What do the Voladores de Papantla do?
The ancient Mexican ritual of the Voladores de Papantla (Papantla Flyers), in which a priest and four flyers climb an 80-foot pole, tie themselves with ropes, and launch into the air, was originally created to ask the gods to end a severe drought.
What does the dance of the Voladores represent?
The original significance of the Danza de los Voladores was, like many other Mesoamerican rituals, connected with fertility, corn, and the harvest. According to Totonac myth, the Danza de los Voladores originated as a way to appease the gods and end severe drought.
What is Papantla known for?
Papantla still has strong communities of Totonacs who maintain the culture and language. The city contains a number of large scale murals and sculptures done by native artist Teodoro Cano García, which honor the Totonac culture….
| Papantla | |
|---|---|
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Veracruz |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Municipal Status | 1880 |
Where is Los Voladores performed?
juego de los voladores, (Spanish: “game of the fliers”), ritual dance of Mexico, possibly originating among the pre-Columbian Totonac and Huastec Indians of the region now occupied by Veracruz and Puebla states, where it is still danced.
Where does Los Voladores de Papantla happen?
The exact origin of this ritual/dance is unknown, but it is thought to have originated with the Huastec, Nahua and Otomi peoples in Sierra de Puebla and mountain areas of Veracruz. The ritual spread through much of the Mesoamerican world until it was practiced from northern Mexico to Nicaragua.
How many Papantla Flyers are there?
In the dance, each of the four flyers spins around the pole 13 times for a total of 52 spins, representing the 52 year cycle used in indigenous Mexican calendars. The dancers dress in brightly colored costumes designed to resemble a tropical bird, intended to get the attention of the god of fertility.
Where did Danza de los Voladores originate?
The Danza de los Voladores, or Palo Volador, is an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony/ritual still performed today, albeit in modified form, in isolated pockets in Mexico. It is believed to have originated with the Nahua, Huastec and Otomi peoples in central Mexico, and then spread throughout most of Mesoamerica.
What is the flying dance?
It is a pre-Colombian, Mesoamerican ceremony that is still practised in very few areas of Mexico. The ceremony is a rain and fertility dance seeking harmony between the ancient gods and the earth and its people. The performers dance around a 30-metre-high pole, then climb atop it.