The Huasteca
The Huasteca is a geographical and cultural region located in eastern Mexico. It covers parts of the states of Tamaulipas, Puebla, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Guanajuato, and Veracruz, the state where I was.
Although the Huasteca is named for the Huastec people, it is largely populated by Nahua today. A popular type of music is Huapango, which is played by a trio of string instrumentalists. Vocalists often sing stanzas that hit high notes and enter into falsetto. Traditional food of the region includes enchiladas, barbacoa, and zacahuil, a warm and delicious giant tamale of sorts. Important festivals include Carnaval, which is a day of role reversal when men dress like women and women dress like men, Christmas, and the Danza de los Voladores. The region is largely indigenous and is one of the poorest regions in Mexico. The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, particularly corn. |