Image Description: Los Voladores
In colorful thousand year old costumes, the voladores, the flyers, of Papantla appeal to the gods by performing a traditional, highly symbolic dance at the base of a tall, tall pole reaching high toward the gods in the sky.
Four flyers carrying long ropes and a fifth, their leader, with his flute and small drum begin the long upward climb. Atop the pole is their platform, a disc for the leader and slabs like one-by-fours making a square for seating.
Slowly the flyers rotate their platform and wind their ropes, four ropes side-by-side, around the pole. When there's no slack left, and with the free ends of the ropes tied well around the waists of the flying-men, the leader appeals to the gods once again.
High atop the pole he plays his flute, and beats a cadence on his tiny diameter drum. Standing he dances to the four cardinal points.
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