What are the most important traditions in Guadalajara?

Get to know the most outstanding traditions of Guadalajara, Jalisco: Charrería, Marichchi, and Tequila.

Charreria

It was born from the time after the conquest when the landowners and their assistants showed off their skill in handling animals. In those times, it was mandatory to wear a suede or leather outfit, which over time came to form the typical charro costume.

Currently, charreria is considered the "national sport" and is a multicolored festival where riders show all their skills and perform all kinds of suertes such as florear la reata, lazar el toro, terna en el ruedo, and jineteo de yegua, among others.

On the other hand, the women show off in the skirmishes with their typical "adelitas" costume, performing equestrian pictures at a trot, with bold and elegant maneuvers on horseback.

Mariachi

It has become a synonym for celebration and joy, music and its costumes are famous all over the world. Their indispensable instruments are: the vihuela, guitar, guitarrón, violins and trumpets. Its members dress in the "charra" style, generally in black suits with beach applications and with the traditional hat. Although there is still much controversy, it seems that this type of musical ensemble originated in the north of the state, in the region of Los Altos de Jalisco.

Cocula has been considered the birthplace of the mariachi. One of the myths about the origin of the word "mariachi" comes from the times of the French Invasion (1862) when during a wedding French soldiers arrived and their interlocutor answered "C'est un mariage" (It's a wedding) and that's how the group was called "marriach" which became "mariachi".

In Guadalajara, these groups can be heard in folkloric restaurants, as well as in the traditional Plaza del Mariachi and of course in the famous Parían in Tlaquepaque.

Tequila

Tequila is a distillate originating from the municipality of the same name, made from the fermentation and distillation of a juice extracted from the blue agave. It is the best known and most representative drink of Mexico in the world. The name tequila is a controlled denomination of origin.

Tequila is classified according to its aging process: Blanco, also known as "silver", is obtained just after distillation and is bottled almost immediately. Reposado remains for a minimum of two months to less than a year in oak or white oak barrels. It is smoother than white, has a golden color and a woody flavor.

The añejo is matured for at least one year in white oak barrels. Its color ranges from a strong golden to dark amber and its flavor is strongly impregnated by the wood. If it has been aged for at least three years, it can be considered "extra añejo".

The Agave Landscape has been inscribed by UNESCO as one of the first cultural landscapes on the list of protected World Heritage Sites.