June 17, 2006
A Venezuelan tradition: dancing devils of Yare

(Bolivarian News Agency) - "On Corpus Christi Day, the town of San Francisco de Yare, Miranda state, is filled with Dancing Devils who wear red costumes and masks and it's a yearly tradition. This tradition has its roots in colonial times, when slaves used it as a way to express their beliefs.

According to some experts, the Dancing Devils' tradition is the result of religious discrimination in colonial times and as a reply to the powers that be. There is another version that associates this tradition with harvest and rain cycles' petitions.

Most people who go to San Francisco de Yare, Miranda state, to observe the Dancing Devils do so in order to admire the colorful costumes and the big masks, as well as the rhythm of the maracas and drums and the way the whole community becomes involved in the festivity.

Not many people know; however, that these ceremonies are performed in order to honor the Blessed Sacrament on Corpus Christi Day. Even fewer people know the origin of this tradition.

'Unfortunately people who come to our town to see the Dancing Devils think we are devils instead of believers. We are Roman Catholics. We dance before the Blessed Sacrament as a sign of devotion,' explained Francisco Herrera, a local organizer and devotee.

Slaves' rebellion

Another version regarding the origin of the Dancing Devils of Yare tradition refers to religious discrimination suffered by slaves in colonial times.

According to Mr Herrera, African slaves were not allowed in church except on Corpus Christi Day. On that day, they were allowed to attend mass but from an inconvenient location or by the gates.

Then a group of salves decided to rebel and dressed as devils in order to show their position to their white masters' oppression.

'It was sort of a mockery. In fact, our dance resembles in a way the way Spaniards would dance in colonial times,' explained Mr Hernández. He also explained that later on they used African drums and Indian maracas to the Spanish dance.

A prayer for rain

According to Manuel Sanoja, another organizer, there is another version regarding the origins of this tradition.

'Some people believe that the tradition started with the slaves. They would work very hard on the plantations and sometimes the harvest would be lost due to the dry season. Then, a group of slaves asked the Blessed Sacrament for rain. They promised they would dress as devils and dance in honor of the Blessed Sacrament if the plantation produced a good harvest. Well, it rained and the harvest was abundant. From then on, year after year, they kept dressing as devils and they kept showing the Blessed Sacrament their gratitude,' said Mr. Sanoja.

Even today, many dwellers in San Francisco de Yare associate Corpus Christi Day with a rainy or a dry season and they relate this association with prosperity or suffering in the town on that year.

'It always rain. If it doesn't rain, it drizzles a little bit. At least we get some water,' said Ricarda Pinto, a local woman".