A longtime celebration of Oaxacan Indigenous culture in Santa Maria has been canceled this year. Organizers say immigration raids on the Central Coast have left local Indigenous communities feeling unsafe.
For the past 15 years, a local version of Guelaguetza, a traditional festival from Oaxaca, Mexico, has been held at the Santa Maria Fairpark. The event showcases Indigenous music, dance, food and traditional clothing, and is meant to honor and uplift the region's diverse cultural roots.
Esmeralda García, one of the event's organizers, said Guelaguetza is about more than celebration, it's a way for Indigenous youth to reclaim their identities and connect with their heritage.
“The purpose of this is also to inspire the next generation to continue connecting, reconnecting with their identity, their values and culture,” García said.
But this year organizers made the difficult decision to cancel the event, citing heightened concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the area.
“You never know if you walk outside and then you either get detained by ICE or attacked by racist people,” Garcia said.
Local immigration officials did not respond to KCBX's request for comment. However, according to the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard, more than 40 people were detained on the Central Coast in June.
García said the Guelaguetza organizing committee is now exploring safer, alternative ways to support Indigenous families in Santa Maria, without putting families at risk.
