Portobelo, Panama (AP) – Red bathed the small Panamanian town of Portobelo on Saturday in a celebration intended to represent a fight between good and evil, and the resistance of the slaves and Spanish colonizers.
Each year, hundreds in the city, which is stuck between the Caribbean Sea and the tropical jungles of the region, descend into the streets for the Festival of Demons and Congos. The festival uses dramatic images and bright colors characteristic of Caribbean celebrations to capture the historical struggle between slaves at the time of colonization.
The walkers dress with complex red and black masks, which merge the imagery of the devil and the Spanish colonizers. The slaves are dressed in color and, protected by angles dressed in white, continue the devils while they dance, ending up converting their oppressors into good.
It is the culture of memory, the devil representing the culture of the oppressor, or in this case, the white man in times of slavery towards blacks, known as Congos, said Eduardo Guadalupe, 34. He said he celebrated in a large black mask, with what seemed to be red and black flames that move away from the top and sides.
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Associated Press journalist, Megan Janetsky, contributed to this Mexico City report.
