Photos and text: Víctor Ibarra
Threads that connect hands to the wind, linking the earth’s present stories with the sky.
Glances of joy and surprise that wind through the vivid colors, up there in the heights.
Hands raised and intertwined with new family experiences, reviving nostalgia on this hill.
Musical voices in solidarity with the struggle, resonating to the beat of urban rap.
Tales that recount Tonalteca stories so they will not be forgotten.
Kites soaring through the air, bearing witness to how urban sprawl threatens coveted natural landscapes.
Some are collective paper creations, others are made of plastic, but they merge in the sky as one voice.
Words that aren’t carried away by the wind—they remain anchored to the hill:
Territory in Resistance! We defend Cerro de la Reina!
Its memory and its present! The hill belongs to everyone!
The radiant spring sunshine and the breeze were indispensable guests at the 2026 Kite Festival at Cerro de la Reina in Tonalá on Sunday, May 3, where hundreds of people—mostly families— from neighboring neighborhoods and beyond, gathered for this seventh edition of the cultural event, organized year after year by various groups, including the Collective to Defend Cerro de la Reina Tonalá Jalisco (CDCR), the Nahua Indigenous Community of Tonalá (CINT), and the Front in Defense of the Osorio River Basin in Tonalá (FDCRO), among others, who are defending this natural space that is under siege by real estate developers seeking to gradually claim a piece of this historic public space in Tonalá.
As Adán Chávez of the CDCR and FDCRO mentions: “We’ve been fighting for this space for over ten years—it’s highly coveted by certain powerful interests because it has a breathtaking view; it’s a very beautiful place. There are always those who want to privatize it, who want to fill it with buildings. That’s why we invite people to join us in these kinds of efforts—we do reforestation projects and organize these cultural events—to continue building community and to ensure that this public space remains public.”
For her part, Alejandra Bono, a resident of Tonalá, comments on the festival: “I think it’s wonderful. These are things that aren’t around anymore, and it’s a way for people to socialize, come together, and be united for the common good. And this kite-flying activity makes me happy—it reminds me of my childhood—and that’s how we’ll come to value and defend these spaces even more. A united community can save many things. Nature is something we must not abandon or neglect.”
Ricardo, also a resident of Tonalá, who is participating in this festival for the first time, talks about how he feels: “I’m absolutely happy to be here with my family. I used to come here as a kid in high school to have picnics. I hope this place is preserved.”
At the end of their performance, members of the rap group Vientos del Pueblo said: “Thank you to those who have given their all all these years, those who are planting seeds, those who are keeping an eye on real estate development projects, in defense of this space. We know it’s tiring, but we know it’s the right thing to do. Thank you, and we stand in solidarity with you.”
Later that night, the wind continued to blow on the hill, missing the captivating presence of those kites that defend the beauty of this shared landscape. The struggle continues.
Aixcaquema!
