Memories, posadas and concerts

Published December 17th, 2021

Some administrators have sought a living Historic Center—one in which businesses and residents can subsist. Although there is no census that tells us exactly how many residents live in the area currently, the December traditions that start in the Jardin Principal and continue onto other public squares, are now moving to the neighborhoods.

Because the number of people currently living in the center is small, the traditional posadas (inns) will be taken to different neighborhoods. During the period of the posadas, locals have traditionally opened their balconies and threw sweets to the pilgrims, they unlocked their doors and handed out punch, they hung a piñata in the street for the amusement of those who accompanied the pilgrimage, or they gave gifts to the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Angel. But each year there were fewer and fewer of them in the center. The reason is simple, the locals sold their houses and moved to the outskirts. Those who continued owning, rented their properties to third parties, so that more and more bars, restaurants, and shops are now located there.

Those who remember the origin

Those who gave out sweets and cookies to the passing pilgrims were dubbed “the Christmas bonus masses.” The tradition began in 1737 in the Oratory, and it is here where most of them take place. There is a mass at 6 pm, then an acolyte pulls a cart with sculptures of the Holy Pilgrims — the Virgin Mary on a donkey, Saint Joseph, and the Angel. Behind them are the children who go to mass dressed as shepherds. Then the adults sing the litany. Three laps take place inside the church. The Tuna Oratoriana follows a path from the Oratory to the Holy House of Loreto asking for lodging (inn) for the holy family as they sing the traditional “I ask you for lodging.”

In San Miguel, one popular and recurring song sung along the way is: “Sad birds that sing at dawn, accompany us in this posada.” Another one is: “The time has come.” According to traditionalist Gloria Rodríguez Navarrete, these songs were composed by José María Correa and Genaro Sandí from San Miguel. In the Oratory, they are preserved to this day, and they are sung every year.

What’s that about public posadas?

The public posadas consist of a living mystery that wanders along the streets of the city—by car these days—that will now be only in the outlying neighborhoods. These public processions include traditional music with violin, trumpet, live guitar, and the traditional Christmas carols sung by the pilgrims. Among the dozens of songs are: “Camina Gilita, que vendrás cansada; por aquellos montes haremos posada” —Walk on Galita, you will come tired, along those mountains we will take shelter. Or another one: “Ándale Batito chíflale al ganado; vamos a dar agua al río colorado,” –Come now Batito, whistle to the cattle, we shall give water to the red river.

A cartoon published in 1995 by the then chronicler of the city, José Cornelio López, indicates that the public posadas were being held in 1913 in San Miguel. However, they were suspended due to the revolutionary war. In those times the cart with the pilgrims was pulled by mules. Then in 1939, the mayor Eulalio Nava (information confirmed by Gloria Rodríguez Navarrete), resumed the lost tradition.

Navarrete, who was even invited to participate as a virgin in 1956, remembers that the car used was “the garbage cart.” She said that the posada was headed by shepherds, accompanied by guitar, trumpet, and saxophone music, and later the car with the mystery. “There was a man named Antonio Correa, he had a very ramshackle car on which he would place a piano along with the choir. Every time the posada made a stop, they sang the city’s classic Christmas carols.”

Another traditionalist, Gustavo Vidargas, recalled that in the past (although the date is uncertain) the only posada that was held in the streets (now they are held in each neighborhood) was the one in the city center. He said that it was a posada that people appropriated and made theirs because when the procession passed by, families threw sweets and fruit from the balconies to those following it. Others hung piñatas in the middle of the street to be broken by those following the pilgrims.

Vidargas recalled that there was a man named Rodolfo Pérez who had the concession of the Corona brewery in San Miguel. When the pilgrims passed by Relox Street, the man threw trays from the brewery. On the street in San Francisco, he remembers that the Alcalá family threw hats, in addition to fruit. He also remembered how, in the Main Square, Mr. Manuel Zavala dropped parachutes with bills from the Posada San Francisco.

New program

Acacio Martínez, the director of Culture and Traditions of the municipal administration, told Atencion that this year there will be several free Christmas concerts at the Angela Peralta Theater. These will begin on Tuesday, December 14 with the choir of the University of Guanajuato, and on then on the 15th there will be one by the San Miguel Children’s Symphony.

The December program at Peralta will continue on with the Ensemble de Maestros of the San Miguel Symphony Orchestra at 7 pm, on December 16. On Saturday the 18th, there are only 50 spots available for the concert with the Pro-Música de México choir at 12 o’clock. This will have been presented the day before at Casa Europa, and then at the Peralta. On Sunday 19, the Choir of the Public Library of San Miguel de Allende, AC will take the stage. All concerts are free. All you have to do is come to the theater on the day of the event, and request a space.

As far as the public posadas, the director said that they will be taken to the neighborhoods. The processions will leave the church or religious center of the neighborhood, walk along the main streets with the mystery, live music, traditional songs, and sweets for those who attend. Only the last one, on December 24th, will take place in Centro. The mystery will go around the Jardin Principal, and then with a parish priest, Father Briones, the Holy Child will be lulled and deposited in the manger where he will remain from December 18 to January 6. Culture and Traditions will visit different neighborhoods, one each day, with the carriage of the posadas. Those neighborhoods, given in order from December 16-24, are: Valle del Maíz, Infonavit Allende, San Rafael, San Felipe Neri, Guadalupe, San Luis Rey, Malanquín, Colonia Allende, and the final one, on Christmas Eve, will be at the Jardin Principal.