The Danza de los Voladores de Papantla, which translates to Dance of the Flyers of Papantla in English, is an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony that dates back to the Nahua, Huastec and Otomi people of central Mexico, and which spread throughout most of Mesoamerica.
The ceremony is spectacular to watch as the dancers, in impressively detailed costume, climb a 30-meter pole. Once reaching the top, 4 of the dancers, tied with rope, launch themselves off the pole to descend to the ground. The fifth dancer remains on top of the pole, dancing and playing a flute and drum.
It is said that the ceremony was created to appease the Gods and ask them to bring an end to a severe drought, although there are variations on this in different indigenous Mexican tribes.
The Danza de los Voladores ceremony was named an Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in order to help the ritual survive and thrive in the modern world and today, you can see it performed several times daily on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta. There is no charge for watching but it is customary to tip the performers as they circle the crowd after the performance. It’s an incredible cultural addition to any time share vacation in Mexico that should not be missed.
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