"The promise" of the offerings and otomí ritual landscapes of Ixhuatlán de Madero

Abstract

This article describes certain rituals performed by Otomí groups that inhabit the municipality of Ixhuatlán de Madero, Veracruz, in the Southern or Huasteca Baja region. By using etnhnographic data, I propose to analyze the use of the concept of “promesa” (vow) and its function within the cult of sacred sites that structure the Otomi ritual landscape. It should be noted that “las promesas” are carried out within “el Costumbre” and involve the development and display of different phases during certain periods of time. These include pilgrimages to sacred mountains, caves or water sources in order to make offerings to the entities that reside there and obtain their protection and “favors”.