Indigenous people from Mesoamerica, ,,hombres y mujeres de maíz" continue to practice customs like ,,La Danza del Volador"(Dance of the flyer). In Mexico, Indigenous people of Teenek, Ñañhu, Nahua and Totonacas have maintained this old tradition until today. The ritual of the ,,Voladores" is practiced for at least 2500 years. Ceramic pieces dated to 600 B.C...
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Indigenous people from Mesoamerica, ,,hombres y mujeres de maíz" continue to practice customs like ,,La Danza del Volador"(Dance of the flyer). In Mexico, Indigenous people of Teenek, Ñañhu, Nahua and Totonacas have maintained this old tradition until today. The ritual of the ,,Voladores" is practiced for at least 2500 years. Ceramic pieces dated to 600 B.C show people dance around a pole. The oldest ceramic pieces where found in Veracruz, east Mexico, where it is thought the flying dance began.
In the Totonacan language the dancers are called ,,kgosní", which means ,,flying man". An old Totonacan myth says that once,during a long dryness, Shamans were sent to offer presents to the gods and to ask for rain to fertilize the earth. They went to the forest and searched for the highest tree they could find. Four days later the people in town heard the shamans playing the flute and drum as they reappeared again at the horizon with a giant tree. After cutting all the branches they placed the trunk in the center of the village. They adorned themselves with feathers from eagles and invented the acrobatic ritual of the flying dance.
Today around 300 voladores can be found in Papantla who practice the ancient ritual. One of those is Cruz Ramirez, an indigenous shaman. In 2006 he started a school for children to teach the old traditions.
The kids meet every Saturday and apart of the training for the flying dance the kids practice other local dances like ,,Guagua" or ,,Negritos". There are lessons in their native tongue Totonaco, which is rapidly being replaced by Spanish in the households around Papantla.
Bruno is the son of Cruz Ramirez.
He made his first flight with 7 years. Since then took part in various performances throughout Mexico. Bruno says, ,,When i first climbed up the pole I remember I was a bit afraid, but once I was flying I forgot all the fear and just felt the wind accompanied by the rhythm of the flute and drum. It is the Indian blood that protects us"
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