Mad_Max Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Today is day 3 of early morning cojetes (outside of my bedroom window it seems) The one that I first heard was 4:53 am - and I am guessing there will be at least 2 more spaced about 1/2 hour apart. Anyone know what is being celebrated? and then at :5:15, :5:30, 5:39, 5:43, 5:49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobita Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 No idea, but I'm hoping they're done now so I can go back to sleep. /yawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicbound Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 The entire month of October is dedicated to the Virgen of the Rosary. Here's the scoop http://www.ajijicnews.com/pages/fiesta_october Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bournemouth Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Today is day 3 of early morning cojetes (outside of my bedroom window it seems) The one that I first heard was 4:53 am - and I am guessing there will be at least 2 more spaced about 1/2 hour apart. Anyone know what is being celebrated? and then at :5:15, :5:30, 5:39, 5:43, 5:49 Based on previous years, the cohetes will move to another barrio on Sunday for the next week. This celebration is a moveable feast - different barrios all take their turn - but it's preparing you for the November fiestas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevalerieleigh Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Lucky us! I heard about 20 go off around 6 am this morning and wondered what we were celebrating. VIVA! VIVA MEXICO!!! Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Ronnfeldt Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 And in Chapala, we're in the middle of the festival for St Francis. October and November are always loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 December has the Virgin de la Guadalupe celebrations and then Christmas celebrations so it is not that quiet either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 The small church on the Ajijic plaza is dedicated to the Virgin of Rosario. A procession is led to the church each morning in October followed by a Mass. The cohetes are designed to be an alarm clock to get the people up, awake and ready to join the procession. The awake part seems to work but I never joined in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad_Max Posted October 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 I agree - the awake part really works well for me and my dogs. One dog barks - the other dog wants constant reassurance that the world is not coming to an end. And the gardener confirmed - this weekend they move the location............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothernewbie Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 I went this morning and this is what I posted on Facebook for my less fortunate friends who live NOB The Mexicans have fiestas all year long but October is the beginning of the busy season. The month of October is dedicated to the Virgin with the rosary being said at church each morning in thanksgiving for the rain during rainy season. The tradition which began before alarm clocks continues. At about five in the morning (en la manana) the first cohete (rocket) is launched in order to wake people up in time to make it to church. Just like the modern day alarm clock there is a snooze setting and another cohete is fired every fifteen minutes (with mini ones in between) until the last one which marks the march into church,Let me assure you that the cohete also works to awaken dogs especially the two sleeping in our room. Pistol feels the need to scare them away and barks which, of course, is successful as stop but not for long. Diva, not to be undone, joins the chorus even though this is not a time that she likes to be awake. Fifteen minutes later - another cohete and another dog chorus. Finally at six everyone is able to fall back to sleep except yours truly.Yesterday I learned that the start of the rosary begins at different neighborhoods. Today it was to be at seis esquinas (six corners) which is around the corner from us so I decided that the Queen and I would attend. Turns out that people assembled there but paraded to the main church bearing guitars, accordions and much singing. Diva and I joined a large assemblage of our neighbors - men, women, children and dogs on the march to town. Truth be told all of the dogs but Diva got bored and left before we reached the church. More truth - she would have joined them except for her leash!Upon arrival at the church the group waits until the dot of six when, you guessed it, more cohetes are launched in the church courtyard. Diva was fine as they were being launched during the parade but the ones in the courtyard were enough to set off the doggie serenade. I remind the reader that being the only dog left she was afforded a solo performance. I imagine that there were those in the crowd thinking "gringa perra" (yankee bitch). Pretty sure they meant Diva! The priest came out to bless the assemblage and lead them into church and we left for home. Hope he recognizes his cue tomorrow if Diva is not there.What I love most about these traditions is that they are about community as much as about religion. Maybe that is really what religion is about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad_Max Posted October 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 What a nice posting - this morning we - the dogs and I - pretty much slept through it. But yesterday, we woke up about 4 am and decided that we might as well stay up - as it was going to be noisy soon. The first cojete went off at 5 ish - and then I heard the baby next door start to wail. Makes sense to me if someone is making these loud noises about in your ear. By the time the next cojete went off, the neighborhood was awake and it sounded like party time was starting. By 5:30 am it was really party time - an accordian playing and people laughing like they were having a grand time. (no more baby wails) Sounds like they were really enjoying themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothernewbie Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Anyone know which barrio is the place where the procession starts next week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2tog Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 The small church on the Ajijic plaza is dedicated to the Virgin of Rosario. A procession is led to the church each morning in October followed by a Mass. The cohetes are designed to be an alarm clock to get the people up, awake and ready to join the procession. The awake part seems to work but I never joined in. Actually, the Virgin who resides in the little chapel on the Northwest side of the Plaza in Ajijic goes on a walk about around Sept 29/30th to visit her namesake chapel near Six Corners for mass, she spends the night there and then she is walked from there to the Parroquia on Marcos Castellanos and she stays there for the entire month of October. Barrios share the responsibility of shooting off cohetes and neighbors walk together in the wee hours of each morning to say the Rosary. At the end of October she will go on another walk about (parade) to return to her permanent home, and sometimes she is joined by The Virgin of Zapopan, or other Virgins who are visiting the area. She doesn't have a parade every day just at the beginning of October and at the end. If you live in the village of Ajijic you probably live in one of the barrios who will participate...so depending on where you are in the "hood" you may be startled awake like Valerie described or you may not hear much of anything. I always look forward to the weeks when they are not in my barrio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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