Flying Birdmen of Papantla

You could describe this as the “Extreme Sport” of its time.  It began during  the pre-Hispanic era and, as  usual, this tradition started as a religious ceremony.

Many years ago in a place called Totonacapan, which is located between the States od Puebla and Veracruz, its inhabitants suffered a great drought which brought famine, sickness and death,  A group of elders decided to try to calm the gods with a rite able to produce abundant rain that would give the land back its fertility.  So they gathered a group of young chaste men and appointed a head foreman.

This foreman was entrusted to find the tallest, sturdiest and straightest tree.  Then the young men cleared a path and around the area where the tree would fall, and after stripping it of its leaves and branches, they took it back downtown.  It was forbidden to step over it and women were not allowed to touch it as they thought it would bring bad luck.

Once in town, they dug a pit, threw in  a live rooster and 7 chicks, sprinkled them with corn liquor, tobacco and tamales, and then stuck in the pole.   This was done so that the gods would not claim any human lives.  The young men disguised themselves with feathers from different birds such as eagles, owls, crows, guacamayas, quetzales and others.  They braided the mast, as it was called, with rope to be used as a ladder.  On top they placed a “Tecomate” (turning device) where they tied themselves before jumping and turning  to slowly reach the ground.

This is a very famous show in Mexico and it is not unusual to find it during the National Holidays in some cities and pyramid grounds.  I have had the luck to see them in Acapulco and at the Teotihuacan pyramids.

If you wish to know more about them, go to www.portal.veracruz.gob.mx