Zozocolco
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◈ The Sierra Madre Oriental shelters Zozocolco, in the north of Veracruz. Natural pools and rivers fill its surroundings whilst the town center is dotted with white sandstone buildings.
This Treasure of Totonacapan has kept its traditions, language, clothing and gastronomy alive. The Festival of St Michael Archangel, the Day of the Dead and the International Festival of Chinese Lanterns are evidence of the strong presence of its Totonaca roots.
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◆ Its magnificent atrium.
◆ Its immense facade.
◆ Its clock built into one of its towers in 1929.
Go to the Concurso y Festival Internacional de Globos de Papel de China (International Festival and Contest of Chinese Lanterns).
❖ Unidad de Manejo Ambiental El Jabalí
Visit the El Jabalí Environmental Management Unit, a reserve that does important conservation work with animals such as peccaries, deer and tepezcuintles.
As well as seeing these species, there are also recreational activities on offer, and there are also simple rooms you can stay in.
❖ Los Cántaros del Sol Ecotourism Center
Explore its green trails and enjoy the three natural pools of azure water, waterfalls and springs within this nature center.
Afterwards, relax all your senses with a remedial massage and complement it with a temascal, or try its restaurant’s delicious food.
Here you can also stay in cabins or even camp. Ask them about their options.
❖ Parroquia de
San Miguel Arcángel
Built in 1600 by Franciscan monks, it is located on the Cerro de las Golondrinas (Swallows Hill). This church is linked to a legend that tells the story of how an image of St Michael Archangel, forged in gold and silver, appeared on a stone located where today this church stands.
This story has been interpreted by the town’s inhabitants to signify the will of the archangel to remain in the town with them in order to protect them.
At the end of every month, a great celebration is held here in his honor.
❖ Take a Dip in the Pozas
Zozocolco’s pozas or natural pools are an obligatory stop for a refreshing dip during the summer season.
You will love the experience of swimming under the shade of the tall cedar and pepper trees. You can enjoy this gift from nature thanks to how carefully the people of Zozocolco have looked after these natural pools.
The Poza La Junta, Poza del Diablo and the Cascada del Callejón constitute a small paradise if you like the sound of relaxing to the sound of trickling water, surrounded by yellow-breasted birds and beautiful blue butterflies.
Useful Information:
Bear in mind that since this place is practically untouched there are no touristic services down by the river. We recommend you visit accompanied by a local guide.
❖ Consume Local Goods
We suggest you try the gorditas de plátano (round cornbread stuffed with plantain), boiled chayote fruit, sweet squash, boiled plantain, atole (sweet corn based drink), quelites (green leafy vegetable), and pork ribs. But above all, you must try the local mole and the barbacoa (lamb slow-cooked in pits).
Make sure to buy the delicious pan de huevo (a typical pastry), pepper, vanilla, and coffee. You will also find wooden masks, cedar wood furniture, and penachos (feather headdresses).
❖ Admire the Ceras Escamadas and Chinese Lanterns
Zozocolco is a place where you will find handicrafts very much rooted to local traditions relating to the most important festivities.
Two of these handicrafts are ceras escamadas (elaborately sculpted wax) and Chinese lanterns, which any member of this community will almost certainly know how to create.
To observe these traditions in the most authentic way possible, we suggest you visit the town during Holy Week celebrations, when they throw a big party and huge quantities of the sculpted candles made by stewards and families are on offer. Another event you should be there for is the Festival de Globos de Papel de China (Chinese Lantern Festival) that takes place just after the Day of the Dead celebration. You will be surprised by how ingenious and attractive they are.
❖ Festival of St Michael Archangel
When the Franciscan monks arrived in this place in the 17th century, they built the church where one day the image of St Michael Archangel later appeared. From this moment onwards, locals have honored the archangel with a celebration that goes on for around eight days during the month of September.
Being a part of this celebration is a genuinely fascinating experience. The atrium is the stage for traditional dances, such as the danzas de los santiagueros (dances of the faith healers) with the rattling of their metal bells, the negritos with the rhythmic stamping of their feet, the hunting of the ixkuti, the splendor of the quetzals, the san miguelitos and the mestizos.
This town’s identity is clearly present in the main square, in the wooden handicrafts designed for the dances, in the fantastical and elaborate wax sculptures used as offerings to St Michael Archangel, or in the Totonaca clothing with the quexquémetl carefully worked by the hands of locals. Witnessing this event is something visitors will never forget.
