The Warmth & Culture of Cuajinicuilapa on Full Display
By Apryl Yarbro*
We’ve visited many places in Mexico, but no place is like Costa Chica. My husband and I have spent the last few years documenting our travels on our YouTube page @TheYarbros, diving deeper and deeper into the African diaspora.
Cuajinicuilapa – a town in Guerrero’s Costa Chica region – recently hosted its 2nd Annual Afro-Mexicano Festival. “Cuaji,” as the locals call it, is one of several pueblos in the region with a high population of African descent. It was the perfect opportunity to visit during our stay in Oaxaca de Juarez.
We began to plan our route and learned there are three ways people typically reach “Cuaji”:
- From Acapulco: Take the Altamar bus for 5-6 hrs. to Cuaji.
- From Puerto Escondido: Take the Altamar bus for 4 hrs. to Cuaji.
- From Oaxaca de Juarez: (our route) Take a bus from the Second Class Bus Terminal (near Central de Abasto) to Pinotepa Nacional (11hrs). Adjacent to the Pinotepa Nacional terminal is Central de Camionetas Pasajeras, where you’ll find passenger vans & trucks to various destinations in the region … including the passenger van to Cuaji (1 hr.).
Cuajinicuilapa is a small town bustling with life, sunshine, and smiling faces. We arrived, walked around Centro, and took in local businesses. We admired the craftsmanship of leather works, sandals, and sombreros as we passed through the narrow, busy market stalls of the Mercado Municipal. We were amazed at the variety of businesses that filled the main avenue. We found everything from luggage shops to hardware stores, food stalls, mini markets, and, of course, two OXXO stores down the street from one another.
It was the first day of the town’s Afro-Mexicano Festival, and our only goal was to find the action. After asking around and hearing the echoes of bass in the distance, we followed the music to the town’s Plaza Cívica, grabbed a seat, and enjoyed the high-energy cultural presentations!
The City of Cuajinicuilapa, Guerrero, held its 2nd Annual Afromexicano Festival on August 31- September 2, 2023. The town has the largest concentration of Afro-Mexicans in the country.
People were in attendance from across Guerrero and Oaxaca. We even met a dignitary from the Ivory Coast in the audience. The seats were filled with shades of brown, looking onto the brightly colored cultural attire of the “Ballet Folclórico” and the syncopated rhythms of “Danza de los Diablos.”
The “Danza de los Diablos” is a traditional dance by community members. It is similar to line dances performed by fraternities in the USA.
The Afro-Mexicano Festival drove our timing to visit, but our primary purpose was to connect with the African diaspora, and that didn’t take long at all. The overall spirit of the town was open and welcoming. I could attribute this to the festival vibe that permeated the air, but honestly, I believe it was the sincere kindness and warmth of the people.
We met people from all over Costa Chica and were extended an invitation into the homes of those we just met. We accepted and found ourselves with new friends in nearby Afro-pueblos who opened their homes and their kitchens to break bread with us and share their culture.
My husband, Rondel (second from the left), and I (third from the right) felt at home with our new Afro-Mexican friends from Cuaji.
We ate sopes, chuleta, quesadillas con flor de calabaza, huevos y chorizo and washed it down with tequila and cerveza.
We listened to accounts of what it means to identify as ‘Afro’ in Mexico.
We watched as they used a donkey’s jawbone as a musical instrument.
We danced as they taught us the movements of their ancestors.
We documented our experience with them to share with the world as it was shared with us.
It honestly felt like family. My husband Rondel narrated much of the video documenting our experience.
Our interactions opened our eyes to a completely different aspect of Mexico. We left with as many memories as new friends we are still in contact with.
*About the Author:
We are Apryl and Rondel Yarbro, known as “The Yarbros.” We are full-time (slow) travelers who enjoy sharing where we travel and what we learn along the way. Our mantra is to live abroad, to learn abroad, and to love abroad.
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