El Caporal and Los Voladores de Panpantla doing La Danza de los Voladores an ancient ritual, photo Steve Collins
The Voladores de Papantla have come back to ¡Viva Mexico! for 2011. Today they did a purification ceremony and an enactment of the ceremony that they will perform this weekend at El Rancho de las Golondrinas. They were the subject of last week’s Photo of the Week. They deserve it. And the group that is here this year, is not the same as the one here in 2010. It turns out there are 525 Voladores. In this photo El Caporal (leader of the ceremony and the group) does an intricate dance to the four directions, standing on a small platform(18 inches in diameter) atop a 60 foot tall pole while playing a flute and a drum.
Los Voladores de Panpantlas flying into the void, photo Steve Collins
After doing this dance the four Voladores fly off the platform. into the void and El Caporal slides down a rope. Seeing this is an amazing experience. If you can come to ¡Viva Mexico! this weekend. They can also be seen around the world and in Vera Cruz, Mexico.
Wow, that’s crazy stuff right there! By purification if you mean scare the crap out of me, yeah that would do it.
It was amazing. I feel like a new women!
These guys could have their own Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas, looks like….but then again..why would they?..good read..
Cheers..
Hi Charles, I’ve seen them several times now and each time it’s a nail biter. Steve