VOLADORES OF PAPANTLA IN PUERTO VALLARTA

Walking on the Malecon in downtown Puerto Vallarta, tourists can be found gathered staring straight up to a pole high above the malecon. They are staring up at 5 men atop a pole, spinning fearlessly by foot, to the ground. Los Voladores de Papantla, a Totonaco prehispanic rite is performed by dancers for the enjoyment of tourists. Originally these dances were performed to ask the gods for plentiful rain that will make the land fertile.

According to Totonac myth, the gods told men, “Dance, and we shall observe.” Today, pleasing the gods of old is still a part of the most traditional version of the ritual.

Totonac dress for this ritual consists of a red pants with a white shirt, a cloth across the chest and a cap. The pants, hat and chest cloth are heavily embroidered and otherwise decorated. The cloth across the chest symbolized blood. The hat is adorned with flowers for fertility, mirrors represent the sun and from the top stream multicolored ribbons representing the rainbow.

The ceremony begins with a dance and song type called a “son.” Usually the initial song played and danced to is called the “son of forgiveness. After this, the five begin to climb the pole with the chief or “caporal” going first. The caporal will not descend but rather will stay at the top of the pole until near the end of the ceremony. The caporal stands on a capstan, called a manzana (apple) which is a small platform at the top of the pole. From this capstan is suspended a square frame called a cuadro (square) on which the other four voladores sit.




While these four wind the ropes around the pole and tie themselves to the ends, the caporal plays the flute and drum acknowledging the four cardinal directions, beginning with the east because it is believed life came from this direction. The four ropes are each wound thirteen times for a total of fifty two, the number of years in a Mesoamerican great year. The caporal then bends fully backwards to acknowledge the sun, playing all the while.

The four voladores represent the four cardinal directions as well as the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. The caporal represents the fifth sun. The four voladores seated on the cuadro face the caporal and at the appropriate moment fall backwards to descend to the ground suspended by the wound ropes. As the ropes unwind, the voladores spin, creating a moving pyramid shape. As the other voladores descend the caporal plays the “son of goodbye” and dances on the narrow platform Traditionally, after the descent, there is another dance of goodbye.

The Ritual Ceremony of the Voladores of Papantla has been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) by UNESCO in 2009.

This risky ritual can be seen along the malecon in the evening. Several shows are performed for tips only each night. Bring your camera, and don't miss this uniquely Mexican show.