Papantla Flyers ceremony

The ritual ceremony of the Papantla Flyers is one of the most spectacular, symbolic expressions of Central American cultural heritage, particularly linked to the Totonac people in the region of Totonacapan (Veracruz state, Mexico). Its purpose is to express respect for nature and the spirit world, as well as maintaining harmony between them. Five men take part in the ritual: four flyers who go up a high pole and a fifth who, from the top of the pole, plays the flute and drum in honour of the sun and the points of the compass. After the invocation, the flyers leap into space, held up by ropes, turning around as they slowly descend, in imitation of the flight of birds. This ceremony represents communities’ world view, keeps alive legends about the origin of the universe and seeks to assure prosperity. The ritual is listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural heritage