Eli Whitney Museum

Diablos Danzantes del Yare (The Dancing Devils of Yare) is the name of a religious festivity celebrated in San Francisco de Yare. Venezuela, at the Corpus Christi day festivities. Its origins are traced back to the 18th century, one of the oldest community organizations of the American continent.

On the Roman Catholic Feast Day of Corpus Christi dancers wearing devil costumes perform in the streets to recreate an African-Venezuelan tradition began in Venezuela by slaves. They wear head-to-toe red garments, grotesque masks and accessories like crosses, amulets and rosaries. Although the ritual was at first reprimanded by church officials the “dancing devils” now stop at the front of the church, listen to mass and then vow in submission to God. The dancers often dance for specific reasons such as health or family heritage and belong to small dancing clans. This annual festival draws thousands of visitors to small towns in Venezuela.

Diablos Danzantes de Venezuela/strong>

En el día festivo de Corpus Christi danzantes vestidos de diablos bailan en las calles para recrear una tradición Africana y Venezuelana comenzada por esclavos. Los danzantes se visten completamente de rojo y se ponen mascaras grotescas y otros accesorios como cruces, amuletos y rosarios. Aunque al principio este ritual era prohibido por ley por la iglesia católica, ahora los diablos danzantes paran en frente de la iglesia, participan en misa y se entregan a dios. A veces los participantes bailan por razones especificas como un problema de salud o tradición familiar y pertenecen a clanes de danza.