Catholic devotees in the Venezuelan town of Naiguata on Thursday participated in the “Dancing Devils” tradition, despite COVID-19 restrictions and an economic crisis.
Hundreds, dressed up as devils, danced energetically around the town’s church to represent good prevailing over evil as they marked the feast of Corpus Christi.
Many coastal towns in the Guajira region, north of capital Caracas, also took part in the ancient tradition that UNESCO has deemed an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012.
The festival is considered to have been originated by Catholic priests to attract Indigenous people, and those of African descent, who were reluctant to forgo their ancestral rites.
Those celebrating in Naiguata on Thursday, unwilling to suspend a 300-year-old tradition, adapted it by leading a procession through the town while trying to maintain social distancing.
The usual crowds of tourists were absent this year, amid the pandemic.
