The Mexica New Year ( or ''Año Nuevo Azteca''; , ) is the celebration of the new year according to the

Aztec calendar The Aztec or Mexica calendar is the calendar, calendrical system used by the Aztecs as well as other Pre-Columbian era, Pre-Columbian indigenous peoples of Mexico, peoples of central Mexico. It is one of the Mesoamerican calendars, sharing the bas ...

. The date on which the holiday falls in the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

depends on the version of the calendar used, but it is generally considered to occur at sunrise on 12 March. The holiday is observed in some

Nahua The Nahuas ( ) are a Uto-Nahuan ethnicity and one of the Indigenous people of Mexico, with Nahua minorities also in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. They comprise the largest Indigenous group in Mexico, as well as ...

communities in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. To celebrate, '' ocote'' (pitch-pine) candles are lit on the eve of the new year, along with fireworks, drumming, and singing. Some of the most important events occur in

Huauchinango Huauchinango (formally, Huauchinango de Degollado, commemorating 19th-century liberal politician and soldier Santos Degollado) is a city in the far north of the state of Puebla in central Mexico. It is located in the rugged Sierra Norte de Puebla ...

, Naupan,

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

Zongolica Zongolica is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is located in the state's central Mountains region, about 100 km from the state capital at Xalapa. The municipality covers 63.34 km2 and, in 2020, ...

, and

Xicotepec Xicotepec (in Nahuatl: xico; tepetl, 'Melipona beecheii, jicote or bumblebee; hill' 'Hill of jicotes'') is one of the Municipalities of Puebla, 217 municipalities that make up the List of states of Mexico, Mexican state of Puebla in central-eastern ...

. The latest and more accepted version was proposed by professor Rafael Tena ( INAH), based on the studies of Durán, Sahagún and Alfonso Caso (

UNAM The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countries. It also has 34 ...

). His correlation confirms that the first day of the Mexica year was February 13th according to the old Julian calendar or February 23rd of the current Gregorian calendar. Using the same count, it has been verified the date of the birth of Huitzilopochtli, the end of the year and a cycle or "Tie of the Years," and the New Fire Ceremony, day-sign "1 Tecpatl" of the year "2 Acatl," corresponding to the date February 22nd. This 365-day calendar was corresponded with the solar year, was divided into 18 'months' of 20 days each, plus 5 'nameless' days at the end of the year. Also, there are some codices that show the existence of the leap year. Folio 7r Codex Telleriano-Ramensis (1562-1563), Bibliotheque Nacionale de France. Ms Mex 385, 1995.

References

{{New Year by Calendar Folk festivals in Mexico Indigenous culture of Mexico New Year celebrations March observances Cultural festivals in Mexico Fireworks events in North America Festivals in Mexico Spring (season) in Mexico