Callejón Toña la Negra

The La Huaca Neighborhood, considered the oldest sector in Veracruz, arose in the 17th century outside the old colonial wall as a refuge for African slaves and cemetery workers, taking its name from the Quechua term guaca, related to burial sites. Over time it established itself as an important Afro-mestizo neighborhood, where the first houses were made with wood from shipwrecked boats and later transformed into an area of traditional neighborhoods after the fall of the walls in 1880. In addition to preserving historical courtyards recognized by the INAH and a strong jarocha identity, La Huaca is famous for being the birthplace of musical figures like Agustín Lara and Toña la Negra, as well as for keeping alive gastronomic and cultural traditions such as the Festival of the Gorda and the Picada.