Oaxaca’s Bani Stui Gulal Excluded From Guelaguetza

In Oaxaca, Mexico, the Secretary of Cultures and Arts cut funding to the Grupo Folklórico de Oaxaca A.C., excluding their Bani Stui Gulal dance spectacle from the 2026 Guelaguetza festival. The Bani Stui Gulal performance, meaning “Repetition of the Ancient,” has depicted the history of Oaxaca’s Lunes del Cerro festivals since 1969.

Director Teresa García Pinacho learned of the funding removal from Flavio Sosa Villavicencio, head of Seculta. The group did not receive the customary March invitation to begin preparations for the July festival. They proposed using last year’s budget of one million pesos but this was declined.

The non-profit dance company involves over 300 people of all ages. For 57 years, the performance has relied on self-management and personal dedication to provide free access to Oaxacan traditions. The future of this longstanding performance depends on securing alternative funding sources.