This ancient tradition, inscribed in 2009 on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which actively promotes international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture, has recently shared a stunning visual that is drawing the attention of social media users globally.
The organisation has shared a video of the ‘Danza de los Voladores, a ritual ceremony of the Voladores, also known as ‘flying men’.
This is a fertility dance performed by several ethnic groups in Mexico and Central America, especially the Totonac people in the eastern state of Veracruz, to express respect for and harmony with the natural and spiritual worlds.
Watch the video here:
Sharing the video, the UN body posted a caption that reads, “immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring Voladores ritual. This ancient tradition, inscribed in 2009 on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List, beautifully expresses respect, harmony, and connection with the natural and spiritual worlds.”
“Watch in wonder as daring young men scale towering wooden poles, embodying the flight of birds and the creation of the universe. This captivating spectacle brings the myth of the universe’s birth to life while fostering a strong sense of community and cultural pride.”
According to UNESCO, During the ceremony, four young men climb a wooden pole eighteen to forty metres high, freshly cut from the forest, with the forgiveness of the mountain god. A fifth man, the Caporal, stands on a platform atop the pole, takes up his flute and small drum, and plays songs dedicated to the sun, the four winds, and each of the cardinal directions. After this invocation, the others fling themselves off the platform ‘into the void’. Tied to the platform with long ropes, they hang from it as it spins, twirling to mimic the motions of flight and gradually lowering themselves to the ground.
