Visitors to Puerto Vallarta's downtown district should be sure to add "flying bird men" to their lists of must-see attractions.
The Voladores de Papantla (flyers of Papantla, also sometimes known as hombres pajaro, or "bird men") are indigenous performers who demonstrate an ancient cultural tradition that is closely associated with the Totonac people from the Papantla area of Veracruz.
Puerto Vallarta's Malecón (boardwalk) is a main oceanside thoroughfare joining the neighborhoods of El Centro and the Zona Romantica (Old Town). Look for the voladores just north of the main square in front of the town's famous Church of Guadalupe, at the bottom of Calle Mina.
The ritual typically involves five men, dressed in white shirts, red pants, a sash and a cap. The outfits are ornately decorated with colorful ribbons and embroidery, and are made by the voladores themselves. The men climb the 30-meter pole and settle onto a four-cornered platform. The caporal (musician) sits in the center and plays the drum and flute. The voladores each have a rope tied around their waists. When all five performers are in place, they start to rotate the platform, effectively winding the ropes around the pole.
In a display of acrobatics and fearlessness, the caporal then gets to his feet and dances on the top of the pole, bowing to each of the four directions. When the group is ready, the caporal sits back down and the voladores tumble backwards off the platform.
As the rope unwinds, the fliers descend towards the ground. Traditionally the voladores make 13 laps around the pole, which multiplied by 4 fliers equals 52, the number of weeks in the calendar year.
Many of the details of the ritual have been lost to time and the influence of external cultures. When the Spanish arrived, for example, so-called "heretical" observances came under attack from the church. The environment, too, has changed the very architecture of the ceremony. Deforestation in the area around Veracruz has resulted in the permanent installation of metal, rather than wooden, poles. As well, in recent years, some women have taken up the practice, despite traditional mores forbidding their participation.
This indigenous custom has survived and changed with the times, and continues to be practiced across the country. It's also a source of revenue for the performers and their communities. Non-Totonac observers are asked to contribute a donation at the base of the pole.
Read more at these sources:
Go Mexico
Kivu.com
La Journada de Oriente
Voladoresdepapantla.com
Wikipedia
