In both urban and small town Mexico, a sight high above dazzles both locals and visitors. A group of men in colorful outfits climb a towering pole, up to a small wooden structure. When a flute and a small drum start to play, the men jump down, revealing they are only hanging on by a rope. As the cord unravels, the dancers execute a delicate piece of choreography on their way down. Known as La Ceremonia Ritual de Los Voladores (translated to The Ritual Ceremony of the Flying Men), this gravity-defying display mesmerizes even those who have witnessed it hundreds of times.
The ceremony follows a straight-forward plan, and it all happens around a wooden pole that is between 60 and 130 feet tall. Five men climb to a square-shaped platform at the top. One is the caporal, who sits in the middle, playing songs devoted to the sun and the four winds. The other four are the “flying men,” who represent each of the cardinal points, and stand on each side of the square. The Voladores then fling themselves off the platform and hang from the pole as it spins. Tied by their waists or even just by their feet, they twirl as they slowly lower themselves to the ground.
In Mexico, the performers are also known as the “Voladores de Papantla,” referencing the small town in the state of Veracruz where the performance grew to become a well-known spectacle. Its origins trace back to the Totonac people, who began performing this ritual around 1300 CE. Legend has it that during a drought, a wise old man told four young men to cut down the tallest and most robust tree on the mountain in order to “ask the gods for their benevolence to grant them generous rains that would restore fertility to the land.” The practice has since expanded, also being adopted by the Nahua, Maya, Teenek, and Ñañhus people.
The outfits worn by the Voladores is also a key part of the ceremony, and reflects the connection between man and earth, showing reverence through its ornamentation. The dancers wear a white shirt, red pants, a red chest piece with elaborate geometric embroidering, and a conical headpiece decorated with colorful feathers. All of these items are handmade and passed down from generation to generation.
The Ritual Ceremony of the Voladores was inscribed in 2009 on Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. “Every variant of the dance brings to life the myth of the birth of the universe, so that the ritual ceremony of the Voladores expresses the worldview and values of the community, facilitates communication with the gods, and invites prosperity,” writes UNESCO. “For the dancers themselves and the many others who participate in the spirituality of the ritual as observers, it encourages pride in and respect for one’s cultural heritage and identity.”
If you’re ever in Mexico and would like to see it for yourself, there are many chances to catch a performance in public squares in the state of Veracruz and archaeological sites around the country. For a more certain location, you can check out the Ritual Ceremony in the park next to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City (and don’t forget to tip the dancers at the end!). A version of this ritual can also be found at the Xcaret Park, an eco-archaeological park in the Mayan Riviera.
The Ritual ceremony of the Voladores, performed around Mexico, involves a group of men jumping from a pole and twirling around as they slowly descend to the ground.
See how these men climb up a towering pole and sit atop a simple wooden structure as one of them performs a dance on a small platform.
@joseluisreyesgonz6 Tradiciones mexicanas. #Tradiciones #Mexicanas #VoladoresDePapantla ♬ sonido original – Delos reyes
@yordanfotografia Los Voladores de Papantla; Se trata de una de las tradiciones más bonitas, valientes y vistosas de todo México. #tradiciones #mexico #voladoresdepapantla #tajin #papantla #papantlatushijosvuelan #papantladeolarte #veracruz #tradicionesmexicanas #fypシ ♬ Corazon Azteca – Fernando Gallegos
Watch these gravity-defying men as they leap off and descend with just an unraveling rope holding onto them.
@jamesonca Respuesta a @Elizabeth Cortes5642 ♬ Volador – Ehecatl
@treeptours Voladores de Papantla✨ These Totonac men climb a 30-meter pole and then “fly” down in a spiral, honoring the elements—earth, water, fire, and air. The whole ritual is a call for rain and harmony with nature, and seeing them float through the air like that is just amazing. Moments like this are why I love exploring the city. #voladoresdepapantla #mexicocity #cdmx #cdmx #museodeantropologia #mexicoaesthetic ♬ sonido original – treeptours ✨
@omargonval Grupo de voladores de Cuetzalan, Puebla, realizando su ritual en Ixcateopan Guerrero #pueblosmagicos #cuetzalan #cuetzalanpueblomagico #mexico #ixcateopan #ixcateopandecuahutemoc #ixcateopanguerrero #mexico ♬ Sun – Adrián Berenguer
@endikka_oficial La tradición y la urbe , siempre diferentes pero fusionadas en un ritual en una danza en un espacio citadino con una visión musical el 15 de noviembre “Voladores” en plataformas te espero #spotify #distrokid #ableton #endikka_oficial #fypv #cdmx #artistasindependientes #artistasemergentes #artistasmexicanos #veracruzmexico #danzadevoladores #musicfusion #folktronica #worldmusic ♬ sonido original – Enrique Hernández
Check out this video recorded from one of the dancer’s POV:
@paconadal Los voladores de Papantla es una tradición de #Veracruz en la que 4 danzantes se lanzan desde un mastil de más de 20 metros de altura. Es un antigua ritual de fertilidad declarado Patrimonio. ¡Una locura! #mexico #mexicantiktok #papantla #papantlachallenge #papantlatushijosvuelan #veracruz #veracruzmexico #aprendecontiktok #tiktoktravels #tiktoktravel #viajestiktok #viajacontiktok #viajacontiktokers ♬ sonido original – Paco Nadal
Sources: Ritual ceremony of the Voladores at Unesco; Expediente Técnico – Ceremonia Ritual de Voladores; La ancestral ceremonia de Los Voladores de Papantla se presentará en Cecut
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