| Barajillas-Afro Guerrero-Diablo Dances- Nov 1/2000 |
| There I was on my merry way to Jamiltepec Oaxaca for the Diablo Dance Dramas I had heard so much about on Costa Chica of Oaxaca .. I left quite early from Acapulco, to insure that I would reach the danzas on time, the bus station insuring only a 3 to 4 hour ride.... Well 8 hours later I was travelling on the Guerrero coast and I thought my chances were really slim that I would reach Oaxaca by night fall and how unfortunate it would be to miss the Day of the Dead dances.... But just as faith would have it , I was torn away from my thoughts by the pounding of a hallow drum and by children´s laughter outside my bus window. The bus was crossing a bridge quite slowly and there peering at me was a black carton diablo worn by a small fellow. Carrying a can and asking for loose change he was dancing to the heartbeat rythm of an upside down pail...I screamed ¨Stop the Bus¨ in my bad Spanish and out I was dropped in the middle of nowhere/somewhere Guerrero. A crowd of 5 to 12 year old boys dancing around me with diablo masks on, I searched for my camera and realized it was still on the bus... I chased after the bus about 30 feet away from me now and stopped it a second time, my red camera bag gently handed out to me from a window by a smiling passenger... I had finally reached my true destination. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| So there I was amidst about 15 young boys between the ages of 5 and 15 dancing, laughing, grunting.... the rattling of toll bridge change. The masks were incredible translations of diablos, carton, sticks, charcoal for colour, bells, tassles, horse hair, goat hair, string, and it was very apparent to me that these were the true artisans of Mexico |
| Of course the beautiful Maringuilla was present and her very jealous diablo husband, she would let the other diablos hold her baby and her husband would mock battle dances with the other diablos hoping to win the respect and the heart of his love, it was very satirical and in good humour. |
| I was recieved with nothing but warmth and generousity, many of the young boys offered thier mask as gifts to me and I warmly accepted them. It was starting to get very dark by this time, and I thought where do I go from here, luckily one of the older boys and his sister waited by the roadside with me until a bus went by to take me to Pinotepa National., Oaxaca .. this was truly a huge surprise and true of the magica spirit that embodies this beautiful Mexico |
 |
 |
 |
|