In this excerpt, Molinar shares his experience of being symbolically blessed or “baptized” as the Major Devil character. Just as the “pujido” or “grunt” helps to amplify internal energy, the process of being symbolically baptized helps to abate energy.
In this excerpt, Molinar discusses the practice of symbolically selling the devil at the conclusion of the Congo game and his interpretation of what the devil character represents within the Congo tradition.
In this excerpt, Molinar discusses a few of the changes that he has witnessed in the devil character’s embodiment within the tradition that displease him and responds to Arturo Lindsay’s question regarding the escalating violence he has witnessed with the way some younger practitioners wield their whips.
In this excerpt, Molinar discusses the current existence of three people who play the role of Major Devil in the Congo tradition even though the official narrative about the tradition only signifies one Major Devil character playing at any one time.
In this excerpt, Solís discusses the ritual process that Celedonio used to prepared to “transform” into the Major Devil character.
In this excerpt, Solís discusses the relationship between the economy and the increasingly violent ways in which younger generations of devils within Congo traditions of Panama embody the character.
In this excerpt, Ileana discusses the unique energy and magnetism that made Celedonio Molinar’s embodiment of the devil character within the Congo tradition of Portobelo, Panama so special.
In this excerpt, Esquina discusses the differences between the costumes of the Congo community of Portobelo and other Congo communities in Panama.
In this excerpt, Esquina recounts watching her father, Vicente Esquina, get dressed as the Congo King and accompanying him to the palenque/palacio to play Congo. Memories of her father’s participation as king mark some of Esquina’s earliest recollections of the tradition.
In this brief excerpt, Esquina discusses occasions on which the community offers presentations of Congo performance locally as well as abroad and her perception of their response to the tradition.