San Martín Tilcajete’s Carnival, Oaxaca
As we drove into town we heard cow bells and yelling in the distance, then we saw a group of men and boys running towards our car, their whole bodies painted in black, their heads adorned in horns and masks. They were devils. There’s a unique tradition in San Martín Tilcajete, just before Lent begins, where people dress up as devilish and demonic creatures, then parade and holler throughout the town, freeing their demons. The demons and creatures come in and out of the town square throughout the day, but the main place to stop and get those demons out is at the Mayor’s house, where there’s music and dancing, food and drinks.
