category of the modality (if applicable). The modalities (category) are: 1- Rábano (Tradicional & Libre), 2- Flor Inmortal, 3- Totomoxtle (natural & decorado). Then there are various subcategories for children's entries, first time autores, etc.

First, some of my fotos of entries in the Rábano Tradicional modality/category. These must depict a traditional scene-- either a traditional Oaxacan scene like a boda (wedding), religious procession, mercado, or a scene from the bible (not limited to the Nativity scene, even!).

This (part of a) Rábano Tradicional scene inludes a Dominican church and a mercado (I think this may even be Tlacolula, site of a most famous and incredibly large tiangui mercado on Sundays), which features barbacoa, and a carniceria...

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad - patron saint of Oaxaca

I mean, look at her face!!! The loneliness! The sadness! Rendered in RADISH. For the love all petes everywhere.

Another Rábano Tradicional scene-- features a fiesta patronal, la de Sta Lucia

a small part of another mercado scene

This was part of a Rábano Tradicional scene featuring the production of mezcal-- so here are some agave/maguey. It's my contention that at least the maguey on the left is the species A. karwinskii...

The novios from a Boda scene, along with a rather surprised-looking family member carrying a guajalote (which are traditionally given to honored guests by the family of the novio).

Seasonally appropriate-- a nativity scene

Less seasonally appropriate but a popular theme nonetheless- the crucifiction of Christ. The toothpicks that are used to hold the bits of the radishes together come into a aesthetic purpose here!

Now onto the category of Libre within the Rábanos modality. This is a category that is much for free-form than the Tradicional and often features mythical or fantastical creatures.

A (dragon?) head, one of four of a creature of the Acopalypse (this entry won first prize in the Rábanos Libre category)

Bastet, in a entry featuring gods of Egypt

I loved this sun (and stars?)

This utterly amazing guajalote!! won 3rd place in Rábanos Libre

This scene included FANTASY and SCIENCE- the fantastical creature on the left and the strand of DNA on the right

Perhaps my very favorite modality/category was that of Totomoxtle, Natural. These use dried corn husks to fashion the scene. The corn husks come in a variety of colors-- because, surprise!, so does ancestral maize (which was by the way, first cultivated here in Oaxaca, you are very welcome).

Flor de Piña dancers, with each of their huipils intricately displayed (just as in real life, each of the dancers huipil is distinct and different and depends on where they are from)

a dancer on the top of a Tree of Life scene featuring women dancing, wearing their trajes tradicionales

down at the base of the Tree of Life

A bit from a scene of a Boda- check out the detail!!! the curls of the novia's hair!,  the suggestion of pinstripes in the novio's suit, the tiny girls holding the train of the novia's veil/gown... These figures are not that large-- maybe 5 inches max. This entry won 3rd prize in this modality/category.

The other category in the Totomoxtle modality is that called "Decorada"- which means that the totomoxtle (corn husks) have been dyed or painted and then assembled into scenes with great attention to detail

A scene from a mercado- a woman selling torillas-- those tortillas were about the size of my thumbnail and smaller! In this scene you can see that the autor used a mix of painted totomoxtle and natural ones.

closer-up on the kiddo with the bucket of fish from the last foto; I just love his expression

This chameleon was done as a giant alebrije

A Totomoxtle Decorado scene with our beloved Benito Juárez

These charming ladies were part of a boda scene

One scene had a whole bunch of Tehuanas, perfect for Totomoxtl Decorado because of all the vibrant colors, flowers, patterns in their trajes

this Totomoxtle Decorado scene STOLE my heart. It featured several women like the one pictured in this foto, all selling my beloved tejate, an ancient zapotec (prehispanic) drink made with maize, mamey pits, cocoa, rosita de cacao flowers. The autor created something so faithful to the reality- down to tiny (pinky nail-sized) jicaras that are used to mix and drink the tejate, and that's actual tejate in the ceramic bowl with its characteristic grasa floating on top. LOVE

Lastly, but certainly not least-- is the modality of Flor Inmortal. This category uses the flowers of the species Xerochrysum bracteatum to create the scenes.

A scene of Flor Inmortal depicting an altar for Día de Muertos. This scene- perfectly decorated with great precision- won 2nd place in its modality.

Can't you just feel the piety of this bishop and ladies in a procession?!

Zancudos - traditional stilt dancers from the pueblo of Zaachila - done in Flor Inmortal

A very cheeky Virgencita!

These are Mixe mujeres in a banda. Mixe pueblos are famous for their excellence in music as well as for the beautifully hand-embroidered blusas (which are reproduced in this scene!!)