With the aim of strengthening ties with the Zapotec community of Juchitán de Zaragoza (Oaxaca, Mexico) and reaffirming our commitment to cultural preservation and environmental protection, the Bií Hioxo wind farm, in collaboration with its Nacanu’ Bií Community Centre, joined the traditional pilgrimage route to the Santa Cruz Chigueze.
This celebration, rooted in the identity and spirituality of the region, seeks to keep the ancestral traditions alive.
Today, the Santa Cruz Chigueze society is made up of just four members of the same family, who continue to celebrate this festival. According to some experts, the deity of the Santa Cruz Chigueze refers to the sacred thorns, although the etymological origin of the word is still debated, as it is a very old celebration and some associate it with the abundance of corn or with the request for good harvests throughout the year.
Along the route commemorating the passion of the Santa Cruz Chigueze, representatives of the Bií Hioxo wind farm, project coordinators and “Xquendas” volunteers joined members of the community on Saturday 2 March to take part in the procession and rituals taking place around the wind farm.
The procession started at 6:00 am. from the home of the patrons Jesús Santiago Vicente and Natividad Terán Jiménez, on Calle Ferrocarril in the Seventh District, and arrived at noon at the chapel of Santa Cruz Chigueze, with more than 150 people present.
This year, the Bií Hioxo wind farm carried out the maintenance and cleaning of 1 km of dirt road to improve access to the chapel, allowing the faithful to complete their journey.
The collaboration between the company and the Santa Cruz Chigueze community not only strengthens the bonds of mutual understanding and respect, but also underlines the Bií Hioxo wind farm’s commitment to supporting, preserving and respecting the community’s idiosyncrasies.
