Voladores de San Pedro Tarímbaro
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On June 29, 2009, UNESCO declared the Ritual Ceremony of the Voladores as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its profound symbolism and its relevance to Mexico’s cultural identity.
This ancestral rite, which honors the connection between nature and humanity, takes place in various regions of the country, and one of the most outstanding scenarios is San Pedro Tarímbaro, a community near Tlalpujahua, Michoacán.
Every year, on June 29, the festivity in honor of San Pedro Apostle is celebrated in San Pedro Tarímbaro.
The event attracts thousands of people, both locals and visitors, who gather to witness one of the most impressive spectacles of Mexican tradition: the flight of the voladores.
The following Sunday, the four voladores, dressed in red and white garments, launch themselves from the top of an imposing wood, slowly spinning towards the ground in an aerial dance that symbolizes the harmony between man and nature.
The ritual of the voladores is not only an acrobatic dance, but a complex set of traditions and beliefs deeply rooted in the indigenous cosmovision.
This ritual includes two previous dances: the “Dance of Forgiveness” and the “Dance of Permission”.
Dance of Forgiveness
It is performed when the members of the community select the tree that will become the flying stick.
Forgiveness is asked to Mother Nature for cutting the tree, recognizing its importance and expressing gratitude for the sacrifice.
Subsequently.
Permission Dance
Authorization is requested to move the tree from its original location to the place where it will be erected for the flight.
This process is a collective work, in which the inhabitants use polines to move the pole while they pray and sing, accompanied by the image of San Pedro, who guides and protects the transfer.
The flight itself is a representation of fertility and the cycles of nature.
Each of the four flyers represents a cardinal point, while the caporal, who stands at the top of the pole playing a flute and drum, symbolizes the center of the earth.
The descent of the spiraling voladores represents the fall of rain, essential for the prosperity of the crops.
This flight is an act of deep spirituality, in which the men symbolically become birds or angels seeking to ascend to heaven to request blessings for the community.
