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Virgin del Pilar strikes again


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31 minutes ago, SunFan said:

From a very thoughtful poster on Facebook;

IT'S OVER!

NO MORE COHETES UNTIL NEXT YEAR!
I just came back from the church of Our Lady of El Pilar in Riberas and some very nice ladies explained everything to me.
The feast day of Our Lady of El Pilar is October 12. The festivities start a few days before and end a few days after, depending on which day of the week the 12th falls on.
Traditionally it is a "novenario", which means they last nine days, but the last three years there have been fewer days due to the pandemic.
The cohetes usually start between 5 and 6 pm. Today they were earlier because it was the last day.
Prior to the celebrations it is possible to ask for a schedule of activities so that we can prepare. I already wrote it down a few days before in my calendar for 2023 to remember to go and ask for that schedule and post it in the group. It would be good if other people would also write it down in case I forget.
I would like to comment on something that I think is extremely important: The ladies I spoke with told me that these days they have been receiving complaints, rudeness and even serious threats. They had to call a patrol car, which was in front of the church during all the celebrations.
Among the people who approached them in these ways were some Mexicans, but most of them were expats. I asked them to understand that even though expats are bothered by the cohetes, especially because of how their pets suffer, almost all of them are respectful of our culture, although, unfortunately, those who approach them give all expats a bad name.
It is inevitable that we put up with this sort of thing in our country. We have to accept it and, if possible, prevent our pets from suffering so much.

Thanks for this and to the facebook poster:

 I think the conclusion giving all expats a bad name is a little disrespectful to everyone. One or two bad apples doesn't sour the whole batch and the locals I'm sure aren't going to judge ALL expats especially as the facebook poster mentioned they were some Mexicans complaining as well. 

btw , it wasn't me,but 9 days might have driven me over the edge. The cohetes seem to be increasing in size, volume and frequency every year. Too bad they don't require chips inside, they might not have any !

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Just because something is a tradition does not mean it has to continue being one.  Loud bar music until the sun comes up was "always a tradition" until it wasn't.  Killing sea turtles and eating the eggs was a tradition until quite recently.  Letting your dogs just roam the streets was a tradition.  Getting drunk and beating up your spouse used to be fairly accepted behavior...they are working on making that less traditional.  In 1972 I witnessed a hog being slaughtered on the plaza in Ajijic.  They don't do that anymore either.  Things can change and sometimes for the better.  Mexico banned slavery years before the US did.  That was the primary reason for the "Texas battle for independence."  There was a need for another slave state in the Union which happened just a few short years later.  It was also a "tradition" in most countries to prohibit certain people (women, the indigenous, etc.)  from voting or holding public office.  These last ones are extreme examples but even those well entrenched traditions were changed in the face of public support for just doing the right thing even if some were opposed.

The cohetes probably began as a way for the church to prove their version of religious truth was more powerful than the way locals had been worshiping prior to the arrival of Catholic Spaniards.  The rockets carry your prayers up to the clouds where our true God lives.  The tradition of the church buying, storing, and using cohetes continues to this day.  The church is still quite powerful and still holds sway over the indoctrinated population on which they depend. 

I'd say some kind of compromise is more likely rather than an elimination of the cohetes.  Maybe just one day and limit the number.  I have never understood the general tolerance of cohetes but I arrived late to the cultural indoctrination.  If I live another 70 years maybe I'll get it...Alan

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1 hour ago, barrbower said:

...I'd say some kind of compromise is more likely rather than an elimination of the cohetes.  Maybe just one day and limit the number...

So, maybe just one day we drive on the wrong side of the road, go the wrong way on a one way street, not obey street lights,  etc., etc., etc.  Pick and choose the day that we abide by the law. Yeah, that will work! 

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A compromise was suggested only because Mexico is generally famous for having lots of laws which are mostly ignored by almost everybody...even those tasked with enforcement.  Sometimes a little gain is better than nothing.  Mexico is basically a functioning anarchy which mostly works most of the time...almost in spite of itself.  I'm generally OK with that and I have, on occasion, committed  all of those traffic infractions previously mentioned.

Alan

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