Festivities celebrate Mexico's Jalisco state, links to NW
Most of these merchants have never been in the United States before, let alone Renton.
They're here thanks to an invitation from the Mexican state of Jalisco, which has brought close to 100 artists, merchants and government representatives to the Seattle area for Jalisco Week.
"Here you can see all that we can achieve working together," said Ana Estrada Barron, a foreign-affairs worker from Jalisco visiting the United States for the first time. The event is a collaboration with the Jalisco community living in the Seattle area.
The purpose of the event is two-fold: a chance for Mexicans living in the Seattle area to celebrate their culture; and a chance for anyone not familiar with traditional Mexican music, food and artwork to embrace a new culture.
Throughout the weekend an international mariachi band and folkloric ballet will offer free performances, and merchants will sell hand-crafted Mexican goods.
"We're giving them a taste of Mexico through Jalisco," said Ted Rodriguez, a Renton resident who moved from Cuautla, Jalisco, 25 years ago. Today, there are more than 50,000 Jaliscans living in the state, said Alberto Diaz, director of the Washington/Jalisco Sister State Association.
About 3,000 Cuautlans live in Renton. Many have established successful businesses, most notably the Mexican eateries.
Cuautlans are credited with establishing dozens of the Mexican restaurants in the Seattle area. Rodriguez owns Torero's Mexican restaurants. Other area eateries with ties to Cuautla include Las Margaritas, Azteca, Mayas, Guadalajara and Jalisco.
That's just a sliver of the Jalisco impact on the Seattle area and the state.
As vice president of the sister-state association, Rodriguez joined in the talks almost one year ago to bring Jalisco Week to Seattle.
By being here, the government of Jalisco is returning a gesture by Gov. Gary Locke in 1999, when he traveled with nearly 100 delegates to Mexico as part of a weeklong trip. Jalisco hosted "Washington Week in Jalisco" events during the governor's visit.
Beyond the music, food, arts and culture of this weekend's celebration is the greater goal of promoting education, travel, industry and trade between the two governments. Jalisco's lieutenant governor, as well as various secretaries of state, are also in town as part of the event.
The visit is a chance to strengthen the ties formed when Washington and Jalisco became sister states in 1996. The ties brought about the sister-city committee between Renton and Cuautla in 2001 and between Kent and El Grullo early this year.
"Mexican culture has given the world much to talk about," said Rodriguez, who helped establish the Renton-Cuautla sister-city committee. "The culture will be well-represented here."
Maria Gonzalez: 206-464-2449 or mgonzalez@seattletimes.com
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