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Mexico's native ethnic groups promote their heritage during Oaxaca’s biggest cultural festival
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Dancers perform on the first day of the Guelaguetza in Oaxaca, Mexico, Monday, July 17, 2023. During the government-sponsored event, 16 Indigenous ethnic groups and the Afro-Mexican community promote their traditions through public dances, parades and craft sales. - photo by AP Photo/Maria Alferez
OAXACA, México (AP) — Leticia Santiago carries her ancestral heritage wherever she goes. Every time she addresses the crowds during the Guelaguetza, the biggest cultural event in southwestern Mexico, her words, her garments and her skin reveal a clue about the town where she was proudly born. The 35-year-old Mexican was elected as Centéotl goddess in late June, which means she’ll represent the Aztec deity of maize for a year and lead all festivities during the Guelaguetza, which will run in the state of Oaxaca through July 28.