Mixteca region hosts festival to promote ancestral foods

The sixth “Viko Savi” Rain Festival is being organized in Huajuapan de León, Oaxaca, to rescue and promote the ancestral foods of the Mixteca region. The initiative aims to recover traditional knowledge and flavors associated with the rainy season.

The festival includes a competition for seasonal typical dishes featuring ingredients such as various quelites, edible plants like alache and squash blossoms, and regional mushrooms. Seasonal insects, including cuetlas and wasp larvae, are also highlighted as traditional ingredients used in atoles, quesadillas, and other stews. Research indicates a high level of biodiversity in the region, with studies documenting hundreds of edible wild mushroom species and names used in both Mixtec and Spanish.