San Bernardino, Camocuatla, Puebla, Mexico – I was privileged to watch a posada Totonaca. Hospitality, fresh coffee, tamales and the dance of alegria ( happiness) . The people were honored to have me, it is what Indigenous hospitality is all about. ©Robert Freund 2007 12/24/2007
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San Bernardino, Camocualta was one of the experiences that will be hard to forget. When I was leaving Camocuatla a man asked me for a ride to the road which led to his village called San Bernardino. As the road went up and up, we talked about Totonacan culture and then my project. He invited me to a Totonacan posada in the village. The road in was mostly dirt but had been improved in those areas were in the past it had been impassible. Once in the town we climbed up a steep trail to a group of homes. We entered the courtyard of the home were the posada was being help. I was invited in and offered a seat and given fresh coffee and a plate of tamales. My guide was the only one who spoke Spanish so communication was a bit slow, but it was obvious that they were very excited that a person from outside the village had come to visit them.
They took me to the house were the night before the posada had been held and showed me the Naciemiento (manger scene). We returned to the original hame and the played music for me, it was for the Baile de Alegria ( happiness or joy) . First two men danced in front of the alter,then the two women of the house. I recognized that they did the dance six times because in another village were witnessed the dance of the flowers, they also did it six time. WHY DID I NOT HAVE MY VIDEO CAMERA!!! I took some video with my new Canon G9 digital camera but the angle was such that I had to hold the camera on end so the end product is distorted.
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