![DivSalvadorOcotepecCV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/DivSalvadorOcotepecCV.JPG)
Ocotepec is a small town to the north of the city of
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca (; nci-IPA, Cuauhnāhuac, kʷawˈnaːwak "near the woods", ) is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. The city is located around a 90-minute drive south of Mexico City using the Federal Highway 95D.
The na ...
, but within the municipality of Cuernavaca.
The name Ocotepec means “on the hill of the ocotes, or Montezuma pines.” It is located only minutes from the center of Cuernavaca on the highway that leads to
Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán () is a town in the central Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabit ...
. The community is divided into four neighborhoods based on the major churches in town, which is an organization left over from the colonial period.
The four neighborhoods are ''Candelaria, Dolores, Ramos'', and ''Santa Cruz'', each with its own patron saint and feast day.
This organization is part of the reason why this community has managed to maintain more ancient traditions, a number of which date from the pre-Hispanic period.
Ocotepec is one of the most traditional communities in the municipality of Cuernavaca. On the main road through town, there are dozens of stores specializing in handcrafted clay, stone and wood pieces, as well as
rustic furniture
Rustic furniture is furniture employing sticks, twigs or logs for a natural look. The term “rustic” is derived from Latin “rusticus” (peasant; as opposed to urban). The style is rooted in Romantic tradition. In the US it is almost synonym ...
. Among these shops are restaurants and food stalls specializing in
barbacoa
Barbacoa () is a form of cooking meat that originated in the Caribbean with the Taíno people, who called it by the Arawak word ''barbaca'', from which the term "barbacoa" derives, and ultimately, the word 'barbecue". In contemporary Mexico, it ...
and
cecina
Cecina may refer to:
* Cecina (meat), a Spanish and Mexican culinary specialty made of beef
* ''Cecina'' (gastropod), a genus of freshwater snails in the family Pomatiopsidae
* Cecina, Tuscany, Italy
* Caecinia gens, an ancient Roman family
* Far ...
.
History
Ocotepec was established in the 15th century as part of the
Aztec Empire
The Aztec Empire or the Triple Alliance ( nci, Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān, Help:IPA/Nahuatl, jéːʃkaːn̥ t͡ɬaʔtoːˈlóːjaːn̥ was an alliance of three Nahua peoples, Nahua altepetl, city-states: , , and . These three city-states ruled ...
. Ocotepec was separate from
Cuauhnáhuac, but it became part of the
Marquessate of the Valley of Oaxaca
The Marquessate of the Valley of Oaxaca ( es, Marquesado del Valle de Oaxaca) is a hereditary marquessal title in the Spanish nobility and a former seignorial estate in New Spain. It was granted to Don Hernán Cortés, ''conquistador'' who led t ...
of
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (; ; 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of w ...
in 1529. Construction of the convent of the
Divino Salvador was begun in 1536 and finished in 1592.
Today Ocotepec is one of 48 localities of
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca (; nci-IPA, Cuauhnāhuac, kʷawˈnaːwak "near the woods", ) is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. The city is located around a 90-minute drive south of Mexico City using the Federal Highway 95D.
The na ...
.
On May 22,
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, during the
COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico
The COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ().
The virus was confirmed to have reached Mexico in February 2020. Howe ...
, eleven confirmed cases of the virus were reported in Ocotepec.
Neighborhoods
There are four ''barrios'' (neighborhoods) in Ocotepec, each with its own festival:
* Candelaria (Tlaneui), founded by
Tlahuicas Matlatzinca is a name used to refer to different indigenous ethnic groups in the Toluca Valley in the state of México, located in the central highlands of Mexico. The term is applied to the ethnic group inhabiting the valley of Toluca and to their ...
;
Virgin of Candelaria
The Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candle ( es, Virgen de Candelaria or ''Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria''), popularly called ''La Morenita'', celebrates the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands (Spain). The cent ...
honored on February 2.
*Dolores (Culhuakan), founded by
Acolhua
The Acolhua are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in or around the year 1200 CE. The Acolhua were a sister culture of the Aztecs (or Mexica) as well as the Tepanec, Chalca, Xochimilca and others.
The most important poli ...
s;
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows ( la, Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows ( la, Mater Dolorosa, link=no), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names ...
honored on September 15.
*Ramos (Tlakopan), founded by
Tecpanecas.
*Santa Cruz (Xalxokotepeazola) founded 1970.
Church of the Divino Salvador
The main church of the town is the Church of the Divino Salvador (Divine Savior). This church was begun in 1532 and finished in 1592. It has a single
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
, a
barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault, wagon vault or wagonhead vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The curves are ...
roof,
buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (s ...
es on the sides, battlements and a bell tower on the south side.
The facade of the church is of Baroque style and sculpted out of
lime mortar
Lime mortar or torching is composed of lime and an aggregate such as sand, mixed with water. The ancient Egyptians were the first to use lime mortars, which they used to plaster their temples. In addition, the Egyptians also incorporated various ...
.
To the side there are arches of the
cloister
A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...
for the monastery, but this was never finished. The complex faces a large
atrium
Atrium may refer to:
Anatomy
* Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart
* Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods
* Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain
* Pulmona ...
that is surrounded by a wall, which has battlements and a cornerstone with the date of the church’s consecration.
A plaque on the wall of the church states that during the
Siege of Cuernavaca (1914) of the
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
, the bells of the church were melted down to make ammunition for the
Zapatistas
Zapatista(s) may refer to:
* Liberation Army of the South
The Liberation Army of the South ( es, Ejército Libertador del Sur, ELS) was a guerrilla force led for most of its existence by Emiliano Zapata that took part in the Mexican Revolut ...
.
The bell tower was severely damaged during the September 19,
2017 Puebla earthquake
The 2017 Puebla earthquake struck at 13:14 CDT (18:14 UTC) on 19 September 2017 with an estimated magnitude of and strong shaking for about 20 seconds. Its epicenter was about south of the city of Puebla, Mexico. The earthquake caused d ...
.
Town cemetery
![ChGrOcoCemCV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/ChGrOcoCemCV.JPG)
The other, and perhaps more important, cultural attraction here is the town’s cemetery. It is filled with very traditional examples of tomb construction in modern Mexico. Most of the tombs here are covered over with small-scale churches, cathedrals and houses, which are brightly painted and/or tiled. Here preparations for one of the biggest days of the year are made, Dia de los Muertos.
Dia de los Muertos
Día de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead ( es, Día de Muertos or ''Día de los Muertos'') is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely obser ...
, or Day of the Dead, is a particularly important event in this town. Most of the traditions here are similar to those in the rest of
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
with masses, altars to the deceased and visits to the cemetery, but Ocotepec has some unique observances as well. Commemoration of the dead actually begins on the feast day of
Saint Luke
Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...
on October 18. Much of the time between the 18th and the 31st is taken up with a novena in honor of the deceased.
The most notable difference is the “ofrenda nueva” or literally new offering. Altars are especially created to honor those who have died in the past year. These tend to be the most elaborate, decorated with food and drink the deceased enjoyed in life as well as sugar skulls, numerous flowers, such as Mexican marigolds and candles. In the case of children, toys and sweets are laid on the altar. On many altars here, representations of the four elements, earth, water, fire and air are represented by bread, water, candles and crepe paper respectively. There also can be four candles in the form of a cross oriented to the four cardinal directions. This serves to bless the path that deceased is supposed to take as they rejoin the living on this day.
The centerpiece of an ofrenda nueva altar is an effigy of the newly deceased made from fruit, bread and or vegetables, dressed in new clothing and shoes bought for the occasion.
Those houses which have a “new offering” that year can be identified by a path of
marigold petals that extend from the altar to the sidewalk outside the house. This serves not only as a signal for the recently deceased, as to find his or her way, but it also is an invitation to the living to come into the home and admire the nueva ofrenda altar. Such visitors are greeted with bread, “ponche” (a hot spiced fruit drink), coffee and tamales. In return visitor light candles and/or leave flowers on the altar.
Another tradition that is particular to this town is a procession that happens on the nights of October 31 and November 1. The whole village files into the cemetery on both nights, carrying offerings and food to eat while seated alongside the tombs. Church bells ring on the night of October 31 to announce the arriving Day of Deceased Children, November 1. On this morning, the graveyard is visited and decorated with multicolored flowers and a Mass is said in honor of those children who have passed on. Later that night, church bells ring again to announce Day of the Dead, November 2, when visits are again made and another Mass is said, this time for adults.
Education
Schools in Ocotepec include:
*''Escuela Primaria Yankuik Tlanesi'' (public Indigenous preschool)
*''Colegio Torre Giner'' (private day care center & preschool)
*''Instituto Educativo Aristos'' (private preschool) Colonia Ampliación Tepepan
*''Jose Ma. Morelos'' (public elementary school)
*''Raymundo R. Treviño Alvarado'' (public elementary school)
*''Colegio Cencalli'' (private, grades K-6), Col Ampliacion Maravillas.
*''Rhema'' (private elementary school)
*''Universidad Nahuatl De Ocotepec'' (''Calmecac'' cultural center for the study of Nahuatl)
*''Grupo Educativo Tzitzitlini'' (day care center)
*''Pablo Torres Burgos'' (public middle school)
*''Colegio Paloma'' (private preschool & elementary school)
*''Liceo Agazzi Bombelli'' (private preschool, elementary, & middle school)
* ''
Lycée Franco-Mexicain
The Liceo Franco Mexicano A.C. or the Lycée Franco-Mexicain is a private French school with three campuses. It is one of the largest French lycées in the world with over 3,000 students in its two Mexico City campuses: Polanco in Miguel Hi ...
'' (''Liceo Franco Mexicano'') - Escuela Molière/École Molière
Home
''Lycée Franco-Mexicain
The Liceo Franco Mexicano A.C. or the Lycée Franco-Mexicain is a private French school with three campuses. It is one of the largest French lycées in the world with over 3,000 students in its two Mexico City campuses: Polanco in Miguel Hi ...
''. Retrieved on March 14, 2014. "polanco Homero 1521, Col. Polanco, México, D.F., C.P. 11560" and "coyoacán Calle Xico 24, Col. Oxtopulco Universidad, México, D.F. C.P. 04310" and "cuernavaca Francisco I. Madero 315, Ocotepec, Morelos, C.P. 6220"
See also
*Cuernavaca Municipality
The Cuernavaca Municipality is one of 36 municipalities in the State of Morelos, Mexico. Located in the northwest of the state, it consists of the City of Cuernavaca, which is the state and municipal capital, as well as other, smaller towns. The ...
*List of people from Morelos, Mexico
The following are people who were born, raised, or who gained significant prominence for living in the Mexican state of Morelos:
''This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by exp ...
Bibliography
*Borboa, Martín. ''Ocotepec, día de muertos,'' México City: 2007.
*Díaz, Domingo. ''Tradiciones y memorias de Ocotepec contadas por Don Domingo Díaz,'' México City, No date.
*Mentz de Boege, Brígida. ''Ocotepec, su memoria y sus costumbres relatado por don Pedro Rosales,'' Aguilar. México City: 1995.
*Pérez Uruñeula, Jesús. ''Ocotepec, un cerro de mexicaneidad,'' Ayuntamiento de Cuernavaca. México City, No date.
References
{{Coord, 18, 55, 0, N, 99, 15, 0, W
Populated places in Morelos
Nahua settlements