Mexico - Event

Elaborate headdresses and celebratory dances spring up in Mexico City's main square, el Zócalo, at the Indigenous Mexica New Year. Women perfume conch shells with incense before blowing them in a homage-paying nod towards the cardinal points.

In the Mexica calendar (Tonal Machiotl) there are 18 periods in a solar year, each period comprising 20 days with five and a quarter transitional days at the year's close for meditation and reflection.

The calendar has a cycle of 52 years and each year is named with a number from 1-13 consecutively, succeeded by one of the four signs: Tochtli in Náhuatl or Conejo in Spanish (rabbit); Tecpatl or Pedernal (flint); Calli or Casa (house); Acatl or Carrizo (reed). To make things even more confusing, each year starts at a different time of the day, Tochtli begins at dawn, Tecpatl at dusk, Calli at midnight and Acatl at midday.

Unlike the common Western idea of New Year that usually involves copious amounts of alcohol and raucous behaviour, the Indigenous Mexica New Year is a respectful and intriguing affair.