Oaxaca, Oax. After two years of suspension due to the Covid 19 pandemic, this 2022 the 125th edition of the traditional Noche de Rábanos is held, an activity that takes place in the zócalo of the city of Oaxaca and in which gardeners carry out various works with tubers of the champion and bartender type .
For this year, 18 tons of radishes were harvested in the nurseries of the El Tequio forest, which were harvested by the gardeners on December 20, to start their projects, which range from traditional figures such as figures of the Virgin of Juquila , the zócalo and the Sunday concert, the calendas among others or the free category that has Kukulkan, A day at the Siqueiros Workshop (of the Villa de Etla Regional Prison), among others.
This tradition arose from 1897, when it became official as a contest, however prior to this vendors from various neighborhoods, mainly from Trinidad de las Huertas, began to make figures with the tubers with the intention that people would come to their stalls and be able to offer. their legumes, from there arose the idea of holding an annual contest which was held uninterruptedly until 2020, when it had to be suspended due to the pandemic caused by the SARS-Cov2 virus.
This year and despite the announcement of the sixth wave of infections by covid 19 and its variants, it was decided to resume this tradition in which gardeners carry out different works, only using knives for carving and cutting and chopsticks.
Serafín Florencio Muñoz, who has been participating in this contest for more than 25 years, pointed out that with this he returns his life, because one of the most beautiful traditions in Oaxaca, but it is also unique worldwide, for what he said, you have to make an effort and give it the color it deserves.
He added that it is important that the new generations learn from this tradition, since some gardeners, as in his case, have already completed a cycle in this contest, so young people must take their place and keep this tradition alive.