Danza de los Diablitos in Boruca, Costa Rica

Written by Mireille

Dance of the devils
Devils don traditional masks for the Danza de los Diablitos

On the southern part of the country, on the road toward the South Pacific, lives a pre-Colombian tribe: The Brunka. If you happen to pass that way, look for Boruca, one of the two main villages of the tribe. There you will discover a hidden treasure, a side of Costa Rica that is very mysterious and that only a handful of people know about.

It is not easy to reach, the roads are in a very bad shape and you may have to ask for directions more than once. Your perseverance will be well rewarded and the trip worth the effort. These incredible people live independently, surviving mainly from subsistence farming. Over the years they have managed to preserve some pre-Colombian weaving techniques as well as other particularities of their culture. They cultivate their own cotton, and only use natural dyes.

Boruca is most definitely recognized for its impressive ceremonial masks carved in balsa wood, which are actually worn during a yearly ceremony called the “Danza de los Diablitos” or Dance of the Little Devils. This symbolic celebration can be traced back to the days when the colonists first discovered the country.

It starts at midnight on the Dec 30th and ends Jan 2nd in Boruca village. It is also celebrated in a nearby small community of the name of Rey Curré during the first week of February. The natives, although never conquered, struggle today to keep their culture, values and way of life. More than a dance, the ceremony should be seen as the representation of the battle between the Spanish conquerors and the Brunkas, and is a series of games and choreography, the village itself being the center of the stage.

The masks play the most important role in the dance. The bulls, ferocious in appearance, represent the colonists while the Diablitos (little devils) are the natives. It is said that they were given that name by the Spaniards, as they considered them to be evil. Suddenly, a menacing looking “bull” is chasing the Diablitos all over the village, entering houses, searching everywhere while chanting and screaming.

The atmosphere grows very intense as the Diablitos grow stronger. On the last day, the bull is burned in a crazed celebration, symbolizing the victory, the Brunkas so full of pride and joy. These ceremonies start at 8am and keep going all day right through 5pm when they congratulate themselves with a serious drink of Cacique, a strong sugar cane based alcoholic drink.

The victory of this battle, fought with so much courage and fiercely celebrated by the Brunkas every year, was only short lived. The sad result of the colonization can be observed today, as there are no more than about 2000 natives left with 430 living in Boruca today, together with the destruction of the flora and fauna surrounding their territory. It is said that the bull in the ceremony also represents these current forces that endanger the traditions and way-of-life of the Brunkas.

The ceremonial masks are sold as the main source of income for the tribe. It is possible to buy a new mask, but some people prefer a used one, said to possess magical powers.

Photo courtesy of G. Duszak.

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