Lord of the Conquest fills Jardín with colorful costumes
By Gabriela Blanco

Señor de la Conquista

Thu, Mar 6, 5–7:30pm
Ceremonial dances
Parroquia esplanade

Thu, Mar 6, 10pm until dawn
Ceremony and offerings
El Sindicato, Recreo 4

Fri, Mar 7, 10am–1pm, 5–8pm
Concheros dancers
Parroquia esplanade

The first Friday of March each year, El Señor de la Conquista brings together numerous dancers in beautiful and brilliant pre-Hispanic costumes to reverence him in the Jardín through dances, ceremonies and a Mass. Celebrations begin March 6 at 5pm in the Parroquia esplanade. That night at 10pm, dancers from many places in the state such as Lagos de Moreno, Silao and Guanajuato meet at El Sindicato to pray.

On Friday, the dancers perform from 10am–1pm and from 5–8pm.

This life-sized figure of the Lord of the Conquest created from corn stalks in the past symbolizes the Mexican Indians’ recognition of Christ. During the celebrations the sixteenth-century statue moves from his usual place to the place of honor on the central altar. There are two figures of the Lord of the Conquest: here in Sam Miguel and in Felipe Torres Mochas. The figures were made by Tarascan Indians in Paztcuaro.

Legend tells that in 1585 two Franciscan friars, taking the statues to San Miguel and San Felipe, were attacked and killed by some Chichimecas at Calderon Bridge. The statues were supposedly lost, but later the figures were found by a converted group of Chichimecas who took the statues to San Miguel and San Felipe.

In another version, Chichimeca descendant Jesús González argues that the original figure was found by one of his ancestors who hid it in a cave, but no chronicles support his version.

However, Jesús González has organized the festivities for 28 years. The tradition is based on agricultural rites, when the Indians asked the Lord of the Conquest for good crops.

The dancers are called Concheros, because their guitars are stringed over an armadillo concha (shell) and they dance regional traditional dances that come from when Catholicism conquered the Indians. 

The Concheros dance Thursday, 5–7:30pm in the Parroquia esplanade and then they go to El Sindicato before a statue of the Lord of the Conquest (the statue that belongs to Jesús González and his family). “We stay up the whole night, praying and making the offerings from chucharilla, fennel and flowers,” said González. On Friday, they perform again at 10am and 5pm.