A Brief History of Pomada Queimada

 

Pomada Queimada is an annual celebration of the month of March. Known as the Burning Ointment in the native community, the event is normally held on the night of the first day of the month of march. The event, which dates back to indigenous Mexican history has different versions with different histories and traditions. For the purpose of this article we will focus on the most common version which highlights the spirit of Pomada Queimada.

As indicated in the tradition, Pomada queimadura is a gathering of families, relatives and friends that celebrate the return of spring as a ritual. This event can be traced back to the times of yore, when local people took care of their crops, plants and animals and during this time they made offerings to the gods. This celebration is considered as a gathering of sorts where family members, relatives, friends and neighbors gather together to offer their offerings and prayers to the deities for health, harvest and happiness. In this process locals would decorate their offerings with feathers, flowers and ornaments. They would also dance and play traditional games like fiesta and pencil before presenting their offerings to the deities.

With the destruction of the Spanish colonialists and the arrival of the Americans in the community, pomada was displaced and its original ceremony lost along the way. However, the event is slowly regaining its reputation as it is now celebrated in the rural communities by many ethnic groups and has even spread to other states in Mexico. Today, pomada is celebrated differently and although similar in nature, it is celebrated in different ways amongst the different ethnic groups and communities that it has touched.

A nomad is considered as the perfect gift to give to someone you love. It signifies a union of two hearts; it is a symbol of love that unites you permanently and forever. To celebrate this wonderful occasion, people, from all ages and walks of life, decorate their homes and their gardens with pomada flowers. They create beautiful bouquets, wall plaques and statues, they wear pomada pendants and jewelries, they exchange pomada figurines and they participate in pomada ceremonies. And perhaps the most amazing part of the whole event is that everyone involved doesn't need to have any previous knowledge about pomada rituals and traditions as it is strictly an indigenous event.

There are different celebrations held in Puebla, Mexico; the most famous ones are the Day of Pomada, the Fiesta de la Pomada and the Fiesta de San Miguel. A Pomada celebration usually happens once a year and can be celebrated during any month of the year. A nomad celebration usually consists of a pep dance held in honour of the deceased pomada's. Participants dance together while offering pomada sacrifices to the deceased and lastly they sing a ceremonial Mexican song in memory of the deceased.

There are several Pomada celebrations that take place outside Mexico city. Some of these are in the states of Sinaloa, Colima and Jalisco and also in other Mexican states like Tijuana, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Monclaves. Many foreigners also hold such events in Mexico. The most notable event that took place was held in Ottawa, Canada where there were nomads dancers from seven different countries. Pomsada queimada celebrations are currently taking place in almost all major cities in Mexico and are becoming more popular each day.