In Tuzantán, festival traditions, food culture, and linguistic memory come together in a landscape surrounded by forest. San Miguel Arcángel is regarded as the town’s patron saint. The Encuentro de Santos, the Chavaricos during Semana Santa, and stories associated with the marimba are also cultural touchstones. For your travel planning, this brings regional customs into focus, complemented by the landscape of Soconusco.

Celebration in Honor of San Miguel Arcángel

The celebration in honor of San Miguel Arcángel begins with daily processions. The festivities also include folk dance performances and cultural programs on a stage in the church grounds. The Festividad en Honor a San Miguel Arcángel is listed as taking place from September 21 to 29. If you are planning a trip around the festival, check the dates for your travel year.

Both the processions and the dance and cultural program are central to this festival. The parish church of San Miguel Arcángel is not just the namesake of the celebration: the performance stage is located in the church grounds.

Encuentro de Santos and Shared Meals

The Encuentro de Santos is a syncretic ritual and a long-standing tradition in which participation has declined. Its elements include a personal greeting, the waving of flags, a Mass, and dancing. The ritual also includes a shared meal of Frijol Escumite and Palmito. In this way, religious observances, dance, and a shared meal come together as part of one tradition.

Pozol de Cacao and the Molinillo

In the Tuzantán tradition, Pozol de Cacao is considered the first gift for a household. The drink combines ground cacao and corn. Its significance as a gift is as much a part of this food culture as its ingredients: it reflects a custom of gift-giving in the home.

The Molinillo tree offers another link between the agricultural surroundings and food preparation. It grows in many fields; its branching twigs are used to froth cacao in Pozol or chocolate. The tree is therefore not only part of the farmland landscape, but is also associated with preparing these cacao products.

Language, the Marimba, and Stories

The use of “vos” also holds special significance in Tuzantán’s cultural context: it is understood as a tribute to the people who stood their ground and preserved their language. This linguistic form is thus linked to a memory of resilience and language preservation.

A story from Tuzantán describes how Marroquín began making music with Guarumbo roots, and a marimba made of Hormiguillo wood sounded. Marroquín is also associated with making a marimba from Hormiguillo. This wood is used by marimba makers.

Chavaricos during Semana Santa

Historical accounts of the Chavaricos during Semana Santa describe masked figures in the streets. In some cases, they carried a Judas figure, which was blown up around midday on Holy Saturday. In the performances described, live music on a portable sobaquera marimba accompanied the events. While the story of Marroquín centers on the instrument and Hormiguillo wood, the marimba appears in the Chavaricos as musical accompaniment.

The Landscape Around Tuzantán

The high jungle or rainforest landscape of Soconusco surrounds Tuzantán. It is a geographical point of reference alongside the town’s cultural themes. When choosing a destination, you can therefore consider whether you are primarily interested in the festival traditions and food culture, or also in Tuzantán’s place within this forested landscape.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, Chancalá, Comitán De Domínguez, Marqués De Comillas, Puerto Madero, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Socoltenango, Ciudad Juárez.

For the main travel overview: Chiapas.