Más Información
The Mexican community in Winnipeg , the capital of the central Canadian province of Manitoba , is not very large, but for 11 years the Mex and Can Association of Manitoba has been organizing a Mexican Pavilion at the cultural festival Folklorama , in which Mexican music, dance, gastronomy and crafts are promoted.
The 49th edition of the Folklorama festival , which takes place from August 5 to 18 , features dances and cultural shows from 44 countries .
The Mexican Pavilion will be presenting a broad variety of dance and music shows. Last year, the theme was “Arriba el Norte,” with Chihuahua and Monterrey as featured cities, attracting some 17 thousand visitors .
This year, the Mexican party is called "Para bailar la bamba" featuring a performance of 26 ballet dancers from the University of Veracruz .
"The Ballet of the Universidad Veracruzana is presenting three or four performances per day and a special performance by 13-year-old Ángel López Flores , who plays the traditional harp and a donkey's jaw as part of the pre-Hispanic fusion with the African culture," stated Aline Tezcucano , who is part of the Mex and Can executive committee, in an interview with Notimex .
The Mexican cultural show will put an Olmec head on display and there will be salons dedicated to the invited states of Veracruz, Campeche, and Tabasco , as well as memorabilia from the La Bamba film. Mexican handicrafts will also be put on sale.
Regarding gastronomy, he pointed out that the Pavilion offers fish “a la veracruzana,” cochinita pibil, and picadillo, as well as churros and “arroz con leche” (rice and milk) as dessert. The event will offer traditional drinks such as tequila and Mexican beer.
The association Mex and Can from Manitoba was created 15 years ago out of the initiative of a group of Mexicans seeking to create an organization that promoted Mexican culture in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Mex and Can promotes Mexican heritage through the organization of social, cultural, academic, and sports events within Manitoba.
Aline Tezcucano has been participating in Folklorama since 2007 , inviting groups from Mexico to participate, as well as local talents such as DJs Leonardo and Jorge López .
"Mexicans in Winnipeg are few, maybe 500 families , but it is a very vibrant community," added Tezcucano from Mexico City, who has lived in this city for 12 years and works as a food policy specialist.
The association invited eight International Business students from the University of Baja California to visit companies in the morning and volunteer at the Pavilion in the afternoon. Other English language students are also supporting the activities of this festival.
"This week, Pavilion Mexico will be full of Mexican culture with its ballet, food, and drinks, attracting visitors not only from Winnipeg, but also from other cities, because now it's summer and many Canadians are on vacation," she added.
dm
