In Mendoza, the vendimiales celebrations are a folk phenomenon. Back to the seventeenth century, considering that the wine industry has a history in the Cuyo province since 1632, being mayor at the time Juan de Adaro and Arracola and later in 1800 it was officially instituted an annual celebration called the Feast of Chinas. This expression was made popular in large sheds colonial lit with candles fat where immigrants and natives under the strumming of guitars, the beauties of Chinese fought.
So harvest in Mendoza is synonymous with folklore, a set of traditions, beliefs and customs, which includes music, poetry, food, superstitions and parties. It is the unwritten history of the people, but that is spread by tradition. Constituting the vine cultivation and industrialization of fruit, a popular expression of the sentiment of love and commitment to an activity that derives from work and collective wealth.
In the twentieth century, the holiday turned into a formal, large-scale, had its first attempt in 1913, when Mendoza was chosen to host the Second National Congress of Industry and Trade. A special train edged with vines, was the bearer of 800 guests toured the areas of vineyards and wineries.
So, thanks to the initiative of a precursor of Spanish origin, Jose Trianez Diaz, takes place in 1936 for the first time Harvest Festival, outside the inner area of the rows since the past century workers celebrated the end of harvest playing guitar, singing and dancing and cuyanos cuecas cats, and later choose a girl among all harvesters, which crowned with bunches of grapes.
Blessing of the Fruit
The origins of the Blessing of the fruits back to the biblical tradition, when Moses offered the fruit to God. After this ceremony took place on the occasion of the festival of Pentecost or the offerings made in the temple of Jerusalem.
In Mendoza is a history of the first blessing of the fruit in 1938, that blessing of the harvest is called. At that time, the illustrious poet Alfredo Mendoza Bufano, read his poem Al pioneer work. The Blessing of the Fruit involves thanksgiving to the Creator for the land and its fruits.
carousel
The carousel is a show full of colorful evocations of time and language, history and customs. A carts queens our vendimial symbolism, such as the mill, vintage shopping, old presses, vats and barrels are added last.
The April 16, 1936 more than 10,000 people gathered in the rotunda of Parque Gral. St. Martin, the scene of the exaltation of the grape, wine and beauty.
The Carousel Vintage 1936 was a recapitulation of Mendoza past. Amazed at new and original. They opened fire collating several containers loaded with leather, symbolizing the first element transport an industrious people. They followed the horses, animal introduced by the conquerors to the action of war and who later became the means of transport of the working people. Then paraded donkeys, economic Mendoza Assistant settler laden panniers (containers with handles made of woven plant esparto or palm, which was used to load sand, soil and debris) and leather containers.
Also paraded around the mountain mules muleteers and that is perfectly adapted to the regional traffic conditions, were irreplaceable in the mountain range transport. Until a real Indian on horseback paraded in hair. Then the wagon, sung by local poets, as a symbol of rural labor. The car, driven by large troop exports Mendoza opened to the coast. Then burst the twentieth century with a troop of chariots with foreman aperado style of the time. Behind them came a small truck exponent progress of industrial life and the spirit of accredited workers to accommodate the mechanical achievements of the century. Time, engine and tire, has gone through a momentum of improvement, the implementation of the truck – tank. At the end of 1936 carousel made a flight of three aircraft Air Force, representing the average near future, the heady days of transporting the rural wealth, and built a civilization.
White Way
The White Way, was born with the name of Corsican floats, in 1939 both the carousel and the White Way of queens, representatives of the various departments and their courts, candidates for national scepter, parade through the streets central city in their floats.
Mendoza Each department builds his cart to a design based on its main agricultural wealth, mining and industry.
Source: Diario Los Andes
