In this excerpt, Solís discusses studying the dance of the devil in 1994 under the tutelage of Celedonio Molinar, legionary Major Devil of Portobelo, Panama and receiving permission from the Congo King and Queen to dress and dance as a devil in 1995.
In this excerpt, Chavarría discusses the ways in which the Major Devil character has changed over his lifetime. He focuses particularly on his choice to follow his mentor’s example by wearing a smaller mask and discusses the value of smaller masks in relationship to the value of larger ones, which many younger devils choose to wear.
In this excerpt, Solís discusses the one-person performance that she created through her theater company to celebrate Celedonio and the Major Devil tradition of Portobelo, Panama.
In this excerpt, Chavarría discusses how he imagines retiring as Major Devil.
In this excerpt, Chavarría discusses his mentor Celedonio Molinar’s lasting legacy to the town and to the Congo tradition, including a charge to embrace the tradition with pride and joy.
In this excerpt, Chavarría talks about the importance of the Congo tradition and Congo dance to the community’s sense of pride and self. He urges young people to maintain the power of their traditions and to stay anchored to their sense of “place” and home.
In this excerpt, Chavarría shares childhood memories about how the Congo tradition was enacted before “the road.” In the “closed” community people did not work during carnival season, pooled resources, shared food, and communed together for several days as part of their celebration.
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.