After a three year absence (two due to the pandemic and last year due to a blockade), blogger buddy Chris and I finally returned to San Martín Tilcajete to experience the mayhem and magic of their Carnaval (aka: Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras) celebration. We arrived in the late morning and, thanks to an invitation from our friend Gabriel Sosa of Matlacihua Arte, we were just in time to visit several devils preparing to take to the streets.
There is face paint involved.
And, there is body paint — a mixture of vegetable oil (with the possible addition of motor oil) and the same powdered paint used on the intricately decorated masks and alebrije the village is famous for.
Preparation is definitely a cooperative activity.
There are also cowbells worn to issue a clamorous invitation to residents and visitors to join the festivities.
Once the finishing touches are completed — cowbells tied around each devil’s waist and paint touch-ups — they leave the family compound.
Once out on the dusty streets (it is the dry season) of San Martín Tilcajete, they join with other devils issuing their clanging invitation throughout the village and, occasionally “tagging” a suspecting or unsuspecting bystander with a little of their oil based paint.
A word to the wise, if you go, don’t wear your favorite clothes and especially, don’t wear white!
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